Minnesota Twins Daily Clips Tuesday, June

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1 Minnesota Twins Daily Clips Tuesday, June Surprise: Twins take Royce Lewis No. 1 in major league draft. (Neal) p. 1 Twins' home humiliation continues with 14-3 loss to Seattle. Star Tribune (Christensen) p. 3 Twins leave room for criticism with No. 1 pick, and there's plenty of it. Star Tribune (Rand) p. 4 Twins' Hector Santiago wonders if WBC injury bug hit him, too. Star Tribune (Christensen) p. 5 A closer look at the Twins' top three draft picks. Star Tribune (Reiss) p. 6 Jorge Polanco returns to Twins, but not in lineup; no timetable for Phil Hughes. Star Tribune (C. Miller) p. 6 The Twins are having a really good and really weird season. Star Tribune (Rand) p. 8 Twins add slugger Brent Rooker, Canadian pitcher Landon Leach via draft. Pioneer Press (Berardinoi) p. 8 Twins drop another home game; fall to at Target Field. Pioneer Press (Graff) p. 9 John Shipley: Twins too good to sell for parts. Pioneer Press (Shipley) p. 10 Twins injury updates: Santiago could start Saturday; Hughes still not close. Pioneer Press (Graff) p. 11 Twins draft high school shortstop Royce Lewis with top pick. Pioneer Press (Berardino) p. 12 Twins pick 'elite athlete' Lewis No. 1 overall. MLB (Bollinger) p. 13 Mejia, Twins can't contain Mariners in opener. MLB (Jackson) p. 14 Twins take college slugger Rooker at No. 35. MLB (Bollinger) p. 15 Twins select RHP Leach with No. 37 pick. MLB (Bollinger) p. 15 Gibson-Bergman rematch on tap at Target Field. MLB (Hall) p. 16 Twins select RHP Leach with No. 37 pick. MLB (Bollinger) p. 16 Wetmore s 5 thoughts: Twins draft pick Royce Lewis has potential that could change a franchise. ESPN 1500 (Wetmore) p. 16 Twins complete draft s first day with strong college hitter and a high school pitcher. ESPN 1500 (Wetmore) p. 18 Report: Twins picked Lewis after another draft prospect turned down their offer. ESPN 1500 (Wetmore) p. 19 Twins select prep star Royce Lewis, a shortstop, with first overall pick in MLB draft. ESPN 1500 (Wetmore) p. 19 Mejia, Twins open up home stand with 14-3 loss. Associated Press p. 20 Preview: Twins vs. Mariners. STATS p. 21 Twins pass on trio of pitchers, select shortstop Royce Lewis No. 1 overall. FOX Sports North (Staff) p. 22 Glove Actually: How the Twins are proving the value of defense. ESPN (Keating) p MLB Draft: Twins take high school shortstop Royce Lewis with top overall pick. CBS Sports (Perry) p. 23 Twins Select Royce Lewis First Overall. MLB Trade Rumors (Todd) p. 23 Twins Considering Brendan McKay, Royce Lewis At No. 1.MLB Trade Rumors (Adams) p. 24 Twins pass on two-way phenoms, take shortstop Royce Lewis with first pick of MLB draft. The Washington Post (Sheinin) p. 24 Surprise: Twins take Royce Lewis No. 1 in major league draft La Velle E. Neal III Star Tribune June 13, 2017 As expected, the Twins selected a prep star from California s Orange County with the first overall pick of the Major League Baseball draft Monday. But it wasn t Hunter Greene. In a move that immediately sparked debates on social media and likely will continue throughout Minnesota over the next several years, the Twins selected shortstop Royce Lewis with the No. 1 pick. Lewis, who batted.377 for JSerra High School in San Juan Capistrano, watched the draft at his grandparents home with friends and family. He said the roar began before MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred could finish announcing his name.

2 Once my name was called I was am-azed, Lewis said. It s a great feeling. Lewis waited for three seasons to prove he can play shortstop, manning second, third and the outfield instead. He got his chance at short this season and showed the Twins the arm and range that make the club feel that he can stick at that position. And the Twins were thorough in their evaluation, as scouting director Sean Johnson said 16 different scouts saw Lewis play over the past year, and the major league staff even looked at video. I have a lot of belief, Johnson said, and I was an early naysayer. The Twins turned down an opportunity to select the highly touted Greene, whose fastball has been clocked at 102 miles per hour and who was featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated last month. The Twins even had Greene and his family in town Thursday and Friday to learn more about him. In the end, the Twins were more impressed by Lewis physical gifts a speedy runner with a strong arm and productive bat as well as his makeup and leadership qualities. This guy has a chance to change a franchise with his personality and charisma, Johnson said. He s a magnet. People want to be around him. Lewis, who has signed with California-Irvine, said he looks up to Carlos Correa, Derek Jeter and Francisco Lindor all shortstops. And Lewis could bring some power. He hit a ball out of Chicago s Wrigley Field during a prep all-star game last July. I feel like I haven t grown into any of my man-strength yet, he said. The first draft pick by Johnson, and Chief Baseball Officer Derek Falvey, will be viewed as controversial, given the hype surrounding Greene, who was selected No. 2 by Cincinnati. San Diego followed with MacKenzie Gore out of Whiteville, N.C., making it the first draft since 1990 that high school players were taken with the top three selections. A number of players in this draft were really well reviewed by those guys in that room, Falvey said of a draft room that included about 35 officials. I think when you come into a draft, you re picking 1-1, you re looking at all the players we want to make sure we re as objective as possible. As Monday unfolded, various reports had the Twins linked to Lewis, Greene and Louisville first baseman-pitcher Brandon McKay. Radcliff said the final decision was made five minutes before the draft began. All indications are that Lewis bonus will be less than the league-recommended amount of $7.7 million even with über-agent Scott Boras advising him. That will give the Twins the flexibility to sign a player later in the draft who might be viewed as hard to sign. With the 35th overall pick, the Twins selected Mississippi State outfielder/first baseman Brent Rooker. Two picks later, with the first choice in the second round, they got Canadian prep righthander Landon Leach. Rooker was drafted by the Twins in the 38th round last year, but the sides could not agree on a bonus. Rooker returned to the Bulldogs and was named SEC Player of the Year, with 23 homers and 82 RBI through 67 games. One of the best bats left on the board, Johnson said. Leach is a catcher-turned-pitcher who the Twins believe has good upside. He can touch 95 mph with his fastball and has the makings of a good breaking ball. We love his delivery, from a development standpoint, Johnson said. We feel we can add a lot to that body and size. He s got present pitches. While fans were left absorbing the Lewis selection, Lewis used his moment to point out that he and Greene went 1-2 in the draft. I actually talked to him before the draft and gave him a little shout out and good luck, Lewis said. I think it says that southern Orange County and California in general is back, baby. 2

