Minnesota at Iowa Preview

(by Travis Aune MSU Founder)

Today in Iowa City the Gophers and Hawkeyes renew their rivalry for The Floyd of Rosedale Trophy.   The trophy is currently held by Iowa after a 14-7 win in Minneapolis last year.  Minnesota and  Iowa have a long history going all the way back to 1891.  The Floyd of Rosedale became a thing in 1934 when the governor's of Minnesota and Iowa put a wager on the game.  The bet was a Pig the loser would have to give to the winner if I have my history correct.  Afterward, it was turned into a trophy, and that's what they play for every year.  Currently, the rivalry sits at 62-46-2 in favor of the Gophers, but the Hawkeyes have won seven of the last ten in the series.  This year the Hawkeyes are heavily favored in this game is the game is in Iowa City.  Both teams come into the play at 1-3 in the Big 10 and 4-3 overall.  With both sides out of Big 10 title contention this game is about tradition so it will be interesting.

Gophers at a Glance

The Gophers got their first Big Ten win last week 24-17 over Illinois in Minneapolis.  They are led by their three-headed monster at RB with Rodney Smith, Shannon Brooks, and Kobe Mccrary.  Injuries and poor quarterback play have been a hindrance for the Gophers.  Demry Croft gets the start again for the Gophers as he tries to improve on his 5-15 for 47 yards and an interception.  If they get a game like that they have no chance on Saturday night.  If he can play more as he did against Michigan State the week before the Gophers have a chance.

Iowa at a Glance

The Hawkeyes had high expectations with most of their offensive line returning and star running back Akrum Wadley leading the charge many thought Iowa would contend with Wisconsin for a division championship.  However, poor QB play by Nate Stanley and injuries on Defense have left the Hawkeyes in the middle of the pack.  Iowa is going to do what they do run the ball down the Gophers depleted throats.

Prediction

The Gophers and Hawkeyes are very similar to how they got to where they are.  The Gophers need to get two wins out of five to become bowl eligible and here is the schedule.
At Iowa
at Michigan
vs Nebraska
at Northwestern
vs Wisconsin
The Iowa game is winnable, and I think the Gophers are going to shock some people and head into Iowa City and bring the Floyd of Rosedale back where it belongs.

Minnesota 27  Iowa 24

Injuries Handcuffing Wild Through Slow Start

(by Jonathan Lewis MSU Contributor)

After a disappointing finish to the season last year the Minnesota Wild were hoping they would be able to hit the ground running this season. That has not been the case so far as the Wild are 7^th in the Central Division at 3-3-2. The Wild have had so many injuries to their roster that they have had to literally play short handed due to cap constraints. The biggest blow has been the loss of Zach Parise, who underwent back surgery and is expected to be out 8 to 10 weeks. Parise may not be the top line scorer he once was but is still a major contributor to this team, and his absence put the Wild in a bind from the start of the year. It is a little curious as to why Parise didn’t have surgery immediately, as until he was put on IR the Wild couldn’t even call up a player to take his roster spot due to salary cap constraints. With Parise now on IR the Wild filled the roster spot and now have started to get players like Mikael Granlund back into action and expect to get Nino Niederreiter back soon. The biggest reason that the Wild have struggled out of the gate has been the defense. They have struggled as a unit to keep lanes clean in front of Devan Dubnyk and Alex Stalock. The loss of Marco Scandella has certainly been felt, but this Wild team feels like one that just needs to get everyone healthy and then make a run. Also don’t overlook the fact that the Wild again are penalized by a sparse opening schedule. No NHL team should have 5 days in between any game and yet the Wild have had that for the second year in a row. They will have plenty of games down the stretch though, and the hope is that the Wild will be at full strength by that point. The offense has been very good, with Chris Stewart having been a revelation so far on the offensive end. This Wild team will be fine, they just need time to get healthy and start to gel. Once they do, they can skate with anyone in the Western Conference and I fully expect them to do so.

King Derek?

(by Travis Aune MSU Founder)

The Twins yesterday hired a new pitching coach.  After all the names out there you probably thought it was Mike Maddux, Chris Bosio, or even Carl Willis.  However, the Twins chose Garvin Alston of the Oakland Athletics where he served as bullpen coach this year.

Who is Garvin Alston?

Here is a quick Bio of Garvin Alston:

Drafted by the Rockies in the 10th round in 1992 draft
Made Debut for the Rockies in 1996
Coached in Oakland Organization from 2005-2015
Served as A's minor league rehab coordinator from 2009-2014.
Minor league pitching instructor in 2015
Moved on to the Arizona Diamondbacks and served as bullpen coach in 2016.
Returned to the Oakland organization this year as bullpen coach for the A's.


That is a substantial bio as he worked his way up to the majors and Sean Doolittle was very complimentary of him which goes long ways.  His bio is missing something that is important for me.  Not at any level has he served as a manager?  I like to see that even if it was at the lower levels.  By itself, it is not a big deal, but when you think of the guys that they passed on that is what is disappointing.

What is the real issue for me

Garvin Alston being the pitching coach is not the big story.  James Rowson ended up being a good hire, and he might be just fine.  However, I am not willing to give Chief Baseball Officer Derek Falvey a free pass that everything he does is going to turn to gold.  How many World Series has he won?  How many division titles has he been a head off?  The answer to that question is zero, yet many in the media and the known media are giving him a free pass that no matter what he does it was the right decision.  He comes off to me as a  bit arrogant like he knows something that nobody else does.  How about we win something before you get cocky.


Alston is someone that you look at his name, and you're like who is he, but of course, I was criticized for the question what King Derek did how dare you to question his decisions.  Alston may be beautiful hire, but the difference between this year and last year is there were not names available that would be homerun hired.  Chris Bosio three years ago was the guy that Paul Molitor wanted to be the Twins pitching coach, and I can't see a reason why he would not have been a great fit this year.  I would be willing to wager that if Terry Ryan were still GM, Chris Bosio would be the Twins pitching coach.  


I have never met Derek Falvey yet less spoken to him so that  I could be off on this take, and if I am, I apologize.  The point of this blog is holding peoples feet to the fire that are involved in Minnesota Sports.  The Twins have a lot of good young players, and I want their window to stay open as long as possible.  If Garvin Alston does as well as James Rowson did, then I will be proven wrong.  If that is the case, I have no problem admitting that I was wrong.  I just think the process is more about Derek Falvey than it does about the Team or even Garvin Alston.  This is a situation that I have been feeling uneasy about, so I felt the need to write about.  I have a good friend that has told me multiple times that I have strong opinions and when I have one I should write about it, and that is what I am doing right now.  I hope I am wrong and the Twins are playing in the World Series a year from now.

