Twinkie Town 12 hours ago
Are you sure you want to spend big money on the bullpen?
Photo by Brace Hemmelgarn/Minnesota Twins/ The data shows the ‘pen is not the place to splurge in free agency The bullpen was a major strength of the 2020 Twins. The reliever group performed at one of the highest levels in baseball — tying with Tampa for the major league lead in fWAR (3.6), finishing fifth in FIP (3.85), strikeout rate (27.4%), and win probability added (2.26); and sixth in ERA (3.62). Fast forward to the middle of this frigid offseason, though, and the bullpen is now one of the Twins’ position groups most in need of strengthening before the 2021...
Twinkie Town 14 hours ago
Rival Roundup, Vol. 13: Gimme Hendriks
Photo by Bruce Kluckhohn/Minnesota Twins/ News and notes from a ramping-up divisional market. The year - 2021. The date - January 17th. The article - Rival Roundup, Vol. 13 on Twinkie Town. This has been an up-to-the-minute recap of your life! Spooky, no? Chicago White Sox This week, the South Siders stoked the flames of our rivalry by announcing a major free agent signing one day after the release of a Rival Roundup issue. There’s no other reason they would have waited until a Monday to do this, and I will hear no arguments that contradict this opinion. The White...
Minneapolis Star-Tribune Jan 16, 2021
The day Elvis died, that was just part of the story in Baltimore
August 16, 1977 might be remembered for the death of a rock and roll legend, but followers of the Minnesota Twins might remember there was more.
Twinkie Town Jan 15, 2021
Gabbing w/ Gamble: Which player’s departure hit you the hardest?
Photo by Brace Hemmelgarn/Minnesota Twins/ Right in the feels Hello and happy Friday to all of you! Another work week down, another Twinkie Town discussion to take you into the weekend. However, we’re getting sad on this Friday. The question I have for you today is this: Which former Twin’s departure made you the most sad at the time? (Non-retiree division) There’s obviously no shortage of options for this question. Most players aren’t Twins for life, especially these days. Lots of fan favorites have come and gone ever since free agency’s dawn. Below you’ll...
Minneapolis Star-Tribune Jan 14, 2021
Teenage Venezuelan shortstop Danny De Andrade tops Twins' list of international free agents
Danny De Andrade and seven others set to join the Twins organization, although signings wont be official until players pass physicals.
Puckett's Pond Jan 14, 2021
Minnesota Twins: How the Rest of the AL Central can become Contenders
The Minnesota Twins and Chicago White Sox look primed to fight for the AL Central in 2021. We look at how the other teams can become competitors too. Welcome back to 2008! The Minnesota Twins and White Sox look to be the teams to beat in the AL Central, one of the first times this […] Minnesota Twins: How the Rest of the AL Central can become Contenders - Pucketts Pond - Pucketts Pond - A Minnesota Twins Fan Site - News, Blogs, Opinion and More
Puckett's Pond Jan 14, 2021
Minnesota Twins: Breaking down the Odds of Stars Landing in Minnesota
Minnesota Twins fans want big names to land in the Twin Cities, whether it comes through trade or free agency. We break down the odds for each star. The MLB offseason is a slow moving beast. From November to the middle of December, very little happened. In the last month, things have exploded. Blake Snell, […] Minnesota Twins: Breaking down the Odds of Stars Landing in Minnesota - Pucketts Pond - Pucketts Pond - A Minnesota Twins Fan Site - News, Blogs, Opinion and More
Twinkie Town Jan 14, 2021
The winter of our discontent? Or the winter of our complete disinterest
Photo by Brace Hemmelgarn/Minnesota Twins/ I mean this in the nicest possible way. I respect all of my colleagues, and I read all of their work. Frankly, I’d read their work before my own, but let’s face it, as Cooper did a few days back, it’s getting difficult to write about nothing. Seinfeld managed a successful television show about it, but I’m no Jerry Seinfeld. I may not even be George Costanza. But the point is, the Twins don’t seem to be doing anything this winter. Which, leaves us writing, mostly, about nothing. Obviously, they are doing something. I...