3 Twins' home humiliation continues with 14-3 loss to Seattle Joe Christensen Star Tribune June 13, 2017 If the Twins want to end their perplexing struggles at Target Field, they had better start pitching better. Holding onto first place is difficult when your team needs multiple touchdowns per game just to keep pace. Adalberto Mejia turned in a clunker Monday, giving up nine runs in less than four innings, as the Twins opened an 11-game homestand by getting walloped by Seattle Once again, it got so bad the Twins turned to backup catcher Chris Gimenez for a relief appearance. He was one out from his fourth scoreless outing before the Mariners got to him for two runs. How many outings for Gimenez now? manager Paul Molitor said before being told that it was five. Too many. It s 60 games in, so that s not a good situation. The Twins suffered their sixth consecutive home loss, and they have given up at least seven runs in each of their past five games at Target Field. That includes something Molitor dubbed the Houston debacle, the three-game Astros sweep May by a combined score of The Twins recovered by going 6-4 on their road trip against the Los Angeles Angels, Seattle and San Francisco. With a 20-9 road record for the season a sharp contrast to their home record they were eager to turn things around this homestand. Instead, the Twins gave up at least 11 runs for the 10th time in 60 games, one mopre time than in all of 2016 when they lost ateasm-record 103 games. Despite being in first place by one game, the Twins have given up 39 more runs than they have scored. After Seattle, comes a four-game set with second-place Cleveland, the defending American League champion. That is followed by three games against the White Sox. But while fans were dissecting the Twins pick of Royce Lewis with the No. 1 overall selection in Monday s draft, Mejia was struggling through his worst start of the season. The Mariners had a 6-2 lead by the second inning. The Mariners had little trouble solving Mejia after he held them to three runs over five innings Wednesday in Seattle. I think that was a bad day, but I don t think that has anything to do with seeing them in the same week, Mejia said. The 23-year-old lefthander has been a pleasant surprise for the Twins, winning a starting job out of spring training and bouncing back after a demotion to Class AAA Rochester. Before Monday, he hadn t given up more than three earned runs in any of his previous eight starts. But there were warning signs. He had given up a combined 43 hits and walks in 32⅓ innings but minimized that damage by holding opponents to a.109 batting average (6-for-55) with runners on base. But this time, Mejia (1-2) was shaky from the outset this time before an announced crowd of 16,996. He issued a leadoff walk to Ben Gamel and made a throwing error on a ball hit in front of the mound by Mitch Haniger, instantly putting runners at second and third. Nelson Cruz made Mejia pay with a two-run single up the middle. Joe Mauer answered in the bottom of the first, lining a two-run double into the left-center gap against Seattle starter Yovani Gallardo (3-6). But the Mariners kept pouring it on against Mejia in the second, getting five consecutive hits at one point. Seattle loaded the bases again in the fourth. Molitor went to his bullpen after Kyle Seager beat out a double-play grounder, making it 7-2. It seems like they were all over his fastball tonight, Molitor said. Kind of like [Sunday s 13-8 loss at San Francisco], where they poured it on. Once again, we had to kind of suffer through another long game. 3

4 Twins leave room for criticism with No. 1 pick, and there's plenty of it Michael Rand Star Tribune June 13, 2017 In their first draft as Twins bosses, Derek Falvey and co. had a daunting but exciting task: they had to make a choice between every draft-eligible player on the planet as holders of the No. 1 overall pick. The pick was bound to leave them open to second-guessing no matter what happened. That s just the nature of the job. The truth is that nobody knows what will happen with any of the players chosen. The MLB Draft, in relation to how long it takes players to develop and (perhaps) eventually reach the majors, is akin to holding the NFL Draft when eligible players are seniors in high school. That doesn t stop the criticism, of course, even from those of us who are nowhere near experts in evaluation. That said, Falvey and those around him left themselves vulnerable to some immediate negative feedback with their choice of high school shortstop/outfielder Royce Lewis. He could turn out to be great, but he wasn t among the three players talked about the most high school phenon Hunter Greene and two college stars when it came to the No. 1 pick. When I did a Facebook video previewing the draft Monday morning and discussing which player the Twins should take, I didn t even mention Lewis. The Twins clearly like Lewis, but they also had a clear strategy. In picking Lewis over Greene and others, they can avoid paying a larger bonus giving them more money to sign other picks under baseball s system. So people could criticize the Twins for being cheap and for making the wrong pick. Let s take a spin through some national and social media reaction to reveal some of that thinking: *Retired MLB scout Dave Perkin did draft analysis for SI.com, called Lewis perhaps the most polarizing top prospect in this year s draft and pointed out some flaws in his swing while also praising his athleticism. Perkin also wrote this about the Twins No. 1 pick: The Twins are taking the same strategy the Phillies used last year in picking Mickey Moniak. Lewis is nowhere near the top prospect in this draft, but Minnesota wants to get Lewis for a reduced price and use the leftover money to get other players later on. I think the strategy is misguided, but we ll see how it pans out. Dave Sheinin of the Washington Post didn t quite criticize the pick but did note that it had an old-school feel: Despite the availability of two of the best two-way prospects in the history of the Major League Baseball amateur draft, the Minnesota Twins used the first overall pick Monday night on the specimen of ballplayer that has captivated talent evaluators forever: the big, rangy, toolsy high school shortstop. *Wrote Keith Law of ESPN: Royce Lewis was a slight surprise as the first overall pick, especially because, like the Upton brothers were in their own draft years, he s a shortstop who is almost universally assumed to be moving off the position, with most people myself included assuming he s headed for center field. He also said Landon Leach, the player the Twins took 37th overall, was the first player picked in the draft whom Law had graded outside his top 100. A sampling of comments on Startribune.com s main draft story (there were more than 500, by the way, as of 8 a.m. Tuesday), echoed a lot of what we saw in the immediate aftermath on social media. I am disappointed. Royce Lewis may be the next Jeter and if he is, I will admit I was wrong. But this smells again of being a financial decision by the Twins. They had a chance to be bold, take Greene, do something different. And yet, this is another Terry Ryan pick. The Twins once again showed no courage. Ouch. And there s more. Seems fitting that on a night when they give up 14 runs, after giving up 13 the day before, they would draft a SS. This team is so dire in need of pitching, they didn t want to pay the price to draft one of the top 3 pitchers. Are the Twins trying to sell us that this kid is the next Jeter? Lewis was even shocked! The Smiley Brothers haven t shown us much. There were some less fired up voices saying they are willing to be patient and trust the process, using expressions like the Lewis pick was a sound move and let s give the brain trust a chance here. The bottom line, though, is that the Twins made neither the exciting pick (Greene) nor the presumed safe pick (one of the college players, either Brendan McKay or Kyle Wright). Time will tell if it was the right pick. Fair or not, that opens the Twins up for criticism now and throughout the course of the years-long development of all the players in this draft. 4

