TK giving instruction at 1B to Max Kepler (in red) and another player that I have not identified.

I wandered over to the minor league fields where coaches Steve Liddle, Scott Ullger, Tommy Watkins, and Tom Kelly were doing some infield work with Jairo Perez, Nick Lockwood, Max Kepler, Steven Liddle and a couple of others. It was interesting to watch as TK gave some of the finer points of playing 1B to a young Max Kepler who is an outfielder by trade but has been learning to play 1B too. The Twins value flexibility and the more positions you can play, the better chance you have to move up in the Twins organization.

One of the things I noticed now that spring training is officially underway is that the barricades are a few feet further away from some of the practice fields than  they have been in past years. The rosters that the Twins used to give away to the fans to track the players are now $1, but that money goes to the Twins Community Fund. Although I have not seen anything official as yet, the rumor has it that parking will now be $10 versus $5 for all Twins spring training games. Wow! with the price of gas shooting up, that is all we Twins fans need now is to pay double for parking from last year.

I have always liked and respected former Twin pitcher Jim Kaat and I follow his blog called Kaat’s Korner and I was both surprised and a bit disappointed that he said that he would be helping out his buddy and neighbor, Boston pitching coach Bob McClure of the Boston Red Sox at their spring training camp this year. I am not disappointed he is helping his friend, I am disappointed that it is those dang Red Sox he is helping when he could be lending a helping hand to his old team the Minnesota Twins. Come on over Jim, we could use your help.

I took some new pictures today that you can view by checking out my 2012 spring training pictures on the right side of the page.

William (Bill) Joseph Rigney, The Minnesota Twins fifth manager, passed away at the age of 83 in Walnut Creek, California on February 20, 2001.

After Bill Martin was fired as the Twins manager after only one season (1969), Bill Rigney managed the Twins from 1970-1972 and had a 208-184 won/lost record. The Twins finished in first place in Rigney’s first season as the Twins skipper in 1970 but they lost 3-0 to the Baltimore Orioles in the ALCS. This was the only title that Rigney won as a manager in his 18 year managing career. Rigney was fired 70 games in to the 1972 season and was replaced by Frank Quilici. Rigney also managed the New York Giants in 1956-1957, the San Francisco Giants in 1958-1960, the Los Angeles Angels from 1961-1964, the California Angels from 1965-1969 and finally he finished his MLB managing career with one more year at the helm of the San Francisco Giants in 1976. Rigney was the American League Manager of the year in 1962.

Bill Rigney, known as the Cricket or Specs, played in the big leagues for 8 seasons from 1946-1953 as a 2B, 3B, and shortstop for the New York Giants and was an All-Star in 1948 and played in the 1951 World Series when the Giants lost to the New York Yankees. Rigney had a little pop in his bat too as his 24 doubles and 17 home runs in 1947 indicate.

After his playing and managing career were over, Bill Rigney was a broadcaster for the San Francisco Giants and Oakland Athletics. He also scouted and was briefly in the front office for the Angels, Padres, and the A’s. Bill Rigney served his country in the US Coast Guard during World War II.

Make sure you check our Today in Twins History page daily to see what interesting things happened each and every day over the long and glorious history of the Minnesota Twins.

Tsuyoshi Nishioka and Ryo Shinkawa pound on the door to get in,

Another beautiful day in Fort Myers, Florida, it was 73 when I got up this morning and it was a sunny albeit muggy 81 degrees when I left the ballpark to go home to hit the swimming pool. No day is complete without me making some comment about the Twins star import from Japan. In the picture above you see Tsuyoshi Nishioka and his interpreter Ryo Shinkawa trying to get back into the Twins minor league complex workout facility after a half hour or so of easy jogging on one of the practice fields. As is normal, it was just Nishioka, Shinkawa and his personal trainer. Nishioka continues to work out on his own most of the time, you just never see him with his teammates until spring training officially begins. Star Tribune reporter extraordinaire La Velle E. Neal III had a quick interview with Nishioka and we asked La Velle what Nishioka had to say, La Velle laughed and said that Nishioka told him “that he doesn’t see himself in a utility role”. That is funny, I don’t either and maybe that is why no one is answering the door when Nishioka and Shinkawa pound on the door to be let in. Maybe the Twins are hoping he just goes away. Last year Nishioka was driving a big black Escalade SUV, this year he is driving a shiny white Porsche that you can see in the pictures that I took today along with the rest of my 2012 spring training pictures.

I didn’t see any pitchers doing any throwing today, maybe they are all saving themselves for this week-end when they need to officially report for training camp. The number of players working out continues to grow every day but I still see no sign of Justin Morneau who in past years (not in 2011) was always an early arrival in Fort Myers. I also have not seen Jamey Carroll, Danny Valencia, Denard Span, Josh Willingham, Ben Revere, Carl Pavano or Gardy for that matter. I am sure we will see the many of them on Monday.

One guy I really like is catcher JR Towles. The man is working his butt off out there very day, you never see him standing around chatting, he is always doing something. The last couple of times I have been out here I have seen him fielding grounders at 1B, 3B and shagging flys in the outfield. I really hope that the Twins give this guy a legit shot to make this Twins team as a back-up catcher.

Let’s see what else happened today? Oh, I had a foul ball hit to me, actually it rolled up to where I was standing. The ball was stamped ”official minor league baseball” and I had no use for it so I gave it to a youngster that really enjoyed getting a baseball. The ball put a smile on his face and that little boys smile made my day. I sure hope that stamp on the ball that said “official minor league baseball” is not a sign of things to come for the Minnesota Twins this year. And so another day at the ballpark is in the books.