Vikings-Ravens Defensive Grades

(by Jonathan Lewis MSU Contributor)

Travis posted his offensive grades for the Vikings in their win against Baltimore. It’s time now for the defensive grades. Spoiler alert: there were a lot of very positive performances.

Everson Griffen- A+

Griffin continued an amazing start to the year with two sacks, 2.5 tackles for loss and a forced fumble. About the only offensive lineman that would have been able to contain him was Browns LT Joe Thomas, who is out for the year so there is no reason to expect Griffen to slow down any time soon.

Linval Joseph-A

Joseph finished the game with 4 tackles, including a tackle for loss as part of a defensive line that harassed Joe Flacco all game long. While Joseph may not have had dominant final numbers, him and the rest of the Vikings defense held the Ravens rushing attack to 64 yards and sacked Flacco 5 times so he gets an A as part of the collaborative effort.

Tom Johnson-A

Johnson had one of the Vikings 5 sacks and chipped in to what overall was a dominant defensive effort. So as a result Johnson gets yet another A

Danielle Hunter-A

Hunter chipped in a sack and has looked very good after a slow start to the season. This defensive line as a whole has been excellent, and will look to continue that against Cleveland.

Anthony Barr-A+

Barr has completely turned a corner after getting called out for a rough season last year. Barr took away the only weapon the Ravens had in their arsenal; the screen pass by blowing up several short throws for no gain or a loss. Barr finished with 11 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss and a sack, and was everywhere on the field. Barr is yet another strong candidate for DPOY at almost the midpoint of the year.

Ben Gedeon-B-

Gedeon didn’t do anything that could be considered hurting the defense, but didn’t really stand out either. And while Gedeon didn’t stand out, the other two linebackers were tremendous so it didn’t end up hurting the Vikings at all.

Eric Kendricks-A+

Kendricks has been one of the most reliable defenders on the Vikings defense throughout the year. In a game where the Ravens were unable to run or complete deep passes, Kendricks helped bottle up the middle of the field with Barr, and finished with a team high 13 tackles and 3 tackles for loss. Kendricks is also playing some of the best football of his career, which has been overshadowed considering almost everyone on the defense is doing the same.

Xavier Rhodes-A

It was another week, and another job well done for Rhodes. The Ravens aren’t blessed with top-end receiver talent, and Mike Wallace left the game in the first half which left Rhodes without having to guard the only receiver capable of stretching the field. Rhodes still held up his end of the bargain, throwing the Ravens passing game out of whack almost singlehandedly.

Harrison Smith-A

Smith finished the game with 4 tackles and a tackle for loss. While maybe not as dominant of a game as we have come to expect from Smith, he still contributed to a very solid defensive effort and basically helps take one side of the field away from opposing offenses by teaming up with Xavier Rhodes.

Andrew Sendejo-B

Sendejo finished with 5 tackles and nearly forced a fumble early in the game. That fumble however was turned into a personal foul that ended up getting Sendejo suspended for the Vikings upcoming game against Cleveland. While I don’t view the hit as dirty, Sendejo was flagged on the play and that penalty ended up extending a drive for the Ravens that lead to a field goal so there is a little bit of a negative to pick at in what was a very solid game from the defense. Other than that Sendejo did a good job of keeping out of the headlines for the rest of the game.

Trae Waynes-B+

Waynes received his grade because of the touchdown the Ravens scored in the last moments of the game. Despite giving up the touchdown I thought Waynes played very well, and the Vikings secondary did a good job of shutting down a passing attack that really didn’t bring any sort of skill to the table. The Vikings went into prevent defense on the final drive and Flacco picked up several dink and dunk passes before finally getting into the endzone. Waynes has hopefully turned a corner, as his play in recent weeks has been noticeably better.

After a game like the Vikings had against Baltimore it’s hard to find many negatives on the defensive side of the ball. Hopefully they can keep that trend going in what should be a very winnable game against the Browns in London.

Ravens vs Vikings Grades

(by Travis Aune MSU Founder)

The Vikings had a rough and tumbled game on Sunday with the Ravens.  I am going to share my grades without writing an article about it.  The reason is as many of you know I am a college student, and I have my midterm on Friday, so I am going writing silently until Saturday.  I will host ep 41 of Minnesota Sports Weekly Wednesday night, but besides that, you're not going to hear much about me until Saturday.  Fear not as a new cite I will be replaced by my partner Jonathan Lewis who will bring original content every day.  So keep checking back for new Content every day.

QB- Case Keenum- C

He did alright but has to be feeling the footsteps of Teddy Bridgewater.

RB- Latavius Murray- B

Murray had a big game his best game as a Viking as he appears over the ankle injury.  He carried 18 times for 113 yards and a touchdown.

RB- Jerick Mckinnon-  C

Mckinnon continued to have some of the lowest yards after contact in this one.  Mckinnon had fourteen carries for 47 yards and added three catches for 10 yards.  A weak performance by Mckinnon if you ask me.

WR- Adam Thielen   C

There was nothing in this performance that stood out.  With Stefon Diggs out his lack of speed was exposed.  Thielen had five catches for 41 yards.  In a secondary without Stefon Diggs that is not going cut it.

WR- Laquon Treadwell   D

I was not impressed at all with Treadwell as he could not get any separation from the defender.  He had just three catches for 28 yards.

TE Kyle Rudolph  C


Another bad game by a Vikings pass catcher, but it was not all his fault as he was asked to block quite a bit with all the blitzes.  In this game, Rudolph had five for 43 which is excellent for a TE, but the Vikings rely on him for much more.

LT Riley Reiff I
Reiff went down with a knee injury they are calling it minor but wouldn't shock me to see him being out with the bye coming up.

LG-  Danny Isadora   A
He came in after Jerimiah Sirles was injured.  He was phenomenal and makes you think he can be the starting guard for the future.

C- Pat Elflein- A

Any time an offensive lineman doesn't get a penalty or a sack they deserve an A.  Elfein has continued his strong rookie year for the Vikings

RG Joe Berger  A

The old saying is true with Berger if you don't hear his name he much is doing a good job.