5 Twins' Hector Santiago wonders if WBC injury bug hit him, too Joe Christensen Star Tribune June 13, 2017 Twins lefthander Hector Santiago wonders if pitching in the World Baseball Classic is the reason why he has landed on the disabled list for the first time in his seven-year big-league career. He pitched 8⅔ innings for Puerto Rico as it reached the tournament final before losing to the United States. It required him to start throwing earlier than normal, as well as pitch in meaningful games while others eased their way through spring training. It was the first time I started that early, and the first time I ve been on the DL, said Santiago, who was 1-0 with a 2.08 ERA during the WBC. The Mets Seth Lugo, a fellow Puerto Rican, landed on the DL after the WBC because of a partly torn ulnar collateral ligament. Kansas City s Danny Duffy, who pitched for Team USA, had to be put on the DL last month because of a strained oblique. And Seattle ace Felix Hernandez, who pitched for Venezuela, is on the DL because of bursitis in his right shoulder. Santiago went on the DL on June 7 because of shoulder soreness. A day earlier, his velocity was down and his command was off as he lasted only 2⅔ innings. His velocity, actually, is down 2 miles per hour since April, from 91.5 to 89.4 mph, which might have played in the Twins decision to send him to the trainer s room. After a few days of shoulder strengthening work, Santiago said he feels good. He has played catch back-to-back days and is scheduled for long toss drills Tuesday. He holds out hope he can be ready to pitch once his 10 days are up, meaning he could start in one of Saturday s two games against Cleveland. I just think it is something that has happened over time, from throwing in the WBC, throwing that early, he said. Polanco returns, sits Jorge Polanco returned from the bereavement list after being out since June 3 for the death of his grandfather in the Dominican Republic. But Twins manager Paul Molitor opted to ease his shortstop back into things, keeping him out of Monday s starting lineup. To make room on the 25-man roster for Polanco, the Twins sent righthander Chris Heston to Class AAA Rochester. He made his Twins debut Sunday, pitching one inning at San Francisco, after being claimed off waivers last week from the Dodgers. Kennys Vargas stayed with the Twins, even though that meant cutting back to 12 pitchers. He started at designated hitter in Monday s 14-3 loss to the Mariners. When [Vargas] gets in there, he s got a chance to impact the game, Molitor said. Answers elude Hughes The Twins still have no timetable for righthander Phil Hughes return from his right shoulder injury. Molitor said Hughes has experienced sensations in fingers and things that we re not totally sure what the source is. We re going to try to do the best we can to try to get to the bottom of what we need to do to get him moving forward, Molitor said. Try to get him to throw a little bit and address those things, but we re still not sure the best way to go. Etc. The Twins sent reliever Alex Wimmers back to Class AAA Rochester following Monday s loss with plans to announce who s replacing him Tuesday. Wimmers has posted a 4.76 ERA in five appearances with the Twins. Injured three-time All-Star lefthander Glen Perkins (shoulder) is scheduled to pitch a simulated game Tuesday in Fort Myers, Fla. Potentially if things go well, he s going to join the [Class A] Miracle here [on a rehab assignment] in the next 10 days or so, Molitor said. The Twins signed reliever Tim Melville, 27, and assigned him to Rochester. A fourth-round pick of the Royals in 2008, he has nine innings of MLB experience with the Reds in He was 3-4 with a 3.45 ERA for Long Island of the independent Atlantic League when the Twins signed him. 5

