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3 weeks ago | 
zonecoverage.com | Theo Tollefson |Lou Hennessy |Paul Saints
St. Paul – David Festa knew he’d have a longer leash on his pitch count and innings limit this Opening Day compared to a year ago. So he did his best to be the most efficient he could for his first start of the season as the Saints hosted Opening Day Friday night.
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2 months ago | 
zonecoverage.com | Theo Tollefson |Brandon Warne |Paul Saints
The Minnesota Twins have had good luck signing players out of independent ball, including Caleb Thielbar, Andrew Albers, and Chris Colabello. In 2021, MLB reduced the number of draft rounds from 40 to 20. In response, some teams have invested in scouting undrafted players in Indy Ball. For decades, Billy Milos was Minnesota’s Indy Ball scout. Randy Dobnak became the Twins’ poster boy for Indy Ball findings after he found him in the United Shore Professional League.
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Dec 2, 2024 | 
zonecoverage.com | Theo Tollefson |Brandon Warne |Paul Saints
There was perhaps no better player at the plate for St. Paul Saints in September than Payton Eeles. Eeles lead the team in home runs (5), RBI (15), walks (12), stolen bases (8), and on-base percentage (.442) to finish the team’s final 18 games. It left a strong impression across the clubhouse. “Payton Eeles was freaking awesome at the end [of the season],” said St. Paul Saints manager Toby Gardenhire, who managed Eeles since early July. “It was just really fun to watch.
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Oct 25, 2024 | 
zonecoverage.com | Theo Tollefson |Brandon Warne |Paul Saints
St. Paul – More often than not, fans are fixated on an athlete’s performance on the field, and they may overlook the player’s contributions to the communities they play in off the field. That’s why the Minnesota Twins established the Harmon Killebrew Award for all their Minor League affiliates after the Twins legend died in 2011. The Killebrew Award recognizes the player at each affiliate for outstanding community service.
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Oct 10, 2024 | 
zonecoverage.com | Theo Tollefson |Brandon Warne |Chris Schad |Paul Saints
2024 has been a good year for Randy Dobnak. He had a second consecutive season of being fully healthy, a long-anticipated return to the big leagues over 1,000 days after his most recent appearance, and the first season he pitched with his daughter, River, watching him in the stands for each outing on the mound. While he had a lot to smile about, perhaps it was no bigger when he exited the Saints clubhouse after every night he pitched.
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Oct 7, 2024 | 
zonecoverage.com | Theo Tollefson |Brandon Warne |Paul Saints
The Minnesota Twins have four coaching roles open going into the off-season. They dismissed hitting coaches David Popkins, Derek Shomon, and Rudy Hernandez, as well as assistant bench coach Tony Diaz, following Minnesota’s 12-27 collapse that started in mid-August. The vacancies, primarily with the hitting instructors, leave open possibilities for a change in Minnesota’s hitting approach. Since 2019, they have emphasized three true outcomes hitting that results in home runs, walks, or strikeouts.
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Oct 1, 2024 | 
zonecoverage.com | Theo Tollefson |Tom Schreier |Brandon Warne |Paul Saints
St. Paul, Minn. – The 2024 baseball season is over in Minnesota. The Twins ended their season on a 12-27 slide to finish 82-80. However, a week ago, the St. Paul Saints completed a less disappointing outcome at home. They finished their fourth season as the Twins Triple-A affiliate with a 70-79, their second-worst record in these four years. Manager Toby Gardenhire has been at the helm for the Saints for all four seasons.
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Sep 6, 2024 | 
zonecoverage.com | Theo Tollefson |Brandon Warne |Chris Schad |Paul Saints
Just over a year ago, Carson McCusker was unsure of his future in baseball. He was playing with the Tri-City Valley Cats in Troy, N.Y., a part of the Frontier League Independent League. However, the 6’8” McCusker was tearing up pitching in the Frontier League, hitting .433/.480/.822 for a triple slash along with a 1.302 OPS, 17 home runs, and 51 RBI in just 37 games.
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Sep 5, 2024 | 
zonecoverage.com | Theo Tollefson |Byron Buxton |Brandon Warne |Paul Saints
ST. PAUL – The St. Paul Saints had a lot of good going for them in their second game of a six-game homestand Wednesday night. Brent Headrick was back on the mound for the first time in five months, Randy Dobnak backed him up in long relief, and Byron Buxton was expected to play a full nine innings out in center field. “It’s good to get back to form,” Headrick said on his return to the mound with the Saints.
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Aug 27, 2024 | 
zonecoverage.com | Theo Tollefson |Brandon Warne |CJ Baumgartner |Paul Saints
Like many Triple-A teams, the St. Paul Saints have had plenty of players pass through this year. However, Payton Eeles has surprised fans, the front office, and coaches because he wasn’t even in professional baseball when their 2024 season started. Eeles began his 2024 season in the Atlantic League with the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs. Nearly four months later, he’s become a favorite under-the-radar guy for prospect gurus watching the Twins and across the country.
