RSS Twins Team Notes

Monday Morning Minnesota: The “It Can Always Get Worse” Edition

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FORT MYERS, FL- MARCH 15: Taylor Rogers #55 of the Minnesota Twins pitches during a team workout on March 15, 2022 at the Hammond Stadium in Fort Myers, Florida. (Photo by Brace Hemmelgarn/Minnesota Twins/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Twins kicked off the week with a surprising trade of former top prospect Edouard Julien and reliever Pierson Ohl for minor leaguer Jace Kaminski, who had missed all of 2025 with Tommy John surgery. They ended the week with a bombshell announcement that POB&BO Derek Falvey and the team were parting ways. While the move in a vacuum may not have been surprising, the timing of the move, considering pitchers and catchers report in a couple of weeks to spring training, was quite suspect. Now, the relentless pursuit of new heads of baseball and business operations begins.

The Past Week on Twinkie Town:


Elsewhere in Twins Territory:


In the World of Baseball:

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Source: https://www.twinkietown.com/general...minnesota-the-it-can-always-get-worse-edition
 
Is There a Remaining Free Agent Worth Signing?

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PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - SEPTEMBER 21: Dauri Moreta #36 of the Pittsburgh Pirates reacts after the final out in a 11-0 win over the Athletics during the game at PNC Park on September 21, 2025 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Hello everyone! Welcome to our new Daily Question series for the month of February. With Spring Training around the corner, we want to hear what you think 2026 holds for your Minnesota Twins. Let’s get excited for baseball!


Yesterday we talked trades, today, let’s talk free agents.

The reason I wanted to hit trades first is that the remaining 2026 free agent options are fairly bleak. There’s some great options on the market if you need starting pitching, but unfortunately for the Twins, that’s the one area of relative strength on this team. Plus, Framber Valdez and Zac Gallen are well out of Tom Pohlad’s price range.

Using FanGraphs’ handy free agent tracker, you can sort by projected 2026 WAR and see there’s very little left for the Twins’ needs. Just like with the trades, the Twins need right-handed relievers, right-handed hitting outfielders, and a utility man who can reasonably play shortstop 2-3 times per week, given Brooks Lee’s injury history.

In my opinion, there’s three players the Twins should be prioritizing.

  1. Miguel Andujar, OF: the former Yankees top prospect has carved out a nice career for himself with the A’s over the past few seasons. He doesn’t offer much value defensively or on the base paths, but he crushes lefties and has a strong arm in the outfield. At this point of the offseason, you could do a lot worse.
  2. Dauri Moreta, RHP: Moreta looked to be the Pirates’ future closer as recently as 2023 before he missed all of 2024 and most of 2025 recovering from Tommy John surgery. He flashed good stuff in the second half of last season, and would be controllable for two additional seasons if the Twins want to keep him around. Another year removed from surgery, he could be closing games in Minnesota by midseason.
  3. Ramon Urias, IF: Urias was one of the league’s better utility men from 2021-2024 with the Orioles, but his offensive production slipped between Baltimore and Houston in 2025. He hasn’t played short since 2022, but that’s more due to ironman Gunnar Henderson taking over in 2023 and never looking back. If the Twins feel he can still handle shortstop, he’s the best option from a very limited remaining selection.

Take a look at FanGraphs’ list and let me know if there’s anyone you think the Twins should still pursue. It’s not great, but there may still be ways to upgrade on the margins.
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Source: https://www.twinkietown.com/minneso...is-there-a-remaining-free-agent-worth-signing
 
Twins to invest in cloning technology for complete Rogers bullpen

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MINNEAPOLIS, MN - JULY 23: Taylor Rogers #55 of the Minnesota Twins celebrates with Ryan Jeffers #27 against the Los Angeles Angels on July 23, 2021 at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Brace Hemmelgarn/Minnesota Twins/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Fresh off taking charge of the business aspect of Twins baseball operations of the Twins, team owner Tom Pohlad has announced a partnership with Brasher Microform, a company specializing in DNA experimentation and cloning.

“It’s in our identity: Twins,” Pohlad said. “We brought back Taylor Rogers, and he’s a twin. It seemed apropos to craft our entire bullpen out of copies of him.”

Rogers returned to his debut team on January 23, signing a one-year, $2 million deal and providing left-handed help to a bullpen still foundering since last year’s trade deadline fire sale. The team only has one other active southpaw reliever with MLB experience: Kody Funderburk, from whom Rogers has reclaimed his old number 55 (Funderburk will now wear #57).

“With a full slate of Rogerses in the bullpen, imagine the lack of worry about pitcher exhaustion,” Pohlad said. “One Rogers blows out his elbow? No problem, we can pop another one out of the tank. It worked for Tom Brady’s dog.”

The Brasher Microform website touts its experimental “Inner Safe” technology, allowing for DNA reproduction without having to re-age the cloned subject from infancy. Curiously, there is no contact information for the country listed on the website, nor is there any address or location listed.

Upon being asked why the Twins did not simply attempt to sign Taylor’s twin brother Tyler in free agency (Tyler signed with the Blue Jays) if they wanted multiple Rogerses in the home bullpen, Pohlad said, “The cloning partnership was less cost-prohibitive.”
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Source: https://www.twinkietown.com/satire/...technology-for-complete-taylor-rogers-bullpen
 
Greatest Twins Moments & Performances: A Twinkie Town Definitive List (Round 15)

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Minnesota Twins second baseman Brian Dozier reacts after hitting a three-run walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth inning against the Detroit Tigers during their Major League Baseball game at Target Field Friday, July 10, 2015. Minnesota defeated Detroit 8-6. (Photo by Josh Holmberg/Icon Sportswire/Corbis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Results​

  • R1: Jack Morris Game 7 Shutout 1991
  • R2: Kirby Puckett Game 6 Dominance 1991
  • R3: First World Series championship 1987
  • R4: AL Champions Metrodome welcome 1987
  • R5: Game 163 wild victory 2009
  • R6: Mudcat’s World Series must-win 1965
  • R7: Harmon’s 500th homer 1971
  • R8: Final day AL Central title 2006
  • R9: Kirby Puckett’s Weekend for the Ages 1987
  • R10: Breaking the Playoff Curse (TM) 2023
  • R11: The Donnie & Hrbie Show 1987
  • R12: Johan Santana in 17K 2007
  • R13: Mauer’s Final Moment 2018
  • R14: Dozier’s Comeback Capper 2015

After four straight dismal seasons, Target Field had become more mausoleum than marvel. The 2015 Twins were a desperately-needed injection of competitive excitement into the fanbase. Nothing personified the upswing more than the heroics of July 10, 2015.