RT  Mike Remmers   A

Must be improving substantionally as he has not given up a sack in a few weeks, so nothing to complain about the whole offensive line.

An impressive stat and such an improvement from last year in 234 dropbacks the Vikings have only given up nine sacks

2018 Twins Offseason Blueprint

(by Travis Aune MSU Founder)

The Twins had such a successful 2017 that I think it is a shame to change too much.  With Detroit, Kansas City, and Chicago likely going to be rebuilding.  The key going forward is their pitching and making sure that the young players don't have step back's what they did in 2017.  I will start from what I would go through the 40 man roster, through trades and finally through free agency.

40 Man Roster

Remove from 40

Matt Belisle

Buddy Boshers

JT Chargois*

Bartolo Colon

Dillon Gee

Phil Hughes*

Trevor May*

Ryan O' Rourke*

Glen Perkins

Hector Santiago

Michael Tonkin

Nick Turley

Chris Gimenez

Niko Goodrum

Daniel Palka

*= taken off DL and put back on 40 man


added to 40 man roster

Jake Reed

Stephen Gonsalves

Kohl Stewart

Nick Burdi

Lamonte Wade

Lewis Thorpe

1.)  Sign Jake Mcghee to a three year 24 million dollar deal to be the Twins Closer.  Brings velocity and ability to miss bats which will help the stats


2).  Resign Matt Belisle to a one year contract worth 3.4 plus incentives


3).  Sign Brian Duensing to a one year 3 million dollar contract to finish his career back with the Twins.


4).  This is the biggy as the Twins need an ace if they are going to take it to the next level.  I trade Nick Gordon, Alex Kirrolloff, and Adalberto Mejia to the Pirates for Gerrit Cole 


5). Sign Brian Dozier to a five-year deal in which his 2018 salary is torn up.  Wages would go:
2018:  15.0
2019  16.0
2020:  17.0
2021: 19.0
2022: 20.00
That equals a five year 87 million deal


6). Sign Joe Mauer to a two year 24 million extension through 2020 which will equal three years 47 million at which Time Joe Mauer retires for the only team he has ever played for.


7).  Tender everyone except Ryan Pressly who has a great arm, but his pitches are flat and is not consistent enough.


8). Sign Mike Napoli to a one year 5 million deal plus incentives.  He is not the same guy he used to be, but he can still hit left-handed pitching efficiently and a bench bat against right-handers

Here is my roster

C- Jason Castro

1b- Joe Mauer

2b- Brian Dozier

SS- Jorge Polanco

3b- Sano

LF- Rosario

CF- Buxton

RF Kepler

DH- Escobar

Bench

Gimenez

Grossman

Napoli

Adrianza

Pitching

Cole

Santana

Berrios

Gibson

Phil Hughes

Bullpen

Mcghee

Hildenberger

Belisle

Rogers

Duffey

Busenitz

Duensing

Well, there it is I see this as a 90--95 win team and making the playoffs once again either as the division champion or as a wildcard.  Please let me know what you think in the comments below.

Murray Runs Past Ravens

(by Jonathan Lewis MSU Contributor)

The Vikings improved to 5-2 after a 24-16 win over the Baltimore Ravens at US Bank Stadium. The Vikings defense established the tone, holding the Ravens to just over 200 total yards of offense and despite struggles of the Vikings to establish any sort of rhythm with their offense, they were able to do enough to get the win.

The Good: In what quickly became a bruising game against the Ravens tough front 7, Latavius Murray became the focal point of the Vikings offense, and seems to finally be getting up to speed after being slowed early in the preseason by ankle surgery. Murray rushed 18 times for 113 yards and a touchdown, and the Vikings ran for 169 yards as a team on 33 carries. The Vikings defense was ferocious throughout the game, sacking Joe Flacco 5 times and holding the Ravens without a touchdown until the final drive of the game. The Vikings held one of the top rushing attacks in the league to 64 yards on 20 carries, and forced the Ravens into many third and long situations. The Vikings knew without many of Flacco’s top targets that he would have to settle for short to intermediate routes and Anthony Barr and Eric Kendricks in particular both did a fantastic job of disrupting slow developing pass plays all game long. Kai Forbath did a great job converting his opportunities, hitting 6 field goals from varying depths including a long of 52 yards. Forbath did miss an extra point, but convincingly hit all of his field goal attempts. In a game where yards were tough to come by, Forbath became a vital piece of the Vikings offense and he delivered.

The Bad: Really the only negative to take away from the game was Case Keenum and his only turnover was not even his fault. Keenum threw an interception on his first throw of the game on a ball that was tipped in the air by Laquon Treadwell and intercepted by Brandon Carr. Other than that Keenum was able to do just enough to keep the offense moving, but the Vikings did leave some points on the field. The Vikings will have to wait and see after injuries to Jeremiah Sirles and Riley Reiff. If those lineman are unable to play the Vikings will have to turn to Danny Isadora and Rashod Hill, who both played well in relief. The Vikings will head to London to take on the Cleveland Browns, who are still winless, which gives them a great chance to head into the bye week at 6-2, and firmly in first place in the NFC North after yet another Green Bay loss.

Vikings to dismantle Ravens

(by Travis Aune MSU Founder)

Today the Vikings have a big Interconference game as they welcome the Baltimore Ravens to Minneapolis at US Bank Stadium at noon.  The Vikings have won two games in a row to get to a tie for first place with the Packers at 4-2.  The Ravens come into this game 3-2.

Injury Report

OUT:  Sam Bradford, Stefon Diggs, Nick Easton

On Offense

With Sam Bradford out, Case Keenum will make another start for the Vikings.  He has been better than expected throwing for 1,134 yards along with five touchdowns and more importantly only one interception.  You can call him a game manager if you want, but he has been better than any of us could have expected out of Keenum.  

With no Stefon Diggs, the guys that will have to step up is TE Kyle Rudolph who needs to be that 2nd pass catcher along with Adam Thielen.  The other last week had his best game of his career, and that is Laquan Treadwell who had three catches for 51 yards.  If he can do that again, the Vikings will be ecstatic.  

They will continue to employ a running back by committee if the committee means that Jerick Mckinnon gets 2/3 of the touches.  Mckinnon is one yard short of having back to back games of over 100 yards from scrimmage.  I see no reason why he can't do that again today as these are not your Dad;s Ravens on defense.

