Minnesota Twins Daily Morning Dip: The Legend Begins
Minnesota Twins Daily Dip, January 22nd, 2018
Welcome to the January 22nd 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
Sydney and Canberra got into a shootout on Sunday, with the Blue Sox taking the win 15-12. The Twins’ Todd Van Steensel threw 1 1/3 innings for Sydney, earning a hold as he allowed 3 runs on 4 hits and a walk, striking out 3.
Dominican Winter League Update
None of the Twins representatives in the DWL were in action on Sunday.
Puerto Rican Winter League Update
The Indios de Mayaguez split a double header with Criollos de Caguas on Sunday. In the first game, Kennys Vargas played first base, going 1-2 with a double, walk, and a strikeout. Vargas went 1-3 in the second game.
Venezuelan Winter League Update
Caribes de Anzoategui was shut out on Sunday by Cardenales de Lara 4-0. Willians Astudillo started in left field and went 0-3 on the day.
Minnesota Twins news and notes
Lewis wise beyond his years
The Minnesota Twins selected athletic high school shortstop Royce Lewis first overall last June, and they’ve been overwhelmed with his maturity and work ethic ever since. Lewis jumped forward to A-ball in his draft year, but he discussed in the linked interview about being patient with the timeline to get to the major leagues.
Kirilloff ready to build on 2016 in return
After a strong 2016 season where he was the Appy League player of the year coming out of high school, Alex Kirilloff is ready to return in 2018 after missing all of 2017 with Tommy John surgery.
Pineda, May making progress
The Minnesota Twins have a few pitchers recovering from Tommy John surgery. Trevor May and Michael Pineda could each have some level of impact during the 2018 season, though both are counted on more for their contribution to the 2019 Twins team.
More from Puckett's Pond
- Minnesota Twins: 2022 Year in Review for Twins Baseball
- 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
Notes from around baseball
- 5 teams that could surprise in 2018
- Brewers make offer to Darvish
- Trout supports home team Eagles
- Top 10 2B prospects
- If Baseball Hall operated like Rock Hall
- Carter’s HR voted top finish
- Yordano’s mark in KC
- McGriff’s overlooked HOF case
- Nimmo’s value boosted by eye and approach
- Upton makes appearance with Ducks
- Coors Field uses fake animals to scare birds
- Mazara eager to get to work
- Rolen HOF argument
Next: Twins must learn from Pirates
One Last Thing
On this day in 2003, David Ortiz signed his contract with the Boston Red Sox. After the Twins chose to non-tender Ortiz roughly a month prior, Ortiz found few suitors, settling for much below the reported $3 million that he was seeking in arbitration, signing with the Red Sox for $1.25 million.
Minnesota Twins fans for years have beaten up the organization for not recognizing the underlying talent in Ortiz. What many fail to recognize is the intense work that Ortiz did with Red Sox hitting coach Ron Jackson, himself a former Twin. Ortiz didn’t break out until June of 2003 after finally winning the full-time job away from Jeremy Giambi.