Article: Looking For Clues In September

[John Bonnes]

You can view the page at http://twinsdaily.com/content.php?r=2268-Looking-For-Clues-In-September

[whosafraidofluigirussolo]

In fact, there is less evidence that Hicks belongs in the majors on Opening Day than there was at this time last year.

 

I don't know. Were people seriously talking about Hicks' performance last year as a justification for skipping him to the majors? I think that thinking revealed itself only when the two incumbent CFs were traded. To a lot of us, promoting Hicks straight to MLB looked like rushing him in March, just as it does now.

[howieramone1406390264]

My September goals are very modest. As of today Gibson and Correira are locks for next year's rotation. I don't care who it is, but I would like one more starting pitcher to cement a spot in next year's rotation.

[clutterheart]

2014 Starting Staff:

Correira

Deduno

Gibson

Worley

Diamond

 

Meyer and May in AAA

[howieramone1406390264]

2014 Starting Staff:

Correira

Deduno

Gibson

Worley

Diamond

 

Meyer and May in AAA

 

Clutterheart, I think you're very close. I believe we will add a second tier FA, but good job!

[jimbo92107]

2014 Starting Staff:

Correira

Deduno

Gibson

Worley

Diamond

 

Meyer and May in AAA

 

Albers will take a spot from either Worley or Diamond. I'd watch out for DeVries, too. Guys that throw strikes are better than guys that don't.

[beckmt]

I agree that Meyer and May will start in AAA. The big reason I do not think that above will be the starting rotation is the need to fill the seats. I believe the Twins cannot do that without signing some decent FA pitchers. Maybe they will not take the money, but most of the Twins starting pitcher types are 2-3 years away and most of the Twins young hitting prospect will be here by 2015. Twins need a bridge until the pitching catches up. Beyond that it is possible the Morneau bridge has been burnt and the Twins need to see what Parmelle and Collabero can produce. Clete Thomas is not the answer, though I believe Hicks will start next year in AAA.

[tjsyam921]

Coming into this season I thought we would see a lot of emerging young talent to get us close to at least wild card contention next year. But considering it still seems our rotation will be lacking yet again in '14 I'm pretty disappointed.

[Badsmerf]

I really hope Worley and Diamond are not in the plans right now to be apart of the rotation on opening day. I'm really hoping for a Johson/Santana/Lincecum type signing to add some dependability to the rotation. The Twins can't simply lean on Gibson, Meyer, and May developing. That is foolish. They need some actual talent, and its getting a little late to be crossing fingers on prospects.

[Mike Sixel]

Another year with zero prospects even available for call up......for a team whose entire strategy is built around the minors.....

[Monkeypaws]

I was looking at BJ Upton's numbers yesterday, eerily similar to those of Hicks, worse even, except he makes 13-17 million and will do so through 2017.

 

Upton .182/8 HR/21 RBI/11 SB/128K in 330 ABs.

 

Hicks .192/8 HR/27 RBI/9 SB/84 K in 281 ABs.

 

There was a month or so Hicks appeared to have figured it out. I'm hopeful he will rebound to at least major league average next season.

 

It could be worse!

[Mr. Ed]

Yovanni Gallardo on revocable waivers. Claim, make a deal, take on the salary, and start getting ready for 2014's pitching staff.

[Mike Sixel]

Yovanni Gallardo on revocable waivers. Claim, make a deal, take on the salary, and start getting ready for 2014's pitching staff.

 

Two very, very, very different ways to read this comment.......

[Mr. Ed]

Gallardo has a year,and club option left. 11mill, 13 mill

 

Very reasonable for a pitcher that is better than anything the Twins have.

 

Has a very good track record. They should be proactive and try to improve the team, rather than look at a not-that-great FA class, which basically means dumpster diving by TRyan anyway.

[Shane Wahl]

The time to figure out the players who will fill in around Sano, Rosario, and Buxton started awhile ago, and yet the Twins have done little to figure it out. Willingham, Doumit, and Morneau do nothing for the future and I cringe when I think about all of them being with the team next year. Arcia and Dozier have made it, though Arcia is a borderline DH and Dozier at second base is a problem given Rosario. It would seem to me that Parmelee and Colabello need a full tryout, and it might eventually be a good idea for Plouffe and Parmelee to form a platoon (look at those L/R splits) together at first or in right. I would think that Escobar is going to simply replace Carroll for awhile in 2014.

 

The pitching situation cannot be remedied by bringing in another Correia or Pelfrey type. Spending on Johnson, E. Santana or someone like that and then figuring something out around that FA signing is what I would do. Meyer and May need to arrive sometime next year. Hendriks needs to be pitching for the Twins the remainder of the year.

[Shane Wahl]

I would spend on Gallardo in a heartbeat.

[Mr. Ed]

I would spend on Gallardo in a heartbeat.

 

11/13 mill is cheap in the pitching market for a guy better than any of the flotsam on this team now. So they can add payroll? PROVE IT. Make a move for the better, instead of dumpster diving, then trying to convince fans that the garbage picked up is actually going to make the team better.

 

Currently 5 games better than last year. Big whoop. Finish that way. You still lose 91 games.

[jay]

I would spend on Gallardo in a heartbeat.

 

I agree with your previous post, but not this one. Some major red flags there around his K rates and mph's.

[Shane Wahl]

I agree with your previous post, but not this one. Some major red flags there around his K rates and mph's.

 

It's just this season, though. Something has been wrong, clearly, this year. I would still take the chance.