One of the first people I saw today was Star Tribune reporter La Velle E. Neal III going about his business and interacting with some of the players. I saw Liam Hendriks and Hudson Boyd do some throwing. After they left, Scott Baker showed up to throw a bit and brought his catcher along and it turned out to be Joe Mauer. That shocked me as in all the previous times I have ever attended spring training over the years, I have never seen Joe Mauer catching a pitcher before spring training starts. Heck, it is rare any time Mauer catches during ST, usually the team leaves that boring tedious task to the minor league catchers. Never the less Joe was out there today and he looked comfortable and actually seemed to enjoy himself.

I saw Tsuyoshi Nishioka and his interpreter one of the other fields getting in a little running and then calling it a day. The same crap as last year as far as I am concerned, Nishioka hardly ever joins the rest of the players until spring training officially starts and he has no choice. What kind of message does that send? The man will be lucky to make the team, it seems to me he could use an attitude adjustment.

catcher JR Towles

I had a chance to talk with catcher JR Towles a bit today and you could not ask for friendlier guy. Born in Crosby, Texas, the 28 year-old Towles has never achieved the stardom that many predicted for him at Houston because his hitting has held him back in the back leagues but Towles did hit .295 in the minors. Towles is a good handler of pitchers and I really think he has a shot to take that 3rd catcher position with the Twins, it just depends on what he can show Twins brass during spring training.

I also spent a few minutes talking with Reggie Williams and he was very friendly and out-going as well. It sure is fun to get a chance to meet and talk with some of these young Twins on their way up. Later I met Luke Hughes and he was kind enough to pose for a picture. We got to talking about Australian baseball which interests me since I had a chance last year to interview former Twins 3B Glenn Williams who managed the Sydney Blue Sox last season. Hughes feels that the shoulder he hurt in Australia a week or so ago is coming along fine and he hopes to be able to play once spring training game action begins.

Around 11:30 or so Joe Mauer emerged from the minor league clubhouse and was asked for his autograph by 4 or 5 fans. It turns out that several of these autograph hounds were “regulars” that ask for his autograph every day on several items. Joe lectured them on the fact that he is not going to be signing multiple items for them day in and day out but I am not sure a lot of what Joe told them sunk in. I can understand ballplayer frustrations when the same collectors are there day after day and you know they are selling what ever they get signed.

I did take a few more pictures that I again posted in my 2012 spring training picture file that you can find on the right side of this page. There are numerous other players here working out each day that I do not recognize. More and more players on the practice fields each day and I am amazed at how many minor league players there are working out on their own this early at their own expense before their spring training begins.

Dick Woodson - Twins pitcher from 1969 - 1974

Forty-eight major league players invoke the new arbitration procedure established to settle contract differences. The first to go through the new process is Minnesota Twins pitcher Dick Woodson (seeking a contract for $30,000) and his team, the Twins (offering $23,000), who present their respective cases to Detroit lawyer and labor arbitrator Harry H. Platt, who must decide on one of the monetary amounts presented. Dick Woodson wins and a new era in baseball dawns.

To learn more about the arbitration process, how the Minnesota Twins have fared and to listen to Dick Woodson tell his story in his own words about this history making experience, check out the Twins Trivia Salaries page.

19 year old Max Kepler

Still not a lot of players around, I was lucky enough to get a couple of pictures of the German born Max Kepler and talk to him for a few minutes. He seems like a very nice kid and we even have something in common, we were both born in Germany. I didn’t know it until I started writing this post, but today is Max’s 19th birthday, I missed my opportunity to wish him a Happy Birthday. Ge’ez, 19 years old, what was I doing on my 19th birthday? Oh yes, I remember now, I was in the Navy on board the USS Shangri-La (CVA-38) in the ECM (Electronic Countermeasures) room over in the Mediterranean on one of my two Med cruises. But that is a whole different story. I introduced myself to former Reds pitchers Matt Maloney and Jared Burton and they were nice enough to pose for a picture on their way out to the practice field. I saw former GM Bill Smith leaving the Twins minor league offices and head out for his car. Not much else was going on today so I left after about 90 minutes. It is fun out there when there are only about a half-dozen fans out there. I did get a couple of pictures that I posted with the rest of my 2012 spring training photo’s that you can find in the right hand column of my home page.

Darin Mastroianni

The Twins announced today that they have claimed outfielder Darin Mastroianni off waivers from the Toronto Blue Jays who had to make roster space for recent free agent signee pitcher Francisco Cordero. The 26 year right-handed batter and thrower is 5′ 11” and 190 and was the Blue Jays 16th round pick in 2007. The fleet-footed Mastroianni has played all three outfield positions but is primarily a center fielder.  Mastroianni has worked his way up through the Blue Jays minor league system and made his major league debut this past August going 0 for 2 and to date that remains his only big league experience.

In a little over 2,000 minor league at bats Mastroianni has hit .279 with a .370 OBP to go along with his 200 stolen bases, getting caught just 46 times. Originally a 2B, Mastroianni became a full-time outfielder in 2009 and Baseball America rated him as having the best strike-zone judgment in the Florida State League. The Twins will have to make a roster move to find room on the 40 man roster for their newest acquisition.

UPDATE – The Twins have designated pitcher Esmerling Vasquez for assignment.

How about taking a minute and voting for Lindsay Guentzel of Minneapolis. Come on now, let’s get a Minnesota Twins fan in that MLB Fan Cave!

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