After a furious rally from a 6-1 ninth inning deficit, Brian Dozier found himself at the plate with the chance to tie the game. He didn’t do that—he won it instead!

Per newly-elected Twins Hall of Famer Dick Bremer: “The most electric moment at Target Field in years!”

The newbie: Harmon heroics!

(Note: I expect this series to continue for 5-6 more weeks. I have plenty of moments/performances to consider, but feel free to drop suggestions in the comments and I’ll take them under advisement!)

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Thome christens Target Field (2010)​

  • When Target Field opened to begin the 2010 season, it was clearly a beautiful new ballpark that the hometown nine excelled in. But it was missing one thing: a signature moment. Try as they might, the Twins could not muster a walk-off victory in front of the sold-out crowds for the first four-and-a-half months. But on August 17, The Man With An Ox In The Batter’s Box finally gave Target Field it’s first magical memory.
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Jacque Jones jolts contraction outta here (2002)​

  • The 2001 offseason was undoubtedly the worst in Twins franchise history. After MLB Commissioner Bud Selig floated the contraction idea and Twins owner Carl Pohlad was more than willing to take the payout, it took a county judge to restore order. Jacque Jones restored between-the-white-lines order by homering in the first PA of the 2002 season! I wasn’t able to locate the audio, but Dick Bremer’s “And I hope it lands in Milwaukee!” call remains iconic.

Denard Span’s triple takes the top off (2008)​

  • In the final week of the 2008 season, the Twins needed to sweep the Chicago White Sox at the Metrodome to even have a fighting chance at the AL Central crown. After taking the first two games, MN fell behind big in the finale—but kept battling back. In the bottom of the 8th, Denard Span bounced a ball down the first base line that scored Carlos Gomez to tie the game and propelled this Twinkie Town writer airborne. Alexi Casilla would later give the Twins the victory, but Span’s big blow was the buoyant moment.
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Francisco Liriano out-duels Roger Clemens (2006)​

  • Francisco Liriano’s 2006 run was perhaps the greatest pitching stretch in franchise history. His signature moment that season was out-dueling Roger Clemens in Houston on June 22, 2006. With The Rocket (5 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 4 K) in the midst of his home-state comeback, Liriano (8 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 7 K) outclassed the veteran in his own back yard. While by no means Frankie’s best single-game performance of ‘06, beating Kody’s Dad put him on the national stage.
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A Killer Clout​

  • Minnesota’s struggles against the Bronx Bombers did not begin in the 2000s. Despite coming over from Washington, D.C. a competitive club, the Twins couldn’t get over the early-1960s Yankees dynasty. That changed in 1965—especially July 11. Trailing by one run heading into the bottom of the ninth in the final game before the All-Star Break, Harmon Killebrew stepped into the batter’s box with Rich Rollins on base. NYY hurler Pete Mikkelsen didn’t stand a chance. MN cruised to a World Series berth post-Break.
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Source: https://www.twinkietown.com/minneso...s-2006-denard-span-triple-2008-killebrew-1965
 
Who Should the Twins Target in a Trade During Spring Training?

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LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 08: Orion Kerkering #50 of the Philadelphia Phillies pitches against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the eighth inning in game three of the National League Division Series at Dodger Stadium on October 08, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Hello everyone! Welcome to our new Daily Question series for the month of February. With Spring Training around the corner, we want to hear what you think 2026 holds for your Minnesota Twins. Let’s get excited for baseball!


Here’s the problem with trade articles. Because you can target nearly anybody, I end up spending hours just going through realistic possibilities. Rather than doing that this time around, let’s leave it up to you and see who you have in mind.

The way I see it, the Twins have two main needs with a few weeks to go. The bullpen is the glaring and most obvious one, but they also need a right-handed outfielder to pair with their bevy of lefties incapable of hitting a left-handed breaking ball.

Last note! Ideally, these trades need to remove some assortment of Trevor Larnach, James Outman, Matt Wallner, or Alan Roden from the roster. Those four are incredibly redundant and each has different strengths, but they all have the exact same weakness: they can’t hit lefties. Larnach is the one most likely to go, but Wallner has good trade value and could be the centerpiece for a team that is low on outfield power. Outside of that, you’re probably looking at a deal centered around a starting pitcher (or two) with one of the outfielders as a throw-in.

I’ll cover the more boring, but still distinct upgrades, options first. Here are a few teams and players that could work as trade partners off the top of my head:

  • Boston Red Sox: they’ve had their eye on Joe Ryan for months, but maybe there’s a smaller trade to be worked out for one of the Twins’ lower level starters. Romy Gonzalez is a lefty masher who can play anywhere and they have some intriguing relief options as well.
  • Tampa Bay Rays: They could use some offensive production and rotation depth to back up their quality top end of the roster. Something like Larnach and a lower-end (but MLB ready) pitching prospect could fetch the Twins either Edwin Uceta or Bryan Baker in the bullpen.
  • Colorado Rockies: The Rockies, famously, are not a well run baseball team. Could we trick them into giving up Victor Vodnik?
  • Philadelphia Phillies: The Phillies have maybe the worst projected starting outfield for a bonafide contender. Larnach would be a distinct upgrade for them and they have two excellent right-handed utility men that would be an upgrade for the Twins in Edmundo Sosa and Otto Kemp. If you want to get crazy and kill two birds with one stone, Wallner and Marco Raya could probably fetch you Orion Kerkering and one of the utility guys.
  • Los Angeles Angels: my dream trade that won’t happen for various reasons is Zach Neto, who has quietly emerged as one of the best young shortstops in baseball over the past two seasons. It would cost a lot prospect-wise, but picking up Neto and bumping Brooks Lee into the Willi Castro-esque super utility everyday player would solve a lot of issues for this roster.

Let’s hear it: who (realistically) do you want the Twins to trade for? Dream big. Or small. The world is your oyster, and hopefully Jeremy Zoll’s too.
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Source: https://www.twinkietown.com/minneso...wins-target-in-a-trade-during-spring-training
 
Twins Flashback: 1996 (Pt. 1)

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Growing up in the 1990s, Twins baseball was Kirby Puckett and Kirby Puckett was Twins baseball to me. Far before I knew the meaning behind the guys running around in funny pajamas or why we waved white hankies to cheer them on, I knew Kirby Puckett. It was the name. The smile. The way he always showed up at the right time.