On Defense

Look for a big game by the defense as Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco is a statue back there and with a shoddy offensive line look for Everson Griffen, Danielle Hunter, and Brian Robison to have at least four sacks between them.  There is nothing the Ravens can do offensively that would scare me.  I assume that the Vikings will employ Xavier Rhodes on former Viking Mike Wallace and shut him down.

Prediction

I have studied, and I don't see what the Ravens can do to scare the Vikings on either end of the ball.  The Ravens just don't have the athletes to compete with this Vikings roster.  Maybe I am a bit overconfident, but if someone disagrees with me leave me a comment of someone that the Vikings should be concerned with.

Vikings  27   Ravens  10

Gophers get first Big 10 win

(by Travis Aune MSU Founder)

In what an optimist would call a defensive struggle and what a pessimist would call an ugly game the Gophers got their first Big 10 victory over Illinois yesterday at TCF Bank Stadium.

What happened?

Afte Kobe Mccrary four-yard run put the Gophers up 17-10 with 4:20 left in the game.  Nine seconds later LB John Celestin returned an interception 31 yards for the winning score as Illinois scored a touchdown with .23 seconds left to pull within the final of 24-17.  With the win, the Gophers improved to 4-3 overall and 1-3 in the Big Ten.  They will travel to Iowa City next Saturday to take on the Hawkeyes.  The Illini will welcome first-place Wisconsin to Champaign next Saturday.

On Offense

I am not going to lie the Gophers had absolutely no passing game in this one.  Demry Croft made his first start for the Gophers, and it was a struggle.  He went 5-15 for 47 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions along with 32 rushing yards.  The key to the win was the combination of Rodney Smith who had 19 carries for 103 which was good.  However, the star of the game was senior Kobe Mccrary who had 24 carries for 147 yards and a touchdown.  Mccrary got an opportunity because Shannon Brooks missed the game due to injury.  Star Wide Receiver had two catches for 27 yards and a TD.  This is a hot take, but if they still had  Mitch Leider with the running backs, wide receivers, and defense the Gophers could win 8-10 games in my opinion.  Therefore going forward the key is developing a QB, and many think it will be 2018 recruit Brennan Armstrong from Ohio.  We shall see, but the quarterback play this year has set the program back.

On Defense

I thought the defense played well in this one.  Holding the Illini to just 282 total yards.  Anytime you can keep an opponent under 300 yards you are doing a good job.  Carter Coughlin had a big game for the Gophers.  Coughlin the much-heralded recruit is making the change from linebacker to pass rushing defensive end.  Coughlin picked up two sacks in this one.  The Gophers forced two turnovers so that is big going forward.

Whats Next

The Gophers have a big rivalry game next Saturday against Iowa.  The Gophers are 4-3 and need to find a way to get two wins out of five.  With these games tell me where you see them getting two wins.

At Iowa
at Michigan
vs Nebraska
at Northwestern
vs Wisconsin
I see them stealing one with Nebraska and possibly Northwestern, but I don't see a bowl game in the Gophers future this year, and the fan base should not lose faith in PJ Fleck as it would not have mattered who the head coach was.  The Gophers had two things going against them that are hard to overcome.  Young as over half the roster is either Freshman or Sophmore and even less that have played.  The other honestly is they don't have a capable QB on their roster.  You're not going to win many games without competent QB play, and I believe eventually it will get better, but probably not this year.

Introduction to Chad Smith

Chad Smith

My love for Minnesota sports first began on a summer’s day back in 1986. I was 15 years old and attending my first Minnesota Twins game during a summer American Legion baseball team trip (my first ever venture into professional sports) to the old Metrodome. That was the year before Kirby, Herbie, G-Man, Gags, Sweet Music, and company would go from worst-to-first and capture the World Series.

The thing that stands out about the baseball game that day was the fact that even though they got their butts kicked, you could see there was a lot of potential there. I told our legion coach, Jeff Sikkink, that the team had a good chance to be special. Did I know they’d win a title the next year? No. But that’s when I began to realize I wanted to do something in sports.

Went to Southwest Minnesota State University in Marshall to learn to be a sports broadcaster. I succeeded. I spent 22 years in professional radio, calling a grand total of 1,005 games, including a few last season for KFIL radio in Preston.

I walked away from the mic in 2012 because of some family health issues that needed to be dealt with, which is how I ended up in Rochester. I’ve spent the last five years doing all the news writing I can handle, including high school and college sports. I’ve learned a lot about the writing aspect of the media and really enjoyed a chance to broaden my horizons.

However, that broadcasting itch never really goes away, which is why I’m stoked at the opportunity to join Minnesota Sports Weekly. Can’t wait to dive feet-first into the online world of broadcasting and talk all things Minnesota sports!

Gophers Try for First Big 10 Win

(by Jonathan Lewis MSU Contributor)

The Gopher football team hosts Illinois today for homecoming. Both teams are searching for their first win in Big 10 play coming in (0-3) here are some keys to the game:

Find a rhythm on offense: With Connor Rhoda having been benched it’s time for Demry Croft to lead the Gopher offense. Croft led the charge in the second half against Michigan State and developed good chemistry with Tyler Johnson. With few winnable games coming up for the Gophers they need to take care of business against Illinois. The defense needs to make sure they don’t allow the Fighting Illini any opportunities to hang around through penalties or other fluky plays that extend drives. Simply get the job done and get the win. It would also be nice to get out of the game healthy considering all of the injuries that the Gophers have had so far this year.  Get the job done and pick up the win. Expect a full recap of the game tonight here on Minnesota Sports Unlimited.

Packers vs Vikings Defensive Grades

(by Travis Aune MSU Founder)

DE Everson Griffen  A

Griffen continued his impressive start to the season as he had five tackles and his seventh sack and a tackle for loss.  Griffen has now had one sack in each of the first six games tying a Viking record.  He is so good coming to the end that every game there is a time or two where he beats the LT.

DT Tom Johnson  C

When it was said that Linval Joseph likely was not going to play this year there were many questions about who would take the spot.  So far so good for Tom Johnson that has made quite a few big plays thus far.  In this game, Tom had two quarterback hits but did not make much of an impact otherwise without a tackle or a quarterback hurry.

DT Linval Joseph  A

You can look at the boxscore and not always see something from Joseph, but all you need to do is look at the Packers rushing yards and yards per attempt.  The Vikings gave up 72 rushing yards which was just a 3.0 average.  The first couple weeks the Vikings struggled against the run, but have improved so much.  The Vikings are now third in the NFL against the run which is a significant improvement from last year.  Joseph added 1/2 a sack, 1.5 tackles for loss, and a quarterback hurry.  

