Eduardo Escobar homers (24) on a fly ball to left off Brian Dozier
Exit Velocity 103 MPH
Distance 415 FT
Launch Angle 31.58#OnePursuit vs #RattleOn pic.twitter.com/S4jmLQasq2

— Strand Sport Stats (@StrandStats) August 4, 2019

It’s true. Brian Dozier might want to move back to 2nd base. Again, it was long time ago, but I remember him being an outstanding power hitter and really good 2nd baseman. This… doesn’t look like good pitching. We’ll see if the Nationals end up putting a bat back in his hands  and un-mounded dirt under his feet.

It’s a pretty unprecedented move for a major league club to be messing with veteran positions like this… we’ll have to see if it pays off.

via GIPHY

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

Last week, longtime Twins second baseman Brian Dozier was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers ahead of the MLB Trade Deadline for 2 prospects and second baseman, Logan Forsythe.

Today Dozier took out a full-page in the Star Tribune to say thank you to all of Twins Territory:

Dozier’s quote in the paper (cut off in this and most other tweets) reads:

“On June 10, 2009 I was drafted by the Minnesota Twins not knowing what to expect when I made my debut in May of 2012. I cannot thank you Twins Fans enough for making this Mississippi boy feel right at home. My wife and I have never felt so much love and support both on and off the field.

These are memories I will cherish forever. Cheers to you Twins Fans.

Thank you and we love you.

Brian Dozier”

Dozier took to twitter as well to show his appreciation:

https://twitter.com/BrianDozier/status/1027485399432749056

The full caption, which was also posted on his Instagram page reads:

“After a crazy few days, I want to take a second and say thank you to everyone in Minnesota and twins fans across the Midwest. I’ve known one organization since 2009 and writing words on here cannot fully express how blessed I’ve been to call Minnesota home and be surrounded daily with unbelievable people within the Twins organization, amazing fans and phenomenal people in and around Minneapolis….y’all are freakin awesome. Cheers to you, twins fans….you will always have special place in my heart.”

In 7 years with the Twins Dozier hit .248 with 167 home runs and 491 RBIs in 955 games. Dozier also broke the American League record for most home runs hit by a second baseman in 2016 with 40 (he hit 42 that year total but 2 were as a DH). Dozier put power on the map for a position that is more known for light hitters than legitimate power threats.

Dozier quickly became a vocal part of the Twins clubhouse and his impact, both on and off the field, is already missed.

Thanks for everything Doz, the feeling is mutual.

via GIPHY

Seth Toupal @SethToups
Minnesota Sports Fan

And the most anticipated trade piece the Twins were working with will finally pack his bags and head west.

Brian Dozier has been traded to the #Dodgers. Deal is done. @Ken_Rosenthal reported close.

— Jerry Crasnick (@jcrasnick) July 31, 2018

After 3 years filled with rumors of trades to the LA Dodgers, it’s finally happening. Brian Dozier is heading to Hollywood. Dozier has been a staple in Minnesota for a long time and fans fell for his grittiness and slight southern drawl. The hair wasn’t half-bad either… Without knowledge or trust in what the Twins have in the farm system, fans will not be happy about this. Hopefully Jorge Polanco, Nick Gordon, and Royce Lewis all make us look back at this trade with a smile….

Even more ideal, would be some success with the haul we are getting back in the Dozier deal.

#MNTwins reportedly receiving 2B Logan Forsythe, LHP Devin Smeltzer and OF/1B Luke Raley from #Dodgers for Brian Dozier. Raley is No. 19 on the @Dodgers‘ Top 30 Prospects list: https://t.co/AnIkFLceXR pic.twitter.com/8dseeA7I87

— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) July 31, 2018

It looks like Raley is the guy the Twins were targeting..

Raley is the key return for the #MNTwins, to answer a handful of the same question at once. Also, $$ is a wash. #MNTwins did send $$ to Seattle and NYY in yesterday’s transactions. https://t.co/nIEfwiYD68

— Darren Wolfson (@DWolfsonKSTP) July 31, 2018

Luke Raley reminds me a bit of Corey Koskie. Both 6-3 lefties. Raley doesn’t have Koskie’s discipline but has some good power. pic.twitter.com/kl1uMlraEF

— Parker Hageman (@ParkerHageman) July 31, 2018

The Twins fans (who are still around) can take a deep breath. Dozier, as loved as he is, was only under contract for one more season. It looks like Kyle Gibson, who still has a year left after this season, looks like he is safe. Even Rodney is safe and according to Doogie, may be coming back for a second season with the Minnesota Twins? Either way, it looks like this season’s garage sale is over, barring something strange:

Barring a last second Hail Mary, #MNTwins are done making July trades. August and a potential market for Santana awaits. Nothing came close on Rodney largely because the Twins want him here in 2019.