[Rosterman]

I would let Pelfry and Correia walk if someone claimed them on waivers. Would be tempted to do the same with Willingham, just to free uo 40-man spots to bring up some prospects in September.

 

Like they did with Dozier last season, I would not bring up Hicks or Parmelee (assumning we can add another outfield prospect to the 40-man).

 

I would bring up Escobar. I would bring up Santana. I would bring up anyone on the 40-man roster to give them a taste of the big leagues and evaluate if they should remain on the 40-man roster.

 

That includes, injury healed, Cole DeVries and Pedro Hernandez. Some innings from them and any kind of showing would make a Swarzak or Duensing available as tradebait. If they flounder, you question keeping them on the 40-man. You also bring up Hermsen and May from New Britain...because you can. Hermsen had an awful year and the Twins need to make a choice if he is worthwhile to keep in development or to languish in the minors. That spot he is holding is valuable. Should he keep it? Should the Twins cut him and hope no one else grabs him. That is the question. DeVries deserves one minute chance to shine again in the majors. Hometown kid. Raw break by coming north and blowing it at season's beginning by being injured. Again, if he shows anything worthwhile, you keep him, otherwise he becomes another Mike Restovich.

 

I would also bring up Pinto, especially if you downplay Mauer for the rest of the season. Give him and Herrmann innings behind the plate. One or both of them will start at Rochester next year as the Twins figure out Doumit's value.

 

The pain is that the Twins don't need to add guys like San to the 40-man this early. They actually don't have to add Sano until next fall, but can invite him and others to spring training to see if they are available for use on the roster earlier rather than later next season.

 

Oh, yes, Mastro gets called up. Yes, Richardson deserves a shot, too. But Mastro, Thomas, Ramirez really don't deserve 40-man spots going into the offseason, although they will hold them down for the moment. You can always remove guys from the 40-man who were on it at season's end. You can't remove those added in November, right, until after the season opens. Correct me if I am wrong. So you need a few movable bodies for free agent signings (dream) and the like.

 

It's a tough job being general manager right now. You are looking at servcie time issues. You are looking at 40-man needs of team and players. You are hoping the New Britain team can move up to Rochester next year and you may not have to sign 29 minor league free agents (see 2013 Minnesota Twins Roster - Majors View ).

 

Yeah, they should be mlooking at Beresford, Bigley, Darnell, Dean, Hanson and all the minor league superstars in September.......

[drjim]

Would people give up Rosario for Gallardo? If not, how do you propose the Twins acquire him?

[drjim]

The time to figure out the players who will fill in around Sano, Rosario, and Buxton started awhile ago, and yet the Twins have done little to figure it out. Willingham, Doumit, and Morneau do nothing for the future and I cringe when I think about all of them being with the team next year. Arcia and Dozier have made it, though Arcia is a borderline DH and Dozier at second base is a problem given Rosario. It would seem to me that Parmelee and Colabello need a full tryout, and it might eventually be a good idea for Plouffe and Parmelee to form a platoon (look at those L/R splits) together at first or in right. I would think that Escobar is going to simply replace Carroll for awhile in 2014.

 

The pitching situation cannot be remedied by bringing in another Correia or Pelfrey type. Spending on Johnson, E. Santana or someone like that and then figuring something out around that FA signing is what I would do. Meyer and May need to arrive sometime next year. Hendriks needs to be pitching for the Twins the remainder of the year.

 

Actually I think the Twins figured out exactly who will help going forward. This season was very instructional.

[DJL44]

2014 Starting Staff:

Correira

Deduno

Gibson

Worley

Diamond

 

Meyer and May in AAA

 

If they don't sign at least one decent pitcher this offseason they're fooling themselves. That starting rotation screams 100 losses.

 

How about this?

 

Josh Johnson

Dan Haren

Kevin Correia

Scott Diamond

Kyle Gibson

 

Deduno, Meyer, Worley and May in AAA.

[Shane Wahl]

Actually I think the Twins figured out exactly who will help going forward. This season was very instructional.

 

How did they do that, I ask? The verdict is in on Parmelee and Colabello, then?

[Mr. Ed]

How did they do that, I ask? The verdict is in on Parmelee and Colabello, then?

 

The verdict is getting closer on both. Bench guys, occasional starters, to me.

[ThePuck]

How did they do that, I ask?

 

Yeah, I have absolutely no idea how that conclusion could be reached either.

[Shane Wahl]

Would people give up Rosario for Gallardo? If not, how do you propose the Twins acquire him?

 

Keep in mind that there is value in taking the salary from Milwaukee. I would start with Travis Harrison, DJ Baxendale, and Luke Bard.

[Shane Wahl]

The verdict is getting closer on both. Bench guys, occasional starters, to me.

 

Well someone has to play RF on a regular basis, or LF post Buxton-Hicks being together (unless Arcia improves significantly). I do think that Parmelee and Colabello are going to be bench guys, but I would still like to see them playing for the Twins on a regular basis. Somehow the Twins weren't willing to just pay Morneau's damn contract and trade him (no excuse for this).

[Shane Wahl]

Would people give up Rosario for Gallardo? If not, how do you propose the Twins acquire him?

 

Haha, maybe the Twins can ship them Correia and offer to pay the rest of his contract! Milwaukee gets a 5th starter for free!

[whosafraidofluigirussolo]

(unless Arcia improves significantly).

 

Is there some hope for him to improve on defense, though? I don't get to watch many games living where I live, so I'm not sure how his arm is, but I'd think his speed and mobility in the field would be an OK base to build from, considering his age and that he was playing CF a few years ago.