DE Danielle Hunter  C

Hunter is having a bit of a slump this year after getting the nod to start after getting 12.5 sacks last year.  This year he only has a couple of sacks.  So far the better defensive lineman has been a former starter, Brian Robison.  In this game, Hunter had just two tackles.  I would seriously consider starting Robison, but make Hunter lose his confidence has to be a factor.  Besides Robison still plays quite a bit.

LB Anthony Barr  I

You can't put a grade on Barr because he went out due to a concussion in the 2nd quarter.  He has been the lightning rod of controversy on his hit on Packers Quarterback Aaron Rodgers that broke his Collarbone.  I am going to repeat here it was a clean hit and he was taking off when Rodgers released the ball, and there is no way for him to pull up in my opinion.  The question I have for my Packer fan readers is if Rodgers would have gotten up would it still have been a penalty and I severely doubt that.  In the game, he did play he had one tackle, one pass defense, and two hurries.

LB Eric Kendricks  A

Kendricks had his most exceptional game of the season for the Vikings in this game.  He and his cohort Anthony Barr have been so good and a big reason why the Vikings defense has taken a step forward.  In this game, Kendricks had a team-high 11 tackles.  

LB Ben Gedeon  B

Ben Gedeon is not asked to do much in this defense as they play nickel so often and when they go to nickel Terrance Newman replaces him.  In this game, Gedeon only had a couple of tackles, but he also plays excellent special teams and is right there on ST so you can't discount the impact Ben makes on the game.

CB Xavier Rhodes  A

I heard a stat that I was flabbergasted by, and that was when he gave up a catch Sunday that was the first catch he has allowed in three games.  That is Deion Sanders territory, and he uses his big body to be physical with receivers who honestly aren't high enough to match his toughness.  Davante Adams was the latest victim as he had five catches for 54 yards and a touchdown.  That seems high until you look at the film and realize on the TD the Vikings were playing zone and another of his catches Rhodes was taking a break.  So he held one of the better wide receivers to three catches which were impressive.

CB Trae Waynes A

In one of Trae Waynes best game of the year, he had six tackles, 
A tackle for loss, and one pass defense.  It took two years for the Vikings to figure out what to do with Waynes.  He doesn't have the top end recovery speed that Xavier Rhodes and is a bit handsy.  He is typically slow to turn his hips, so press coverage is not the right thing for him.  What they have figured out is he does much better moving forward, and he is the most dependable tackler on the team.  Therefore he plays off, and when the team throws the WR screen, he fills incredibly for a one or two yard gain at most.  He is also a big part of the improved run defense as he is such a good tackler that he stops the RB in his tracks.  It feels like Trae Waynes have finally taken that big step forward.

S Harrison Smith A+

Harrison Smith continues to show he is one of the top two or three safeties in football if not the best.  In this game, he had an impressive interception in which he jumped and tapped the ball from one hand to the other and didn't let the ball hit the ground just remarkable.  He added five tackles, 1.5 sacks, 1.5 tackles for loss, two pass defense, and two quarterback hits.  Just re-read those numbers he did everything and was all over the field.  It is a shame that he was not the defensive player of the week that is how impressive he was on Sunday.

S Anthony Harris  C

Harris got the start when Andrew Sendejo missed the game due to injury.  He had just two tackles, but he did not do anything that stood out negatively.  Playing next to Harrison Smith he allowed Harrison to make all those big plays by just doing his job.

Minnesota Twins Offseason Blueprint

(by Jonathan Lewis MSU Contributor)

After what can only be deemed a successful season by the Minnesota Twins there is room for improvement as the young core continues to progress. Here are a few things I would do if given the ability to be GM for the offseason:

1. Keep Eduardo Escobar at third: The Twins had to play a majority of the second half without slugger Miguel Sano, yet still ended up making the playoffs. Escobar stepped in for Sano and played third base at a very high level, high enough that he should be treated as the starter going forward. But what happens to Sano? Sano isn’t going anywhere, other than to full time DH. That will save wear and tear on Sano’s body and if Mauer needs a day off at first or Escobar a day off at third, Sano can still fill in at both spots.
2. Sign an OF bat: With the Twins outfield pretty much set with Eddie Rosario, Byron Buxton and Max Kepler this is not as high of a priority as other items on this list, but getting the lineup tweaked is the easiest place to start. Super utility man Ehire Adrianza is a wizard with the glove, but having someone that can patrol the outfield when one of the regular 3 starters needs a break would put less pressure on Adrianza to have to fill those lineup spots too. The Twins could elect to make a big splash, going after the likes of JD Martinez or Lorenzo Cain, but it seems more likely that they would go after a more veteran bat that can still play the outfield at a high level. Two targets I find particularly appealing are Rajai Davis and Austin Jackson. Both can play all 3 outfield spots and bring some speed with them. And while they may not win you any games when in the lineup, they won’t hurt you, which is exactly what the Twins need.
3. Sign a Starter: Ervin Santana and Jose Berrios are pegged to be at the top of the Twins rotation next year, but they could use some help. Santana is the twins ace and had an incredibly good season, and Berrios showed promise, but behind that the Twins need some rotation depth. Jake Arrieta, Lance Lynn and Tyler Chatwood are 3 starters the Twins should seriously pursue. Arrieta would bring playoff experience, having been an integral part of the Cubs rotation during their World Series run last year. Lynn and Chatwood would bring durability and dependability. The hope would be for the Twins to get 2 of those names, but Arrieta might be priced out of the Twins range already. Adding 1 or 2 of those names would immediately give the Twins a rotation to compete with Cleveland for the division next year.
4. Add an Impact Reliever: This is more of a wish than an actual need. The Twins have several young arms that have already made an impact at the major league level. Whether it be Alan Busenitz, Trevor Hildenberger, Gabriel Moya or John Curtiss the Twins have many prominent arms to choose from. But they could use one more arm to lead by example. And fresh off a successful season with the Chicago Cubs, the Twins should go all-in on Wade Davis. The Twins had plenty of opportunities to see Davis when he was with Kansas City, and he has shown he can handle the closers role. If the Twins were to add Davis, the rest of the bullpen could settle into natural roles and the Twins would have a great shot at a deep playoff run.

