Tag: Minnesota Twins

Alerick Soularie drafted by Minnesota

Alerick Soularie drafted in second round by Twins.

KNOXVILLE — University of Tennessee junior baseball player Alerick Soularie heard his named called on the second and final day of the Major League Baseball Draft Thursday night.

He was selected in the the second-round (59th overall pick) of the abbreviated five-round event by the Minnesota Twins.

Soularie was a first-team All-Southeastern Conference Preseason standout and after a slow start, the Volunteers’ outfielder, hit .267 and clubbed five home runs in 2020 before the season came to a premature end due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Vols had a 15-2 record when the season was suspended.

In two seasons with the Vols, Soularie had a career batting average of .336.

Soularie, who began his college career at San Jacinto Community College in Texas, was originally drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 2018 MLB Draft.

Minnesota Twins, Vikings donate millions to racial and social justice drives

The Minnesota Vikings and Twins are donating millions to campaigns fighting for social justice and reform.

The Minnesota Twins and Vikings announced substantial contributions Wednesday to racial and social justice campaigns after the tragic death of George Floyd.

The Twins are donating $25 million and the Vikings $5 million after the Floyd lost his life when former police officer Derek Chauvin, kneeled on his neck for 8:46  on May 25 in Minneapolis. Chauvin and three other officers are facing various murder charges.

 

“Black people have experienced oppression and racism for far too long in this country,” Bill Pohlad said in announcing the family’s commitment of an additional $25 million through its foundation to seek racial justice. “We condemn racism in all its forms, and we are firmly committed to this work beyond this seminal moment in our country’s history.”

The Vikings, meanwhile, are donating $5 million to the cause. They also are creating an endowment of $125,000 for the George Floyd Legacy Scholarship.

Per the team’s website:

Vikings Owner/Chairman Zygi Wilf and Owner/President Mark Wilf told the team’s Social Justice Committee this week that the contributions from this fund will be determined in part through collaboration with players.

Funds will be directed toward organizations that fight hate, racism and inequality.

“We continue to be inspired by these players as they advocate for transformational change in this very challenging moment,” Mark Wilf said. “We are proud of their efforts to use their platform in an effort to end deep-seated social injustices. Their thoughtful approach and our conversations with them have deeply moved us, certainly in large part because of our family’s history and long-standing commitment to human rights, but also because of their steadfast dedication to not sit idly by when they have the ability to make a difference.”

The Twins are going to listen to the community before making decisions on how their funds will be used.

“Our plan is to listen, learn from, and better understand those people who are directly impacted by racial injustice,” said Joe Pohlad, nephew of Twins’ chairman Jim Pohlad. “It’s their experiences that will inform our efforts. And from there, we’ll partner with the right organizations that can help find solutions.”

How many games will the Minnesota Twins win in 2020?

Analyzing the Minnesota Twins’ projected win total for the 2020 MLB season, along with their odds to win the AL Central and World Series.

The Minnesota Twins come back in 2020 after a highly successful 2019 season that ended with another postseason series loss to the New York Yankees. Today, we focus on the Twins’ 2020 regular-season win totals and World Series odds. Do the Twins have what it takes? Let’s analyze:

Minnesota Twins 2019 wins

Minnesota was great in 2019, winning 101 games and finishing atop the American League Central by eight games. They were No. 2 in the American League in runs and hits, and they were No. 1 in total bases and home runs. They failed to win any playoff games, as they were swept in three games by the Yankees in the divisional series.

Minnesota Twins offseason

Minnesota added to its already potent offense by signing 3B Josh Donaldson in free agency. He hit 37 homers and drove in 94 runs last season for the Atlanta Braves. The Twins also added catcher C Alex Avila, which will help with their starting rotation, as he manages a rotation well and plays very good defense. They traded for starting pitcher Kenta Maeda and signed Homer Bailey and Rich Hill to bolster the rotation, as well. RPs Tyler Clippard and Sergio Romo were added to the bullpen.

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Minnesota Twins odds to win AL Central division

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full list.
Lines last updated at Tuesday, Feb. 18 at 10:40 a.m. ET.

