Gleeman and The Geek

Aaron and John talk about team MVP Kody Clemens and the rest of the Twins' season-ending award winners, Charley Walters' report about the Pohlads possibly talking sale again, reviewing our preseason over/under picks, and surprising arbitration projections.

0:00 Gleeman & The Geek: Twins Diamond Awards, 2027 payroll, and over/under results
2:51 Twins Diamond Awards with no ceremony and no TwinsFest during the lockout
4:24 Most Valuable Twin: Aaron's vote for Taj Bradley
9:10 Cody Clemens wins Twins team MVP
14:14 Twins Pitcher of the Year: Taj Bradley
14:41 Most Improved Twin: Brooks Lee
16:09 Twins Rookie of the...

Aaron and John talk about which of the Twins' key veterans will or won't be on next year's team, the end-of-season press conference with Tom Pohlad, Jeremy Zoll, and Derek Shelton, and what to expect this offseason before the lockout hits.

0:00 Intro: Blackstack beer and the end of the Twins season

1:16 Twins finish 77-85: met expectations, but the third straight late-season collapse

3:43 Offseason preview: key dates, the Pohlad press conference, and who's staying or leaving

4:41 Thank you, listeners: Aaron Gleeman's year leaving The Athletic and going independent

7:03 John Bonnes...

Aaron and John talk about what's left for the Twins to play for during the final weekend, young players like Luke Keaschall, Connor Prielipp, and Walker Jenkins providing bright spots, Royce Lewis and Ryan Jeffers struggling down the stretch, the rotation outlook for 2027, and the end of the Alex Jackson saga.
0:00 Intro: John checks off his last active MLB ballpark in Sacramento
2:03 Twins win first road series since July in San Francisco
2:03 Final series vs. Texas Rangers with the AL West title at stake
8:00 Final Twins games for Ryan Jeffers, Taylor Rogers, Josh Bell, Bailey...

Aaron and John talk about the Twins limping to the finish line just like last season, trying to find glimpses of a brighter future with Walker Jenkins and Emmanuel Rodriguez, the outlook for Byron Buxton after hip surgery, and players who stepped up vs. dropped out of the team's long-term plans.

0:00 Intro
0:45 Why the game recaps have stopped: the Twins are playing out the string
2:21 Worst team in the American League down the stretch for a third straight year
3:50 15-27 since August 1: as bad as after the 2025 fire sale, and this time they were...

Aaron and John talk about the Twins collapsing in the second half for the third straight season, why the worse they play the bigger the upcoming offseason becomes, the top reasons behind their struggles, and Matt Wallner knowing he's done in Minnesota.

0:00 Welcome: Twins on life support after Chicago and Detroit
3:13 Which of the three end-of-year collapses hurt the most?
4:17 Rock-bottom fan expectations vs. the 78-win projection
15:11 Wasted season or treading water? Who actually stepped forward
16:33 Did the Twins find a core on which to build? 
20:02 Still waiting on Byron Buxton's hip s...

Aaron and John talk about the Twins collapsing in the second half for the third straight season, why the worse they play the bigger the upcoming offseason becomes, the top reasons behind their struggles, and Matt Wallner knowing he's done in Minnesota.

0:00 Welcome: Twins on life support after Chicago and Detroit
3:13 Which of the three end-of-year collapses hurt the most?
4:17 Rock-bottom fan expectations vs. the 78-win projection
15:11 Wasted season or treading water? Who actually stepped forward
16:33 Did the Twins find a core on which to build? 
20:02 Still waiting on Byron Buxton's hip s...

Aaron and John talk about the Twins' dwindling playoff chances with three weeks left, Byron Buxton admitting he'll eventually need hip surgery, Joe Ryan nearing a return, first impressions of Walker Jenkins, and takeaways from the Angels selling for $4 billion.

0:00 Intro
0:48 Twenty-two games left and a 3-3 homestand that wasn't enough
2:02 Playoff odds at nine percent, and the 14-8 finish they'd need
4:30 Resilient, or unable to handle success
6:38 Trying to avoid a third straight second-half collapse under an all-new regime
9:45 Now or never, starting with the White Sox in Chicago
11:47 The...

Aaron and John talk about the Twins calling up top prospect Walker Jenkins, why Byron Buxton's hip injury was the biggest factor, what to expect from the 21-year-old consensus top-10 prospect, and the team's shrinking playoff window after a brutal road trip.