6 A closer look at the Twins' top three draft picks Aaron Reiss Star Tribune June 13, 2017 Royce Lewis Drafted: first round, No. 1 overall Age: 18 (born June 5, 1999) School: JSerra Catholic HS (San Juan Capistrano, Calif.) Position: shortstop/outfielder Height, weight: 6-1, 190 In high school, Lewis has played center field, third base and shortstop; the Twins intend to play him at short, Chief Baseball Officer Derek Falvey said. Lewis was the 2016 and 17 Gatorade Player of the Year in California; he hit.388 with 12 home runs in only 80 at-bats and stole 25 bases this past season. He said he considers his speed his favorite tool because it s always there, and it never leaves you. The Twins believe he will be able to hit for power. Brent Rooker Drafted: first round, No. 35 Age: 22 (born Nov. 1, 1994) School: Mississippi State Position: outfielder Height, weight 6-4, 220 The Southeastern Conference Player of the Year, he led the SEC in batting average (.387), slugging (.810), on base percentage (.495), home runs (23) and RBI (82). Landon Leach Drafted: second round, No. 37 Age: 17 (born July 12, 1999) School: Pickering (Ontario) HS Position: righthanded pitcher Height, weight: 6-4, 224 Has signed to pitch in college for Texas, but the Twins could have extra bonus money to derail that. Leach s fastball can touch 94 mph, and he also throws a curveball and changeup. Jorge Polanco returns to Twins, but not in lineup; no timetable for Phil Hughes Chris Miller Star Tribune June 12, 2017 Jorge Polanco is back from the bereavement list, but Twins manager Paul Molitor is waiting to throw him back in the lineup. Polanco hasn t played since June 3, and Manager Paul Molitor didn t want to rush him back into the lineup. I m sure he ll be available [off the bench], but we ll give him a chance to run around and see how he s doing and try to get him back in [the lineup] in the short term, Molitor said. Hughes searching for answers The Twins still have no timetable for starting pitcher Phil Hughes return from his right shoulder injury. Molitor said Monday that Hughes has experienced sensations in fingers and things that we re not totally sure what the source is. We re going to try to do the best we can to try to get to the bottom of what we need to do to get him moving forward, Molitor said. Try to get him to throw a little bit and address those things, but we re still not sure the best way to go. 6

7 Hughes is 4-3 with a 5.74 ERA in nine starts this season. Perkins update All-Star closer Glen Perkins (shoulder injury) is scheduled to have a simulated game in Fort Myers, Fla., on Tuesday, Molitor said. Potentially if things go well, he s going to join the [Class A] Miracle here [on a rehab assignment] in the next 10 days or so, Molitor said. Etc. The rain is falling and the tarp is out at Target Field. With the MLB draft today (6 p.m.), the Twins are hosting a pregame "draft party" that is set to start at 5:30. Joe Christensen (@joecstrib) reporting from the ballpark tonight with La Velle covering the draft and Phil stuck in the airport in San Francisco. Here are the lineups TWINS 1. Brian Dozier, 2B 2. Robbie Grossman, LF 3. Joe Mauer, 1B 4. Miguel Sano, 3B 5. Max Kepler, RF 6. Kennys Vargas, DH 7. Jason Castro, C 8. Byron Buxton, CF 9. Ehire Adrianza, SS LHP Adalberto Mejia MARINERS 1. Ben Gamel, LF 2. Mitch Haniger, RF 3. Robinson Cano, 2B 4. Nelson Cruz, DH 5. Kyle Seager, 3B 6. Danny Valencia, 1B 7. Mike Zunino, C 8. Guillermo Heredia, CF 9. Tyler Smith, SS RHP Yovani Gallardo 7

8 The Twins are having a really good and really weird season Michael Rand Star Tribune June 12, 2017 If you still don t quite know what to make of the 2017 Twins, there is probably a good reason: for as good as the first two-plus months have been, they have also been what s the word weird? Let s take a quick spin through some of the oddest developments and numbers so far this year: *The Twins are on the season, and their home/road splits just keep getting stranger. After their successful recent 10-game West Coast trip, during which the Twins went 6-4, they are now 20-9 on the road but just at home. I chatted recently with Roy Smalley about some of the reasons for the disparity pressing at home and playing easier teams on the road seem to be the consensus reasons but it will be interesting to see if the Twins can get it going at Target Field as they start a big homestand Monday against Seattle. *Starting pitcher Ervin Santana came into the season having thrown eight career shutouts. He already has three complete game shutouts this season. No other pitcher in the majors has more than one complete game shutout this season, and Santana has three of the 15 total thrown. In fact, no pitcher has thrown more than three shutouts in a full season since Felix Hernandez tossed five of them for the Mariners in *The Twins have already given up 11 runs in a game nine different times this season matching their total for all of 2016, when they finished All of those blowout losses are part of the reason the Twins have actually been outscored for the season. Based on their minus- 28 run differential, the Twins should have their record reversed at 27-32, according to Bill James formula. *Reliever Matt Belisle is the one-man symbol for being pretty good most of the time unless he s really, truly awful. Belisle has been lit up in four of those 11-run games, giving up a total of 18 runs in two innings pitched (no, that s not a misprint) for a mind-boggling ERA of in those four appearances. In his 22 other appearances spanning 20 innings, Belisle has given up just three earned runs for a 1.35 ERA. It adds up, unfortunately, to an 8.59 ERA on the season. If he keeps up this take away everything terrible and he would be pretty good pace, Belisle might be the Vikings next starting left tackle. *But as noted, the sum of these parts has the Twins record at 32-27, good for first place in the American League Central, 1.5 games ahead of Cleveland going into Monday s action. That means the Twins are guaranteed to be in first place when they make the No. 1 overall pick in the MLB Draft on Monday evening. The last time a team was in first place when making the top pick rare, of course, since that team had the worst record in the majors the previous year? Per PR wizard Dustin Morse, it was the Twins in The Twins were on June 5, when they chose Joe Mauer first overall. That 2001 Twins team faded and finished 85-77, but it also laid some nice groundwork for six division titles in nine seasons from If 2017 worked out the same way, with the same result after, I don t think Twins fans would be too upset. Twins add slugger Brent Rooker, Canadian pitcher Landon Leach via draft Mike Berardino Pioneer Press June 12, 2017 A year after failing to sign Mississippi State slugger Brent Rooker out of the 38th round, the Twins came back for him at No. 35 overall on Monday night. We had conversations about it but we didn t quite have enough money to get it done, Twins scouting director Sean Johnson said. He told his agent he was going to go back and go in the first round. He came real close. Named Southeastern Conference player of the year after slugging.858 and leading Division I with 29 doubles, Rooker played mostly first base for the Bulldogs but can handle the corner outfield. The 6-foot-4, 215-pound Rooker, 22, has a quick swing from the right side and could start out at Class A Cedar Rapids. We love his power potential, Johnson said. We thought he was one of the best bats left on the board. Two picks later, the Twins completed their Day 1 selections with Canadian high school right-hander Landon Leach. A converted catcher, the 6-4 Leach is a Texas signee who shows a 96-mph fastball and plenty of projection as a potential starter. We love his delivery from a development standpoint, Johnson said. We think we can add a lot on to that body and size. Slot value for the 35th and 37th picks is $1.94 million and $1.85 million, respectively. 8

