Who plays CF to start the season?

[crapforks]

Span to WAS, Revere to PHI. Who do you got as the regular CF to start the season? Who bats 1 and 2?

[mudcat14]

I hope they give the CF gig to Hicks and ledt him sink or swim.

[Willihammer]

At this point, I'm asking myself: who is left wanting outfielders?

 

Texas isn't going to go more than 4 yrs for Hamilton. The Twins could deal Willingham to TX and take the Rangers out of the picture.

 

The buyers for Bourn, last rumor I read anyway, were Phili and Seattle. Would the M's take Mastroianni?

 

That would soak up two buyers, and put the Twins in a position to make lowball offers to Bourn and Hamilton.

[TwinsFanInPhilly]

Jason Martinez‏@mlbdepthcharts RT @BenGoesslingPP Terry Ryan said Darin Mastroianni, Joe Benson and Aaron Hicks will all get chances to compete for #MNTwins' CF job.

[joeboo_22]

I'm sure you mean Twins could deal Willingham not Hamilton. That would be interesting. I'm sure the Braves, Mariners, Yankees and Rangers as well as a few others could all be involved if the Twins were serious about trading him.

 

I think its wide open. Sounds like its Benson or HIcks if ready if not Mastronni will man it until one of the two is ready.

[crapforks]

Would anyone freak out over a Carroll-Mauer-Willingham-Morneau top of the order?

[Brock Beauchamp]

Would anyone freak out over a Carroll-Mauer-Willingham-Morneau top of the order?

 

I wouldn't. That's a decent top of the order, though it's definitely lacking speed.

[DaveW]

I'd put the odds at:

Hicks: 50%

Mastro: 40%

Benson:10%

 

It's Hicks job to lose.

[Mike Sixel]

I bet on Benson, with Hicks being the higher level prospect, they will want him in AAA for a bit. But, Ryan may be a new man after all.

[roberallen]

Darin Mastro's minor league numbers are very nice, and he played well last year for the Twins in limited reps after basically making the jump from AA ball in 2011. The guy might be a better basestealer than Revere. I don't want them to rush Hicks and I'm affraid Benson might be ruined for good. I'd like to see them sign a vetran left-handed batter like Ryan Sweeney who batted .286, .293, .294 in his first three season with Oakland in regular playing time. Above average defensive outfielder who could split time with Mastro in CF until Hicks is completely ready. Nyjer Morgan, Rick Ankiel and Endy Chavez are three other guys that are out there.

[ThePuck]

Jason Martinez‏@mlbdepthcharts RT @BenGoesslingPP Terry Ryan said Darin Mastroianni, Joe Benson and Aaron Hicks will all get chances to compete for #MNTwins' CF job.

 

Ah, yes, the whole compete thing. Hey guys, if you really wanna win, make sure you do the worst...

[Riverbrian]

I'd go with Mastro to start the season... Hicks and Arcia up after the Arb clock thing assuming they keep progressing in the right direction and its a whole new ball game after that.

[snepp]

I hope they give the CF gig to Hicks and ledt him sink or swim.

 

I think you give Hicks a couple of months in AAA, get yourself a 7th year of team control, then let him sink or swim.

[Brock Beauchamp]

I hope they give the CF gig to Hicks and ledt him sink or swim.

 

I think you give Hicks a couple of months in AAA, get yourself a 7th year of team control, then let him sink or swim.

 

This.

[nicksaviking]

I'd be more concerned about who bats 1-2 in the lineup. Parker had a great write up a few months back about how much better Mauer hits when he has a guy on 1B. If the Twins can't come up with a couple of decent OPS guys for those spots he could see a dip in production. Moving him to the 2 hole doesn't fix the problem unles the 9 hitter can get on base too.

[nicksaviking]

I hope they give the CF gig to Hicks and ledt him sink or swim.

 

I think you give Hicks a couple of months in AAA, get yourself a 7th year of team control, then let him sink or swim.

 

I hope we're not going to be that brutal about the situation. We've coddled the guy for half a decade now, I'm not willing to let him sink if he struggles. He hasn't always had the smoothest transitions between levels, I'm fully prepared to see him bounce up and down between AAA and the majors no matter when he gets the call. He should have a long leash too as Arcia isn't a centerfielder. If Benson doesn't rebound, we're then left wating for Roberts, Buxton maybe Kepler and none of them have played above Low A.

