I am taking a week long vacation to the Caribbean. No TV, no Radio no American baseball.
But... the only technology I am bringing with me is my iphone; and I am going to a very interesting part of the Caribbean as far as international free agents go, so expect some updates from me about the Sano situation. I will be mostly beach bound, but...
I will use Twitter to update developments (those posts will be here on the left of this post)
Enjoy the holiday!
7/3/09
Twins' international free agent signings watch: day 2
Today I will continue following the Twins activity on the international free agents as well as the movement around Miguel Angel Sano and like yesterday post updates on my Twitter. I will be giving updates here also as the come, like yesterday. You can follow the Twitter updates either here (on the panel directly to the left of this post) or at Twitter.
Here is a good summary on the Sano situation as of yesterday from the Pirates perspective. Speaking of the Pirates, there are indications that the Twins are going after Pirates' second baseman Freddy Sanchez and one or both of relievers Matt Capps and John Grabow. Josh Johnson at Josh's Thoughts elaborates on the connection between the two teams at this point of the season. Also worth mentioning that former Twins reject Garrett Jones almost batted for the cycle for the Pirates yesterday against the Mets, having a double, a triple and a home run.
Looks like there are a lot of interesting things that might happen today and I will keep twitting updates as they come
Update: 2:40 PM EDT: Pirates' beat writer Dejan Kovacevic: "Pirates, Twins not discussing Sanchez"
Update: 3:05 PM EDT: According to Keith Law, the Twins have just signed Max Kepler (OF) the best European prospect this year. The Red Sox were also interested. He is 16 and 6'4" with above average speed and arm.
Update: 5:04 PM EDT: BA's Ben Badler does not know the amount yet, but reports that Max Kepler's bonus should set a new record for a European player. The last one was also to a Twins' signee, Alexander Smit (in 2002 for $800K)
Update: 7:06 PM EDT: This is Max Kepler:
Here is a good summary on the Sano situation as of yesterday from the Pirates perspective. Speaking of the Pirates, there are indications that the Twins are going after Pirates' second baseman Freddy Sanchez and one or both of relievers Matt Capps and John Grabow. Josh Johnson at Josh's Thoughts elaborates on the connection between the two teams at this point of the season. Also worth mentioning that former Twins reject Garrett Jones almost batted for the cycle for the Pirates yesterday against the Mets, having a double, a triple and a home run.
Looks like there are a lot of interesting things that might happen today and I will keep twitting updates as they come
Update: 2:40 PM EDT: Pirates' beat writer Dejan Kovacevic: "Pirates, Twins not discussing Sanchez"
Update: 3:05 PM EDT: According to Keith Law, the Twins have just signed Max Kepler (OF) the best European prospect this year. The Red Sox were also interested. He is 16 and 6'4" with above average speed and arm.
Update: 5:04 PM EDT: BA's Ben Badler does not know the amount yet, but reports that Max Kepler's bonus should set a new record for a European player. The last one was also to a Twins' signee, Alexander Smit (in 2002 for $800K)
Update: 7:06 PM EDT: This is Max Kepler:
7/2/09
Following the Twins' international free agent signings
Today is the first day of the international free agent signing period. I will be following the Twins activity as well as the movement around Miguel Angel Sano and post updates on my Twitter. At the end of the day I will summarize any signings. You can follow the Twitter updates either here (on the panel directly to the left of this post) or at Twitter. I will be an interesting day. Here is Baseball America's top 25 potential international free agents list, ranked by bonus size.
Update: 8:45 PM EDT. Still no definite news on Sano. La Velle Neal III indicated that the Twins made an offer to Sano (contingent on whether he is 16) at "around $3 million) but ESPN's Jorge Arangure had not heard of an offer as of an hour and a half ago. La Velle got his information from the Twins' organization, while Jorge from the receiving end in the Dominican Republic, so it is not conflicted: An offer could be made but Sano or his agent might not want to publicize it until all is said and done. I do not think that this will be resolved today, but I will be updated on Twitter (and here) as information moves along. Will an offer "around $3 million" be good enough? Maybe. If you look at the Baseball America's predicted top bonuses, where Sano is listed as number one, you will see that the number 2 player, Wagner Mateo, was signed by the Cardinals for $3.1 million and the number 3 player, Gary Sanchez, was signed by the Yankees for $3 million, an offer larger than $3.1 million might make it happen
On other news, the Twins have replaced Sean Henn with Brian Duensing in their pen and Louis Ayala signed a contract with the Florida Marlins after we was released by the Twins who could not find a buyer earlier today.
Update: 10:05 EDT: Just got confirmation that the Twins will sign SS Jorge Polanco (2 sources confirm, but this is the latest -ESPN's Jorge Arangure- setting the bonus to $700K; earlier, Baseball America's Ben Badler indicated that the Twins "will sign Polanco") He will turn 16 this Sunday, so no deal can be announced until then.
Update: 8:45 PM EDT. Still no definite news on Sano. La Velle Neal III indicated that the Twins made an offer to Sano (contingent on whether he is 16) at "around $3 million) but ESPN's Jorge Arangure had not heard of an offer as of an hour and a half ago. La Velle got his information from the Twins' organization, while Jorge from the receiving end in the Dominican Republic, so it is not conflicted: An offer could be made but Sano or his agent might not want to publicize it until all is said and done. I do not think that this will be resolved today, but I will be updated on Twitter (and here) as information moves along. Will an offer "around $3 million" be good enough? Maybe. If you look at the Baseball America's predicted top bonuses, where Sano is listed as number one, you will see that the number 2 player, Wagner Mateo, was signed by the Cardinals for $3.1 million and the number 3 player, Gary Sanchez, was signed by the Yankees for $3 million, an offer larger than $3.1 million might make it happen
On other news, the Twins have replaced Sean Henn with Brian Duensing in their pen and Louis Ayala signed a contract with the Florida Marlins after we was released by the Twins who could not find a buyer earlier today.