9 Twins drop another home game; fall to at Target Field Chad Graff Pioneer Press June 12, 2017 Before four innings expired in another Twins loss at Target Field, nine Mariners crossed the plate, with five more soon to follow. On a slow night of baseball, the game felt over before it was halfway complete, the Twins at that point just beginning their dragging 14-3 loss to Seattle on Monday in a return to Minnesota that has gone like so many others this season. While the Twins have surprised and surged their way into a first place spot in the American League Central, they ve been unable to sustain their road success in downtown Minneapolis, a strange recipe for a team still a half game ahead of Cleveland in the division. But with another loss at Target Field, the Twins fell to at their home ballpark, compared to a 20-9 record on the road that is the second best in Major League Baseball. The latest defeat, in front of 16,996 fans, got out of hand early thanks to more struggles from the starting pitcher. Adalberto Mejia surrendered eight earned runs without completing the fourth inning on a night the Mariners scattered 19 hits, nine of them off the starter. It was one of his rougher starts from the get-go, manager Paul Molitor said. It seemed like they were all over his fastball today. It just got to be where they poured it on once again, and we had to suffer through another long game. The Twins were left to simply eat innings after Mejia s rough outing, turning to an already beleaguered bullpen that did well until back-to-back home runs off Craig Breslow in the eighth continued the blowout. It s challenging, Molitor said of trying to string together a working bullpen. Each night you come in and see who is available and how many innings you might be able to get. Monday was the seventh time in 31 home games that they ve allowed double-digit runs. More issues on the mound spoiled a two-run first inning for the Twins, who plated their only other run in the sixth inning courtesy of a Kennys Vargas single. Maybe I noticed that I didn t have all my power early on, but other than that, they did a good job, Mejia said through a translator. Optimism was all around on the diamond before the game as the Twins returned for this 11-game homestand fresh off a successful West Coast road trip that included wins in three of their last four games. But the same problems that plagued them in past home games returned, leaving a perplexed manager. You got any suggestions? Molitor joked before the game when asked why his team struggles at home. It s not like I ve been unhappy with how we ve competed at home. We ve played some good teams and come up on the short end of some of the series. BRIEFLY In need of a fresh arm in the bullpen, the Twins demoted Alex Wimmers to Triple-A Rochester after Monday s game and will make a corresponding move before Tuesday s game. 9

10 John Shipley: Twins too good to sell for parts John Shipley Pioneer Press June 12, 2017 Somewhere near the middle of The Magnificent Seven, two of the eponymous gunmen are asked about their plans to protect a farming village from a large, mean gang of outlaws. Hopelessly outmanned and outgunned, the heroes have just managed to win an early victory. Reminds me of that fellow back home who fell off a 10-story building, says one. As he was falling, people on each floor kept hearing him say, So far, so good! Somewhere near the middle of the 2017 major league baseball season, one looks at the Minnesota Twins and thinks the same thing. Despite the worst bullpen in all of baseball, they started Monday night s game against the Seattle Mariners at Target Field atop the American League Central standings. So far, so good. The numbers in the Twins case are as unfavorable as those facing Yul Brynner, Steve McQueen and Co. Not only is the bullpen terrible, with an MLB-low earned-run average of 5.48 and.274 batting average-against, Twins starters have combined for the fourth-fewest innings in baseball. It s not a winning formula. But I come to praise the Twins, not to bury them. Since the Twins swept the Kansas City Royals in their opening series, the cognoscenti has been waiting for the Minnesota 9 to fall back to earth. Instead, it becomes increasingly clear that the Twins are, in fact, pretty good, holding at least a piece of first place for 44 days including the past 33. They have on occasion threatened to turn back into the team that lost 103 games last season, yet they continue to get back up. I m not convinced the Twins can win the Central, but when they took three of four from the Angels in Anaheim last week, I became convinced they won t fall apart. The Twins flew into L.A. on the heels of an embarrassing sweep at the hands of baseball s best team, the Houston Astros, outscored in three games. Instead of going into free-fall, they rallied for three ninth-inning runs to beat the Angels in the opener of a four-game series, and finished a three-series West Coast trip with a 6-4 record. The Twins play solid defense and give you a professional at-bat. They have a nice mix of promising young players (Miguel Sano, Max Kepler) and established veterans (Joe Mauer, Brian Dozier). And for the first time in a long time, they have legitimate No. 1 and No. 2 starters in Ervin Santana and Jose Berrios. The inconvenient truth for the Boy Geniuses new president of baseball operations Derek Falvey and general manager Thad Levine is that the Twins are starting to look like a team a few pieces away from being a division winner. The new guys want to tinker, build a team in their own image, yet the Twins are becoming too good to sell for parts. They remind one a little of the 2002 Twins who inconveniently won the AL Central and filled the Metrodome just when late owner Carl Pohlad was hoping to cash out through contraction. The stakes aren t quite as high, but this team is playing to remain intact. What they need is another starter and a couple of live arms in the bullpen stuff you don t find on the waiver wire in July. That s the best these guys can hope for, because it would be stupid for Falvey and Levine to give up prospects to help this team, even if they re in first place on July 31. By the same token, they shouldn t dismantle this team, either. They might not be good enough to wrest the Central from defending AL champ Cleveland and we ll learn a lot when the Indians are here this weekend but, well, so far, so good. 10

