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After just over five weeks of spring action and competitions, the Twins made final moves to complete their Opening Day roster. Five competitions in all have now come to a close, and the Twins will play three more spring games to prepare for their first test in Los Angeles next week.Gone from the competition and the list this week is catcher Wilson Ramos, infielder Matt Tolbert, outfielder...

This season, there will be wind, there'll be rain, and there'll be sun. Beginning in 2010, weather elements will combine with baseball once again in Minneapolis. The team's new ballpark, Target Field, looks great in photos and on television, but neither of those things can do the ballpark justice. Last weekend, the Twins hosted an Open House to show off their new gem, and the first...

Four roster moves and one key signing have fans excited, and the season that has been talked about for several years has now finally arrived. A new ballpark, the beginning of the prime years for several star players, and new additions to the roster could potentially make a great start for a new era in Minnesota baseball.Less than forty-eight hours after the New York Yankees clinched...

The final two weeks of spring training have arrived, and the races are heating up. All around, there seem to be deadlocks. At catcher, there is still no favorite to be Joe Mauer's backup, the infielders fighting for the final bench spot are struggling, and there seems to be uncertainty in the team's plans for the bullpen. Can guys like Mike Maroth or Anthony Slama sneak into the...

Target Field will end indoor baseball in Minneapolis, and it may too end the use of the moniker "cheap" in relation to the Minnesota Twins. After trading for J.J. Hardy, retaining Carl Pavano and signing stars Jim Thome and Orlando Hudson, the Twins put the finishing touch on their busy off-season Sunday night, locking up their hometown hero through 2018.Joe Mauer is a rare breed...

The feeling at spring training isn't quite the same as a day at the ballpark anywhere from April to October. It's still baseball, but the final score is primarily irrelevant. It's all about baseball being back in the air, players taking extra grounders and fly balls, young prospects proving their worth, and so forth.When you first step foot onto the Minnesota Twins complex in Fort...

Week three of Making the Team brings with it only minor changes. There is still no favorite in the backup catcher competition, no infielders are stepping up to take the final bench spot, and it seems as though manager Ron Gardenhire is leaning toward Pat Neshek starting the year in either Triple-A or extended spring training. PlayerChanceNotesWilson Ramos (C)Ramos has hit well in...

One of the most unique features that fans will notice when they step foot inside Target Field this season is the celebration sign in centerfield. There is now footage of the sign, which features Minnie and Paul, in action.[Hat Tip: Ballpark Magic]]]>

Making the Team, a twist has altered some of the chances of cracking the Opening Day roster for several players. With Joe Nathan potentially out for the season, there are now seemingly two bullpen spots available rather than just one.The extra spot could eventually help one of the two starting pitchers who fail to make the rotation, and Pat Neshek may have a better chance now too...

Everybody knows the implications: If Nathan's two weeks of rest don't pan out, which some believe would be a miracle at this point, he'll undergo Tommy John surgery and the organization will be left looking at other options to fill the ninth inning void and help keep the team on track for a run at the postseason as they open Target Field. Assistant general manager Rob Antony took...

Sadly, it's been learned today that none of those things will probably happen in 2010.The word "probably" is used because closer Joe Nathan and fans are still holding out hope. Hope that two weeks of rehab and a high pain tolerance might help keep one of the best closers in professional baseball on the mound rather than on the operating table.In the six seasons since joining the...

The picture above is from today at Target Field. Gone is the snow and tarp, and here to stay is the grass which will require cutting throughout 2010. Outdoor baseball is drawing extremely close, and regular season tickets will go on sale to the public this Saturday.Player News** Joe Nathan has returned to Minneapolis for a tests on his right elbow. After getting one out and walking...

MLB 10: The Show, the realism of Target Field and it's surroundings show. From the skyline to the plaza to the features such as the celebration sign, the newest ballpark in Major League Baseball has been incredibly constructed in the virtual world. It's time to enter into the stadium for a tour of some of the ballpark's key features. The skyline captures the best of Minneapolis...

The battles are seemingly even in week one, but as games begin, players will begin to establish their opportunities to be with the big league club when they begin the season in Los Angeles, and open Target Field one week later.Who do you think might jump into the mix? Who will take over the different battles? PlayerChanceNotesWilson Ramos (C)With backup catcher Jose Morales expected...

After being a Twin killer for most of his career, a run that included hitting 57 homeruns against Minnesota, Jim Thome is joining the organization. For just $1.5 million and up to $750,000 in incentives based on plate appearances, Thome will become a powerful bat off the bench and a spot starter at designated hitter. What exactly Thome will do is hard to tell, but it is know that...

All around baseball, slugger Jim Thome is regarded as the 'nice guy'. He's well respected for his involvement in the community, his leadership in the clubhouse, and his general likability by opposing teams and players. For 16 seasons, Thome has been the Twins' nemesis. First the five-time All-Star spent 12 seasons with the Cleveland Indians, and most recently he spent four seasons...

The Minnesota Twins have made some improvements to the roster this off-season, but they have nonetheless been relatively quiet. Outside of acquiring shortstop J.J. Hardy, retaining starting pitcher Carl Pavano, bringing in reliever Clay Condry, and avoiding arbitration with eight eligible players, the Twins have kept to themselves.Questions remain regarding the roster, and the team...

It took only one day for the Minnesota Twins and their eight arbitration eligible players to agree to terms. After all players filed by the deadline last Friday, the sides exchanged offers on Tuesday and agreed to contracts for the 2010 season by the end of the day.Carl Pavano signed for $7 million, J.J. Hardy for $5.1 million, Matt Guerrier for $3.1 million, Delmon Young for $2...

The Minnesota Twins have a bullpen logjam, and while it seems to be a problem waiting to be solved, it isn't a bad issue to have. With pitchers returning from injuries this upcoming spring, pitchers being exiled into the bullpen, and even an addition, the bullpen is already full.There are some locks: Joe Nathan, Matt Guerrier, Jon Rauch, Jose Mijares and Clay Condrey all seem to...

With each passing day, the Minnesota Twins' chances to upgrade both the infield and lineup have gone right with. Off the table are Pedro Feliz, Garrett Atkins, Chone Figgins, Troy Glaus, Mark DeRosa, Adrian Beltre and Kevin Kouzmanoff. The third base options have dried up, and if the team upgrades before spring training, it'll need to be in the form of a second basemen.At third base...

For five seasons Mike Redmond called Minnesota home, but when the 2010 season kicks off in April, Redmond will be in Cleveland. After being a leader in the Twins' clubhouse since his arrival in 2005, Redmond was forced out by an overloaded position.In five seasons with the Twins, Redmond hit .297 with 2 homeruns and 101 RBI. More important than his numbers was his leadership...

Joe Posnanski is a senior writer for Sports Illustrated. He's written three books, wrote for The Kansas City Star from 1996 to 2009, has twice been voted as the Sports Columnist of the Year by the Associated Press, and has been nominated for a grand total of 21 sports writing awards. Posnanski covers many sports, but he's well known for his baseball writing, and in recent years...

Things are moving slowly in Twins Territory as the date nears mid-January. The Minnesota Twins have uncertainty remaining at both second and third base, and options are falling off the table with each passing day.Despite the slow move through the winter, there are some interesting notes to pass along.Award BonusesIt is common for players to receive award bonuses in contracts, and...

It was announced in the final weeks of December that Minnesota Twins' catcher and American League MVP Joe Mauer would grace the cover of MLB '10: The Show. Sony has released the cover with the Minnesota idol:The game will hit stores on March 2 for the Playstation Portable, Playstation 2, and Playstation 3.