Heading into the 1996 season, none of that looked to change. In ‘95, Puck was good as ever: 39 2B, 23 HR, 99 RBI, .314 BA, 130 OPS+. Sure, his season came to an abrupt close after taking a ball off the cheekbone from Dennis Martinez on 9/28, but he was battering Grapefruit League pitching (.344 BA) in the ‘96 Spring Training.

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Expected to be paired with established superstar Chuck Knoblauch, 1995 Rookie of the Year Marty Cordova, and free agent acquisition Paul Molitor, all signs pointed towards the Minnesota Twins being on the upswing after a 1993-1995 rough patch.

But on March 28, 1996, Kirby woke up unable to see out of his right eye. No vision at all. Despite trying to battle through batting practice, it was clear that the situation put him in imminent harm’s way, much less anything from a competitive perspective.

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Initially diagnosed as glaucoma, further ophthalmologic testing revealed a more specific “central retinal vein occlusion” issue. Puckett would not be playing to begin ‘96.

In fact, after three months away and three eye surgeries in that span, it became clear that Kirby would never fully regain the type of vision necessary for professional athletics. As such, in one of the most emotional press conferences ever assembled, he announced his age-36 retirement on July 12, 1996.

I became a true day-by-day follower of Twins baseball in 1996. Partially because I was just about to turn 11-years old—peak baseball-obsession period. But I couldn’t have quoted you any team statistics at this point. What I could have shown you was the Puckett children’s biography I had checked out from the library, or the Kirby VHS highlight tape I watched incessantly.

My first foray into Twins fandom fervor came from picking up the daily newspaper and switching on the nightly news in ‘96 to get updates about my sporting hero—Kirby Puckett.
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Source: https://www.twinkietown.com/minneso...njury-retirement-dennis-martinez-hit-by-pitch
 
TwinkieTown Movie Night: The Rookie

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Here’s your link for the movie! It’s from a Strange Site, but most internet security experts consider it pretty safe (for streaming; I wouldn’t try downloading). It has no commercials, so no sync issues! Sync issues are a pain on Movie Nights! Start the show at 7:30!

You all know the plot, right? Jim Morris pitches in the minors for a few years (including the Beloit, WI, Brewers), but never makes the bigs. One day, over ten years later, he finds steroids that he can still throw pretty hard, and attempts to reboot his MLB dreams. With Dennis Quaid, Rachel Griffiths, the great Brian Cox, and a bunch of Kids + Old Country Coots.

The script’s by Mike Rich, a native of Enterprise, OR, and yes I’ve been there. (Lovely, quite remote.) Rich also wrote Radio and Cars 3 and did some uncredited work on Miracle. The director’s one John Lee Hancock, who’s made a lot of “true story” movies.

Generally, when a Hollywood movie says “based on” or “inspired by” a true story, you can take that with a major grain of salt. In Hancock’s case, there’s the ones which are Mostly True (The Founder), Kinda True (The Blind Side, although the real person got zero money from the movie), Largely Bunk (The Alamo) and Not Even Close (Saving Mr. Banks). In the case of The Rookie, think we’re in mostly-true territory. Except, maybe, what the star looks like.

Here’s the real Jim Morris standing next to the real Dennis Quaid at a premiere showing:

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Plus, Dennis Quaid was 48 when this came out, and Morris was 35 when he made his baseball comeback. But that’s not really a big deal. Almost all the stuff about the small town characters is made up (except the baseball team), also not really a big deal.

If you like, here’s a mlb.com article from 2023 on the movie-deal details (which is a major part of the movie biz, although the dullest/most depressing part, for me). I did like learning that the real Morris got paid quite nicely for the movie rights; this is good.

Here’s your link again for the movie! Click your clicks at 7:30!

Here’s the upcoming schedule:

February 13: Moneyball (2011)

Brad Pitt plays Billy Beane, and I’m sure Billy Beane wishes he looked like Brad Pitt. Philip Seymour Hoffman is great as always. The Twins beat the A’s! Free on Vimeo; Spanish subtitles you can’t turn off, but they won’t hurt you.

February 20: Back to the Future III (1990)

By request, and because I haven’t seen it since 1990 (when I enjoyed it a lot). Why haven’t I seen it since then? Well, there’s an embarrassing tale… Free on the Strange Site.

February 27: White Men Can’t Jump (1992)

Not baseball, but from Bull Durham writer/director Ron Shelton, and for no real reason I’ve never seen it. So why not watch it with TT friends? Free on the Strange Site.

March 6: The Stratton Story (1949)

James Stewart plays a pitcher who makes the majors, falls in love, then faces intense obstacles. Haven’t seen it, but it’s based on a true story, which in Hollywood means “100% accurate.” Free on the Strange Site.

That schedule isn’t set in stone; if anybody has something they’d like to watch/comment about with others, feel free to suggest it. I’m surprised that almost every Movie Night has gotten at least one person joining in, and I’ve appreciated it a ton.

I strongly feel like we should have the last one be 42, since the first one was The Jackie Robinson Story. I also wanna fit Stop Making Sense in somewhere, because I found a good free link and most of us are rock fans, too. Just to see if anybody else likes the songs.

So, let me know what you think about the upcoming schedule, if you wish! Hope some folks enjoy this one!
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Source: https://www.twinkietown.com/book-club/51049/twinkietown-movie-night-the-rookie
 
Which current Twin could play in the Super Bowl?

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ARLINGTON, TEXAS - SEPTEMBER 25: Byron Buxton #25 of the Minnesota Twins runs the bases following a three run home run against the Texas Rangers during the eighth inning at Globe Life Field on September 25, 2025 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) | Getty Images

No funny business. This is serious. Let’s get into it.

First, the rules. This isn’t an alternate universe where players have been training for years as football players. This is the Seahawks or Patriots call today and say they need someone tomorrow. Also, for the sake of Byron Buxton, no one’s getting hurt either.

Let’s knock out the obvious candidates.

High School Football Players

  • Byron Buxton was a starting QB and CB for his high school in Georgia. He’s even got highlights on Hudl! He was such a surefire MLB draft pick that he never got any serious consideration, but like all things Buxton, I would assume he’s naturally good at it. You can’t expect him to step in and play QB tomorrow, but let’s get him running some 9 routes or returning some kicks.
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  • James Outman was a star linebacker in high school, leading his conference in tackles and racking up 36 sacks as a junior. The Patriots are thin at linebacker due to a few injuries, so let’s get him out there.
  • Connor Prielipp: high school starting QB
  • Eric Wagaman was at least on his high school football team. But from what I can tell, never actually recorded any stats. We wouldn’t be sending our best, but at least he knows how to put on his pads.