If the Twins follow these guidelines they will be set up for a great year. My guess is they may try some of these, but one thing is clear, the core is ready and it’s time to make some noise in the American League.

Packers vs Vikings Offensive Grades

(by Travis Aune MSU Founder)

The Vikings completed the most significant victory of the season on Sunday with a win over the Packers 23-10.  There is no doubt this game would have gone a little different if Aaron Rodgers would not have gotten hurt.  Especially on the defensive side of the ball, there is a difference between facing Aaron Rodgers and facing Brett Hundley.  The only thing that is important in my mind was that the Vikings are now 4-2 instead of 3-3.

QB Case Keenum  B

On the contrary part, Keenum continued his inconsistent lack of accuracy.  However, it is what it is he puts up substantial numbers as an injury replacement.  It will be interesting if he feels pressure with Teddy Bridgewater returning to practice after fourteen months.  Keenum went 24-38 for 239 yards with a touchdown and his first interception of the year.  Keenum has done a stable job replacing Sam Bradford, but he has to see number five looking over his shoulder.

RB Jerick Mckinnon  A-

Mckinnon continued his strong play since the injury to Dalvin Cook.  The most significant thing is he has shown more toughness at the point of attack and not going down without a fight.  In this game, he overcame some adversity to put up a good game.  He had his first fumble of the year as the Vikings were driving early to try to put the Packers away.  He had that and overcame it to put another good performance together.  Mckinnon ran the ball fifteen times for 69 yards and caught five passes for 30 yards for 99 yards from scrimmage.  Mckinnon is a scat back that when he is right will be right in the passing and running games.

RB Latavius Murray  D

Through five games I have seen nothing that says this guy deserves to be getting 50-50 carries with Mckinnon.  In this game, he had fifteen carries for just 28 yards a 1.9 average compared to 4.6 for Mckinnon.  Mckinnon is not a big running back, so you need some timeshare.  Hopefully, Murray can improve, but last week he looked a step slow.  I don't know if it is still his ankle surgery, but until he improves he should not be starting.

WR Adam Thielen   A-

Thielen continued his strong start to the season with Stefon Diggs out for the game he became the focal point, and he did not disappoint.  Thielen caught a game-high nine passes for 96 yards a 10.7 average.   He is a catching machine that if the ball is close to him, he usually receives it.  On the season now Thielen has 38 catches for 488 yards.  The question is through the first six games is he headed to the Pro Bowl.  The only thing holding him back is he has not caught a touchdown as of yet after getting five touchdowns last season.  Whatever the case Adam Thielen is having an outstanding season.  Take away that fumble against Detroit, and you could argue he is having an all-pro season.

WR Laquan Treadwell     B

Treadwell slowly but surely is becoming a big part of the Vikings offense.  After only catching one pass in his rookie season he is gradually coming on in his sophomore season.  This was by far his best year of his career, and I would give him an A for the game, but he had an illegal crackback block that pushed the team back fifteen yards.  Honestly, I did not think it should be a penalty on Quan.  By rule, it is a penalty if you hit someone in the neck or head and to me, it was clear he hit his shoulder on the defender's shoulder.  They say it was helmet to helmet, but after looking at the film, I just don't see it.  Other than that he had three receptions for 51 yards including an acrobatic catch where he jumped and stuck his arm in the air and tapped it to his other arm which made it spectacular.  He had three catches against Pittsburgh in week two but then didn't have a reception until Sunday, so he needs to follow it up.  With Stefon Diggs likely to miss Sunday Quan has a chance to make a spot for himself in this offense.

TE Kyle Rudolph    A-

After getting off to a terrible start, Rudolph has come on like a world beater.  In this game, he had five catches for 47 yards on an impressive nine targets.  It is nice to see that Rudolph has developed a rapport with Case Keenum.  It is also nice to see Rudolph come back from a slow start.  After only getting a combined three catches against Tampa Bay and Detroit he bounced back and has eleven catches the last two weeks.  He is a pro bowl caliber TE, so it is nice that he is coming back around because the TE is so vital in this offense.

LT Riley Reiff        A

Reiff continued his strong play on the left side as he had another LG next to him and the fact that the offensive line did not give up the sacks.  He continues to be the leader of the offensive line, and I am not sure if he has given up a sack.  That was a very shrewd signing by Rick Spielman.

LG  Jeremiah Sirles  B

I have nothing wrong to say about Sirles as he outplayed what Nick Easton has done for the Vikings.  If it were me, I would replace Easton with Sirles as he at worst equal to Easton.  At best he is superior to Easton, and it's evident that he is much better at guard than he was at tackle and I am pleased that he has figured it out.

C  Pat Elfein   C

Elfein had the worst game of his career as he had a lot of trouble with Packers DT Mike Daniels which should not be a surprise. He also had a penalty when he was illegally downfield.  However, that had the more to do with Keenum being slow on a screen, so it wasn't his fault.  Games like this will help Elfein in the long run.

RG  Joe Berger   B

It was a case where Berger's name wasn't called because he does a good job where he keeps the defender away from the quarterback, so there is nothing to criticize.  I always say if the guy's name is not called he is doing his job.

RT  Mike Remmers  C

The same continues for Remmers where he let guys get past him.  Keenum helped him by using his mobility to avoid the sacks.  The Mike Remmers experiment is not satisfactory.  Remmers and Nick Easton have struggled while the other three have done well.  Overall, though the Vikings offensive line has been much better this season. 

Sorry Vikings Fans Teddy Bridgewater is Not Your Savior

(by Jonathan Lewis MSU Contributor)

Today for the first time since a gruesome knee injury ended his 2016 season Teddy Bridgewater will be able to practice with the Minnesota Vikings. It has been a long road back for Bridgewater, who looked good in the 2016-17 preseason and seemed primed for a big season. Then his knee blew up on a non-contact injury and his season was over just like that. The injury prompted the Vikings to trade for Sam Bradford, who nearly single-handedly saved a lost season. Bradford appeared ready to lead the Vikings to the promised land this year before his own knee issues slowed what was an amazing start to the year. Case Keenum has come in and done an admirable job filling in for Bradford, but now it seems obvious it’s time for the Vikings to turn the franchise over to its young quarterback and let him lead them on.

Stop.

Are you insane?

