Minnesota Twins Daily Clips. Thursday, January 26, 2017

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1 Minnesota Twins Daily Clips Thursday, January 26, 2017 Hartman: Twins' St. Peter says, 'We have a lot of work to do'. Star Tribune (Hartman) p. 1 Sano swats three of Twins' hardest-hit HRs. MLB (Bollinger) p. 2 MLB: Forgotten Stars of the 1990s. FOX Sports (Tabakin) p. 3 Nick Gordon Makes Law s Top 60 Prospects. ESPN (Law) p. 4 Bullpen Rumors: Badenhop, Lefties, Indians, Breslow, Colome, Twins. MLB Trade Rumors (Adams) p. 4 Byron Buxton returns to Cedar Rapids, confident about establishing himself in 2017 for Minnesota Twins. Cedar Rapids Gazette (Johnson) p. 4 Baseball: Buxton, May see better days ahead for Twins. Cedar Falls Courier (Nelson) p. 5 Jack Morris bows out of Detroit Tigers' TV booth. Detroit Free Press (Crawford) p. 6 Twins Caravan visits Highland Elementary. Crookston Times (Dunshee) p. 6 Breakout might be coming for Buxton. Rochester Post Bulletin (Limbeck) p. 6 May hopes to join the rotation. Rochester Post Bulletin (Limbeck) p. 7 Minnesota Twins Winter Caravan will stop in Wadena Thursday. Wadena Pioneer Journal (Staff) p. 9 Twins caravan to visit PioneerCare Thursday. Fergus Falls Daily Journal (Staff) p. 9 Twins Caravan stops at St. Marys to visit young patients. KTTC (McKee) p. 9 Hartman: Twins' St. Peter says, 'We have a lot of work to do' Sid Hartman Star Tribune January 26, 2017 Twins President Dave St. Peter says that at this point in the offseason the team is falling behind last year s season ticket numbers, but he and the team s front office personnel understand fans taking a wait-and-see approach. We have a lot of work to do, St. Peter said. We re coming off 100-plus losses. We knew going into the offseason [it] was going to be challenging from a renewal perspective. I am really excited with the number of people who have renewed their season tickets. We ll go into Opening Day with a season-ticket base of anywhere between 11,000, 12,000, and I m excited about that. We have work to do to sell group tickets over the next several months. Our single-game on-sale for the home opener is Friday, but the balance of the season isn t until February 25. We have a goal, of course, to sell upward of 2 million-plus tickets and, longer term, we need to be back to 2.5 million to be back to where we ultimately should be within this marketplace. St. Peter broke down the difference between early sales last season, when the team was coming off a second-place finish in the AL Central, and this season after posting a club-record 103 losses. We re off a little bit, he said. Not as much as I think I would have expected, but we re off probably a couple hundred thousand tickets year over year. We re going to need to make that up as it relates to single-game sales as well as the balance of season tickets. We understand. We are where we are for a reason. We re going to need to earn our way back and rebuild our season-ticket base. I m optimistic we ll be able to do that based on what I think will happen in terms of our on-field product, the Target Field experience which remains one of the best in sports and this fan base, which I think wants to see the Twins succeed and will be behind this club as they have been during every other juncture when our baseball team is relevant on the field.