Physical Specimen

  • Matt Wallner is big, strong, and, according to former manager Rocco Baldelli, made of cement. All important aspects to being a good defensive lineman. Let him rush of the edge or, at a minimum, put him on the field goal block unit.
  • Josh Bell is listed at 6’3”, 261 pound, which we all know means he’s probably closer to 300 pounds. Put the big boy on the o-line.
  • Bailey Ober is tall.

Wild Cards

  • Victor Caratini is the only player in MLB history to catch back to back no-hitters with separate teams (the Cubs and Pirates in 2021), including the first in Padres franchise history. Seems like he was put on earth to do the impossible. Put him it at RB and see what happens.
  • Kody Clemens, famously, is the son of Roger Clemens. Roger has the most Cy Youngs in MLB history and, more relevantly here, also allegedly was a major steroid user. So Kody… you know… those home runs last year came from somewhere…

Since Byron Buxton is seemingly good at everything he does, the smart money is on him. Outman is the most decorated former football player. Ober is, of course, tall. But what do you think? I feel like I’m forgetting someone, but maybe that’s the leftover Joe-Mauer-football-alternate-history talking.
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Source: https://www.twinkietown.com/minneso...ich-current-twin-could-play-in-the-super-bowl
 
Who Do You Think Will Win the WBC?

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YOKOHAMA, JAPAN - AUGUST 05: Joseph Ryan #40 of Team United States pitches against Team Republic of Korea in the second inning during the semifinals of the men's baseball on day thirteen of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Yokohama Baseball Stadium on August 05, 2021 in Yokohama, Japan. (Photo by Yuichi Masuda/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Yesterday, MLB finally released the full rosters for the World Baseball Classic. Japan won the event in 2023 over the US when Shohei Ohtani struck out then-teammate Mike Trout in one of the most thrilling single plate appearances in recent memory. Team USA and Japan figure to be the odds-on favorites once again with the most high level talent, but there’s plenty of challengers coming from the Latin American countries.

Puerto Rico had issues getting Carlos Correa, Francisco Lindor, Javy Baez, and new Twin Victor Caratini insured for the event, but still carries plenty of Big League talent, headlined by closer Edwin Diaz. Venezuela’s overall talent is right up there with Japan and the US, headlined by our sweet boy Pablo Lopez, along with Ranger Suarez, Ronald Acuna Jr., Jackson Chourio, Luis Arraez, Eugenio Suarez, and both Contreras brothers.

Mexico isn’t anything to scoff at either, with a lineup consisting of All-Stars Jonathan Aranda, Alejandro Kirk, Randy Arozarena, and Jarren Duran. And the Dominican Republic might have the best lineup in the whole tournament with a 10 All-Stars in their lineup: Juan Soto, Julio Rodriguez, Fernando Tatis Jr., Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Manny Machado, Junior Caminero, Ketel Marte, Geraldo Perdomo, Jeremy Pena, and Oneil Cruz.

But there’s a reason Team USA and Japan are the favorites: pitching. America’s rotation is lead by the two best pitchers in the world, Tarik Skubal and Paul Skenes, and has several All-Stars behind them in Joe Ryan, Logan Webb, Matthew Boyd, Mason Miller, and David Bednar. Japan, meanwhile, has Yoshinobu Yamamoto, one of the only other pitchers giving Skubal and Skenes a run for their money. He’s backed up by two-time All-Star Yusei Kikuchi, Hiromi Itoh (who won the NPB equivalent of the Cy Young in 2025), and Tomoyuki Sugano who has two of those awards himself.

Finally, a Twin/former Twin watch! Here are all the Twins connections I could find competing in 2026.

United States

  • CF Byron Buxton (active)
  • SP Joe Ryan (active)
  • RP Griffin Jax (2021-2025)

Australia

  • OF Aaron Whitefield (2020)

Canada

  • IF Edouard Julien (2023-2025)
  • P Jordan Balazovic (2023)
  • Hitting coach Justin Morneau!

Columbia

  • IF Donovan Solano (2023)
  • IF Gio Urshela (2022)

Dominican Republic

  • 1B Carlos Santana (2024)

Great Britain

  • SP Vance Worley (!!) (2013)
  • Bench coach Tanner Swanson (this is semi-obscure but he was the Twins’ minor league catching coordinator and was credited for turning Mitch Garver and Ryan Jeffers into decent defensive catchers rather than the liabilities they were as prospects. He was poached by the Yankees in 2020.)

Israel

  • RP Matt Bowman (current/2024)
  • OF Harrison Bader (2025)

Italy

  • RP Dan Altavilla (current)

Mexico

  • SP Taj Bradley (current)
  • RP Daniel Duarte (2024)

Nicaragua

  • RP Erasmo Ramirez (2024)

Puerto Rico

  • RP Luis Quinones (current)
  • UTIL Willi Castro (2023-2025)
  • C Christian Vazquez (2023-2025)
  • RP Jovani Moran (2021-2023)
  • RP Jorge Lopez (2022-2023)
  • RP Jose De Leon (2023)
  • OF Eddie Rosario (2015-2020)

Venezuela

  • SP Pablo Lopez (current)
  • IF Luis Arraez (2019-2022)
  • Bullpen catcher Juan Graterol (2018)
  • Pitching Coach Johan Santana!

The WBC starts a month from today, which will be a fun change from the monotony of a typical Spring Training. Who do you have winning the whole thing? Are you rooting for anyone besides the United States?
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Source: https://www.twinkietown.com/minnesota-twins-daily-question/51080/who-do-you-think-will-win-the-wbc
 
Monday Morning Minnesota: The “Blazing Hot Stove” Edition

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CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - OCTOBER 05: Gio Urshela #15 of the Minnesota Twins in action against the Chicago White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field on October 05, 2022 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) | Getty Images

With the Super Bowl last night, baseball season has officially begun! Jeremy Zoll moved quickly to make his mark on the Twins after Derek Falvey left the organization. So far, Zoll has signed Matt Bowman, Eduardo Salazar, Jackson Kowar, David Bañuelos, and, just announced today, Gio Urshela. While none of them are on the 40-man roster, at least it’s something? Feel free to set your own over/unders on how many combined games these guys play with the Twins this season.