Teddy Bridgewater is not a savior. Teddy Bridgewater is not even a good quarterback. Let’s take a look at some of the best quarterbacks around the league. You might include, in any particular order Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees, Cam Newton, Russell Wilson, Matt Ryan just to name a few. What do they all have in common? They can all move the offense up and down the field. Coming into the 2016-17 season Bridgewater had thrown for over 300 yards 5 times in two seasons and under 200 yards 14 times in the same span including an embarrassing 99 yards against the Green Bay Packers in the Vikings season ending 20-13 win to clinch the NFC North. These numbers are not acceptable. Bridgewater has thrown for 14 touchdowns in each of his 2 seasons. In Tom Brady’s 2007-08 season in which he threw for 50 touchdowns, Brady had one game in which he threw for 6 touchdowns. You may make the argument that Brady has a better supporting cast than Bridgewater does, and that is certainly a fair one. You may also ask why compare Brady and Bridgewater. One of the most common arguments brought up about Teddy is that he simply finds a way to win games. The Patriots went undefeated that regular season, and Brady actually was the one leading the team to that mark. “Game Manager” is a term that was invented to make sure nice-guy quarterbacks weren’t thrown too far on the bus, and Bridgewater is simply a game manager at this point in his career. This isn’t even taking into consideration the fact that now he only has one healthy leg. When Bridgewater is actually able to sense pressure (sure couldn’t against Denver and Arizona when he fumbled to end both games) Bridgewater won’t be able to escape in the pocket and good luck with that throw to the sidelines! Bridgewater doesn’t have the arm strength or accuracy deep to make critical late throws, something Bradford was simply amazing at and Keenum has been decent at in his starts.

Simply put, throwing Teddy into the starting lineup just because he managed to work his way back from an injury is a terribly idea. Bridgewater would not only make the offense suffer, but would divide the team and cause them to miss the playoffs; something which is unacceptable for this roster. So no, I am not ready for “Teddy Time” and if you have any common sense whatsoever you shouldn’t be either. The Vikings are in the business of winning games, not making sure good kids have jobs. He can go get one somewhere else.

Should Twins Extend Brian Dozier

(by Travis Aune MSU Founder)

Brian Dozier has become the leader on and off the field that the Twins have envisioned for him all along.  In the last two years, Dozier has hit 76 home runs and only has one year left on his contract.  There were rumors that he was on the market last offseason, but this offseason he is much more likely to be signed to an extension than to be traded.  In this article, I will discuss the pros and cons to extending Dozier, what an extension would look like, and finally what I would do if I were the Twins.  Please leave me your comments I am quite curious what other Twins fans think the Twins should do about Brian Dozier's future.

When talking about Brian Dozier the two things that are most his leadership and his power.  What goes unnoticed is although he will never be a gold glove second baseman it is undervalued.  I was curious what other people I trust think about whether the Twins should extend Dozier.   So asked the pros and cons to Seth Stohs one of the founders of Twins Daily.  I asked Seth whether the Twins should extend Dozier.  Seth replied, "I think that the conversation of an extension with Dozier needs to happen. Apparently, it would need to be something that both sides would be happy about. The reason to do it is that you've got an All-Star caliber second baseman who has provided a lot of power and WAR in the last four seasons."  I agree with Seth that you need to look to extend Dozier even though he is 30 years old, but he seems to be getting better with age.  His OPS seems to be going up every year.  The 2016 season was a career, but he followed that up with another excellent year.


I asked Brandon Warne of Zone Coverage and The Athletic whether he would extend Dozier and here is his response, "I think so. I'd want to tear up his current deal and do something like three years.
I know he's underpaid right now, so I think to give him three years, and more money keeps you from having to give him 4-5 years he would get in FA next year."  I really can't argue too much with what Brandon is saying, but I think it is a pipedream I don't think there is any way that Dozier would take a three-year deal.


As good as Brian Dozier is there are logical reasons to consider not extending him and make him a qualifying offer next winter.  I asked Seth some of the reasons that Thad Levine would be hesitant to offer a long-term extension.  Seth replied, "The only reason not to is if it is going to require a deal of five or more years. Of course, maybe will say that they can just move Jorge Polanco over to second base and call up Nick Gordon. That may happen. But the reality is that not all prospects make it. Or, the Twins may need a third base in the next couple of years, and one of those options could move there to get them in the lineup."  To me, there is only one reason that you don't make an extension, and that is if he wants a contract that would put him past age 35.


I asked Brandon the same question, and his answer was interesting.  According to Brandon, "He's a great leader and teammate. My only pause would be his age and the players in the system behind him:"  You can argue this because guys Nick Gordon, Jorge Polanco, Royce Lewis could eventually take over.  I just think that you can't just give up talent instead you making a deal.


That leaves the question what is the contract going to look like for me here is what a Dozier contract looks like.  I tear up 2018 and start the contract:
2018- 18m
2019- 20m
2020- 20m
2021- 20m


So the deal could end up being  4/78 and put him at age 34 when his contract is made.  He is such a big piece of the puzzle that I don't think it is an overpay.  I asked Seth what he would offer, " I thought that something like a four year, $65 million contract with an option for a fifth year that could make it worth $73 million makes sense to me. That takes him to his age-36 season."  I asked Brandon the same question, and he said, "Something like 3/60 but starting next year."


I don't think there is a logical reason not to sign Dozier to a long-term contract.  It comes down to what of deal you feel comfortable with.  Age 35 year is a red line for me, and I think the Twins should attempt not to sign someone for later than not.  There is no doubt about whether Dozier should be with the Twins long term.  If he wants 6-7 years then apparently that is a nonstarter, but if he is reasonable about a four-year deal than you possibly talk about the dollar part.  At this stage in his career, I think he has 2-3 years of elite play if not three-four years.  The perfect contract is four years in the 70-80 million range.  With a four year 72 dollar deal being a part contract in my mind.


What say you what do you do with Brian Dozier
Sign extension, trade, let become a free agent,  Leave a comment in the box to let me know what you would do as I am curious what everyone thinks on this issue. 

John Manual joins the Twins Front Office

(by Travis Aune MSU Founder)

In a surprise move, Jon Heyman announced that the Twins had hired Baseball America editor in chief John Manuel as part of the scouting department with the Twins.  Manuel started at the bottom of  Baseball America and worked his way to Editor and Chief.  He cited familiarity with Twins Chief Baseball of Operations Derek Falvey.  He built Baseball America into what it is today.