2 Front office changes St. Peter has been with the Twins since 1990 and president of the club since Newly hired Derek Falvey will be the first chief baseball officer and Thad Levine the fourth general manager he has worked with, not including Rob Antony s interim run as GM last season. Is St. Peter happy with what he s seen from the new front office? Admittedly it s early, but Derek Falvey and Thad Lavine have been everything we thought they would be in terms of their devotion to making the Twins better, St. Peter said. They have spent a lot of time on culture and getting to know people internally within our organization. I think they have worked really well with [manager] Paul Molitor in reshaping our major league coaching staff. I think the changes we ve made with our scouting crew in naming Deron Johnson into more of a senior role while naming Sean Johnson the head of our scouting department, I think that will pay dividends. Still, St. Peter recognizes a lot of those moves are restructuring staff more than the roster, but he thinks the team will continue to improve there, too. It has been probably more of an inside-out approach, St. Peter said. We have added [catcher] Jason Castro, and we think he s going to be a significant addition. Some of the other things they have tried to do with the major league club haven t panned out. The offseason is still ongoing, and I think there s still some work to be done. It surely wouldn t surprise me to see us add a couple players before we report to spring training in Fort Myers. Does St. Peter see the team making any big moves? I know Derek and Thad and the rest of our player development group and professional scouts are working hard to try to add to this team, he said, adding that he ll leave whether it s a big move or not up to other analysts. St. Peter said about 15,000 people are expected at Target Field for TwinsFest this weekend. He said the team has been in discussions with U.S. Bank Stadium officials to potentially hold the event there. A great player lineup, and we certainly would expect a lot of questions about where our club is going, but it s a great opportunity for us to showcase our young talent and make an introduction of our new baseball leadership in terms of Derek Falvey and Thad Levine, St. Peter said. Virtually everybody on our 40-man roster [will be there]. I think we ll have upward of 60 current and former players, top prospects, and obviously it s a great chance for those players to interact with our fans and raise money for the Twins Community Fund. We do a lot of our medical work for the coming season over the course of the TwinsFest weekend, so there s a lot of positives that come out of this event on a practical basis. Sano swats three of Twins' hardest-hit HRs Rhett Bollinger MLB January 25, 2017 MINNEAPOLIS -- Power wasn't the Twins' issue in 2016, as they smacked 200 homers, reaching that mark for just the third time in franchise history and for the first time since Their 200 homers ranked as the 12th-most in the Majors, but with the power of Statcast, it's possible to dig even deeper and analyze just how hard each of those 200 home runs were hit. Their homers averaged leaving the bat at mph, which ranked as the 23rd-best mark in baseball, with the average exit velocity in the Majors at mph. Brian Dozier, who led the team with 42 homers to account for exactly 21 percent of the club's total, wasn't one for crushing homers, as his average exit velocity was mph with his hardest coming in at mph. Instead, it was the big boppers such as Miguel Sano and Byungho Park who hit the ball hardest for the Twins in Of Minnesota's 11 hardest-hit homers in 2016, Sano (six) and Park (three) accounted for nine of those with Oswaldo Arcia and Max Kepler accounting for the other two. Sano is obviously ahead of Park as a Major League hitter, but both need to cut down on their strikeouts and continue to make adjustments at the plate. But when they connect on homers, it's often no-doubters. Here's a look at the five-hardest hit homers by the Twins by exit velocity 2

3 last season with Sano and Park accounting for all five: mph, Sano vs. Seattle, May 27 This one is impressive considering who it came against, as Sano absolutely crushed a hanging 2-1 slider from Mariners ace Felix Hernandez deep into left-center field for a solo shot at Safeco Field. It had a projected distance of 414 feet, as it was hurt by a high launch angle of 32 degrees. For context, the average launch angle on homers last year was 28.1 degrees mph, Park vs. Detroit, April 30 Park started to get into a groove in late April and early May before inconsistencies and a hand injury that ultimately required surgery derailed his season. His sixth and final homer of April was a laser to left-center on a hanging 1-2 slider from Tigers right-hander Jordan Zimmermann. It went a projected 435 feet, which was Park's fourth-longest of the year mph, Sano vs. Kansas City, May 25 Sano blasted a 1-0 cutter from Royals right-hander