It's a big day in Twins territory: Game one of the spring training schedule as the Twins host their annual matchup with the University of Minnesota.
If there's one position player on the Twins roster that you can clearly identify as "leader", it's shortstop Carlos Correa. Put him alongside veteran starter Pablo Lopez, and a hopefully healthy Byron Buxton, and the Twins have a great veteran core to go around young talent like Royce Lewis and others.
The former World Series champ with the Houston Astros has been a vocal, instrumental part of getting the Twins to believe they can sustain postseason success.
Now, after a couple of years of uncertainty, Correa hit Fort Myers and Twins Spring Training with no doubts about where he's playing. Last offseason was a whirlwind of rumors, signings in San Francisco and New York before eventually coming back to Minnesota after question marks around his health.
"Feels great, we feel right at home," Correa told WCCO's Jason DeRusha Thursday. "The offseason can seem short, but at the same time you miss hanging out with the boys and just going out there and competing every day."
Correa came to Minnesota and signed a three-year deal in 2022 that had an opt-out after just one season. Correa used that opt-out, then after testing the waters of free agency, signed a new six-year deal with the Twins ahead of the 2023 season.
After two straight years of unknowns, free agency, meeting with teams, and throwing around a lot of money figures, Correa could take this offseason and just prepare for the 2024 Twins. He says it made a huge difference.
"Just relaxing at home with my kids, getting ready for the season," he says. "Having a full offseason to work out, prepare my body for what's to come and it felt great not having to go through the free-agency process once again. It was a lot better for me and my family."
He adds that for him, the family time is crucial.
"Absolutely. You just want to be relaxing in the offseason, be happy, be with your family and do some parenting every single day," Correa tells DeRusha.
That family certainly can keep a father of one and two-year old children busy while he's home. Correa says it's fun though.
"We're enjoying every moment. It's special. They see you as a hero, they imitate you. It's a fun age."
Winning the 2017 World Series with Houston, with a couple of other trips to the World Series, makes Correa by far the most experienced Twins player. He showed his postseason chops in 2023 too. He hit over .400 in both the AL Wild Card Series against Toronto, and the AL Division Series against Houston along with driving in four runs. He also made a couple of sparkling defensive plays.
He said after the loss to Houston the experience the young players got in the postseason would make them ready to take the next step in 2024, and for Correa that goal is clear.
"We're thinking of winning the championship," he says. "That's our only goal. Before, it felt good to win playoff games and win a series. It was great for the fanbase and for everybody here to start believing. But now the goal is to go all the way and that's what we're working for."
For an experienced, veteran player like Correa, Spring Training is a time to get into baseball shape and refine their game. He says it starts at the plate.
"I would say you work on everything, but right now it's hitting," Correa explains. "It's one of the most important aspects of this game and you want to be able to start strong with the season, with confidence. So we're working on our swing, our timing, try to get right. And when the season starts just go off right away. It's all about just finding that rhythm and the timing, and the swing that you know is going to work in the game."
Another aspect Correa says he's learned is taking better care of himself physically. For Correa, that means watching what goes into the body as much as anything else.
"It's completely changed my career," Correa says. "It got to the point where I was hurt for a few years here and there and it felt like I wasn't going to get out of that whole. Once I change my nutrition everything changed for the better. It's a key component of our success as athletes."
Correa says that he feels really good about the makeup of the Twins in 2024, a thought that has been echoed by every member of the team so far. It's a group that clearly thinks winning one playoff series last season was the launching off point.
"I feel great. It's a great group. It's talented, it's young, it's hungry. The sky's the limit for what we can accomplish as a team. I couldn't be more excited."
The Twins have about a month's worth of games in Florida to get set for opening day, something Correa says should be exciting for Twins fans.
"Can't wait. Especially that opening day in Kansas City. Can't wait."
The Twins spring opener against the University of Minnesota can be heard Friday at 5:00 p.m. on 830 WCCO, 102.9 FM, or on the Audacy app (in-market restrictions apply).