The SKOR North Twins Show - A Minnesota Twins Podcast

Byron Buxton burst onto the scene in September of 2016, and showed why he has superstar potential. Phil Mackey thinks Buxton will be a 4-WAR playerin 2017, according to Phil Mackey. He and Derek Wetmore debate that topic on this short episode of the Touch 'Em All podcast. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info...

The Twins pitching flat-out needs to improve for the team to win more games this year. But somehow Derek Wetmore left Jose Berrios out of his 25-man roster projection. Wetmore stops by The Mackey & Judd Show to share his thoughts on Minnesotas starting rotation. Who makes it? Who improves it? Who gets left out? Who could have trade value? Bonus Touch Em All podcast coverage on 1500ESPN. See Pr...

The Twins lost 103 games last year. And now their projected opening day lineup looks about the same. It feels stale. Whats up with that? Phil Mackey and Derek Wetmore ask whether the Twins should have gone with more sweeping changes after a disastrous 2016 season. Should they have overhauled the roster? Did they need more changes in the front office? Does marketing matter? Whats the goal short ter...

The Twins and Dodgers have been talking about a possible Brian Dozier trade for a while, but those trade conversations reportedly have stalled. Why is that? Derek Wetmore joins Phil Mackey & Judd Zulgad on 1500ESPN to discuss some of the possibilities here. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

Would you consider signing Jose Bautista if you're the Twins? Phil Mackey and Derek Wetmore dove into that hypotehtical question in the latest episode of the Touch 'Em All podcast. Would he fit the plan? Does it matter that the Twins already have plenty of first base/DH types? On what should we make of Joe Mauer after that 2016 season? He might be a part-time player for rest of his career, and the...

If youre the Dodgers, can you afford to not trade for Brian Dozier? Are the Twins going to deal their popular and powerful second basemen? Or are they content to go to spring training without a deal. Phil Mackey and Derek Wetmore take questions on Facebook Live for this episode of the Touch Em All podcast. Is it a risk for the Twins to go into the year with Dozier? Fans seem to be exactly 50-50 sp...

If you had to pick one young player around which to build the Minnesota Twins, Byron Buxton or Miguel Sano, which would you take? Phil Mackey and Derek Wetmore dive into a nuanced discussion on which they'd prefer now and over the long term. Byron Buxton flashed superstar potential in September. Miguel Sano had a "down" year in his second season and is still a great home run hitter. Where will he...

What would you want if you got 5 wishes from Baseball Santa? Phil Mackey and Derek Wetmore give their 5 asks on the latest episode of the Touch 'Em All podcast! Some things are practical, some are a little more farfetched. And for the record, we're not here to debate whether or not Baseball Santa actually exists...You want an ace? You want a repeat of the 2016 World Series? You want better health...

What if the Twins trade Brian Dozier? As the rumors continue to swirl, we talk about what the fallout of that trade could look like for the Minnesota Twins. Who would play second base? If that's Jorge Polanco moving from shortstop, would would become the Twins' new shortstop? If you want a defense-first shortstop in the short term, who would that be for the Twins? Phil Mackey and Derek Wetmore dis...

The Nationals gave up A LOT to get Adam Eaton and they're legitimate World Series contenders this year. What does that say about the way they value prospects like Lucas Giolito and others? Should this change the Twins thinking? Phil Mackey and Derek Wetmore discuss that and much more on this episode of the Touch 'Em All podcast. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privac...

A few observations about the Twins front office from the MLB Winter Meetings, including a moderately funny story about GM Thad Levine that shows he gets the bigger picture. And the White Sox are going for broke in their rebuilding project. Plus, should Twins fans be excited about the next few years? Phil Mackey and Derek Wetmore discuss that and more on the latest episode of the Touch 'Em All podc...

Derek Wetmore is embedded in Washington D.C. at the MLB Winter Meetings, and he and Phil Mackey discuss the latest Minnesota Twins (and Brian Dozier) trade rumors. Would you trade him to the Dodgers for stud pitching prospect Jose De Leon? What are Derek Falvey and Thad Levine saying about the rumors? And how much do Dozier's home runs matter? Plus, the Red Sox cranked the hot stove up to max heat...

Brian Dozier trade rumors have been around for a while now, and we're discussing those on this episode of the Touch 'Em All podcast, just before the MLB winter meetings. Also, what would it take to get you to trade Ervin Santana if you were in the position of the Minnesota Twins? Phil Mackey and Derek Wetmore discuss. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at...