Dillon Gee for an upper-deck homer that nearly reached the third level at Target Field. It went a projected 439 feet, which was his second-farthest of the season mph, Park vs. Cleveland, May 13 Park's best game with the Twins came against the Indians on May 13, when he homered twice off right-hander Josh Tomlin after previously taking him deep on April 27. His first homer of the game was the most impressive, depositing an 0-1 fastball halfway up the bleachers in left. It traveled a projected 458 feet, which was the second-longest of the year for the Twins behind Sano's 464-foot blast, which coincidentally also came off Tomlin the previous inning mph, Sano vs. Tampa Bay, Aug. 7 Sano's homer on a 3-1 fastball from Rays right-hander Ryan Garton seemingly left Tropicana Field in less than a second. It was absolutely scorched, going a projected 419 feet because it was hit at a low launch angle of 20.5 degrees. It was the 21st-hardest hit homer by any player in the Majors last year. MLB: Forgotten Stars of the 1990s Adam Tabakin FOX Sports January 25, 2017 The following is an excerpt from the full article. With many fans paying attention to current players or those of several decades past, it s only fair to provide an opportunity to remember some forgotten 1990s baseball stars. Baseball is more prone to nostalgia than seemingly any other sport. The quality of play is as high as it s ever been, yet we as fans always seem to harken back to the good old days. Somewhere in between is the lost decade of the 1990s. There are many potential reasons why the 1990s seems to be an afterthought in baseball lore. It s too recent to be longed for by older fans, yet too long ago to be instantly recalled by younger fans. The steroid era. The strike. Bud Selig s reign of terror. This is unfortunate, because the 90s saw some truly excellent players. With the recent Hall of Fame voting, many of these superstars returned to the foreground this past month, including Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Mike Mussina, Curt Schilling, Jeff Bagwell, Edgar Martinez, Larry Walker, Fred McGriff and Ivan Rodriguez. Many of these players don t get the recognition they deserve, and the players a tier below them are downright forgotten. The following group of players don t have a common bond aside from being very good players that time happened to forget. Each position is represented, including a pitcher from each side. None of these players lasted more than a year on the Hall of Fame ballot, but all of them deserve to have their careers acknowledged every so often. Join us as we go on a journey through baseball s forgotten decade. 3

4 C Terry Steinbach Athletics/Twins Aside from Ivan Rodriguez, Terry Steinbach caught more games than anyone in the 1990s. Only one of his three all-star appearances with the Oakland Athletics came in this decade, but he was a steady force throughout. From , Steinbach s batting average stayed within a range of , and he played solid defense throughout. His best season came in 1996, when he hit 35 home runs with 100 RBI, far surpassing his previous career high marks. Steinbach received his only MVP vote that season, and he was out of baseball following three seasons with the Twins from He received one Hall of Fame vote in DH Chili Davis Angels/Twins/Royals/Yankees Chili Davis was a steady producer as an outfielder in the 1980s and as a designated hitter in the 1990s. The native of Jamaica hit.281 with a sparkling.380 OBP in the 90s, averaging 27 home runs and 101 RBI per 162 games in the decade. He reached 30 homers just once, and 100 RBI once, never reaching 90 runs scored despite his on-base ability. Davis ended his career with 350 home runs and three World Series rings. Nick Gordon Makes Law s Top 60 Prospects Keith Law ESPN January 26, 2017 The following is an excerpt from the full article. Today's group is guaranteed to make you feel old, with three sons of players who were all still in the majors as of 2009, and the first player born in the 2000s to appear on any of my annual top 100s. 53. Nick Gordon, SS, Minnesota Twins Age: 21 (10/24/95) B/T: L/R Height: 6-0 Weight: 160 Top level: High-A 2016: 98 Gordon can really, really hit, and while his offensive potential isn t that great because of the lack of power, I think he s going to hit for high averages for a very long time. He will also surprise people with his defensive prowess because his feel for both sides of the game is so incredible. Gordon has exceptional hands at the plate and in the field, so his bat is quick, and he makes a ton of contact, though he should be hitting more line drives and fewer ground balls, given his swing path. He can square up good velocity and adjusted very well to breaking stuff down and away when I last saw him in the AFL. He s running just average now after being a tick above that in high school, so if that isn't part of his game, he will need to get the ball in the air more often because he isn't going to be beating ground balls