11 Twins injury updates: Santiago could start Saturday; Hughes still not close Chad Graff Pioneer Press June 12, 2017 Twins starting pitcher Hector Santiago expects he ll be healthy enough to return from the 10-day disabled list this weekend, a rare bit of good news for the team s rotation. While Phil Hughes remains a ways from returning from a biceps injury that has kept the right-handed pitcher from intensive throwing, Santiago will throw long toss Tuesday and said he could start as soon as Saturday. I think we re back on track to come off as soon as I m eligible to come off, Santiago said. Santiago was placed on the 10-day disabled list after shoulder inflammation, but a magnetic resonance imaging test revealed no additional damage. Hughes, meanwhile, doesn t sound close to re-joining the Twins after being placed on the disabled list in May. Phil continues to experience some sensations in his fingers and we re not totally sure what the source is, manager Paul Molitor said. We continue to try to do the best we can to get to the bottom of what we need to get him moving forward. In Florida, former closer Glen Perkins continues rehabbing from a shoulder injury suffered last year, and could join the organization s Class-A Advanced Fort Myers Miracle affiliate by the end of the month. Perkins scheduled simulated game Monday was postponed and is scheduled to be made up Tuesday. Potentially, if things go well he could join the Miracle in the next 10 days or so, Molitor said. GIBSON VS. SEA AGAIN As Kyle Gibson looks to string together quality starts for the first time this season, the right-handed pitcher said he ll rely on advice from Molitor and pitching coach Neil Allen on how to deal with the unusual task of pitching against the same team in back-to-back outings. Gibson notched his best start of the season in Seattle against the Mariners on Thursday, and now looks to build on that against the same foe Tuesday at Target Field. It s something that can probably go one of two ways either you keep doing what worked, or you try to adjust assuming that they re going to adjust, Gibson said. I m going to talk to them and see what they ve done in the past. Gibson s six innings of work against the Mainers last week while allowing only one run was his best effort of a season with plenty of struggles. His earned-run average sits at 6.52 this season. He was demoted to the minors in early May, but with other issues for Twins starters, Gibson has been back in the majors since May 22, and has improved his statistics each of his past three starts. The 29-year-old has allowed five earned runs in his last 17 innings entering Tuesday s start. POLANCO BACK Shortstop Jorge Polanco was reinstated Monday from the bereavement list after mourning the death of his grandfather, who raised Polanco. The infielder said he was ready to play Monday, but was not in the team s lineup. Those are tough circumstances when you have those type of close relationships, Molitor said. But it s good to have him back. I think baseball hopefully will be good medicine for him. He hasn t had a lot of baseball over the last seven days so we re going to acclimate him slowly at least (Monday). He ll be available, but we ll try to give him a chance to run around and see how he s doing and get him back into shape. 11

12 Twins draft high school shortstop Royce Lewis with top pick Mike Berardino Pioneer Press June 12, 2017 Moments after conducting his first media conference call as the Twins No. 1 overall draft pick, Royce Lewis shared some definite plans to celebrate. I might go bowling, eat some cake with the fam and I m definitely going to jump in the pool right now, the high school shortstop from San Juan Capistrano, Calif., said early Monday evening. That s the three things on my mind right now. Sixteen years had passed since the Twins last held the top pick in baseball s June amateur draft, so they milked the suspense until the final hour. In some respects they made Lewis a compromise selection as they sought to stretch their available $14.16 million bonus pool and maximize three picks in the first 37 spots. Mike Radcliff, Twins vice president of player personnel, called Lewis one of elite athletes of any draft and said his speed is near the top of the scouting scale. The organization believes he will hit for power as he adds strength to his 6-foot-1, 190-pound frame. We see this guy as an impact player on both sides of the ball, Radcliff said. He also has a unique ability to impact the clubhouse and the community. This guy gets it. He s got that it factor that a No. 1 pick needs to survive and move forward and have success at the end of the journey. He checked all the boxes for us. As many as seven or eight players were still under consideration for the top selection down to the final 36 hours, Radcliff said, and negotiations were held with several of those candidates. The pitching-starved Twins also gave strong consideration to Louisville left-hander/first baseman Brendan McKay, Vanderbilt right-hander Kyle Wright and high school right-hander Hunter Greene before opting for Lewis. Lewis, who turned 18 on June 5, hit.429 as a senior with nine doubles and four home runs for JSerra Catholic High School in Orange County. Named national player of the year by the National High School Coaches Association, he impressed evaluators and teammates alike with his selfless attitude. For the past three seasons Lewis played mostly third base and center field while others handled shortstop. Twins scouts saw enough of Lewis at shortstop during practices and on the summer circuit to believe he can stay at the demanding position long term. He just wants to win, JSerra coach Brett Kay recently told the Los Angeles Times. He wants to do everything for the team. He s not about numbers or statistics. Those leadership qualities impressed the Twins enough to overlook industry concerns about Lewis ability to make the transition to wood bats in pro ball. I just treat everyone equally, Lewis said. We re all equal, no matter who s better at what sport or who s the smarter kid in the classroom. I m not above or below anyone. With all my teammates we have so much fun together. We compete hard together. Lewis becomes the 11th first-overall pick advised by powerful agent Scott Boras. That run started in 1983 with small college right-hander Tim Belcher, who didn t sign with the Twins, and now includes six of the past 12 top overall picks. The Twins took Joe Mauer in 2001 the only other time they held the No. 1 pick. Slot value for the No. 1 overall pick this year is $7.77 million, but the Twins aren t expected to pay that much to steer Lewis away from a University of California, Irvine commitment. The slot value at No. 35 is $1.94 million, while the 37th pick comes with an approved limit of $1.85 million. The Twins took Mississippi State slugger Brent Rooker and Canadian high school right-hander Landon Leach with those latter two picks. The record signing bonus for a Twins draftee is the $6 million they gave high school outfielder Byron Buxton as the No. 2 overall pick in Lewis speed is considered a notch or two below Buxton s but it s still a key component of his game. I think you use speed for everything: defensively, offensively, and it helps with range, Lewis said. For sure the speed s been there since Day 1. That s my favorite tool, I guess you would say, because it s always there and it never leaves you. 12