— Darren Wolfson (@DWolfsonKSTP) July 31, 2018

We’ll be back once that actually happens to recap all of this madness and see where it leaves our favorite baseball team, going forward.

Eric Strack
Minnesota Sports Fan @RealMNSportsFan

Another weekday gone, another roster dump for the Minnesota Twins:

Sources: zach duke to Mariners

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) July 30, 2018

Sometimes, the changes that have happened over the last 10 years, when it comes to how sports news is reported, make me want to laugh. I don’t mean to bring down big timers like Jon, in the least. They’ve been pushed to this by the internet age. Zach Duke isn’t even capitalized. That’s how important it is to be the first one. If you got the text message, so are other reporters. You don’t even have the 7 seconds it takes to correct your phone. That shit is just funny.

Moving on.

So, Zach Duke gets traded after a very mediocre stint with the Twins, that didn’t even make it to the partnership’s first trade deadline. Duke, like most other pitchers brought in during last offseason, is on just a one year deal and set to hit free agency when the 2018 season comes to a close. Duke will do his best to get back to the pitcher he was two years ago before requiring Tommy John Surgery immediately after the 2016 season, causing him to miss most of 2017.

In return, the Twins received (IF) Ryan Costello and (P) Chase De Jong. As has been the narrative, the Twins didn’t get anything stellar back in return. “So-so” is what Parker Hageman of TwinsDaily.com calls it. Here are both prospects’ stat tables from MiLB.com

Ryan Costello:

Chase De Jong:

I’d say the #MNTwins wound up getting so-so value out of Zach Duke.

Ryan Castello, 3B, a little old for low-A (22) but has some power: league-leading 16 HRs in Midwest League.

Chase De Jong, RHP, reportedly has a very good curveball but just an OK low 90s fastball.

— Parker Hageman (@ParkerHageman) July 30, 2018

That’s not all the news that came out though, this afternoon. Eduardo Escobar was close to Twin fans’ hearts but trading Brian Dozier may lead to more rioting on our facebook page than even Escobar did. He is the ultimate piece that, WHEN traded, will have the detractors yelling “Pohlad Pocket Protectors!”. But, it looks like he is more likely to go, than to stay. Most of us already knew this but the writing looks to be thicker and thicker on that locker room wall…

There’s still a strong sense that the #Twins will deal Brian Dozier to a contender by the deadline, even though no obvious fit jumps off the map.

— Jerry Crasnick (@jcrasnick) July 30, 2018

And before I can even finish this post, Lance Lynn has now been moved to the Yankees. Off the bat (how do you like that pun), this looks like a guy that some really like and others have given up on. Brandon Warne from ZoneCoverage.com says below, that part of his issues have been health related…

It looks like nobody wanted Lance Lynn more than the Yankees. And for Lance, he now gets to go back to a place where he was very good, for a team that has a REAL chance at winning the whole damn thing. Good for him.

Former top-100 guy. Big raw. Can really hit, has struggled to stay healthy. https://t.co/mUGf5FChre

— Brandon Warne (@Brandon_Warne) July 30, 2018

For the record, I never like negative news surrounding one of my teams and nobody likes to see franchise staples be traded away from the Twin Cities. Unfortunately, that’s just how the MLB works. This is how teams operate when the deadline comes, depending where they are sitting in the standings that season. You can hate that if you want. But, that’s what’s been proven throughout the league, for any team outside of Boston and New York. It’s about gaining assets. In professional baseball, more than any other sport, top prospects fizzle out and lower-tier guys end up with long professional careers. It’s a numbers game.

And, if you believe that this is how every competent MLB front office would operate (which I do), then it’s difficult to get out my pitch fork. We can’t let our impatience from the incompetence of the past affect how we treat this new regime. They deserve SOME of the patience and time that the last regime got. So, that’s what I’ll give them.

At least until I see what they do with the $100 Million they will have to spend this offseason….

Eric Strack
Minnesota Sports Fan (@RealMNSportsFan)

The MLB’s 2018 trade deadline is less than two months away. With the Minnesota Twins currently sitting well below .500, unless they start acing some of their upcoming tests, indications are the ball club will be dropping this proverbial college course.

As a whole, the AL Central has been sub-par, leaving little expectation of producing one of the league’s two wild-card teams. With the injury-riddled Twins entering the weekend in the division’s third spot, this early 4-game summer set vs. Cleveland carries more importance than one would have originally hoped.

Anywho, how about that weather? Royce Lewis?