to the left side. On defense, he s the antithesis of the flashy shortstop, but he has a knack for getting himself in the right place to make the difficult play. The tools say he ll be an average big leaguer, but I believe his instincts and understanding of the game will allow him to be more. Bullpen Rumors: Badenhop, Lefties, Indians, Breslow, Colome, Twins Steve Adams MLB Trade Rumors January 25, 2017 The following is an excerpt from the full article: The Twins are interested in Joe Smith, reports 1500 ESPN s Darren Wolfson in his latest podcast (audio link, with bullpen talk beginning around 1:02:55). (Wolfson also noted interest in Greg Holland, but he s now heading elsewhere.) Minnesota is slow-playing its search on the freeagent market as it attempts to wait out the market to secure a late value pickup or two, and with plenty of quality names left on the market, they re probably not the only ones employing that approach. The Twins have previously been connected to both relievers, though that interest was first reported months ago, so it wasn t exactly clear if they d changed course at all. New Twins chief baseball office Derek Falvey knows Smith quite well, as the side-armer spent the seasons with the Indians, where Falvey was previously an assistant general manager. Byron Buxton returns to Cedar Rapids, confident about establishing himself in 2017 for Minnesota Twins Jeff Johnson Cedar Rapids Gazette January 25, 2017 CEDAR RAPIDS Byron Buxton found himself back in the city Wednesday night where he started to become the can t-miss kid. The Minnesota Twins center fielder joined teammate Trevor May, new General Manager Thad Levine and others at NewBo City Market, part of 4

5 the Twins annual Winter Caravan. It was held in conjunction with the Cedar Rapids Kernels Hot Stove Banquet. Buxton was a raw 19-year-old first-round draft pick when he joined the Kernels for the 2013 season. Two and a half months of at times breathtaking baseball had the locals comparing him to former Kernels outfielder Mike Trout, got him promoted to the next level of the minor leagues and to the very top of virtually everyone s prospect list. He was pushed to the big leagues before he probably should have been in 2015 and struggled. Last season wasn t much better, as he was twice sent back to Triple-A before returning to Minnesota and hitting.277 with seven home runs in September. The 23-year-old finally seemed on the verge of figuring things out, and he s excited to carry that late play into Gave me a lot of confidence, Buxton said. To go up and down like I did is frustrating. When you know you re better than what you re performing. Never failing, even in high school, it was a little bit tougher on me to try and bounce back. I got sent back down that second time, and I just told myself just go back to being myself. Go out there having fun and playing the game. His pure physical gifts are undeniable. Despite his struggles thus far in MLB, Buxton still is a potential five-tool guy. And someone the Twins are counting on to be a cornerstone for their turnaround. They had an MLB-worst record of last season. I expect greatness from Byron Buxton, said Levine, the assistant GM of the Texas Rangers in The perspective from the ouside looking in, you regard him as one of the best prospects in the game. Now that I ve gotten a chance to meet him, I think the person matches the talent. So I think what the team saw in the last half of the season, particularly as the season progressed in September, you started seeing how dynamic a player he can be. I m ecstatic to see what next year brings and the year after that. Because I think as he comes into his own, he has a chance to be one of the best players in the game. Just be a little bit more consistent, Buxton said. Last year, I was up and down, wasn t consistent, didn t hit the ball well. In September, I kind of figured it out, slowed the game down. I just kind of want to take what I did in September and roll it over into spring training, then into the season. Go out there and have fun. Buxton, May, Levine, 2017 Kernels Manager Tommy Watkins and 2016 Kernels hitting coach Brian Dinkelman spoke during the banquet, which was emceed by Twins broadcaster Kris Atteberry. The Kernels also announced their 2017 Hall of Fame class: former players Bob Forsch, John Roseboro and Barry Morgan, and former Board of Directors member Russ Rossiter. The 2017 season begins Thursday, April 6 at Beloit. The home opener is Saturday, April 8 against the Snappers. The parent Twins still have not announced hitting and pitching coaches for the Kernels. The belief is the return of Dinkelman and pitching coach J.P. Martinez is a possibility. Baseball: Buxton, May see better days ahead for Twins Jim Nelson Cedar Falls Courier January 25, 2017 CEDAR FALLS Minnesota Twins pitcher Trevor May probably didn t want to answer a question about the Chicago Cubs. But May, who battled injuries all last season that led to three trips to the disabled list