BYRON BUXTON – Page 3 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Here’s a Guess at Minnesota Twins Opening Day Lineup

Posted on February 28, 2025February 28, 2025 by David Shama

Who starts for the Twins on opening day of the regular season March 27 in St. Louis against the Cardinals? Well, the lineup will likely include several players who were in the starting lineup for Minnesota in the opening spring training game last Saturday in Fort Myers against the Braves.

This was the lineup on February 22: Matt Wallner, right field; Carlos Correa, shortstop; Byron Buxton, center field; Trevor Larnach, DH; Royce Lewis, third base; Willi Castro, second base; Christian Vázquez, catcher; Ty France, first base; Harrison Bader, left field; and Zebby Matthews, pitcher.

Matthews, of course, won’t be the opening day pitcher. He will exceed expectations by making the five-man regular rotation of starters. Staff ace Pablo López likely receives opening day honors, with a relief corps that could be among baseball’s best backing up the 15-game winner in 2024.

Ryan Jeffers, the team’s more valuable catcher last season, probably gets penciled in for Vázquez.

Manager Rocco Baldelli might prefer to use Edouardo Julien at second, rather the multi-positional Castro who is one of baseball’s better subs. Neither player is a whiz there defensively, and Julien’s offense is in question after a .199 batting average last season.

Slugger Jose Miranda figures to see plenty of opportunities during the season as a DH, or first or third baseman. He could be an opening day starter after hitting a career best .284 last season.

Miranda and Julien are in a group of several “shadow hitters” whose projected offensive production looks like a mystery in 2025. Add to the list Jeffers and all the starters in the spring training opener except for Buxton, Correa and Lewis. It’s a collection of bats that in past MLB seasons have produced inconsistency.

The Twins couldn’t sustain offense through the season in 2024 and this year could be the same. After playing some of the best baseball in the majors earlier in the season, Minnesota stumbled to a 12-29 record in the final 39 games. The club went through a stretch when it was two-for-19 with runners in scoring position. Even Lewis, a hitting phenom in two brief previous seasons, faded badly in late summer of 2024.

Tainting expectations for the offense this season is the always present drama of whether the big boppers, Lewis, Buxton and Correa, can avoid being out long periods with injuries. Their availability is crucial for a team that hopes for a rebound after winning the AL Central and a playoff series in 2023. The Twins will need their touted pitching to deliver all year, alongside sharp fielding and an ability to produce runs when the pressure is on, even if it means grinding out offense in the simplest of ways including hit-and-run, and savvy base running.

Optimism about the franchise isn’t lacking. BetMGM earlier this month made Minnesota the wagering favorite to win the Central Division which doesn’t have an elite team. Also, this winter club authority Dave St. Peter told Sports Headliners: “We’re better than what the public thinks we are right now.”

Marshall Tanick, the prominent Minneapolis-based attorney and journalist, reported via email on the upbeat outlook of Twins personnel boss Derek Falvey when he spoke to the Minnesota Breakfast group in Naples, Florida last week.

Morneau, Falvey, St. Peter photo by Marshall Tanick

Tanick wrote that Falvey, who March 3 is elevated to the position of president, baseball and business operations, believes the organization is positioned to improve on last year’s disappointing late-season collapse after conducting a “deep post-mortem” while reflecting on the major weakness of “lack of ability to score consistently” to complement solid pitching.

He expects the club to improve on “offense” under new hitting coach Matt Borgschulte, now in his second stint with the organization after previously working with the club’s minor league teams. (Borgschulte was the Orioles’ hitting coach last season and between 2018 and 2021 was a minor league hitting instructor in the Twins organization.)

Former Twins first baseman and 2006 American League Most Valuable Player Justin Morneau, now a Twins TV analyst, agreed with Falvey’s upbeat outlook. He noted the club’s “renewed focus on fundamentals” in getting prepared for the season—which provides “a lot of reasons to be optimistic.”

St. Peter, who becomes a strategic advisor to the franchise on March 3 after about 22 years as president, told the breakfast attendees there is “no really definitive timetable” regarding sale of the franchise but he anticipates a transaction within “the next several months.”

