Minnesota Twins

Who would you rather have in your outfield: Torii Hunter or Larry Hisle?

What was more impressive: Ed Battey's 26 home runs in 1963 or Joe Mauer's 28 in 2009?

Is power more important than speed? Do achievements from the past outweigh successes in the present?

It all points to one question with hundreds of possibilities: Which Twin had the greatest offensive season at his position?

Major League baseball has been asking fans this same question in an effort to choose each team's best-ever collection of stars.

They are calling it MLB 9s.

The Minnesota Twins have reportedly offered Carl Pavano arbitration.

Minnesota had until Tuesday’s 11 p.m. deadline to offer the right-hander arbitration for next season, but chose to do so early.

Some things are so right, so true, so meant to be, that there is no conceivable way they can play out other than expected.

Warm chocolate chip cookies go with milk.

Sunflower seeds cater to the word "spit."

City-defining athletes should remain home.

2009 stats: 1.35 ERA, 53.1 IP, 42/4 K/BB, 0.675 WHIP at GCL (Rook)
Last year’s rank: Not ranked
Acquired: Sixth round selection of the Minnesota Twins in the 2008 draft

Bert Blyleven belongs in the Hall of Fame.

In fact, he’s belonged in the Hall of Fame for 12 years.

Yet, for 12 years in a row, the Baseball Writers Association of American has erred by leaving him out in the cold when the voting results are announced.

2009 stats: .271/.360/.454, 490 PA, 15 HR, 98/45 K/BB at New Britain (AA)
Last year’s rank: Not Ranked
Acquired: 34th round selection of the Minnesota Twins in the 2004 draft; 36th round selection of the Minnesota Twins in the 2005 draft

14. Tyler Robertson, LHP, 21 years old

2009 stats: 3.33 ERA, 143.1 IP, 103/51 K/BB, 1.326 WHIP at Ft. Myers (A+)

Last year’s rank: 7

Acquired: Third-round selection of the Minnesota Twins in the 2006 draft.

The free-agent market officially opened last week, ushered in by a flurry of important signings that could truly change the game. Or a general malaise, one of the two, I forget which.

Anyone who studies market trends in baseball can tell you that a high volume of deals get done as the windows are closing, not opening.

The Minnesota Twins are known throughout the league for their deep minor league organization and uncanny ability to supplement established major-league players with young minor-league talent.

This past year has seen some ebb and flow in several aspects of Minnesota’s minor league system. While there are plenty of elite pitching prospects now in the Twins’ system, there is a lack of middle infielders.

Thanksgiving is upon us once again.

We all know that Thanksgiving is supposed to be about families and turkeys and a rapidly-depleting supply of shopping days until Christmas, but—in the minds of baseball fans—Thanksgiving is just a pit stop between the end of awards season and the beginning of the Winter Meetings.

I’ve decided to combine the more traditional Thanksgiving festivities with my burning need for more baseball.

In doing so, I’ve created a list of things that the Twins have given me to be thankful for in 2009.

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