Category: General Blogging

This is a general blogging category.

Twins Spring Training home has new name

Hammond Stadium

Lee Health and the Minnesota Twins agreed to a 10-year partnership Thursday, November 16th that will rename the spring training stadium site in Fort Myers the Lee Health Sports Complex. The complex has been the Twins’ spring training home since 1991. Lee Health is now designated as the Twins’ official Florida healthcare provider. As you might expect, both sides are mum on the financial’s in this new partnership.

The Twins and the club’s six minor league affiliates have called the Lee Health Sports Complex their spring training home since 1991; the 2024 spring campaign will be the organization’s 34th in Fort Myers.

Lee Health Sports Complex, located at 14100 Six Mile Cypress Parkway in Fort Myers, is inclusive of the 8,730-seat Hammond Stadium in which the Twins play spring training home games and conduct select workouts (while also serving as the Mighty Mussels’ home ballpark); five full practice fields (including the home field for the FCL Twins) and two half-fields; a minor league building with locker rooms, training and video facilities; the Twins Player Development Academy, which features a 58-room residence hall for players and staff, dining facilities, recreational spaces, meeting rooms, educational classrooms and the 220-seat Champions Hall; and four community softball fields.

Short 2 minute video

Twins Switch Hitters

Eddie Murray

In baseball, a switch hitter is a player who bats both right-handed and left-handed, usually right-handed against left-handed pitchers and left-handed against right-handed pitchers, although there are some exceptions. Is it beneficial to be a switch hitter? Left-handed batters get a better jump out of the batter’s box to first base. This means the left-handed batter will get more infield hits. Hitting the ball to the first base side of the field has many built-in advantages for his team (such as hitting behind the runner), so he becomes a more valuable hitter.

If you look at position players only, then about 13% are switch hitters, 54% right-handed and 33% left-handed hitters. I believe that at last count there have been 20 switch hitters elected into the Hall of Fame. Many consider Mickey Mantle the greatest switch hitter of all time while others might tell you that it was Pete Rose but that is a whole different story. The switch hitter in the HOF with the most hits is Eddie Murray and the only HOF switch hitting player with more home runs than Murray (504) is Mickey Mantle with 536. So a case can certainly be made for Eddie Murray being the best switch hitter in MLB history.

Read more: Twins Switch Hitters
Roy Smalley

The Minnesota Twins have had their fair share of switch hitters over the years. Who was their best switch hitter? That would depend on what you are looking for in a hitter but you have to start with Roy Smalley. Up until this past season Roy Smalley led Twins switch hitters with 110 career home runs in a Twins uniform but this past season in 2023 Jorge Polanco took over the team lead in switch hitter home runs with 112. Lets take a look at the Twins switch hitters from 1961 to 2023 at https://stathead.com/tiny/hYPg4. The list shows us the Twins have had 77 switch hitters (both position players and pitchers) over the years but only 68 of them had a plate appearance and 66 of them had at least one hit while 44 of them slugged at least one home run.

Cy Young winner Jim Perry was the Twins best switch hitting pitcher hitting 5 home runs and getting 46 RBI with 117 hits and hitting .191 in 613 AB’s over 380 games in his Twins career. Pitcher Pedro Ramos was no slouch with the stick for Minnesota as he hit three home runs in his one season (1961) pitching for Minnesota in just 93 AB’s. Ramos was the Minnesota Twins very first switch hitter to appear in a game and get a hit with two RBI off future Hall of Famer Whitey Ford when he batted on Opening Day in 1961 at Yankee Stadium. He also became the first Twins switch hitter to hit a home run when he hit one out on May 12 at Met Stadium against the Los Angeles Angels pitcher Eli Grba in a 5-4 Twins victory.

Jim Perry
Pedro Ramos

I have written some previous articles about Twins switch hitters that you can check out at Twins switch-hitters and Twins switch-hitters from 1961-2015

SABR 52 will be in Minneapolis in 2024

SABR will be heading to the Twin Cities for our 52nd annual convention on August 7-11, 2024, at the Hyatt Regency Minneapolis hotel in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota.

The Hyatt Regency Minneapolis is conveniently located at 1300 Nicollet Mall in the heart of downtown Minneapolis’s core shopping, restaurant, and entertainment district. Target Field will host a weekend series between the Minnesota Twins and Cleveland Guardians during SABR 52.

This will be SABR’s third convention held in Minneapolis, and the first since 2012. Learn more about SABR’s convention history by clicking here.

If you have questions about SABR or the Minneapolis Halsey Hall Chapter please feel free to drop me a line. I am a member and have been for some time and will either answer your question or forward you to someone who can. The Halsey Hall Chapter’s 2023 Fall meeting will be held on Saturday, November 18 at Faith Mennonite Church in south Minneapolis. Read the current newsletter for more details.