The Past Week on Twinkie Town:


Elsewhere in Twins Territory:


In the World of Baseball:

  • The last few major dominoes fell in free agency last week:
  • There were also a few trades that went down:
  • Buster Olney and Jeff Passan at ESPN reflect on the lessons they learned this offseason.
  • Tarik Skubal won his arbitration case against the Tigers, setting a new record for a contract earned in arbitration at $32 million. According to Fangraphs, this means that the Tigers payroll will be at least double the Twins 2026 payroll.
  • Andy McCollough at The Athletic remembers speedster Terrance Gore, who unfortunately passed away last weekend.
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Source: https://www.twinkietown.com/general/51113/monday-morning-minnesota-the-blazing-hot-stove-edition
 
Greatest Twins Moments & Performances: A Twinkie Town Definitive List (Round 16)

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MINNEAPOLIS - AUGUST 17: Jim Thome #25 hits the first walk-off home run for the Minnesota Twins against the Chicago White Sox on August 17, 2010 at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Twins won 7-6. (Photo by Wayne Kryduba/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Results​

  • R1: Jack Morris Game 7 Shutout 1991
  • R2: Kirby Puckett Game 6 Dominance 1991
  • R3: First World Series championship 1987
  • R4: AL Champions Metrodome welcome 1987
  • R5: Game 163 wild victory 2009
  • R6: Mudcat’s World Series must-win 1965
  • R7: Harmon’s 500th homer 1971
  • R8: Final day AL Central title 2006
  • R9: Kirby Puckett’s Weekend for the Ages 1987
  • R10: Breaking the Playoff Curse (TM) 2023
  • R11: The Donnie & Hrbie Show 1987
  • R12: Johan Santana in 17K 2007
  • R13: Mauer’s Final Moment 2018
  • R14: Dozier’s Comeback Capper 2015
  • R15: Thome is my Homie 2010

When the Twins moved to Target Field in 2010, I had to be lured outdoors like TC Bear. My entire baseball existence to that point had been under the Teflon roof. So when “the new place” opened and balls weren’t flying over fences and dramatic walk-offs weren’t happening, I felt a little uneasy.

Big Jim Thome changed all that on August 17…

You don’t tug on Superman’s cape. You don’t spit into the wind. You don’t pull the mask off the old Lone Ranger. And you don’t mess around with Jim!

The newbie: Jose Miranda goes streaking!

(Note: I expect this series to continue 4-5 more weeks. I have plenty of moments/performances to consider, but feel free to drop suggestions in the comments and I’ll take them under advisement!)

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Jacque Jones jolts contraction outta here (2002)​

  • The 2001 offseason was undoubtedly the worst in Twins franchise history. After MLB Commissioner Bud Selig floated the contraction idea and Twins owner Carl Pohlad was more than willing to take the payout, it took a county judge to restore order. Jacque Jones restored between-the-white-lines order by homering in the first PA of the 2002 season! I wasn’t able to locate the audio, but Dick Bremer’s “And I hope it lands in Milwaukee!” call remains iconic.

Denard Span’s triple takes the top off (2008)​

  • In the final week of the 2008 season, the Twins needed to sweep the Chicago White Sox at the Metrodome to even have a fighting chance at the AL Central crown. After taking the first two games, MN fell behind big in the finale—but kept battling back. In the bottom of the 8th, Denard Span bounced a ball down the first base line that scored Carlos Gomez to tie the game and propelled this Twinkie Town writer airborne. Alexi Casilla would later give the Twins the victory, but Span’s big blow was the buoyant moment.
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Francisco Liriano out-duels Roger Clemens (2006)​

  • Francisco Liriano’s 2006 run was perhaps the greatest pitching stretch in franchise history. His signature moment that season was out-dueling Roger Clemens in Houston on June 22, 2006. With The Rocket (5 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 4 K) in the midst of his home-state comeback, Liriano (8 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 7 K) outclassed the veteran in his own back yard. While by no means Frankie’s best single-game performance of ‘06, beating Kody’s Dad put him on the national stage.
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A Killer Clout (1965)​

  • Minnesota’s struggles against the Bronx Bombers did not begin in the 2000s. Despite coming over from Washington, D.C. a competitive club, the Twins couldn’t get over the early-1960s Yankees dynasty. That changed in 1965—especially July 11. Trailing by one run heading into the bottom of the ninth in the final game before the All-Star Break, Harmon Killebrew stepped into the batter’s box with Rich Rollins on base. NYY hurler Pete Mikkelsen didn’t stand a chance. MN cruised to a World Series berth post-Break.
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No Way, Jose! (2024)​

  • On July 3, 2024, Jose Miranda singled in the eighth inning of a blowout loss to the Tigers. Ho hum. But then, something inexplicable happened: Miranda reached base the next twelve consecutive at-bats—13 if you count a HBP mixed in! In a sport where 0-fer slumps can sometimes last weeks, Jose managed to find his way on base—without the benefit of a BB—a baker’s dozen worth of times in a row.
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Source: https://www.twinkietown.com/minneso...-2006-killebrew-1965-jose-miranda-2024-streak
 
Which 2025 trade still bothers you the most?

The Twins’ surprise pivot into an aggressive selloff was the headline of a surprisingly active 2025 trade deadline. They sent out a shocking 10 players, nine of whom were on the active roster at the time of their transactions. Some of those were expected (Chris Paddack, Willi Castro, Harrison Bader, Danny Coulombe), while others came seemingly out of nowhere (why the hell did the Blue Jays want Ty France?)

Let’s look at the actual potentially frustrating trades.

Carlos Correa salary dump: Correa was traded back to the Houston Astros for a Low A pitcher who is no longer in affiliated ball. The Twins are also paying $30M of Correa’s remaining salary over the next three years, split out at $10M on Jan 1 of each year. This was a pure salary dump, nothing more nothing less.

Jhoan Duran for Eduardo Tait and Mick Abel: Duran could have been the most decorated closer in Twins history if they held onto him. Instead, the electric reliever will get a chance to earn that same acclaim in Philadelphia. Abel has flaws but can be an effective starter if he can get his walks under control. If he can’t he should be a closing option himself, at minimum. Tait, meanwhile, is one of the top catching prospects in all of baseball. He has a top-end throwing arm and a ton of power, but at 18-years-old still has a long way to go before he’s ready to handle an MLB pitching staff.