The Twins are the odds-on favorites to win the Central Division at -145. The Cleveland Indians are next at +250 and Chicago White Sox at +350. The Kansas City Royals (+15000) and Detroit Tigers (+25000) are huge longshots.

Minnesota Twins World Series odds

Minnesota is among the favorites to win the World Series. The favorites are the New York Yankees at +350, the Los Angeles Dodgers at +400 and the Houston Astros at +550. The Twins are in the next tier at +1400, the same as the St. Louis Cardinals and world champion Washington Nationals.

How many games will the Twins win in 2020?

The Twins, despite winning 101 games in 2019, have a very reasonable win total for 2020. It is 91.5, allowing for a nine-game drop to still hit the Over. They bolstered their rotation and will continue to have a dangerous lineup. With two doormats in the division in the Royals and Tigers, they will be able to pile up wins in divisional games. They are still the clear favorites to win the division and getting over 90 wins is a lock. This seems like as sure a bet as there is among MLB teams. Take the OVER 91.5 (-110).

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Why the Mookie Betts blockbuster fell apart and what could happen next

It’s probably still going to happen. Maybe.

The Los Angeles Dodgers and the Boston Red Sox had agreed upon a blockbuster to send outfielder Mookie Betts and David Price to L.A. in a three-team trade with the Minnesota Twins, according to multiple reports.

But that mega-deal fell apart this weekend, per multiple reports.

The Red Sox received the medical documentation for Twins right-hander Brusdar Graterol and Dodgers outfielder Alex Verdugo, the two players Boston acquired in the deal. But the Sox weren’t pleased, according to The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal. Graterol’s medical records caused Boston to view him as more of a reliever than a starter, which meant his value wasn’t quite what the Sox had hoped (even if reports indicate Boston shouldn’t have been surprised with these findings).

This complication comes while Boston media and fans have skewered the organization for the move. The Red Sox bailed on Betts, the 2018 MVP, and Price in a transparent effort to get below MLB’s luxury-tax threshold to get back to the minimum penalty rate.

The three teams are still interested in getting the deal done, per Rosenthal. The Sox, however, seem less interested in completing the deal than before — perhaps because the court of public opinion has shifted the ownership group’s view on the trade. Their hesitance surrounding Graterol nearly pushed the Twins out of the deal entirely, per a report from the Star Tribune on Saturday. On Sunday, however, the three teams still seem to be in communication.

So how might the deal change? Here’s what reporters are saying.

It seems this trade has practically reverted back to square one. The Dodgers may need to find a new third team to appease the Red Sox’s demands for elite prospects (and, apparently, one who is a starter). Or perhaps L.A. and Minnesota can find a way to amass enough talent to appease Boston.

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Former Longhorn Ron Gardenhire Hopes To Turn Tigers Around

Former Longhorn and current Detroit Tigers skipper is hoping to turn around a team that posted their second-worst record in team history.

The Texas Longhorns are preparing for the Alumni game coming up on February 1st. However, there are a handful of former Longhorns preparing for Spring Training and the 2020 Major League Baseball season. One such former Longhorn is long-time skipper Ron Gardenhire.

Gardenhire is preparing for his third year as the Detroit Tigers skipper after an 13-year run in Minnesota with the Twins. After a 6-21 postseason record, Gardenhire was fired and quickly swept up by the Tigers to be their new skipper. He is in the final year of three-year contract with Detroit.

The Detroit Tigers were coming off one of their 10 worst seasons in their history. The organization dates all the way back to 1894. The team went 68-94 in 2017 before relieving Brad Ausmus in favor of Gardenhire. In their first season under the new manager, the Tigers posted an identical 68-94 season.

In the second year under Gardenhire, the Tigers were even worse. Last season the team finished 47-114 and posted the most home losses (59) in the modern era. For Gardenhire, he will need a season where the team shows some signs of life if he wants to continue his career in Detroit.

Ron Gardenhire’s Career Accolades

  • Career Record 1,179-1,251 (.485 winning percentage)
  • Minnesota Record 1,068-1,039 (.507 winning percentage)
  • Minnesota Playoffs 6-21 (.222 winning percentage)
  • Detroit Record 111-212 (.344 winning percentage)
  • AL Manager of the Year (2010)