13 Lewis, a right-handed batter who also hit a long home run out of Wrigley Field in a national all-star game last summer, is eager to show he can hit professional pitching. I feel like I haven t even grown into any of my man strength yet, he said. I just turned 18 last week. Being young like this, it s pretty amazing knowing I still have a lot of potential I haven t even tapped into yet. Twins pick 'elite athlete' Lewis No. 1 overall Rhett Bollinger MLB June 12, 2017 MINNEAPOLIS -- The Twins opened the festivities at the 2017 MLB Draft on Monday night by adding an elite athlete to their organization, taking Southern California prep shortstop Royce Lewis with the No. 1 overall pick. Lewis, 18, has the most complete package of tools of any player in the class. He is an incredible athlete with a knack for getting the barrel of the bat on the ball, and his 70-grade speed (on the scouting scale) manifests itself on both sides of the ball, while the Twins also project the 6- foot-1, 185-pounder to grow into power, as he once hit a homer out of Wrigley Field as part of an Under Armour showcase. They also see him as a shortstop instead of a center fielder. "We're so excited to have him as part of the organization," Twins chief baseball officer Derek Falvey said. "Royce was a guy we targeted all spring. It's someone we knew would be considered as far back as last summer. We got to know him very deeply and he'll be a big part of our future." Lewis, the 2017 Gatorade Player of the Year in California, was watching the Draft on MLB Network with his family at his grandparents' house when he received a call from general manager Thad Levine that he'd be the first pick. "Once I heard my name called, it was an amazing feeling," Lewis, ranked by MLB Pipeline as the No. 5 prospect in this year's Draft, said. "I'm just glad to have the opportunity. I can't wait to put on the jersey and get out there and start playing." Lewis was somewhat of a surprise selection, getting taken over two-way stars Brendan McKay and Hunter Greene, as well as right-hander Kyle Wright. The Twins, who had the No. 1 overall selection for the third time in franchise history, are expected to sign Lewis for under the slot value of $7,770,700, which they can use on later picks, especially considering they also have the Nos. 35 and 37 selections. Minnesota has a Draft pool of $14,156,800 for the first 10 rounds. Twins vice president of player personnel Mike Radcliff said money was a factor, and they didn't believe any one player stood out strongly above the rest. They also didn't decide to pick Lewis until right before the Draft. It's a scenario similar to when they took Joe Mauer with the No. 1 overall pick in 2001 over Mark Prior, as that went down to the wire and money was a consideration. "Royce is one of the elite athletes and makeup/intangible available in any Draft," Radcliff said. "We see him as an impact player on both sides of the ball. He also has a unique ability to impact the clubhouse and the locker room and the community. He's got that 'it factor' that a No. 1 pick needs." Lewis, a UC Irvine commit advised by Scott Boras, believes his makeup, along with his physical tools, helped him stand out among other candidates for the No. 1 pick. He also joked that he hasn't grown into his "man power" just yet. "I think I have more heart than many of the players out there," Lewis said. "It's the mental side of things going into the game. I'm thinking four or five steps ahead and my approach at the plate is changing pitch by pitch, game by game. I feel like I have a high maturity level." Lewis' coach at JSerra Catholic in San Juan Capistrano, Calif., is Brett Kay, a former Mets farmhand who played alongside David Wright, Jose Reyes and Angel Pagan when they were coming up, and he says Lewis has the potential to be as good as, if not better than, all of them. "He's the best athlete I think I've ever seen," Kay said. "I can't imagine what's going through an 18-year-old's brain right now, but he just wants to go out and have fun, and he makes this baseball field his playground. And I mean that in every sense of the nicest way I could." The Draft continues on Tuesday with Rounds The MLB.com preview show begins at 12:30 p.m. ET, with exclusive coverage beginning at 1 p.m. ET. 13

14 Mejia, Twins can't contain Mariners in opener Shane Jackson MLB June 13, 2017 MINNEAPOLIS -- Yovani Gallardo tossed six innings of three-run ball and was backed with a season high in runs as the Mariners overmatched the Twins by a score of 14-3 on Monday night at Target Field. Seattle has now won 11 of its last 15 games, while Minnesota clings to a slim advantage atop the American League Central. The run support in the series opener for Gallardo (No. 46 overall pick by Milwaukee, 2004 Draft, Trimble Technical HS in Texas) was a rarity. It marked the first time the Mariners had scored double digits when Gallardo was on the mound this season. In fact, Gallardo entered Monday with seventh-lowest run support runs per game -- in the American League. He scattered seven hits and struck out five batters, while walking one. "The guys came out and swung the bats today," Gallardo said. "It definitely takes a little bit of pressure off. I felt good. As the game went on, I felt better." Seattle erupted for nine early runs off Minnesota left-hander Adalberto Mejia, who was handed the loss. Mejia allowed nine runs (eight earned) in 3 2/3 innings of work. He became the first Twins pitcher to allow nine or more runs in fewer than four innings since Vance Worley gave up nine runs in one inning against the Mets on April 12, "It was one of his rougher starts from the get-go," Minnesota manager Paul Molitor said. "They were all over his fastball tonight, and it just got to be where they poured it on once again. We had to suffer through another long game." For good measure, the Mariners went deep with consecutive solo shots by Danny Valencia (19th round by Minnesota, 2006 Draft, University of Miami) and Mike Zunino (No. 3 overall pick, 2009 Draft, University of Florida). Both homers in the top of the eighth came off Minnesota lefty Craig Breslow (26th round by Milwaukee, 2002 Draft, Yale University). It was the fifth time this year that the Mariners crushed back-to-back homers. According to Statcast, Valencia's blast traveled an estimated 379 feet with an exit velocity of mph, which was his hardest-hit home run in the Statcast era. MOMENTS THAT MATTERED Four-spot answer: The Twins evened the score in the first at 2 as Joe Mauer (No. 1 overall pick, 2001 Draft, Cretin-Derham Hall HS in Minnesota) came through with a double. However, the deadlock was short-lived. Seattle scored four runs courtesy of five consecutive one-out hits in the top of the second, including a decisive two-run double by Mitch Haniger (38th overall by Milwaukee, 2012 Draft, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo), who finished the night with four hits. Robinson Cano capped the four-run frame with a RBI single. "When Mitch Haniger and all the guys kind of keep moving the line, it's a pretty fun offense to watch," Mariners manager Scott Servais said. Gallardo re-focuses: Gallardo did not cough up a second lead after the team's second-inning outburst. Instead, he responded with a clean frame against the bottom of the order and retired eight of the next nine batters he faced over the following two-plus innings. It was a sign of improvement for the hurler, who has struggled with the big inning this season. In his last outing, Gallardo surrendered a one-run advantage to the Twins, in which he allowed four runs during the fifth inning in the eventual no-decision. FEEL THE DRAFT The first day of the 2017 Draft took place Monday, with the Twins, who had the top overall pick, selecting high school shortstop Royce Lewis at No. 1. They added college outfielder Brent Rooker at No. 35 overall, and right-handed pitcher Landon Leach at No. 37 overall. The Mariners took college first baseman Evan White with their first pick, No. 17 overall. They added high school right-handed pitcher Sam Carlson with the No. 55 overall pick. UPON FURTHER REVIEW Nelson Cruz crushed a fastball from Twins catcher Chris Gimenez, who made his fifth relief appearance, during the ninth inning. Initially it was ruled a two-run homer, which would have been Cruz's seventh consecutive game in which he homered at Target Field. However, umpires convened and ruled the hit a double. Servais asked for a review, which upheld the RBI double for Cruz. "I owe it to the player to take it to review," Servais said. "I know the score of the game and what it seems like. Players are out there busting their tail, and if there's a chance for it to be a home run, it needed to be looked at." WHAT'S NEXT 14