0:00 Walker Jenkins is coming up! It's an Emergency!
2:17 Twins playoff odds fall from 40% to 10% after a 1-5 West Coast trip
5:33 Byron Buxton and Miguel Sanó in 2015 — which debut does Jenkins resemble?
8:49 Kaelen Culpepper set the bar for what a great three weeks looks like
10:17 Resiliency, or an inability to build on any...

Aaron and John talk about the Twins' having a playoff spot there for the taking with six weeks left, why the rotation desperately needs first-half Joe Ryan back, the dramatic in-season bullpen turnaround, why Alex Jackson is such an uninspired choice for a roster spot, and what lessons Tom Pohlad can learn from the Padres.
0:44 Swept by the Phillies, then a sweep of the Braves
2:32 Where things stand: 63-65 with 34 games left
3:32 Twins hold the final AL wild card spot — 40% playoff odds
4:20 Fourth-easiest remaining schedule in baseball
5:04 The seven-team wild card logjam
5:56 Tiebreakers: th...

Aaron and John talk about the Twins playing the Field of Dreams game and the Bonnes' experience in Iowa, the return of Byron Buxton, what to make of Luke Keaschall, Kaelen Culpepper's debut, why calling up Walker Jenkins makes sense too, and celebrating the 15-year anniversary of the podcast.
0:00 Dubuque, Iowa and Aaron's Iowa exile
3:58 Netflix's Field of Dreams broadcast was rough
7:36 The "beloved" Pohlad ownership?
8:51 In the stands it didn't feel like a game that counts
11:59 MLB nailed the logistics including the walk through the corn
19:36 Super Bowl ticket prices, cheesesteaks and...

Aaron and John recap the Twins' trade deadline moves to add Jeff Hoffman, A.J. Minter, and Dean Kremer, speculate about the moves they didn't make while keeping the lineup intact with Ryan Jeffers and Trevor Larnach, and wonder what's wrong with Joe Ryan.

0:00 Family Feud, Steve Harvey and we got a good one for you today
2:06 Twins add Jeff Hoffman, AJ Minter and Dean Kremer at the trade deadline
3:51 Twins slip below .500 while the AL wild card race stays wide open
5:35 Front office and ownership did their part — now the players have to pl...

Aaron and John look ahead to the trade deadline and the three paths open to the Twins, escaping from Cleveland with an unlikely series split, why a winning home stand is absolutely essential, and the off-field impact of trying to win vs. always playing for the future.

Aaron and John talk about the Twins' crucial next three weeks leading into the trade deadline, why buying makes more sense than selling, why Byron Buxton isn't going anywhere, the farm system adding an elite prospect in Vahn Lackey, and the players who need to step up most in the second half.

Aaron and John talk about the Twins playing their best heading into the All-Star break, Byron Buxton going on the injured list, Bailey Ober and Ryan Jeffers returning from the IL, Luke Keaschall shifting to center field, and Taj Bradley getting back on track.

Aaron and John talk about the Twins reaching the midpoint of the season below .500, Jeremy Zoll doing his best to shut down Byron Buxton trade speculation, Mick Abel going for surgery, Marco Raya getting called up, and the biggest bright spots and disappointments of the first three months.

Aaron and John talk about the Twins' lineup looking stronger behind Byron Buxton and Royce Lewis, why reaching .500 is the next big test, Mick Abel's imminent return to the rotation, Kyler Fedko adding a dimension to the outfield, and how fast Walker Jenkins can enter the plans now that he's healthy.

Aaron and John talk about Royce Lewis' return to the Twins' lineup, why it's time to call up top prospect Kaelen Culpepper, a banged-up Byron Buxton continuing to slug, and Taj Bradley and Zebby Matthews going through similar issues in the rotation.

Aaron and John talk about Royce Lewis crushing Triple-A pitching and playing new positions to work his way back into the Twins' lineup, why Kaelen Culpepper should maybe beat him to the majors, questioning the handling of Simeon Woods Richardson, and why the big picture looks about as expected through 40 percent of the season.

Aaron and John talk about Royce Lewis joining Matt Wallner in St. Paul, the Twins losing Ryan Jeffers for 6-8 weeks, Gabriel Gonzalez's short-term arrival, choosing Orlando Arcia over Kaelen Culpepper, and Taj Bradley getting close.

Aaron and John talk about the Twins sending Matt Wallner back to Triple-A, why changes could also be coming with Simeon Woods Richardson and/or Royce Lewis, Zebby Matthews' impressive return to the rotation, and why the bullpen still doesn't make much sense.