 

2013 likely will be ugly regardless, no need to rush things now that there is finally a clear picture of the future.

[whosafraidofluigirussolo]

They could still go outside the organization for someone. That's what I expect they'll do, at least as insurance against the young guys struggling and against Mastroianni being overmatched as a starter. I don't see them paying big for a high-end player but maybe taking someone from the shallow end of the free agent pool.

 

Would Andres Torres make sense? He was a decent starting CF (and leadoff hitter) a couple years ago, and he's kind of old but he could be in competition for the starting CF gig and at least fall into a 4th OF role if he didn't win the job. With poor defenders in the corners, I think they're going to want a reliable backup OF; he'll be playing a lot.

[joeboo_22]

If Benson is healthy I'd give it to him, he is at that point where I don't know if AAA does him any good, if he is struggling by the middle of May, then he goes down, but I think he needs a sink or swim moment. Whereas Hicks I think can benefit from AAA much more. I'm still betting Mastro gets it at least for April.

[YourHouseIsMyHouse]

I think it's a two horse race between Benson and Mastroianni. Hicks will have his time, but not this soon.

[ericchri]

I'm thrilled at the notion of Hicks playing CF for the Twins. And I'm actually hoping that it is Benson to start the season.

 

Mainly because if Benson looks good enough to get the job it hopefully means he has the potential to still be a good player, and we can safely trade away both Willingham and Morneau at the deadline and roll with an outfield of a then-decent Benson, along with Hicks and Arcia. I love Mastroianni as the 4th outfielder, and I have doubts he's a full-time player.

 

Is Arcia a LF or RF? I don't honestly know. And how good is his defense?

[Guest USAFChief]

Unless they add someone:

 

Mastro: 50% chance

Benson: 40% chance

Hicks: 5% chance

Rallymonkey: 5% chance.

[LaBombo]

There was nothing about the year Hicks had in New Britain that screamed 'Skip AAA!!!'. I'm hoping the trades don't change that. Given the Twins' patience with prospects, it would be surprising to see him up before June.

[James]

The clear answer is Wilkin Ramirez.

[Danchat]

Umm.... Joe Benson sucks and needs to be in the minors. Mastro then Hicks in the summer.

[TheLeviathan]

Take a flyer on Bourjos if he's on the cheap? Otherwise Mastro it is me thinks.

[GCTF]

The Ghost of Bobby Mitchell?

[joeboo_22]

If you look at Joe Benson's numbers throughout the minors, in years where he is healthy he screams top prospect and years where he was bothering injuries he looks like a complete bust. If he is healthy its his to lose. Hicks has not played AAA, he was good but not great at AA, he has a bunch of tools but I'm not completely sold on saying its all his. As far as Mastro, I just don't know, I don't know if he can be an everyday major leaguer. I don't know if he can play CF with Parmelee and Willinghammer and I feel he could really be exposed to everyday play.

 

I think you have to go in house though.

[luke829]

Would anyone freak out over a Carroll-Mauer-Willingham-Morneau top of the order?

 

I wouldn't. That's a decent top of the order, though it's definitely lacking speed.

 

Agreed. Not exactly 4.4/40 speed by any means

[70charger]

I honestly think Mastroianni is being a bit undervalued here. Do we want him as the everyday centerfielder? Not really. Will we completely implode if we put him there until June? Heck no.

 

You definitely don't throw Hicks into the lineup on day one. It's a bad business decision, and I think it would end up being a bad development decision.

 

I will say, however, that I am intrigued by the idea of Joe Benson if he's healthy. I agree with an above poster who said that when he's healthy, he screams top prospect. If he's back from him multiple injuries of last year, I'd bet that he could compete for an outfield spot this year.

[johnnydakota]

Would anyone freak out over a Carroll-Mauer-Willingham-Morneau top of the order?

 

Close but no cigar, mauer, carroll, willingham, morneau,doumit,plouffe,parmelee,dozier/florimon,mastroanni