Tag: Joe Ryan

What does AI predict for the Twins in 2024

Just for fun I asked AI Microsoft Copilot powered by GPT-4 to tell me how the Minnesota Twins will do in 2024. Here is what it had to say:

The Minnesota Twins are gearing up for the 2024 MLB season, and there are several intriguing story-lines to watch. Let’s dive into some predictions:

  1. Royce Lewis Makes All-Star Team, Earns MVP Consideration:
  2. Joe Ryan Bounces Back with an All-Star Season:
  3. Twins Projected to Win AL Central Again:

In summary, keep an eye on Royce Lewis, Joe Ryan, and the Twins as they aim to defend their division title and make a deeper playoff run in 2024! ??

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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.

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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.

Twins fun facts from Twins 3/17 ST notes

SPRING FLING: Today the Twins will play the 21st of 32 scheduled Grapefruit League games. Twins also played one World Baseball Classic exhibition against Team Dominican Republic March 9. After today, eleven spring training games remain to be played.

YESTERDAY’S RECAP: The Twins were shut out, 2-0, by the Tampa Bay Rays yesterday afternoon at Hammond Stadium. Joe Ryan was the starter and was saddled with the loss, allowing two runs on five hits (1 HR), with one walk and five strikeouts. Relievers Jeff Hoffman (1.0 IP, 2 K), Caleb Thielbar (1.0 IP, 1 BB, 1 K), Jhoan Duran (1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 2 K), Griffin Jax (1.0 IP, 1 K) and Jorge Alcala (1.0 IP, 1 BB, 2 K) combined for 5.0 scoreless innings in relief of Ryan. Kyle Garlick (1-for-3) and Nick Gordon (1-for-3) tallied the Twins’ two hits of the afternoon.

(BAD) LUCK OF THE IRISH: Since 2006, the Twins have gone 4-11-1 on St. Patrick’s Day. Make that 5-11-1 after they lost again today to the Orioles by a 5-3 score.

TO THE MAX: Max Kepler is in his 10th spring training, all with the Twins. He enters today hitting .409 (9-for-22) with three doubles, two home runs, three RBI, four walks, a .500 on-base percentage and a 1.318 OPS in nine games so far this spring. He leads Twins players in games since 2017 (721), and was the club’s 2022 Opening Day right fielder for sixth consecutive season. Hit third career grand slam May 23 vs. Detroit, off Elvin Rodriguez, it was also the 1,000th home run by a Twins player in Target Field history. Led team in defensive runs saved with nine, ranking ninth in baseball (per FanGraphs).

54 active players in camp (19 non-roster):
26 pitchers (7 non-roster)
6 catchers (4 non-roster)
10 infielders (4 non-roster)
12 outfielders (4 non-roster)
2 60-day Injured List

Twins fun facts from Twins 3/11 ST notes

YESTERDAY’S RECAP: The Twins and Baltimore Orioles tied, 5-5, in Sarasota last night. Twins entered the top of the ninth down by two runs and scored one on Danny De Andrade‘s RBI single. With runners at the corners and two outs, De Andrade stole second base and Ben Ross stole home to score the game-tying run. Dennis Santana then worked a one-two-three ninth inning to secure the tie. Joe Ryan made the start for the Twins and tossed 3.0 scoreless innings, with two hits allowed and four strikeouts.

Today the Twins will played the 15th of 33 scheduled spring training games (32 Grapefruit League contests and one World Baseball Classic exhibition)…after today, nine more games will be played at Hammond Stadium and seven more games will be played on the road.

FARMER AT THE FORT: Kyle Farmer is in his first spring training with the Twins, after being acquired via trade from Cincinnati last November, is hitting .385 (5-for-13) with one double, one home run, four RBI and two runs scored in six games so far. Twins are his third organization (Los Angeles-NL – 2013-18 & Cincinnati – 2019-22), was Cincinnati’s Opening Day shortstop in 2022. Led the Reds in games (145), multi-hit games (36), four-hit games (3), hits (134), doubles (25), total bases (203), RBI (78) and starts at SS (97). Received the Ernie Lombardi Award as the Reds’ Most Valuable Player and the Joe Nuxhall Good Guy Award from the local chapter of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America.