Griffin Jax for Taj Bradley: A rare one-for-one swap, which is always a fun move. Bradley came with twice the amount of team control as Jax and is a starter which is inherently more valuable than a reliever. However, Bradley may find himself in the bullpen soon enough if he can’t develop a secondary pitch to get lefties out. He’s shown flashes, next comes the consistency.

Louie Varland (and France) for Alan Roden and Kendry Rojas: Here’s the thing. In a vacuum, this trade makes sense from the Twins’ side. They traded a reliever for starting outfielder with a high floor and a borderline Top 100 pitching prospect that they excel at developing. However, Varland came with five more years of team control and the Twins suddenly found their elite bullpen completely depleted after moving Jax, Duran, and Coulombe. Questionable, to say the least.


Like with the Varland trade, each of these moves in a vacuum is defensible. But in totality, they’re pretty underwhelming. Relievers are fickle and even the best can be inconsistent from year to year (see: Jax). But if they truly expected to contend in 2026, who can they conceivably hand the ball to after their vaunted starting staff leaves the game?

Additionally, the Twins’ weakness the past few years has been on the offensive side of the ball. They main MLB-ready players they got back were Roden and three pitchers! Maybe these moves were made with an eye toward additional trades this offseason, but they’ve largely sat on their hands while adding a few veteran hitters. Then Tom Pohlad (probably) forced out the man who was putting together the plan. It’s bad process likely preceding bad results.

That being said, the trade that irks me is still Correa. With Correa’s regression and chronic injury history, getting out of the majority of the $110M still owed to him absolutely makes sense. However, the Pohlads didn’t allow the front office to put the $20M/year saved back into the team. Instead, they have a contending core without the surrounding cast to back them up and their lowest adjusted payroll since Kirby Puckett was alive.

Which trade do you regret the most? Correa’s is the most obvious, but this roster sure could use one of Jax or Duran right about now…
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Source: https://www.twinkietown.com/minneso...8/which-2025-trade-still-bothers-you-the-most
 
Can this team actually win the AL Central?

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Big day for Buck! (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Tom Pohlad wants you to believe the Twins will be able to contend in this division despite not giving the front office the resources to do so. They have a lot of talent and untapped potential, and maybe a new coaching staff can do a better job of helping them reach their ceiling, but they’re also running a payroll below Metrodome levels when adjusting for inflation and league spending.

FanGraphs projects the Twins to go roughly 80-82 with a 16% chance to win the division and 32% chance to make the playoffs. That feels optimistic relative to how 2025 finished, but it’s important to remember that the Twins were missing Pablo Lopez, Byron Buxton, Bailey Ober, Zebby Matthews, David Festa, and Ryan Jeffers for most of that stretch.

The Twins also still managed to take regular leads into the late innings and lost them thanks to Justin Topa and Cole Sands getting overworked and overtaxed. They were the third-worst bullpen in baseball by WPA after the trade deadline, but will naturally see that improved due to sheer bullpen luck and some combination of Connor Prielipp, David Festa, Marco Raya, Mick Abel, and Kendry Rojas giving a boost in pure stuff, if nothing else.

Their main competition will be the Tigers, led by back-to-back Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal and new acquisition Framber Valdez. The Royals made some additions on the margins but are currently slated to start a 22-year-old rookie catcher at DH. The Guardians, meanwhile, are always a threat due to the black magic and satanic sacrifices they make to start each season. Their most recent sacrifice to the baseball devil was three-time All-Star closer Emmanuel Clase, who reportedly fixed pitches in 48 (!!) separate games in the past two seasons.

That being said, the Twins’ starting pitching is probably the single best position group in the division. The Tigers are giving them a run for their money, but there are still a lot of question marks and health uncertainty behind their two stars. Minnesota’s rotation goes legitimately 12-deep with MLB-caliber starters. Even if several move to the bullpen, they have the prospects to withstand a slew of injuries at any point in the season.

They’ll need better health luck from players who haven’t had it in the past (Lewis, Keaschall, Wallner) and major steps forward from some young hitters (Lee, Roden, top prospects Jenkins and Rodriguez), but that was essentially the formula that allowed the Tigers to compete last year and the Royals to do so in 2024. The Twins are flawed, but they’re also in unquestionably the worst division in MLB.

Do you believe Tom Pohlad that the Twins can compete right now? Does there have to be a major trade to do so, or would a few marginal upgrades in the bullpen be enough with internal development?
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Source: https://www.twinkietown.com/minneso...086/can-this-team-actually-win-the-al-central
 
Twins announce 22 non-roster invitees

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Bat meet ball meet glove… it’s good to have baseball back. | Daniel Shirey / MLB Photos via Getty Images

Spring training is coming up on every baseball fan’s docket. Teams travel to warmer weather to begin their work and preparation for the coming season, and players on the bubble hope to earn their spot on the Major League roster.

To that end, the Twins on Monday announced 22 players who have received an invite to major league camp:

We have invited the following players to Major League camp:

— Minnesota Twins (@twinsbaseball.bsky.social) 2026-02-09T18:47:17.000Z
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Some notes from this group:

The non-roster invitees include three recent Twins first-round picks: Aaron Sabato, Walker Jenkins, and Kaelen Culpepper. Sabato made his AAA-St. Paul debut last season, hitting 14 home runs with a .741 OPS after putting up a .973 OPS (with nine homers) in AA-Wichita. Jenkins also reached St. Paul last season after spending most of the season in Wichita (.912 OPS), playing in 23 games as a Saint (.719 OPS) in his age-20 season. Culpepper, like Jenkins, has been accelerating through the minors, reaching Wichita in his second minor league season and putting up an .824 OPS over 59 games.

The group also includes several older veterans, none more familiar to Twins fans than Gio Urshela. Urshela was the Twins’ primary third baseman in 2022, playing in 144 games and putting up a 2.9-WAR season before joining the Angels the following year. Across the last three seasons, though, Urshela has been a subpar player, with a .654 OPS and 0.4 total WAR in just 249 games played.

Twins fans may also recognize veteran middle infielder Orlando Arcia via familiarity with his brother Oswaldo, who spent the first three-plus seasons of his career as a Twin, bounced around the league in 2016 (playing for four teams), and was out of the majors following that year. And there is one more player here who has previously appeared in a game for the Twins: reliever Matt Bowman, who made five appearances out of the Minnesota bullpen in 2024.

The last player I want to draw attention to here is Matt Canterino, whose pitching track has been repeatedly derailed by injuries. Canterino last threw a pitch in a non-spring training game in 2022 and will reportedly be unable to pitch yet again this spring, but he remains with the organization.

