Minnesota Twins Daily Morning Dip: End of Joe’s era
Minnesota Twins Daily Dip, December 20th, 2017
Welcome to the December 20th edition of the Daily Dip, your daily piece of news and notes here on Puckett’s Pond, offseason edition. You’ll find the most recent news of the Minnesota Twins organization, stories from around the game, and links to any information you may want to know about the Minnesota Twins or baseball as we work our way through the hot stove season!
Minnesota Twins Organizational Scores
Australian Baseball League Update
No games were played on Tuesday.
Dominican Winter League Update
Aguilas Cibaenas pulled off a 2-1 win over Estrellas Orientales on Tuesday. Kennys Vargas started at DH for Aguilas, going 1-4, scoring a run, and striking out.
Venezuelan Winter League Update
Gregorio Petit got the start at short for Leones del Caracas in a 10-5 loss to Caribes de Anzoategui. He went 1-3 with a RBI and a strikeout. Willians Astudillo started in left field for the Caribes, going 3-5 with 2 home runs, scoring 3 runs and driving in 4 runs.
Minnesota Twins news and notes
Twins ink a number to minor league deals
The Minnesota Twins were disappointed to lose some fan favorite minor league veterans in minor league free agency, but they did announce over the weekend a few signings of their own.
Sano training with former MLB 3B Tatis
Miguel Sano is training with Fernando Tatis again this winter as he rehabs from the surgery that ended his 2017 season. Sano trained with Tatis last offseason, coming into spring in excellent shape and handling third base with notably improved defense.
More from Puckett's Pond
- Minnesota Twins: Making the Case for the Current 2023 Rotation
- Minnesota Twins: Does the MLB or the Twins have a Spending Problem?
- Minnesota Twins: 2 Possible Free Agent Reunions for 2023
- Minnesota Twins: Holiday Wish List for the rest of the Offseason
- Minnesota Twins: After signing with the Mets, Correa spurns Twins again
Notes from around baseball
- Outfield FA list still stacked
- Astros meet with Darvish
- Rangers in market for starter
- Lincecum looking at return
- Cardinals pursuing Donaldson
- Turner tries hand at cricket
- Acuna vs. Buxton – who is better as prospect
- Beane invests into soccer
- Rangers’ Perez suffers bizarre injury
- Jeter responds to questions at town hall
- Hundley returns to Giants
- Athletics sign speedy Cuban OF Blanco
- Bonds shows off skills in the kitchen
Next: After winter meetings, what's next for Twins?
One Last Thing
On this day in 2013, the Minnesota Twins brought an official end to the catching career of Joe Mauer when they signed Kurt Suzuki to a one-year deal. Suzuki would go on to be an All-Star in 2014, earning a 2-year extension mid-season of 2014.
Mauer’s time as a catcher with the Twins will go down as one of the best runs of any catcher in modern baseball. From 2005-2013, Mauer hit .323/.406/.466 with 99 home runs, winning the 2009 American League MVP. He also was selected to 6 All-Star games, won 3 Gold Gloves, 5 Silver Slugger awards, and he led the league in batting 3 times, the most ever by a catcher.
Mauer did have some adjustments to first base, in part due to some of the concussive/injury issues that led to his move out from behind the plate in the first place. He had his best season by far as a first baseman in 2017, however, hitting .305/.384/.417 with elite defense at the position. The 2018 season is the last on Mauer’s current contract.