15 Mariners: Christian Bergman (24th round, 2010 Draft, University of California-Irvine) will make his second straight start against the Twins on Tuesday at 5:10 p.m. PT. The right-hander allowed four hits and two runs, one earned, in five innings in a loss to Minnesota last week. Bergman (3-3, 4.03 ERA) has surrendered just three total earned runs over his last three starts. Twins: Right-hander Kyle Gibson (No. 22 overall pick, 2009 Draft, University of Missouri) will take the mound for the Twins on Tuesday at 7:10 p.m. CT. Gibson, who is 3-4 with a 6.52 ERA this season, spun six innings of one-run ball against Seattle in his previous start. Twins take college slugger Rooker at No. 35 Rhett Bollinger MLB June 13, 2017 MINNEAPOLIS -- The Twins added a power bat with the No. 35 overall pick in the MLB Draft on Monday night, selecting outfielder Brent Rooker from Mississippi State. Rooker, ranked as the No. 50 overall prospect by MLBPipeline.com, was the SEC Player of the Year and led NCAA Division I in doubles (29), slugging (.858) and OPS (1.371) as a redshirt junior. Rooker, at 6-foot-4, 215 pounds, also moves well for a big man, showing average run times out of the batter's box and even more quickness once he gets going. His 21 homers were the fifth most in the nation, and he also stole 18 bases. "He had a great year," Twins scouting director Sean Johnson said. "We thought he was one of the best bats left on the board. We had our fingers crossed. It was 30 picks, but it felt like seven hours in that room. We're glad he made it." Rooker was the second straight position player taken by the Twins after they selected high school shortstop Royce Lewis with the No. 1 overall pick. Rooker combines power and patience with a keen eye for the strike zone, drawing 41 walks compared to 48 strikeouts. He also excelled against top competition, batting a combined.333/.429/.639 on Friday nights in SEC play, which is when opposing clubs usually start their ace. Rooker, 22, is considered an advanced prospect, and could be fast-tracked to the Majors. But defense remains a question mark, as he moved to first base this season, but the Twins will try him as a corner outfielder. He's expected to skip Rookie level. "Rooker is an older college player, so he should be on the fast track," Johnson said. "We're looking at maybe [Class A] Cedar Rapids or [Class A Advanced] Fort Myers. He's an accomplished hitter at an advanced age." Rooker was drafted by the Twins last year in the 38th round, but he didn't sign. Johnson said they weren't close to signing him, and Rooker vowed he'd improve enough to be a first-rounder. He didn't quite make the traditional first round, but the pick, which is part of the Competitive Balance round, has a slot value of $1,935,300. Rooker is also an impressive athlete, and he was a three-sport star at Evangelical Christian School in Germantown, Tenn. Rooker hit.430 with nine home runs as a senior. He also led his high school to the Division 2-A State Championship Game in football, collecting 3,300 yards of total offense with 33 touchdowns, and he was named a 2013 Tennessee Mr. Football finalist after setting 18 school records. He also played basketball. The Draft continues on Tuesday with Rounds The MLB.com preview show begins at 11:30 a.m. CT, with exclusive coverage beginning at noon CT. Twins select RHP Leach with No. 37 pick Rhett Bollinger MLB June 12, 2017 MINNEAPOLIS -- The Twins added their first pitcher of the 2017 MLB Draft on Monday, selecting high school right-hander Landon Leach with the first pick in the second round at No. 37 overall. Leach, who pitched for Pickering High School (Ontario, Canada), has a big projectable frame at 6-foot-4 and 205 pounds. He'll touch 94 mph with his fastball and also has a mph curveball and mph changeup. Leach often gets compared to fellow Canadian Mike Soroka, who was taken with the No. 28 pick by the Braves in the 2015 Draft. Leach is committed to the University of Texas. The pick holds a slot value of $1,846,100. The Draft continues on Tuesday with Rounds The MLB.com preview show begins at 12:30 p.m. ET, with exclusive coverage beginning at 1 p.m. ET. 15