before he was diagnosed with a stress fracture in his back, nailed the answer. With a core of emerging stars such as Jorge Polanco, Miguel Sano, Max Kepler, Jose Berrios and Byron Buxton, who joined May on the Twins Winter Caravan stop at Pepper s Grill and Sports Pub Wednesday, the Twins are building for future success much like the Cubs relied on their young cast of stars to win the World Series in October. If you expect to win, then losing doesn t affect you, May said. It doesn t affect you after that moment you lost. The problem is, it works the other way, too. So no matter how hard, you have to find ways through your work every day finding the positives and not so much the actual result. We were worried about the result way too much and that is hard to get out of. May said the struggles of a 103-loss season affected the Twins all last year. For that to change, Minnesota needs to follow the example of the 5

6 Cubs, and also that of the 2015 World Champion Kansas City Royals by playing loose and having fun with an expectation to succeed. Rizzo (Anthony) is the most obvious on TV... his expectation is to win, May continued. Just like the Royals two years ago. The way Hosmer (Eric) catches the ball or they tip their hats to each other. Rizzo expected to win. Ned Yost expected to win, and Molly (Minnesota manager Paul Molitor) expects to win. We have a manager who expects to win. We have a group of guys who all expect to win. Now we have to have that expectation to win, and that begins day one of spring training for us. Buxton pointed out that several of the Twins young players were key components in league titles for Chattanooga in the AA Southern League in 2015,and at Advanced A in Fort Myers in the Florida State League. Last year we would win a couple of games and then get on a losing streak and it just killed us, Buxton said. We could never find that groove to pull off a seven-game win streak, lose a game then pull off another win. When we were in the minor leagues, we were able to throw losses in the trash. May, a native of Seattle who throws in the mid-90s, is a swing-and-miss-type pitcher the Twins need. He started two years ago and was used out of the bullpen last year. The right-hander has struck out 214 batters in 203 career innings. May heads into spring training next month with a chance to win a spot in Minnesota s rotation. I feel really good right now, May said. It was a long process trying to figure out what was going on and it wasn t one thing like many injuries. I developed a bunch of bad habits and it took three trips to the DL and a trip to California to see a specialist to find a small stress fracture, a fairly common thing that is caused by changes in your movement patterns for a prolonged period of time. Jack Morris bows out of Detroit Tigers' TV booth Kirkland Crawford Detroit Free Press January 25, 2017 The following is an excerpt from the full article: For Detroit Tigers television telecasts, Fox Sports Detroit is taking a "less is more" approach. After having seven voices last season, FSD general manager Greg Hammaren confirmed to the Free Press today that Jack Morris will not return to the booth for his part-time role as analyst, as he did in Morris, who also calls games for Fox Sports North's coverage of the Minnesota Twins, made the decision, Hammaren said. "It was hard on (Morris), on his travel schedule," Hammaren said. "It didn t allow for him to be as integrated as possible as both sides would have liked." Hammaren said Rod Allen, entering his 15th season as a Tigers analyst, is scheduled for 102 games this season. Kirk Gibson, in the third season of his second stint in the booth with FSD, is slated to do the other 60. Twins Caravan visits Highland Elementary Corrie Dunshee Crookston Times January 25, 2017 Minnesota Twins color commentator Bert Blyleven, radio announcer Dan Gladden, pitcher Jose Berrios, catcher J.R. Murphy and mascot T.C. Bear visit Highland Elementary School Wednesday morning as part of the 57th Annual Twins Caravan. Highland students listened as the Twins recounted their school days, favorite school subjects, and their participation in the Twins organization. Students were also given the opportunity to ask the present and former Twins questions. Breakout might be coming for Buxton Guy N. Limbeck Rochester Post Bulletin January 25, 2017 Byron Buxton has had a breakout month. Now he wants a breakout season. The speedy Minnesota Twins center fielder, who just turned 23 in December, was in Rochester on Tuesday as part of the team's annual Winter 6