Worth Noting

Going to Fort Myers to watch the Twins in spring training games? Ticket prices vary including almost $70 for a dugout box seat and nearly $50 for a home plate box seat. Parking is $15 at the Lee Health Sports Complex. All transactions, including concessions, are plastic only.

Happy birthday to retired Twins TV play-by-play voice Dick Bremer who turns 69 on Saturday.

Former Gophers public address basketball legend Dick Jonckowski has battled cancer in the past and must have periodic checkups. His latest report was all good, he told Sports Headliners.

Bobby Jackson, the superstar guard on the Gophers’ 1997 Final Four team, will join former teammate and power forward John Thomas as speakers Tuesday at the Twin Cities Dunkers gathering at Interlachen Country Club. Jackson, now an assistant coach with the 76ers, will be in Minneapolis for a game against the Timberwolves Tuesday evening.

Terrence Shannon Jr., the rookie who led the Wolves in scoring in last night’s loss to the Lakers, not only has exceptional physical skills but maturity, too. He turns 25 in July and has scored 17 and 25 points coming off the bench in his last two games.

Cody Lindenberg, the 2024 Gophers linebacker who is recovering from hernia surgery and unable to participate in the NFL Scouting Combine’s on-field activities this week, is represented by Minneapolis-based Institute for Athletes. The agency also handles Vikings linebacker Blake Cashman who played for the Gophers from 2015-2018.

Condolences to family, friends and the many followers of Minnesota tennis legend Bob Larson who passed away at 93 earlier this month. His passion for tennis, including through his publications, made him an icon in the sport here and far beyond.

A number of Minnesota golf courses, including in Minneapolis and Emerald Greens in Hastings, have been open for play in February.

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Twins President: ‘We’re Better Than What The Public Thinks’

Posted on January 30, 2025January 30, 2025 by David Shama

The Twins want a bounce-back season in 2025, and it’s been suggested the club has the potential to not only win the American League Central Division but also have the best roster.

“I agree with that,” club president Dave St. Peter said yesterday. “We’re better than what the public thinks we are right now. And I recognize…it’s rooted in frustration with payroll, and the fact that we haven’t added (players) to the team. But when you look at the core roster, and particularly the pitching—assuming we stay healthy throughout the roster—we’re going to have a really quality baseball team.

“And again, we have to stay healthy. I think that’s going to be critical for our best players to be on the diamond, (Carlos) Correa, (Byron) Buxton, (Royce) Lewis. And assuming they are, I like our chances to not only win the division but challenge in the month of October (postseason).”

Shortstop Correa, center fielder Buxton and right fielder Matt Wallner are on the short list of the better MLB players at their positions. If Lewis hadn’t experienced a slide toward the end of last season he would be in that company at third base.

Lewis, a .300 hitter prior to last year when he slumped to .233, was frustrated late in the year with not only his hitting but also reportedly the experiment to have him play second base. St. Peter told Sports Headliners Lewis, 25, will play third base in spring training, but didn’t rule out games at second during the season.

St. Peter sees the challenge of last season as being a positive for Lewis’ development. An experience that contributes to his growth and improvement. “…I think we’re seeing that out of Royce, and we believe Royce is really positioned to bounce back in a big way from what we saw at the conclusion of the 2024 season.”

Led by executive Derek Falvey, the Twins are looking for potential opportunities to improve the roster via trades or free agent signings. St. Peter said because of pitching’s importance that category is always a priority, and he mentioned first base as a position the club might bolster.

It’s been suggested a right-handed hitting center fielder to back up Buxton could be a need, too. St. Peter acknowledged that but also said reserve right-handed hitting Austin Martin has “all the tools” and will have an opportunity in spring training to show what he can do in center.

“We have good players,” St. Peter said. “We like our roster. We think we’re in a really good, interesting spot. This is an exciting time I still believe to be a Twins fan. There’s a lot of familiarity and stability within this roster. So, we just can’t wait to get started.”

The Twins began and finished the season poorly in 2024. The culprit in the closing weeks was lack of run production as Minnesota lost eight of its last 10 games and finished with an 82-80 record after winning the division in 2023.

From the new hitting coach Matt Borgschulte and manager Rocco Baldelli there will be emphasis in spring training to have players better prepared at the plate. The focus on improved offense is expected to include better situational hitting to advance runners and score runs.

