My plan

[TheLeviathan]

1) Sign Wieters, give up the draft pick.

2) Trade Plouffe for a nice asset

3) Sign Darren O'Day and Ernesto Frieri (hoping for a bounceback)

4) Teach Danny Santana a few more positions (including 3B)

5) Sign OF De Aza

6) Brink back CF Robinson

 

Lineup/Roster:

 

CF Hicks

2B Dozier

C Mauer

3B Sano

C Wieters

DH Vargas/Arcia

LF Rosario

SS Escobar

RF De Aza  (Holding a spot for Kepler or Buxton)

 

Bench:

Santana

Nunez

Suzuki

Robinson

Vargas/Arcia

 

Rotation:

Hughes

Gibson

Duffey

May

Santana

 

Bullpen

Nolasco

Milone

Frieri

O'Day

Jepsen

Perkins

 

 

[olivia11]

I would be happy with this, for sure. 

 

One problem I see here is that I don't think Tommy Milone will have success in a bullpen role.  He is a low-velocity, pitch-to-contact type pitcher.  So, unless this is a long relief role, I don't think it's a good idea.  And, even if it is a long relief role, I think we can get more value back trading him than holding on to him in relief role.  

 

Instead of Milone here, I would put Ryan Pressly.  He was having a strong year before his injury and, unlike many of the 2015 Twins bullpen arms, he's got a lot of upside.  As long as he's not your 8th or 9th inning guy, he's a great option to have in the bullpen.

 

Another problem is see is that I can't imagine the Twins going to an 11-man pitching staff.  I would like them to, but I don't see that happening, especially with the shakiness of the bullpen.  On the pitching staff, I think you add either Michael Tonkin or Casey Fien.  Tonkin finished 2015 strong and has the velocity and K/9 rate to have success in the big leagues.  Fien has had success in the past and, if he's not used in a 7th, 8th, 9th inning role, he could definitely find that success again. 

 

There a couple changes you could make to the bench to make this happen. 

---Option 1: If Santana can learn to play a pasable 3rd base (which seems possible since he was air-mailing a lot of his throws from short this year), then we drop Nuñez from the bench.  Santana covers 2nd, SS, 3rd and Vargas covers 1st when starters need days off. 

---Option 2: If we need Nuñez for his ability to play 3rd, I think we drop Robinson.  Since the starting outfield laid out above would be Rosario, Hicks, and De Aza, we don't necessarily need our 4th outfielder to be speed and defense focused.  Instead, we could go with Arcia as the 4th outfielder who would be able to add a power bat late in the game.  And knowing that Danny Santana can come in a play late inning defense for Arcia if needed, this looks like a good option.  Plus, knowing that Buxton, Kepler, Walker are just around the corner... Shane Robinson's spot on the 25 man roster would be short-lived. 

 

My vote for this move would be to add Michael Tonkin and drop Shane Robinson. 

 

 

 

[ashbury]

Frieri needs to return to San Diego if he wants his ERA to bounce back, IMO.

[TheLeviathan]

Frieri has a track record of being a strikeout pitcher and a pretty elite one at that.  I'd just take a gamble on that.

 

As for Milone, last year he was devastating against lefties, I think a little added velocity down there and you're talking about a damn good short-inning reliever.

[gunnarthor]

De Aza is an interesting idea. 

 

Houston is looking to upgrade third base - would you take Appel for Plouffe straight up?

[TheLeviathan]

Yeah, I think I'd take Appel for Plouffe.  Though I'd really like to see whatever asset we get for Plouffe used to help add a catcher, but I'd take that.

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

Why do you have Mauer batting third?

[ashbury]

Lineup/Roster:

 

CF Hicks

2B Dozier

C Mauer

3B Sano

C Wieters

DH Vargas/Arcia

LF Rosario

SS Escobar

RF De Aza  (Holding a spot for Kepler or Buxton)

 

Why do you have Mauer batting third?

Of more pressing interest to me is how you talked him into going back to catching again. Apparently as an in-game platoon with Wieters, which I'm not sure has been tried before.

[TheLeviathan]

 

Why do you have Mauer batting third?

 

Was trying to be as realistic as possible.