What will Manuel add to the Twins reshaped front office.  That is still to be determined, but Manuel is a big name in scouting, and I am sure he will help.  Falvey gave the current front office a year to prove themselves.  They are trying to beef up the scouting department, and Manual will bring his 25 years of scouting to help young people become better scouts and help identify the guys the Twins should be chasing.  It is yet to be determined his exact role, but there is little doubt he will be an asset in the Twins organization.

Twins Offseason Blueprint 2017

Minnesota Twins 2017 Offseason Blueprint Version 1.0

(by Cory Engelhardt MSU Contributor)

We all enjoy the idea of overseeing our favorite baseball team and believing that we individually as general manager(s) could and would make the best and smartest moves to build our beloved team into a champion for years on end. Part of the fun of the offseason is dreaming up scenarios in how to improve our favorite team(s) for the year ahead. The following article with is my first stab at a blueprint(s) to enhancing the Minnesota Twins for the 2018 season and beyond.

I’m going to attempt a few different types of scenarios. Some are meant to be closer to being realistic than others. This article will cover 3 different blueprints for the Twins. The first one is going to be conservative in nature, as far as moves that are made. The 2^nd one will be more aggressive than the first, and is more in line with how I would address the offseason if I were making the decisions on player acquisitions. The 3^rd blueprint will be extremely aggressive in terms of trades from their “core” that I don’t personally see as realistic, but at least hopefully will be fun and unique. I hope beyond anything else these blueprints are interesting for you, the reader.

1^st Blueprint; What I think the Twins will do, conservatively.

Tender contracts to all arbitration eligible players.

1)      Sign Brian Dozier to a contract extension

2)      Sign Bryan Shaw, Cleveland relief pitcher, 3-year deal

3)      Sign Rajai Davis to be the 4^th outfielder and platoon with Max Kepler in right

4)      Sign Trevor Cahill to a 1 year deal to be your 5^th starter.

Regular lineup                                                               Bench

Catcher Jason Castro                                                  C Mitch Garver

1B Joe Mauer                                                             IF Eduardo Escobar

2B Brian Dozier                                                         IF Ehire Adrianza

SS Jorge Polanco                                                       OF Rajai Davis

3B Miguel Sano

LF Eddie Rosario

CF Byron Buxton

RF Max Kepler

DH Robbie Grossman

Rotation

Ervin Santana, Jose Berrios, Kyle Gibson, Adalberto Mejia, Trevor Cahill

Bullpen

Bryan Shaw, Trevor Hildenberger, Taylor Rogers, Ryan Pressly, Gabriel Moya, Trevor May, Alan Busenitz

This one is not what I would call exciting, but I do think the bullpen is improved with the addition of Shaw and Trevor May. May can take the Chad Green (Yankees) type role of long man and run with it. If Cahill or one of the rookies doesn’t run with the 5^th starter role in the rotation, May could also be in the discussion for the starting rotation.

2^nd Blueprint, what I would do if I were in charge of the Twins

Tender all arbitration eligible players to

1)      Sign Brian Dozier to a contract extension

2)      Sign Bryan Shaw to a 3-year deal (former Cleveland pitcher)

3)      Sign Jake McGee to a 3-year deal (former Tampa Bay and Colorado pitcher)

4)      Trade prospect(s) to the Giants for Matt Moore. Maybe Felix Jorge and Dietrich Enns?

5)      Sign DH/1B Carlos Santana to a 4-year deal (former Cleveland hitter)

6)      Sign Michael Pineda to a 3-year deal (former New York Yankee.) He will be out probably the majority of the 2018 season, but should be healthy coming back from surgery for 2019 and 2020.

Regular Lineup                                                                   Bench

Catcher Jason Castro                                                       C Mitch Garver

1B Joe Mauer                                                                  IF Eduardo Escobar

2B Brian Dozier                                                              IF Ehire Adrianza

SS Jorge Polanco                                                            OF Robbie Grossman

3B Miguel Sano

LF Eddie Rosario

CF Byron Buxton

RF Max Kepler

DH Carlos Santana

Rotation

Ervin Santana, Jose Berrios, Kyle Gibson, Matt Moore, Adalberto Mejia

Bullpen

Bryan Shaw, Jake McGee, Trevor Hildenberger, Taylor Rogers, Ryan Pressly, Trevor May, Gabriel Moya

This team has a new DH (a HUGE upgrade on starting Grossman/Vargas) 1 new starting pitcher, 2 new top-end relief arms, and a real shot at winning the division in my opinion. Plus it allows for the opportunity for minor league arms (Gonsalves/Romero/Little/Stewart/Burdi/Reed) as well as Nick Gordon to find a way up to the majors if/when they earn their shot.

3^rd Blueprint, the more-aggressive-than-I-can-realistically-but-still-fun version

Tender contracts to all arbitration eligible players

1)      Sign Brian Dozier to a contract extension

2)      Sign Wade Davis to a 3-year deal

3)      Sign Jake McGee to a 3-year deal

4)      Sign JD Martinez to be OF/DH to a 4-year deal

5)      Trade Miguel Sano to Toronto for pitcher Marcus Stroman

6)      Trade Nick Gordon and Adalberto Mejia to Atlanta for pitcher Mike Foltynewicz

7)      Sign 4^th OF Rajai Davis to a 1-year deal

Regular Lineup                                                                    Bench

Catcher Jason Castro                                                        C Mitch Garver

1B Joe Mauer                                                           OF/DH Robbie Grossman

2B Brian Dozier                                                               IF Ehire Adrianza

SS Jorge Polanco                                                            OF Rajai Davis

3B Eduardo Escobar

LF Eddie Rosario

CF Byron Buxton

RF Max Kepler

DH JD Martinez

Rotation

Marcus Stroman, Ervin Santana, Jose Berrios, Mike Foltynewicz, Kyle Gibson

Bullpen

Wade Davis, Jake McGee, Trevor Hildenberger, Trevor May, Taylor Rogers, Gabriel Moya, Ryan Pressly

I don’t (personally) see the Wade Davis or JD Martinez signings as realistic. I LOVE me some Marcus Stroman, but I don’t see the Sano trade happening due to both his health concerns at the moment among many reasons. That said, this would be an interesting offseason in its own regard.

Watch, the Twins now go out and do something CRAZY, like trade for Giancarlo Stanton. Then all of us have something crazy to talk about for 5 months until the season starts again in March/April. I would put better odds of that happening than me winning the lottery without first purchasing a ticket.

What do you think the Twins will do this offseason? What are your thoughts?