7 Caravan. Buxton and Twins pitcher Trevor May made a private stop at Mayo Clinic and then a public appearance at the Apache Kahler. Buxton was challenged to a race by a youngster during the stop at Mayo, but he politely declined. "I'm not warmed up any more," he said with a smile. Buxton was beyond warm last September when he finally started to live up to the hype that had him rated as the top young prospect in baseball. "I just stopped thinking and started focusing on what I knew and how to play baseball," Buxton said. Buxton struggled for much of the season in the Major Leagues. He was literally having an up-and-down year the first five months of the season as he split time between the Twins and the team's Class AAA affiliate in Rochester, N.Y. "I never did fail growing up, so I didn't know how to take it once I got up (to the Major Leagues)," Buxton said. "So it took me getting sent down twice (to the minors) to realize to stop thinking and just go out and have fun and play baseball." He came back strong with a new mindset in September and certainly began enjoying the game. "I just went out and stopped worrying about everything else," he said. "I just went out and played my game." Buxton is among the fastest players in the game, and an elite defensive player with the ability to run down balls in the gaps with ease. But last September, instead of relying on speed to produce hits, the 6-foot-2, 190-pounder showed his power. After entering the month with three career home runs, he responded by hitting nine in the next 30 days. "The ball started slowing down a little bit, the game started slowing down," Buxton said. "I just went out and focused on trying to win. I just wanted to focus on finishing the season strong and to try and carry it over into the next season." Overall, Buxton finished the season batting a modest.225 in 298 at-bats, but he had 19 doubles, six triples and 10 home runs among his 67 hits. And as the season went on, he also started to trust his own abilities more, a sign that he could be ready to break out in "It kind of came down to knowing what to take in and what not to take it," Buxton said. "At some point you can take it too much information, like I did, and it can be overwhelming. I didn't know how to handle it at the time and I got frustrated, but more and more I was trying to figure myself out. Once I got enough of it, I just focused on what I knew how to do and went to it." Buxton figures on being the Twins' everyday center fielder this upcoming season. He is looking to improve on his 10 stolen bases last year, but doesn't care where he bats in the order. He just wants to help the Twins improve on last year's dismal record, and it a big way. "I don't care, as long as I go out there and win games, it doesn't matter to me," Buxton said. "We're just trying to get to the World Series and hope to bring one here." May hopes to join the rotation Guy N. Limbeck Rochester Post Bulletin January 25, 2017 At first glance, the numbers do not look impressive. But Trevor May saw some positives regarding his 2016 season with the Minnesota Twins. May spent all of last season in the bullpen with the Twins. Despite a nagging back injury, he made 44 relief appearances and the 6-foot-4 righthander was 2-2. May and Twins center fielder Byron Buxton were in Rochester on Tuesday as part of the team's annual Winter Caravan. The pair made a private stop at Mayo Clinic and then a public appearance at the Apache Kahler. May felt his ERA a year ago was misleading. Many of his numbers were better than the past, including allowing hitters to bat a modest.232 against him. But his ERA was high, at "Everything improved except for the ERA," the 27-year-old said. 7

8 "A lot of it was untimely, like three-run home runs to kill me," he said of his high ERA. May had one tough stretch, when in a span of 3 1/3 innings over five outings, all consecutive, he gave up about half of his earned runs for the season. "That's when my back started getting tight again, my mechanics kind of went out the window and it (his pitches) went really flat and right down the middle. "I was hurting and I couldn't fix it," he added. "That's kind of what the battle was for the rest of the year." Wants to be a starter May took some extra time off this offseason to let his back properly heal. He also took a different mindset into training because he wants the chance to start this year. "Conditioning is a little different," May said. "I took a little time off this year before I started doing stuff simply because I wanted to make sure the back thing was behind me." During his first two years with the Twins, May made 25 starts and had 58 relief appearances. "I really enjoy throwing out of the pen, it's fun coming in in those situations," May said. "But at the same time, I think I have the skill set to be a starter." May throws four main pitches, a fastball, curveball, changeup and slider. He can even mix in a sinker. He has the pitches to become a full-time starter, but he has to prove he can be consistent. "I have to earn it again," he said of a job, "kind of like it is every year at spring training." If May does become a starter, he will have to beat out plenty of competition. The Twins have returning veterans Ervin Santana, Kyle Gibson and Hector Santiago along with up-and-coming Jose Berrios. "We have eight (guys) for five (spots), but my mindset is different," May said. And it's not like