Minnesota started last season 7-13. St. Peter said in spring training there will be a “mindset” and intensity to achieve a winning record in April. Urgency is expected to be conveyed in spring training that starts next month in Fort Myers.

Worth Noting

St. Peter said there is no “definitive timetable” on the sale of the franchise but there is significant interest from potential buyers. “That should not surprise anybody,” he said. “This is a great market. We have a world-class ballpark. Really solid organization.

“The baseball organization is in a really good spot with a really competitive major league team in a very winnable division. So, all that leads up to a lot of interest and the reality that this is a gem of a franchise.”

February 11 is the first day fans can sign up to watch Twins games via streaming. The cost is $99.99 for the whole season, or $19.99 monthly.

St. Peter is “highly confident” there will soon be an announcement of what channels to watch games on via cable and satellite. Between streaming and cable/satellite he thinks 10-12 spring training games will be available for viewing.

He added there is also the possibility of some games being available free via over-the-air broadcasting.

Minnesota Breakfast attendees in Naples, Florida recently heard from Minnesota Wild newsmakers Bill Guerin and Matt Majka. Guerin, the Wild’s GM, praised John Hynes for helping the team get off to a “strong start” during his first full season while noting the head coach’s commitment to “detail” in preseason training and practice sessions.

While bemoaning “another season filled with injuries” to at least a half-dozen key players, Guerin said the team has a “solid foundation” with young players on the squad and top prospects in the farm system. The Wild, who missed the playoffs last season, has one of the NHL’s top point totals with 64 but is only 4-6 in the last 10 games.

CEO Majka, who’s been with the franchise since its inception, previewed proposed renovations to the 25-year-old Xcel Energy Center. Even though the facility is in good shape, Majka said, upgrading is a “top priority” to keep the aging facility competitive with other venues, particularly Target Center in downtown Minneapolis, as well as to serve the team’s “terrific fan base.”

The 61-year-old Minnesota Breakfast group was started by Minnesota snowbirds and transplants. In winter months, the group hears weekly from prominent speakers. University of Minnesota president Rebecca Cunningham is the scheduled speaker this Friday. https://mnbreakfast.org/schedule/?yr=2025

Reporting from Naples on much of the above via email was Marshall Tanick, the prominent Minneapolis-based attorney who also writes articles for Minnesota and Florida publications.

Tanick offered the following observations about the NFL’s NFC North Division in 2024:

“All season long we were told that the NFC North —the old Black & Blue (B & B) Division—was the best in the NFL—based upon the records of the top three teams: Lions, Vikings, Packers.

“Seeing how the trio performed in the playoffs—each blowing their games by double digit scores—that evaluation needs revision, huh?

“In fact, the B & B has not had a team in the Super Bowl since the Packers won in 2011. In the meantime, every other division in the NFL, except the AFC South (Jacksonville, Houston, Indianapolis, and Tennessee), has had at least one team make it that far. …

“Could it be that the Black and Blue division is over-rated?”

Denny Schulstad, the 80-year-old former Minneapolis City Council leader and retired Air Force Brigadier General, winters in Arizona where he plays tennis “4-6 times each week.”

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Twins & Baldelli in Need of Smooth 2024 Season Finish

Posted on September 10, 2024September 10, 2024 by David Shama

Despite flirtations with winning the Central Division and a mathematical likelihood of being a Wild Card entry in the playoffs, these are frustrating days for the Twins and their fans.

The series sweep by the Royals last weekend in Kansas City prompted manager Rocco Baldelli to reportedly light into his players. The boss questioned the effort of his guys after a series that saw the Twins score two runs in three games.

Baldelli was also lit up over the weekend by critical fans who didn’t like his handling of starting pitcher Bailey Ober Saturday night against the Royals, a club that has now taken over second place in the division standings behind the Guardians. After seven innings and one-hit pitching, Ober was not sent out to the mound for the eighth inning even though his pitch count was at 83.

Baldelli, hired by the Twins after the 2018 season and a patron of analytics, has long been unpopular with many fans who find fault with his pitching and lineup decisions. The sniping at Baldelli by the fans has intensified with the club sliding in the standings after going 2-5 on its most recent road trip and losing to the lowly Angels at home last night.