The Minnesota Twins have re-hired Torii Hunter, LaTroy Hawkins and Michael Cuddyer as special assistants in their front office. It would be easy to be cynical about the "country club" optics of the move for the Twins, but Phil Mackey and Derek Wetmore argue in this episode of Touch 'Em All that it's a smart play for an organization looking to catch up. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/priva...

The Twins need an upgrade behind the plate, and Derek Wetmore and Phil Mackey disagree on how they should go about solving that problem. On this episode of the Touch 'Em All podcast, Wetmore suggests that the top free agent catcher on the market is Wilson Ramos. (Matt Wieters is second on his list.) Mackey says he could see the Twins going in a different route, and forgoing the free agent pool alt...

The Twins need to boost their payroll -- and not where you might be thinking. Phil Mackey and Derek Wetmore discuss on this episode of the Touch 'Em All podcast the idea that building out the front office is a more important long-term investment than buying the latest free agent. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-...

SPECIAL EPISODE. This podcast is the latest episode of the Sports Analytics Department podcast, with host Matthew Coller. Check out his podcast on PodcastOne or iTunes. Matthew Coller and 1500ESPN Twins reporter Derek Wetmore discuss how new Twins management has a long way to go to catch up with the top teams in analytics. What areas of the game can they use to gain an advantage over teams that ha...

The Twins have a pitching problem. It's OK to admit it. The first step to recovery is acknowledging that it's an issue. Phil Mackey and Derek Wetmore discuss 5 pitchers that could help the Twins solve their awful starting rotation. Mostly, Mackey laughs at Wetmore for 3/5 of his list as Wetmore spars to defend himself. Rich Hill, Jeremy Hellickson, Ivan Nova, Trevor May and Chris Sale. See Privacy...

Chief Baseball Officer Derek Falvey and General Manager Thad Levine have taken office with the Twins. Phil Mackey says it's the smartest hire the Twins have made in his lifetime. He and Derek Wetmore discuss. Plus, a behind-the-scenes observation on Levine. The Uber analogy. And two Sid Hartman stories worth sharing. Oh, and lots of Twins stuff. Buckle up for the offseason! See Privacy Policy at h...

The Cubs have won the World Series! And the Cleveland Indians had a terrific season as well, and came up just short of the top prize. What can the Twins learn from the success of those teams? Phil Mackey and Derek Wetmore discuss that in the latest Touch 'Em All podcast.5 trades that shaped the 2016 World Series. The impact of luck. The importance of patience. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.c...

We're World Series obsessed on this episode of Touch 'Em All. Phil Mackey and Derek Wetmore discuss the ultimate sports movie -- will the Cubs win the World Series? Are you willing to admit you teared up when they clinched the N.L. pennant after waiting since 1945? Where's Steve Bartman at? And what is a realistic timeline for the Twins to compete for the top prize in baseball? Two years? Three ye...

Would you keep the Twins' coaching staff and manager around for next year? Phil Mackey and Derek Wetmore speculate on what might happen to the team once new baseball boss Derek Falvey takes over. Is Paul Molitor back next year? Is Rob Antony back in some capacity next year? Would you be concerned about the Indians' deep postseason run if you were with the Twins? See Privacy Policy at https://art19...

The Indians have already done something this season that should encourage you if you're a Twins fan. Phil Mackey and Derek Wetmore debate whether Andrew Miller's usage represents a good blueprint for the Twins to fix their leaky bullpen. Plus, some love for Big Papi and and a few unwarranted cheap shots. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19...

The starting pitching is the first on a long list of priorities for new baseball boss Derek Falvey -- or it should be, anyway. Phil Mackey and Derek Wetmore discuss other things that need to improve with the Twins for the team to avoid another 100-loss season next year. Starting pitching, a better plan in the bullpen, plus an interesting idea suggested by FSN analyst Bert Blyleven. See Privacy Pol...

The starting pitching is the first on a long list of priorities for new baseball boss Derek Falvey -- or it should be, anyway. Phil Mackey and Derek Wetmore discuss other things that need to improve with the Twins for the team to avoid another 100-loss season next year. Starting pitching, a better plan in the bullpen, plus an interesting idea suggested by FSN analyst Bert Blyleven. See Privacy Pol...