State of the 2023 Twins at the half-way pole

Derek Falvey and Thad Levine – credit MN Twins

I have followed the Minnesota Twins since 1961 (with the exception of my Navy years 1965-1968) but very few Twins teams have frustrated me as much as this season has. I have never been one to sugar-coat the Twins performance and I think I have done my share of ripping the Twins organization over the years. My site, Twinstrivia.com is intended to be a Minnesota Twins historical website so I try to not spend a lot of time writing about my personal feeling regarding the Twins although I do not hide the fact I am a huge Twins fan and watch them when ever I can, more so on TV now days than in person. But this 2023 Twins team is getting to me.

The Minnesota Twins coming off a three-game series in which they went 0 for 23 with RISP and were outscored 13 to 3 and swept by the high flying Atlanta Braves. After the series-sweeping 3-0 loss manager Rocco Baldelli had another closed-door meeting with his team in which he told them that they were playing was unsatisfactory baseball. I would have paid good money to sit in on that meeting.

The Twins have been in first place for the majority of the 2023 season but have played uninspiring baseball for most of the year. The starting pitching has been good but the bullpen has been less than stellar and the hitting has been abysmal, particularly situational hitting.

Continue reading State of the 2023 Twins at the half-way pole

Former Twins pitcher George Frazier passes away at the age of 68

George Frazier

George Frazier was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma on October 13, 1954 and passed away on June 19, 2023 in Tulsa, Oklahoma at the age of 68 from an undisclosed illness.

The lanky, 6-foot-5 right-hander, Frazier was a star at Hillcrest High School in Springfield, Missouri where he played alongside two other future major leaguers in Bob Detherage and Keith Drumright. before attending the University of Oklahoma from 1973-76. 

Frazier was drafted by the Texas Rangers in the 13th round of the 1972 June free agent draft but turned that offer down to attend the University of Oklahoma. George Frazier, who was a member of two College World Series teams in the 1970s playing at Oklahoma in 1975 and ’76 for legendary coach Enos Semore and was a member of the final two of five straight CWS appearances from 1972-76. After completing his college career Frazier was drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 9th round of the 1976 MLB June Amateur Draft.

Continue reading Former Twins pitcher George Frazier passes away at the age of 68

Cotton Nash passes away at age 80

Cotton Nash

Charles “Cotton” Nash, a three-time All-American men’s basketball player and a University of Kentucky Athletics Hall of Famer, died May 23, 2023 in Lexington, Kentucky at the age of 80. Nash was born in Jersey City, New Jersey on July 24, 1942.

Hollywood handsome with a distinctive thatch of blonde hair (the inspiration for his nickname), Nash was a star from the moment he joined Adolph Rupp’s varsity in 1961-62. Nash (1962-64) appeared in 78 for the Wildcats and averaged 22.7 points and 12.3 rebounds per game. He was a member of two Southeastern Conference championship squads and was tabbed an All-American during all three seasons of his basketball career. Nash earned All-SEC Eastern Division honors as a member of the baseball team, and also participated in track and field as a discus thrower.

Continue reading Cotton Nash passes away at age 80

Finally it is time for games that count

It has been a number of years since I have been this excited about the beginning of a new baseball season. I can’t wait for it to begin and it starts tomorrow. There are a number of rules changes that I think will make baseball more fun to watch. There are so many changes in the game this year from bigger bases, shift limits, the pitch timer, limits on throws to first base, and more. The extra-inning rule with the so called “Ghost Runner” was made permanent and I really don’t like that rule at all but you have to take the bad with the good.

One of the other changes that MLB made that I think is fantastic is the schedule change, the number of games still stays at 162 but every team will face every other team at least six times during the regular season so fans will get to see the best players in the game in their home ballpark for a minimum of three games, unless of course they are injured.

Then there are our home town Minnesota Twins who I think are set to earn back the AL Central Division title in 2023 that has eluded them since 2020 and that was only in a 60-game season. The Twins were swamped with injuries last season and finished 78-84 and in 2021 they finished with a 73-89 record. Can they win 15 more games in 2023 than they won lost year? I think they can.

Continue reading Finally it is time for games that count

Twins fun facts from Twins 3/28 ST notes

It is the final day of 2023 Spring Training and the Minnesota Twins find themselves in Bradenton, Florida for their final Spring Training exhibition game. So instead of listing some fun facts from the Twins notes for today, I will just include the entire set of today’s notes here. The normal Twins Game notes during the season are a bit more in depth and if you want to check them out daily once the season starts, I will try to get the link out on the site daily.