The Twins, with a 77-68 record, are 6-15 in their last 21 games. They would have a Wild Card entry in the American League playoffs if the season ended today, but other teams potentially could overtake them before the regular season ends in late September.

Certainly a spot in the postseason and emerging as the winner in their opening series would ease the frustrations of the 2024 season. And who knows? Perhaps boost Baldelli’s job security? He was, BTW, AL Manager of the Year in 2019 when Minnesota won the division title with a 101-61 record.

Fans started feeling angst last offseason when ownership decided to reduce payroll from a franchise record of reportedly $156 million or more in 2023. The cut was made at least in part because of uncertainty regarding local TV revenues in 2024. That was a downer for a fan base that became passionate after the Twins won the division title and took down the Blue Jays in the opening postseason series.

Part of the offseason story, too, was the free agent departure of starting ace Sonny Gray to the Cardinals. The Twins and their fans have felt his absence, particularly with the shoulder injury that has sidelined key starter Joe Ryan for the remainder of the season.

When it comes to injuries, the Twins have reason to lament. Shortstop Carlos Correa, the highest paid man on the team, hasn’t played since July 12. He’s become too familiar with the disabling pain of plantar fasciitis after having the condition with his left foot last year and right foot this season. He is counted on to not only produce on the field but also with his leadership off it.

Center fielder Byron Buxton, the team’s second highest paid position player, has spent much of his career on the IL. He’s been out a couple times in 2024, including most recently not having played for the Twins since August 12.

The team medical report, of course, goes deeper with the absence of starting right fielder Max Kepler and bullpen arms because of injuries.

Third baseman Royce Lewis, often sidelined the last three years, has been able to play of late but is in a massive slump. A .300 hitter his first two major league seasons, he has hit .167 in his last 15 games. The season average is at .243 as the right-handed hitting Lewis struggles to hit breaking balls away from him. Adding to the drama of this season is the recent reported reluctance of Lewis to fill in at second base, a new position for him.

The Twins September swoon might look at least a little different if they had successfully added pitching or hitting help before the July 30 trade deadline. Minnesota’s only move was to add journeyman pitcher Trevor Richards from the Blue Jays who has since been outrighted to Triple A St. Paul. Not adding mid-season help to a team fighting for a pennant had to be a disappointment to Twins players.

On the frustration list for fans, too, is that part of the season Twins games weren’t televised on local cable. That’s changed now but Comcast/Xfinity customers are paying more to see the games and it’s uncertain what the franchise’s TV situation will be for 2025.

That uncertainty will likely impact payroll for next season. Staff ace Pablo Lopez is due a big raise of about $13 million and a lengthy list of important personnel including Ryan, Ober, Lewis, Willi Castro, Ryan Jeffers, Griffin Jax and Jhoan Duran are all arbitration eligible. The educated guess is the Twins will plan to roll with a budget similar to this season, in the $125 to $130 million range. To reach that total the Twins will need to part with higher paid personnel, probably including Kepler.

Know this: the Twins have enough talent to reduce a lot of frustration in this town. Lopez and Ober could make the Twins starting pitching formidable in a short playoff series. A lineup that welcomes back Correa and Buxton, along with a hot hitting Lewis, the power bats of multiple batters, and versatile position players like Castro and Brooks Lee, along with bullpen arms like Duran and Jax, could make a stir in the closing weeks of September and into the playoffs.

The Twins showed their potential earlier in the season after recovering from a 7-13 start to play some of the best baseball in the majors from late April to mid-August. Credit the work of front office leaders Derek Falvey and Thad Levine, and others in the organization, for the productive things they have done right including the acquisition of players like Lopez, Ryan, Castro and Santana from other clubs, and farm system development with the likes of Lee, Lewis, Ober, Jose Miranda and Matt Wallner.

It will be interesting to see if Baldelli still has command of the locker room as the club works its way through a schedule that ends at home September 29 against the AL East Division contending Orioles. Will how the club finishes 2024 impact his return for next season?

Probably not because management and ownership try to foster an organization of stability. The Twins don’t operate with a quick trigger. Baldelli’s teams have won three division titles.

Baldelli was hired by Falvey and Levine. Best guess is they still consider Rocco their guy.

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