Of course, I haven’t talked about everyone here, which means it’s going to be one of the players I haven’t mentioned who comes out of nowhere to earn a roster spot. And that’s the best part of spring training.

We’re this close to baseball.
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Source: https://www.twinkietown.com/spring-...ster-invitees-kaelen-culpepper-walker-jenkins
 
Interesting roundup of moves and news here. The non-roster invites are always fun to track - you never know who's going to surprise in camp.

I'm cautiously optimistic about Jenkins getting that invite. Kid's been moving through the system pretty quick for his age, and that .912 OPS in Wichita is hard to ignore even if the AAA numbers were more modest. Culpepper's another one to watch.

As for the "which trade bothers you most" question... I think the Correa salary dump stings the worst for me too. Not because of what they got back (everyone knew it was just about shedding money), but because the savings didn't go back into the roster. That's the frustrating part. You can justify moving expensive contracts if you're reallocating resources, but pocketing the difference while asking fans to believe you're still competing? That's a tough sell.

The bullpen situation concerns me heading into the season. Moving Jax, Duran, and Coulombe all in one deadline was aggressive. The rotation depth is legitimately impressive - probably the best in the Central like the article says - but late-inning situations could get dicey if Prielipp or one of the young arms doesn't step up fast.

Division's weak enough that 80-82 might actually be competitive though. Strange times in the AL Central.
 
Rank the AL Central. Where do the Twins truly stand?

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SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - OCTOBER 10: Kerry Carpenter #30 of the Detroit Tigers is congratulated by Javier Báez #28 after hitting a two run home run against the Seattle Mariners during the sixth inning in game five of the American League Division Series at T-Mobile Park on October 10, 2025 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images) | Getty Images

I touched on this in Monday’s question, but let’s get more direct. I want to know where you truly think the Twins stand among the worst division in baseball. I’ll once again reference you to FanGraphs’ playoffs odds page, which is updated after games and transactions.

Here’s my ranking:

  1. Tigers
  2. Royals
  3. Twins
  4. Guardians
  5. White Sox

If we’re using groups or tiers, I would say that the Tigers are clearly a group on their own, especially after signing Framber Valdez. The Royals probably have a good gap between themselves and the Twins as long as their starters can be healthier than they were in 2025. Then the Twins and Guardians are in a “if they get 1 or 2 players to breakout” group. I put Minnesota above Cleveland simply because the Twins’ main weakness is the bullpen, which is much easier to fix or find new, reliable players, whereas the Guardians need to find 3-4 bats that can be above-average behind Jose Ramirez and Steven Kwan. Also similar to the Twins, they have a few former top prospects that have yet to establish themselves (George Valera, Chase DeLauter, CJ Kayfus), so it’s definitely possible they somehow win the division yet again.

I also, briefly, want to give a shoutout to the White Sox who have gone from historically terrible to a dark horse division contender within two years. GM Chris Getz has nailed several big trades over the past two years, bringing in current or future mid-lineup bats like Chase Meidroth, Kyle Teel, and Braden Montgomery. They have some work to do on the pitching side, but they have a solid base and a clear path toward the future, which is much more than what they could say when Getz took over baseball ops.

So, what’s your AL Central ranking? Is this the Tigers’ division to lose, or are you higher on the Royals than I am?
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Source: https://www.twinkietown.com/minneso...the-al-central-where-do-the-twins-truly-stand
 
Twins Acquire LHP Anthony Banda from Dodgers

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LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 03: Anthony Banda of the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrates on a bus during the Dodgers 2025 World Series Championship parade on November 03, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Twins have acquired left-handed reliever Anthony Banda from the Dodgers in exchange for international bonus pool space. Banda was designated for assignment by the Dodgers earlier this week, essentially meaning the Twins gave the Dodgers a bit of cash to jump the waiver line. RHP Jackson Kowar, picked up off the waiver wire last week, was DFA’d to make room on the 40-man roster. The minor trade was reported by Bobby Nightengale of the Star Tribune.

Over the past two seasons in LA, Banda has a 3.14 ERA/4.52 FIP with 111 strikeouts in 114.2 innings. The FIP is quite a bit higher due to his walk rate, which was one of the worst in MLB among relievers last season. Like most lefties, he’s significantly better against left-handed batters and will likely be deployed as more of a true lefty-specialist. Fellow left-hander Kody Funderburk actually struggles more against lefties, making him and Banda a good pair in the middle innings for the Twins.

Banda will make a very modest $1.625M in 2026 and is controllable next season as well via arbitration. I would expect the Twins to still be pretty active on the waiver and trade market over the next two months as they look to beef up their bullpen. They have three solid left-handed options now with Banda, Funderburk, and Taylor Rogers, but could still use a more established right-handed reliever to go with Cole Sands and Justin Topa.

What are your thoughts on Banda? Can the Twins help get his walk rate under control and make him a more effective reliever?
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Source: https://www.twinkietown.com/minnesota-twins-news/51155/twins-acquire-lhp-anthony-banda-from-dodgers
 
What MLB looked like in 1936

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UNSPECIFIED - UNDATED: New York Yankees Lou Gehrig and Joe DiMaggio photographed during Spring Training drills. (Photo by William Greene/Sports Studio Photos/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Tomorrow afternoon, my extended family will celebrate the 90th birthday of my grandmother. A solid baseball fan, Grandma Betty is probably most famous for the “hot dog sandwiches” (wieners sliced the long way and put between slices of white bread) she’d smuggle into Metropolitan Stadium for her family. Her Fridley home has long been a way station for me to stop by before catching the Northstar train (RIP) to the ballpark.

So, in honor of her 90th trip around the sun, let’s take a gander at what MLB looked like in the year of her birth…

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The 102-51-2 New York Yankees were—surprise, surprise—the cream of the baseball crop. It’s what happens when the rookie season of Joe DiMaggio (4.8 bWAR, 29 HR, 125 RBI, .323 BA, 128 OPS+) overlaps with perhaps the peak of AL-MVP Lou Gehrig’s (9.7 bWAR, 49 HR, 167 R, 152 RBI, .354 BA, 190 OPS+) prowess.

NYC also reigned supreme in the National League, with the 92-62 NY Giants riding Mel Ott (7.9 bWAR, 33 HR, 135 RBI, 177 OPS+) and NL-MVP Carl Hubbell (9.7 bWAR, 26-6, 2.31 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, 169 ERA+) to their circuit crown.

Ultimately, the Bronx Bombers would prevail in a six-game World Series.