New #MNTwins prospect rankings at Baseball America:

#16 Royce Lewis (prev: #21)
#88 Alex Kirilloff (prev: NR)
#92 Brusdar Graterol (prev: NR)
#94 Brent Rooker (prev: #86)
#100 Nick Gordon (prev: #88)

— Brandon Warne (@Brandon_Warne) June 1, 2018

The soon-to-be 19 year-old (June 5th), Royce Lewis, was the first overall pick in the 2017 MLB Draft. Upon selecting Lewis, many questioned why Minnesota passed on the HR hitting, 102 MPH hurling Hunter Greene.

Nearly a year removed from the highly debated decision, Minnesota’s silky shortstop is Baseball America’s 16th ranked prospect. That comes in 22 spots higher than Greene, who is only two months younger. As for who tops the list (which is surely peppered with future All-Stars), that would be a Mr. Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

That’s right. Baseball’s number one up-and-coming player, is the son of the free-swinging Hall of Famer himself.

My college coach played with Vladimir Guerrero and he told me an incredible story.

He got scolded by a coach for throwing and running too hard in early spring training. Vladdy stood up and said in Spanish “my family used to drink out of puddles. Don’t tell me how to play.”

— Jason Ochart (@JasonOchart) April 19, 2018

With that nugget noted, let’s get back to Lewis:

For now, the California native is playing for the Class A Cedar Rapids squad. As of Friday afternoon, Lewis held a .316 BA (50-158, .362 OBP 3 HR, 10 2B, 15 SB).

The highly talented teen’s next step in the minor league ladder will occur when he’s brought-up to Minnesota’s Fort Myers affiliate (Class A Advanced). According to the Star Tribune’s Joe Christenson, that will “no-doubt” be happening “at some point this season.”

Sidebar: Holy range. 

In regards to when Lewis will receive the ultimate call-up, Christenson recently mentioned that he could see the big leagues as early as September, 2019.

If I had to bet on his MLB arrival, that’s where my money is going. With the way he’s been tearing up the minors, the vision of Lewis in a Twins’ uniform sometime after the 2019 trade deadline is becoming more clear.

As for the aftermath of the current year’s fast-approaching deadline, with the way Minnesota has been struggling as of late, it’s more than plausible that a current member of their infield will be donning a different team’s jersey by season-end:

This is likely the last season we see Brian Dozier in a #MNTwins‘ uniform…

?: @TheJohnnyMN https://t.co/lg40JAznu3

— Minnesota Sports Fan (@realmnsportsfan) March 6, 2018

Johnny Minnesota (@TheJohnnyMN)

MinnesotaSportsFan.com

Next offseason, Joe Mauer and Ervin Santana’s (2019 team option) contracts will emulate a high school graduate who forgoes college. That’s a BIG financial monkey off of the back AND a lot of Pohlad pocket-change (combined $36.50 million in 2018) off of the books.

When Minnesota’s current offseason started as slow as it did, that information was regularly mixed into complaints regarding the organizations lack of spending.

Now, with fans no longer fiending for roster additions, conversations based around Mauer and Santana’s soon-to-expire deals are more of a rarity. In fact, on Monday, discussions surrounded a different Twin, that’s also in the final year of his contract:

Brian Dozier sounds willing to walk away from Twins after season, writes @SouhanStrib. https://t.co/ptjeStbI75 pic.twitter.com/7zbc2WEDWM

— Star Tribune Sports (@StribSports) March 5, 2018

With no agreement in place for 2019, 30 year-old Brian Dozier’s tenure in Minnesota could very well end, after this season. While speaking with the media, the second baseman conveyed that he and the Twins haven’t had “any talks about exploring an extension.“

Naturally, at his age, Dozier is interested in securing the bag a long-term deal. However, from the teams’ perspective, committing big dollars to the well-established, middle infielder might not make any sense.

Between Royce Lewis, Nick Gordon, and Wander Javier, three of Minnesota’s top five prospects are shortstops. On top of that, the ball-club’s reigning starter at that position, Jorge Polanco, is only 24 years-old. While none of them are currently listed at 2B, all four up-and-comers have the potential to change positions, if the situation calls for it.

via GIPHY

Dozier, the Mississippi native, has blasted a combined 76 HRs over the past two seasons. Those type of numbers from a second baseman are an anomaly. For now, that irregularity is a blessing. If you’re in the camp that feels Dozier needs to stay in the Land of 10K lakes, assuming he ends up hitting the open market, the moon-shots will become a curse.

That old supply and demand economic model is going to get your ass. Due to his unique power, the man who has been known to turn a broken bat into a makeshift duck-call has the potential to be the highest paid free agent second baseman since 2014 (Robinson Cano).