Twins-Notes-3-28-at-PIT

Twins fun facts from Twins 3/24 & 3/25 ST notes

SPRING FLING: Today the Twins will play the 28th and 29th of 32 scheduled Grapefruit League games as the Twins and Braves will play a pair of split squad at Hammond Stadium and CoolToday Park in North Port. After today, one more game will be played at Hammond Stadium and two more games will be played on the road. The Twins will complete the exhibition season with a 1:05 pm (ET) game in Bradenton against the Pirates on Tuesday, March 28. After the game, they will fly to Kansas City, hold an optional team workout on March 29 then begin a three-game, four-day series at Kauffman Stadium from March 30-April 2. Rocco Baldelli announced to the media how the starting five will open the season: for the Kansas City series – RHP Pablo López on Thursday, March 30 , RHP Sonny Gray on Saturday, April 1, RHP Joe Ryan on Sunday, April 2. For the Miami series – RHP Tyler Mahle
on Monday, April 3, RHP Kenta Maeda on Tuesday, April 4.

THE KIDS ARE ALRIGHT: Below is a look at Baseball America’s top ten Twins prospects entering the 2023 season: 1 Royce Lewis, 2 Brooks Lee, 3 Emmanuel Rodriguez, 4 Edouard Julien, 5 Connor Prielipp, 6, Matt Wallner, 7 Marco Raya, 8 Louie Varland, 9 David Festa, 10 Simeon Woods Richardson.

Below is a look at MLB’s top ten Twins prospects entering the 2023 season: 1. Brooks Lee, 2 Royce Lewis, 3. Emmanuel Rodriguez, 4. Connor Prelipp, 5 Matt Wallner, 6 Simeon Woods Richardson, 7 Marco Raya, 8 Misael Urbina, 9 Matt Canterino, 10 Louie Varland.

PROSPECT SHOWCASE IN TAMPA: The Twins beat the Yankees yesterday afternoon at George M. Steinbrenner Field by a score of 6-4. Pablo López was the starter in his final tuneup of the spring, allowing two runs on two hits in 3 innings pitched. Kenta Maeda made his final official spring appearance in relief, allowing two runs on three hits in 5 innings pitched, with five strikeouts. Twins prospects Edouard Julien and Emmanuel Rodriguez both went 2-for-4 with a home run, as Rodriguez’s three-run jimmy jack gave the Twins a ninth inning lead and eventual victory.

Tomorrow’s pitchers: Minnesota: Sonny Gray (R), Cole Sands (R), Jorge Alcala (R), Jhoan Duran (R)
Boston: Chris Sale (L), Kaleb Ort (R), Richard Bleier (L), John Schreiber (R)

Twins fun facts from Twins 3/23 ST notes

TWINS GO ON THE OFFENSIVE AT JETBLUE: The Twins shutout the Red Sox last night at JetBlue Park by a score of 11-0, setting spring highs in runs and hits (15). Joe Ryan (1-1) was the starter and winner, pitching 5 shutout innings with two hits allowed, one walk and five strikeouts. Emilio Pagán and Cole Sands each pitched 2 scoreless innings as Sands struck out three of his eight batters faced. The offense recorded 15 hits, highlighted by Trevor Larnach, who went 4-for-4 with his third home run of the spring. Kyle Farmer added a home run, marking his third of the exhibition season. The Twins also recorded eight two-out RBI. Now that what I like to see, good pitching and good hitting.

SPRING FLING: Today the Twins will play the 26th of 32 scheduled Grapefruit League games. After today, two more games will be played at Hammond Stadium and four more games will be played on the road.

BUCK TRUCK GETTING REVVED UP: Byron Buxton is in the Twins’ starting lineup for the second time this spring, batting leadoff as the designated hitter. He made his official spring debut on Tuesday vs. Tampa Bay, going 1-for-3 with a leadoff double and run scored. Buck has spent most of spring training seeing live pitching on backfields at Hammond Stadium.

Minnesota pitchers today are scheduled to be Tyler Mahle (R), Caleb Thielbar (L), Jhoan Duran (R), Jorge Alcala (R) and Griffin Jax (R).

THE DURANTULA: Jhoan Duran is in his fourth spring training with the Twins. He is scheduled to make his sixth spring appearance today, having pitched 5 scoreless innings so far with two walks and seven strikeouts. Made the Twins Opening Day roster last season for first time in career and spent season in bullpen; used all season in high-leverage situations, ranked sixth among AL relievers in ERA (1.86) and 12th in baseball. Led baseball in pitches of at least 100 miles-per-hour with 392.