the Twins have an abundance of over-the-top elite starters. Anyone who steps up and shows they can shut down foes will be gladly welcome in the rotation. "I just want the opportunity," May said. "I want to make them give me an opportunity." Hoping for a team turnaround If he doesn't win a job in the rotation, May seems a likely bet to make the team in the bullpen. There were times last season when he was throwing well that he was used as a primary setup man for the closer. "It was a really, really poor year because we won 59 games," he said. "As far as I'm concerned, I had three bad outings. If I had been healthy all year it would have been a really, really good year. That's how I felt, because when I was out there, there were like 10-day stretches when I was lights out." May says that whether he is starting or coming out of the pen, he wants to help the Twins win this year. The team has lost 90 or more games in five of the past six seasons. May said he believes the team has talented young players that can halt that trend in "It's weird to say this because 59 and 103 looks terrible," May said. "But if you look at the roster and the lineup, the young pitching, the individual guys and piece the team together, we're different than the last five years here. "I'm excited about this year team," he said. "I want to flip it around, 40 wins," he said. "We have the guys." 8

9 Minnesota Twins Winter Caravan will stop in Wadena Thursday Staff Wadena Pioneer Journal January 25, 2017 The Minnesota Twins Winter Caravan will stop in Wadena about 11 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 26 at the Wadena-Deer Creek Middle/High School gym. Twins attending the event are Jose Berrios, J.R. Murphy, Hall of Famer Bert Blyleven and Dan Gladden. The public is invited to attend this free event. KWAD/KKWS a.m. radio is hosting this event with WDC Schools. The Twins Caravan has made five stops at WDC Schools in the last six years , 2013, 2014, 2015 and The Twins Caravan likes the enthusiastic reception they've received here in Wadena and that's why they keep coming back. Grab your Twins gear to help fill the gym Jan. 26. Twins caravan to visit PioneerCare Thursday Staff Fergus Falls Daily Journal January 25, 2017 PioneerCare Center in Fergus Falls will host the Minnesota Twins Caravan on Thursday in the Celebration Center and Garden Court. Breakfast begins serving at 8:30 a.m. and the program begins at 9 a.m. Tickets are $5 in advance or $9 at the door and available only through Leighton Broadcasting. Seating is limited so advance ticket purchases are recommended. Proceeds benefit Fergus Falls Youth Baseball. Those representing the Twins include Jose Berrios, John Ryan Murphy, Dan Gladden and Bert Blyleven. Due to time constraints, no autographs will be available. To purchase tickets, please visit the radio station at 728 Western Avenue North in Fergus Falls or call Sponsors include Leighton Broadcasting, Pemberton Law Firm, PioneerCare, Perkins Restaurant & Bakery, Premiere Meats and Seafood, Cass Clay and Coca-Cola. Twins Caravan stops at St. Marys to visit young patients Justin McKee KTTC January 24, 2017 ROCHESTER, Minn. (KTTC) - For the 57th year, the Minnesota Twins are taking a tour of the land of 10,000 lakes. "Giving back to the fans for the support they did for us during the season. Even though the season didn't turn out the way we wanted to, we still had a great support system and we just want to show the appreciation and give it back," said Twins outfielder Byron Buxton. Rochester is one of the more than forty communities the team will be visiting and Buxton, Trevor May, Kris Atteberry, and T.C. made a special stop at St. Marys to hang out with some young Mayo Clinic patients. The kids got a chance to chat with their heroes and get autographs on baseballs and player cards. The children's journey back to health parallels the Twins' goal of winning a World Series. Both take hard work and perseverance. "Our goal is trying to reach the World Series, they're trying to reach getting healthy. It's a long road. You got to take a journey to get to the World Series. You got to do the right steps, you got to take the right course, you got to slow it down. Everything that I can relate to the baseball, I can relate to the health as well," said Buxton. A father himself, Buxton was excited to get the opportunity to brighten the children's day and give them an experience they'll never forget. "I just want to come out here and put happy faces on kids, because I get to see a happy kid running around all the time. Sometimes they don't feel good enough here to where they can't go out, well sometimes it's good for us to come here and show them the appreciation that we can give them or they can give us to come out to Target Field. It's just a great opportunity to come out here and meet the kids like this," said Buxton. The Twins Caravan will be making a public stop in Mason City on Wednesday and there are events in Owatonna and Winona on Thursday. 9