Brian Dozier’s Stats:

However things ultimately play out, “Brian with the Good Hair” has been an absolute bargain:

Brian Dozier has been worth more than $150 million to the Twins while being paid less than $20 million. But how much will he be worth in 2019 and beyond? https://t.co/HoGObpwsDD

— Aaron Gleeman (@AaronGleeman) March 5, 2018

In conclusion, the purpose of this article was to simply plant the seed. As for what type of proverbial plant Dozier’s baseball future will become, that remains to be seen. From his personal performance, to whether Minnesota will be buyers or sellers at the trade deadline, and everything in-between; there are plenty of variables associated with this topic that are yet to be decided.

With that being said, don’t be surprised if future reports regarding Dozier’s future, are more all over the place than this state’s climate.

**walks into gas station**

Cashier: “How is it out there?”

Me: “It’s not good. We lost our last two games. This Jimmy Butler injury is brutal.”

Cashier: “I was talking about the weather and roads.”

Me: “Xavier Rhodes?!?”

— Johnny Minnesota (@TheJohnnyMN) March 6, 2018

Johnny Minnesota @TheJohnnyMN
Minnesota Sports Fan MinnesotaSportsFan.com

Snow storms are reminiscent of a hungover day at work. First and foremost, both are huge character builders. Second of all, once you are done with the bullshit, there’s a euphoria associated with surviving the entire mess.

With mother nature punching us in the kisser on Saturday, that excitement is what Minnesotans (including myself) were experiencing on Sunday. Once that feeling was parlayed with this announcement, regarding the Minnesota Twins, I was about to come out of my skin:

Source: #MNTwins, Logan Morrison have a deal, pending physical. $6.5 million guaranteed. Vesting option with escalators and performance bonuses. Chance to be 2-years, $16.5 million.

— Robert Murray (@RobertMurrayFRS) February 25, 2018

Let’s go! While Twins’ Nation plays checkers over possible signings of Yu Darvish, Mike Napoli, and others, Falvey and Levine are on some Bobby Fischer chess-champion shit.

What is Minnesota getting with Logan Morrison?

The 30 year-old, whose nickname is LoMo, will start the season as Minnesota’s primary DH. However, on days where Paul Molitor decides to DH or rest Joe Mauer, he can pencil Morrison in at 1B.

Possible Twins lineup:
2B Brian Dozier
1B Joe Mauer
3B Miguel Sano
DH Logan Morrison
LF Eddie Rosario
RF Max Kepler
CF Byron Buxton
SS Jorge Polanco
C Jason Castro

A very potent group.

— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) February 25, 2018

As for his bat, the 6’3″ 245 pound, left-handed slugger finished the 2017 season with a .246 batting average (.353 OBP), while hitting 38 home runs and driving in 85 runs. For comparison purposes, both Brian Dozier’s 34 bombs and 93 RBIs lead last year’s Twins squad.

Male readers: If your significant other seems oddly interested in LoMo, stay woke. Last time I checked, chicks dig the long ball.

It should be noted that Morrison’s 2017 HR and RBI total were both career highs.

Logan Morrison MLB Statistics:

Obviously, if he can get anywhere near last season’s numbers, the $6.5 million is straight out of the beloved bargain bin. 

Despite the Miguel Sano injury, your Twins finished the post-All-Star stretch with the second most run in the majors, in 2017. The way I saw it; with all due respect to Robbie Grossman, Kenny Vargas, and others, the DH slot was painful to watch, at times. In his 1,380 big league at bats, Grossman has hit 31 home runs. Vargas’ size is Big Papi-esque, but that’s about all he and David Ortiz have in common.

That’s why I liked the Mike Napoli (in GIF w/Ortiz) rumors from earlier this offseason. That’s why I love this Logan Morrison signing.

Now what? On to the next one?

Lance Lynn and Alex Cobb are both our there for the taking. Per our article from Saturday, I see those two as a horse a piece. Let’s grab one of them to join us for this 162 game dance. If the master recruiter that is P.J. Fleck the recently acquired Jake Odorizzi has anything to say about it, Cobb will be joining the rotation.

Jake Odorizzi is trying to recruit Logan Morrison AND Alex Cobb to the #mntwins. Source with direct knowledge said today #mntwins are showing interest in Morrison.

“Those guys would help any team,” Odorizzi said. https://t.co/57H6kURuRl

— Mike Berardino (@MikeBerardino) February 25, 2018

Johnny Minnesota @TheJohnnyMN
Minnesota Sports Fan MinnesotaSportsFan.com