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In the Negro Leagues, the Pittsburgh Crawfords (48-33-2) were tops, with the combination of Josh Gibson (LL in HR, RBI, and OPS), Cool Papa Bell, & player/manager Oscar Charleston being far too great a talent assemblage for any other club to match.

A few other fun facts about the Summer of ‘36…

  • Luke Appling (Chicago White Sox) led either league with a .388 BA
  • Something called Van Lingle Mungo (Brooklyn Dodgers) was the whiff-wizard: 238 K
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  • Bob Feller (Cleveland) made his MLB debut
  • The American League banned all night contests—even prohibiting light installations in their ballparks
  • In a strange scenario, the Boston Braves became the Boston Bees for one season. Their park—formerly Braves Field—was re-christened NL Park, but fans took to calling it the “Bee Hive”! Inexplicably, they were back to Braves in 1937.
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The first Baseball Hall of Fame class was inducted into Cooperstown in 1936 (before the museum was even open to the public): Ty Cobb, Babe Ruth, Honus Wagner, Christy Mathewson, & Walter Johnson. Quite a crew!

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It is crazy to think that all these events we look back on with wonder & awe took place within the lifespan of my grandmother. So, cheers to 1936 and Grandma Betty! She has told me she wants to get to the century mark, so provided we don’t all turn into bots within the next ten years, I’ll see you then for the 1946 recap.

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Source: https://www.twinkietown.com/general...rig-dimaggio-hubbell-ott-appling-lingle-mungo
 
TwinkieTown Movie Night: Moneyball

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Here’s your link for the movie! It’s from a Strange Site, but most internet security experts consider it pretty safe (for streaming; I wouldn’t try downloading). It has no commercials, so no sync issues! Sync issues are a pain on Movie Nights! Start the show at 7:30!

The movie’s based (kinda) on a 2003 book, Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game, by one Michael Lewis (I haven’t read it). Two of Lewis’s other books, The Blind Side and The Big Short, have also been adapted into hit movies, so that guy’s rolling in dough. Good for him, I guess, unless he’s an a-hole, in which case, damn you, Hollywood!

This one has a convoluted production history. Originally hack director David Frankel and sub-hack writer Stan Chervin were set to do it. Then Brad Pitt got interested, although he didn’t like the script. So hit writer Steven Zaillian was hired; that got Pitt to commit. Then, for some reason, the studio brought on director Steven Soderbergh; maybe because Soderbergh had directed Ocean’s 11, which had Brad Pitt in it, and it made tons of money. But Soderbergh’s also the guy who did a 267-minute Che Guevara movie; he’s not somebody you can just tell what to do. Sony tried telling him what to do. It didn’t pan out. The film was shut down a few days before shooting started.

Still, Sony had already paid for the book rights and Pitt’s salary, so they brought in some new people to rethink the movie, director Bennett Miller and prolific writer Aaron Sorkin (kind of like a modern-day Rod Serling, if Serling was a little funnier and a lot less thoughtful). Sorkin and Zaillian hashed out a new script together, which involved sharing ego space, which neither liked doing, but they did it.

You can read all of that in this Hollywood Reporter article by Alex Ben Block. You can also read A.I.-generated garbage posts about the making of Moneyball like this and this and this. What’s “notoriously picky” Moneyball director Bennett Miller working on today? Projects about how intriguing A.I. technology is for artists. So you can ignore anything he ever does ever again.

I don’t like Miller’s other work. I thought his Foxcatcher was shallow, exploitative, and heartless. I felt the same way about his Capote, although Philip Seymour Hoffman was excellent in it. Because he’s just excellent in everything.

Hoffman’s here with Pitt, Jonah Hill, Arliss Howard, the great Robin Wright, and a bunch of actors playing baseball players (or lesser-known baseball players playing wider-known baseball players). Born-in-Minnesota Chris Pratt plays Scott Hatteberg; he had to slim down for the role (and blamed his weight gain on his girlfriend’s cooking). Well, I liked him better when he was chubby-faced.

Was Billy Beane all that bright? After all, during his tenure in Oakland, the A’s never advanced to the ALCS once. But, as gintzer pointed out in a different comment thread, the A’s had several years where they won a ton of games. The ball bounces differently in some best-of-5 playoff series, things might have gone otherwise. So maybe Beane was a rebel genius. (Although I’m not invested in the notion.)

Here’s your link again for the movie! Click your clicks at 7:30!

Here’s the upcoming schedule:

February 20: Back to the Future III (1990)

By request, and because I haven’t seen it since 1990 (when I enjoyed it a lot). Why haven’t I seen it since then? Well, there’s an embarrassing tale… Free on the Strange Site.

February 27: The Stratton Story (1949)

James Stewart plays a pitcher who makes the majors, falls in love, then faces intense obstacles. Haven’t seen it, but it’s based on a true story, which in Hollywood means “100% accurate.” Free on the Strange Site.

March 6: Stop Making Sense (1984)

You may ask yourself: do we have some rock fans, here? We do. And this is one of the very best rock-concert movies. Featuring the Talking Heads and a totally badass touring band. Free on the Strange Site.

March 13: 42 (2013)

I wanna make sure we get this one in, because we started with The Jackie Robinson Story. I might be outta town March 20, and there might be a game March 27 (currently nothing scheduled but you know how Opening Week can go.) Free on the Strange Site.

Running out of time for suggestions this year… but, who knows, maybe we’ll give it a go next year, too? In any case, show starts at 7:30!
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Source: https://www.twinkietown.com/book-club/51144/twinkietown-movie-night-moneyball
 
Monday Morning Minnesota: The “It’s a New Day” Edition

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FORT MYERS, FL- MARCH 16: A detail view of the jersey of Bailey Ober #17 of the Minnesota Twins prior to a spring training game against the Boston Red Sox on March 16, 2025 at the Lee Health Sports Complex in Fort Myers, Florida. (Photo by Brace Hemmelgarn/Minnesota Twins/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Pitchers and catchers have reported, optimism is in the air, and the first spring training game is this Saturday! Baseball is upon us, and in less than two months, it’ll be Opening Day, and we can enjoy cheap drinks, courtesy of the Twins. All is well in Twins Territory. (besides…y’know, everything else surrounding the team).

The Past Week on Twinkie Town:


Elsewhere in Twins Territory:


In the World of Baseball:

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Source: https://www.twinkietown.com/general/51175/monday-morning-minnesota-the-its-a-new-day-edition
 
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