Aaron and John talk about the Twins' ongoing struggles stemming largely from bullpen implosions, good news on Joe Ryan and bad news on Mick Abel, why the Royce Lewis situation is so difficult, Triple-A injuries ruining some prospect plans, and an always scary trip to Cleveland.

In a special release of a Patreon-only episode, Dick Bremer joins Aaron and John to discuss his 40-year career as the voice of the Minnesota Twins.

Aaron and John talk about the up-and-down path the Twins have taken to an expected destination, Connor Prielipp and Kendry Rojas debuting, Mick Abel's elbow injury, Royce Lewis' return, and how to address the glaring bullpen and defensive weaknesses.

Aaron and John talk about the Twins' winning three straight series vs. projected playoff teams, the lineup hammering big-name starting pitchers, the emergence of Taj Bradley and Mick Abel atop the rotation, and how the bullpen could be transformed soon.

Aaron and John talk about what the Twins' surprising four-game sweep of the Tigers means and doesn't mean, Taj Bradley and Mick Abel taking steps forward, Brooks Lee coming through off the bench, and Ryan Jeffers' mastery of ABS challenges.

Aaron and John talk about the lowlights and highlights from the Twins' first two series, look ahead to the opening homestand, delve into the early impressions of ABS challenges, and hope for better defense and baserunning.

Aaron and John dig into the latest spring training cuts, unpack what they signal, and lay out their expectations for how the Twins' 2026 season could unfold.

Aaron and John talk about the Twins' roster battles two weeks before Opening Day, why Bailey Ober's velocity is worrisome, Zebby Matthews vs. Mick Abel, lefties vs. righties, and Kyler Murray's baseball career.   For more Twins talk all season long, join Patreon.com/Gleeman and get 20% off an annual membership with the code TWINS2026 through first pitch of Opening Day.

Aaron and John talk about the national expectations for the Twins, Luke Keaschall being cleared to play the outfield again, Alan Roden vs. James Outman, how much is riding on Brooks Lee, and trying to make sense of the elderly bullpen group.

Aaron and John talk about the state of the Twins' rotation without Pablo López and David Festa, why prospect Emmanuel Rodriguez is generating buzz, and Alan Roden's odds of making the team, plus a clip from our hour-long Patreon interview with manager Derek Shelton.

Aaron and John talk about the buzzkill of the Twins losing Pablo López for the season on Day 1, the domino effect on both the rotation and the bullpen, and takeaways from an interview with Tom Pohlad ... or maybe Paul Tohmad.

Aaron and John talk about the Twins' shocking breakup with Derek Falvey, what it means for the Jeremy Zoll-led front office and Tom Pohlad-led ownership group, and how the rotation, bullpen, and lineup look heading into the start of spring training.

Aaron and John talk about the news and notes from TwinsFest weekend, including the signing of Taylor Rogers, interviews with Tom Pohlad, Derek Shelton, and others, avoiding arbitration with Joe Ryan, and why the Twins' words and actions continue to be very different.          

Aaron and John talk about the Twins' surprising signing of catcher Victor Caratini to a two-year, $14 million deal, why his arrival seemingly hints at more changes to a roster that doesn't fit well together, and announcing our Winter Meltdown guest lineup.

Aaron and John talk about the biggest offseason questions the Twins still need to answer with six weeks until spring training, why the free agent reliever market is running thin, the Pohlads giving fans deja vu three decades later, and the odds of a substantial trade.

Aaron and John talk about the Twins' long-awaited ownership changes, why Tom Pohlad needs to follow up his words with actions, adding Josh Bell to the lineup, and the roster holes that still need to be addressed if 2026 is going to be competitive.

Aaron and John talk about the Twins' chances of winning the MLB draft lottery and the huge impact that could have, the latest trade speculation swirling around Byron Buxton, Joe Ryan, and Pablo López, and why making a Rule 5 pick seems more likely than ever this year.

Aaron and John talk about Derek Falvey dropping hints about the Twins' offseason, trades for Alex Jackson and Eric Orze, arbitration decisions and 40-man roster spots, finalizing Derek Shelton's coaching staff, and more questions about the TV situation.

Aaron and John talk about the Twins hiring Derek Shelton as their new manager, cutting Jose Miranda (and five others) from the 40-man roster, LaTroy Hawkins joining the coaching staff, the front office continuing to dodge questions about 2026, and revisiting preseason over/under picks.

Aaron and John talk about the Twins' search for a new manager to replace Rocco Baldelli, the many ex-Twins on the postseason stage, why so much has changed between Toronto and Minnesota in just two years, and the legend of Matt Mikulski.