If Season Started Today

[twinscowboysbulls]

Starting Rotation:

Hughes

Nolasco

Gibson

May

Milone

 

- No upgrades in an area that was collectively not very good.

Grade: D+

 

 

 

Bullpen:

Perkins

Pelfrey

Duensing

Fien

Pressley

Oliveros

Tonkin

 

-No improvements, lots of unknowns other than the top two guys.

Grade: C-

 

Starting Lineup:

SS Santana

2B Dozier

1B Mauer

RF Hunter

LF Arcia

3B Plouffe

DH Vargas

C  Suzuki

CF Hicks?

 

-Lots of Offense, but very little OF Defense.

Grade: B-

 

Bench:

C Pinto

UT Escobar

OF Schaefer

UT Nunez

 

-Decent speed and versatility, a little pop and decent defense other than at back-up Catcher.

Grade C+

 

 

OVERALL GRADE: C

 

It's quite obvious the pitching staff needs to improve. It's also quite obvious that our outfield defense hurts that, so it would be imperative to add some pitching and a better defender in the outfield. The Twins have already hurt themselves in that area, by adding Torii Hunter. To offset that move the Twins may need to look to add a CF with great defense. Twins will also need to add a starter that they could possibly move at the deadline if they are out of it and one of top pitching prospects is ready.  Offensively, the Twins should be solid with a decent set up reserves to roll in and out to of lineup at Molitor sees fit. Bullpen should be decent, but several unproven bullpen guys will need to step up or the Twins will need to find guys who will.

[ashbury]

Rating the team's offseason before the Winter Meetings are even complete seems a tad premature.

[nicksaviking]

Rating the team's offseason before the Winter Meetings are even complete seems a tad premature.

 

Ha, yeah the timing of this one was a little unfortunate considering 50 minutes later the team announces it's largest free agent signing ever.

[nicksaviking]

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/28/Deweytruman12.jpg

[Rosterman]

I could live with that bench. I expect Hunter to work wonders with Hicks, although the Twins could still another outfielder.

 

The bullpen will be interesting now with Graham in the mix. I also pictured May in the bullpen, with Meyer starting. Meyer will be on an innings limit, so if he starts up here or in AAA, he won't pitch the whole season. I would like to see Milone and Pelfrey start at AAA. I question Pressley. And wonder where Thielbar is in the whole mess. The Twins do have Tonkin,as you have listed, as well as Achter and Thompson in the bullpen mix, and who knows when Burdi and/or Reed will show up.

 

I don't hate the lineup. I'd like a little more pop on the bench, but it is better than sometimes in the past. I worry about Santana and Vargas and wonder if Arcia will get his act together. I have faith that Nolasco will be an innings eater and solid pitcher and that the Top four of the rotation will give us 50 wins by staying in the game and not turning it over to the bullpen.

 

That fifth starter is still a problem, but we have many folks: May, Meyer, Darnell, Milone, Pelfrey who want the job...and even more in the background (Stewart and Berrios for two). 

 

The overall division might be a bit tougher this year, especially with the rotations the teams will be throwing at us and the inexperience in our lineup...Hicks (for now), Arcia, Vargas and Santana all need coaching and mentoring and monitoring. They are still basically rookies under fire. Throw Pinto into the mix and that is a promising group, but still free swinging (not to mention Rosario and/or Sano getting into the mix, and maybe Buxton this season...and Michael and Kepler and Polanco also striving for the big time).

[twinscowboysbulls]

lolz, exactly what I hoped would happen.

 

I'll update as we go...

 

It was really more of a season outlook about what needs to be done, not grading the offseason.

[twinscowboysbulls]

nevermind I can't edit.

[nicksaviking]

 

That fifth starter is still a problem, but we have many folks: May, Meyer, Darnell, Milone, Pelfrey who want the job...and even more in the background (Stewart and Berrios for two). 

 

 

I was thinking that 2nd starter was a bit of a problem actually.