The Minnesota Twins announced today that they have optioned right-handed pitcher Simeon Woods Richardson to Triple-A St. Paul.

The Twins now have 63 active players in camp (26 non-roster): 31 pitchers (11 non-roster), eight catchers (6 non-roster), 12 infielders (5 non-roster) and 12 outfielders (4 non-roster), plus two players on the 60-day Injured List.

Tomorrow’s pitchers against the Detroit Tigers are Minnesota: Aaron Sanchez (R), Jhoan Duran(R), Jorge Alcala (R), Griffin Jax (R), Jeff Hoffman (R), Oliver Ortega (R).

Twins say a new era is dawning

The Minnesota Twins had a big “to-do” at the Mall of America on Friday, November 18 when the organization announced that a “new era of Twins basball” was dawning with their first brand refresh in 35 years. According to Pat Reusse about 1,500 of the Twins loyalists were in attendance to witness the club roll out a new set of uniforms and modify their TC insignia. It is kind of ironic that the Twins chose the MOA which is where Metropolitan Stadium once stood as the place to roll out these changes.

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Twins fans might not recognize their team

Minnesota Twins fans might not recognize their team this season when they go out to Target Field. The Twins have so many new players you will need to spend a few bucks and buy a scorecard just so you know who is playing where. Twins fans are already wondering who secretly snuck in during the dark of night this off-season and bought this Twins team from the Pohlad’s and has told Derek Falvey and Thad Levine to get off their butts and start putting together a winning team, money is no object. How else do you explain the Twins signing Carlos Correa to a three-year deal at $35.1 million per year? And the trades? What the heck is going here in fly over land?

The rumors were running wild last night as I went to bed that the Minnesota Twins and the San Diego Padres were talking let’s make a deal. The Padres have an excess of starting pitchers and the Twins are in need of starters so it looks like a match made in heaven. When I got up this morning I found out that a deal had indeed been consummated with the Twins getting starting right-handed pitcher Chris Paddack and right-handed reliever Emilio Pagan from San Diego in return for closer Taylor Rogers and first baseman/outfielder Brent Rooker. The Twins will also receive a player to be named later and will send cash to San Diego in the deal. That cash amount apparently covers all of Rogers salary but $700,000 in 2022. Rogers can become a free agent after the 2022 season.

Taylor Rogers

Lots of Twins fans are not happy to see Rogers, the Twins closer traded. Rogers was the Twins 11th round pick in the 2012 draft, the same year the Twins drafted Byron Buxton, Jose Berrios and Tyler Duffey. Rogers made his big league debut in April of 2016. Rogers has been a solid reliever ever since and he took over the closing chores in 2019. Rogers was named to his first All-Star team last season but suffered a finger injury in late July and he missed the rest of the 2021 season. Rogers has a twin-brother Tyler who pitches for the San Francisco Giants.

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Twins Minor League POW are BJ Boyd and Joe Ryan

The Minnesota Twins have selected AA-Wichita Wind Surge outfielder BJ Boyd and AAA-St. Paul Saints pitcher Joe Ryan as their minor league players of the week for week 16.

BJ Boyd was drafted by the Oakland Athletics in the 4th round of the 2012 MLB June Amateur Draft from Palo Alto HS (Palo Alto, CA). On May 27, 2021 the Twins signed him as a free agent to a minor league deal and assigned him to Wichita. Boyd who turned 28 in July last played pro ball in 2018 at the AAA level in the A’s system.

This past week Boyd, a left-handed hitting outfielder appeared in 7 games and slashed .343/.343/.771 with 5 home runs, 12 RBI and 9 runs scored in 35 AB’s. For the season so far Boyd is hitting .313 with 15 home runs, 60 RBI and 8 steals in 256 AB.

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Trading season opens for the 2021 Twins

A couple of hours before the Twins were to take on the Los Angeles Angels at Target Field yesterday afternoon the Twins front office announced that they had struck a deal with the Tampa Bay Rays. The Twins were sending arguably their best hitter 41-year-old DH Nelson Cruz to Tampa Bay along with minor league right-handed relief pitcher Calvin Faucher and in return Tampa sends Minnesota two minor league right-handed pitchers, Joe Ryan and Drew Strotman.

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