Update: 10:05 EDT: Just got confirmation that the Twins will sign SS Jorge Polanco (2 sources confirm, but this is the latest -ESPN's Jorge Arangure- setting the bonus to $700K; earlier, Baseball America's Ben Badler indicated that the Twins "will sign Polanco") He will turn 16 this Sunday, so no deal can be announced until then.
7/1/09
Who has signed so far from the class of 2009 of the MLB draft for the Twins
Here is the list of the recent draftees who have signed with the Twins, their minor league assignments and performance so far (most teams played very few games, so take the numbers with a huge grain of salt) :
Billy Bullock (2nd) Elizabethton(RP): 2.25 ERA, 0.750 WHIP, 13.5 K/9, inf K/BB (4 IP)
Derek McCallum (4th) Elizabethton (2B): .188/.278/.344 1 HR, 3 RBI (36 PA)
Tobias Streich (5th) Elizabethton (C): .250/.294/.500 1 HR, 2 RBI (17 PA)
Chris Hermann (6th) Elizabethton (OF): .400/.500/.640 1 HR, 4 RBI (30 PA)
Brad Stillings (7th) Elizabethton (RP): 3.38 ERA, 1.313 WHIP, 8.4 K/9, 2.5 K/BB (5.2 IP)
Brad Dozier (8th) GCL: .250/.250/.250 (4 PA)
Nick Lockwood (9th) GCL: .500/.500/.500 1 RBI (4 PA)
Tony Davis (12th) Elizabethton (RP): 8.10 ERA, 2.400 WHIP, 21.6 K/9, 2.67 K/BB (3.1 IP) 8 of his 10 outs were strike outs.
Dakota Watts (16th) GCL (RP) : 0.00 ERA, 0.500 WHIP, 0 K/9, 0 K/BB (2 IP)
Nick Tindall (17th) GCL: .250/.308/.417 4 RBI (13 PA)
Kane Holbrooks (21st) Elizabethton (RP): 3.00 ERA, 0.667 WHIP, 15.0 K/9, 5.00 K/BB (3.1 IP)
Buddy Munroe(22nd) Beloit (C), but not record as of yesterday
Trayvone Johnson (30th) GCL (C): .200/.333/.200 1 RBI, (6 PA)
Paul-Michael Klingsberg (49th)
Brian Bistagne (undrafted FA) GCL: 286/.333/.286 (15 PA)
Billy Bullock (2nd) Elizabethton(RP): 2.25 ERA, 0.750 WHIP, 13.5 K/9, inf K/BB (4 IP)
Derek McCallum (4th) Elizabethton (2B): .188/.278/.344 1 HR, 3 RBI (36 PA)
Tobias Streich (5th) Elizabethton (C): .250/.294/.500 1 HR, 2 RBI (17 PA)
Chris Hermann (6th) Elizabethton (OF): .400/.500/.640 1 HR, 4 RBI (30 PA)
Brad Stillings (7th) Elizabethton (RP): 3.38 ERA, 1.313 WHIP, 8.4 K/9, 2.5 K/BB (5.2 IP)
Brad Dozier (8th) GCL: .250/.250/.250 (4 PA)
Nick Lockwood (9th) GCL: .500/.500/.500 1 RBI (4 PA)
Tony Davis (12th) Elizabethton (RP): 8.10 ERA, 2.400 WHIP, 21.6 K/9, 2.67 K/BB (3.1 IP) 8 of his 10 outs were strike outs.
Dakota Watts (16th) GCL (RP) : 0.00 ERA, 0.500 WHIP, 0 K/9, 0 K/BB (2 IP)
Nick Tindall (17th) GCL: .250/.308/.417 4 RBI (13 PA)
Kane Holbrooks (21st) Elizabethton (RP): 3.00 ERA, 0.667 WHIP, 15.0 K/9, 5.00 K/BB (3.1 IP)
Buddy Munroe(22nd) Beloit (C), but not record as of yesterday
Trayvone Johnson (30th) GCL (C): .200/.333/.200 1 RBI, (6 PA)
Paul-Michael Klingsberg (49th)
Brian Bistagne (undrafted FA) GCL: 286/.333/.286 (15 PA)
6/30/09
Boycott the St. Paul Pioneer Press
Today the Twins' family lost one of its finest members. St. Paul Pioneer Press has laid off Phil Miller, the Twins' beat reporter. An extremely classy timing as well, since Phil Miller was at Kansas City covering the Twins, while that happened.
If you, like me are outraged by this act of one of the two major newspapers in the Twin Cities, which results in decreased coverage of the Twins by that outlet, the loss of a voice and the inclusion of a whole bunch of AP-vanilla articles both on print and online, I would urge you to join me in the following:
Not that you will miss much doing this as a Twins' fan, since Star Tribune has excellent online and print coverage of our favorite team.
It is time to do something if you do not like the way this outlet treats Twins' fans.
If you, like me are outraged by this act of one of the two major newspapers in the Twin Cities, which results in decreased coverage of the Twins by that outlet, the loss of a voice and the inclusion of a whole bunch of AP-vanilla articles both on print and online, I would urge you to join me in the following:
- Cancel your subscription to Pioneer Press, if you subscribe
- Do not buy that newspaper in a store
- Do not visit their web site (they make money on advertisement impressions)
Not that you will miss much doing this as a Twins' fan, since Star Tribune has excellent online and print coverage of our favorite team.
It is time to do something if you do not like the way this outlet treats Twins' fans.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