Twinkie Town Jan 13, 2021
Top ten Twins things I’m looking forward to in the next few months
Or.. hope to see anyway. Oh hey there! It’s been a while, hasn’t it? For reals. I took a months-long hiatus from writing. I don’t know about you guys, but in the midst of all the things going on in the world over the last year or so, baseball just hasn’t been at the forefront of my headspace. Like, I LOVE baseball. I’ve loved it my whole life. But not being able to go to live games, watching the owners and players bickerer how/when to play during a pandemic, and the Twins crumbling in the post season yet again, I just haven’t cared enough about any baseball stories...
Twinkie Town Jan 13, 2021
Hey Twins, what are you waiting for?
Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports Time to get the show on the road Well, it’s the middle of January and the only thing the Twins have done is sign Hansel Robles for $2 million. Meanwhile, the division rival Chicago White Sox have signed Liam Hendricks and traded for Lance Lynn. It should feel like the Twins are about to make their moves as the Sox sit back, but instead it’s the opposite. While Chicago has made some big moves, they’re not done. They are still in on the biggest free agents like Bauer and Springer while it feels like the Twins have no shot. All rumors...
Twinkie Town Jan 12, 2021
Liam Hendriks changes nothing in Chicago
Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/ The Chicago White Sox just gave the best reliever on the market, former Twin Liam Hendriks, a boatload of money but it doesn’t really worry me too much. In fact, I don’t think Hendriks is much of a barrier at all to the Twins running through the Central Division. Chicago is a threat to Minnesota, and really the only one left, but its not because of the guy pitching in the ninth inning with a close lead. And don’t think Hendriks will be used in any other way—Tony La Russa is as old-school as it comes when we discuss bullpen...
Minneapolis Star-Tribune Jan 12, 2021
Two moves make it clear: Twins' top rival in 2021 is the White Sox
Cleveland traded Francisco Lindor. Chicago added high-priced closer Liam Hendriks. The 2021 race is on. What will the Twins do?
Twinkie Town Jan 12, 2021
Assessing the best Twins GM
Photo by Hannah Foslien/ Until 1985, the Twins didn’t have a true, modern GM. Under the ownership of the Griffith family, the owners made those decisions, and in the first two years of Pohlad family ownership, Team President Howard Fox made the calls. The hiring of Andy MacPhail as GM in 1985 then, will start our timeline. Best GM is certainly a difficult call to make—winningiest is easy to determine, but what more does playoff success count for? What sort of handicaps should we give for difficult times, and what bonus points do we offer for navigating those rougher...
Puckett's Pond Jan 11, 2021
Minnesota Twins: Why the best time to make a move is Right Now
The White Sox have now officially made their move, bringing in Liam Hendriks. It’s time for the Minnesota Twins to stop waiting it out and do the same. The shoe has finally dropped, and the moves are beginning to come. Two days ago, Cleveland announced their trade sending Francico Lindor away to the New York […] Minnesota Twins: Why the best time to make a move is Right Now - Pucketts Pond - Pucketts Pond - A Minnesota Twins Fan Site - News, Blogs, Opinion and More
Twinkie Town Jan 11, 2021
The Twins haven’t done anything yet this winter, and that’s okay
Photo by Harrison Barden/MLB Photos via The headline is a little deceiving. The Twins signed a reclamation project for the bullpen and a quadruple-A utilityman. That’s not nothing. But its close enough for government work. Still, its totally okay for the Twins to have been quiet this offseason—twenty-four other teams have as well, while two teams have gotten markedly better (Padres, Mets) and two have gotten markedly worse (Cleveland, Cubs.) I’d include the Rays in that latter category, but I’m convinced they’re crazy like a fox, and this Snell trade will...
