Who I'd Take North

[twinscowboysbulls]

LOCKS in BOLD

 

Starting 9:

CF Hicks - Provides spark, interest and most potential of available choices.

2B Dozier

1B Mauer

LF Willingham

RF Arcia

3B Plouffe

DH Parmelee- one last stand.

SS Florimon

Bench 4:

IF Escobar

OF/DH Kubel - I think Gardy will want him and still believes in stick.

1B/OF/C Herrmann - Need a back-up Catcher, looks like Pinto will be in AAA.

UTL Bartlett - Backup CF, Gardy wants veterans. Allows another IF on bench.

 

Rotation:

Ricky Nolasco

Phil Hughes

Mike Pelfrey

Kevin Correia

Sam Deduno- I think he has EARNED it. Also was probably favorite coming into it.

 

Bullpen: (7)

Perkins

Fien

Burton

Duensing

Swarzak

Thielbar - I know he has options, but he needs to be up.

Worley- I don't think you can give up on him.

[minnymadness]

Worley is terrible give me either Guarra or Tomkin in the bullpen. No way they go north without Alex Presley. Even though he has had a terrible spring you need a guy who can play all 3 outfield positions and give you speed off the bench. The only way Bartlett goes north is if Florimon cant go to open the season.

If it was me Id say sorry Kubel but Colabello out played you all spring and offers as much or more then you at this point. You can go play at Rochester and well give you a call later if we need you.

[Shane Wahl]

Sub out Kubel for Colabello

Sub out Bartlett for Presley

Sub out Worley for Tonkin

 

Those three are gone. Diamond needs to "get an injury" for the time being.

[pierre75275]

I think Diamomd instead of Worely

I think Colobello instead of Kubal

I think Pressly instead of Bartlet

I think Pinto instead of Hermann

I could also see Diamond instead of thiebar with worley in the pen but I agree,

Thiebar deserves it and has earned it

[TKGuy]

Presley has to go north since we need a backup CF. I agree, it looks like Hermann's versatility will get him the backup C. Colabello has to be on the roster as he has certainly earned it, and Kubel is batting .080 (although so has Hammer) and Escobar on the bench.

 

Deduno is the #5 and he certainly has earned it. I'd think to think Tonkin has earned the last spot along with Thielbar. You are right, Diamond needs to come up with a case of "dead arm" although I'm not opposed to seeing him go either with Gibson and possibly Meyer waiting in the wings. This could change if we make a trade in the pen, like Duensing or Burton, in which case Tonkin and Hoffman would certainly make it

[D. Hocking]

I agree, it looks like Hermann's versatility will get him the backup

 

Plus, I think they want Pinto to get more playing time to work on his defense and game calling than he would be as back-up.

[Richie the Rally Goat]

Bartlett won't be the backup cf, the throwing mechanics are different and Bartlett doesn't have the arm or the wheels for it.

[oldguy10]

Many posters are saying the Twins outfield alignment should be Willingham, Hicks and Arcia to start the season - that is fine hitting-wise but it would be a disaster defensively to have both Willingham and Arcia in the outfield together. If they are to be in the lineup at the same time one of them absolutely has to be the designated hitter.

[JB_Iowa]

Well, first of all, before you can have a back-up catcher, you need to have a catcher so I'd put Suzuki's name on there somewhere.

 

Second, I'm thinking that it will be Pinto as the back-up. He may not get as many AB's as we'd like but he really needs to be learning major league hitters.

 

And while I suspect Kubel will come north, I'm not in favor of it. I don't see them bringing Bartlett.

 

Have to think about how my entire list would shake out.

[twinscowboysbulls]

Well, first of all, before you can have a back-up catcher, you need to have a catcher so I'd put Suzuki's name on there somewhere.

 

Second, I'm thinking that it will be Pinto as the back-up. He may not get as many AB's as we'd like but he really needs to be learning major league hitters.

 

And while I suspect Kubel will come north, I'm not in favor of it. I don't see them bringing Bartlett.

 

Have to think about how my entire list would shake out.

 

LOL, my keyboard was being a bit wacky last night. I had Suzuki entered and things kept getting deleted, with the bold and what-not.

 

I would take Pinto in a heartbeat, IF he was assured 3 starts behind plate each week and at least 2 at DH. Problem is Gardy will not start him at DH unless he has a 3rd catcher. Not sure I want to lose Parmelee/Kubel/Collabello to carry a 3rd catcher.

[Rick Blaine]

1500ESPN reporting Worley let go.

[JB_Iowa]

 

I would take Pinto in a heartbeat, IF he was assured 3 starts behind plate each week and at least 2 at DH. Problem is Gardy will not start him at DH unless he has a 3rd catcher.

 

I'm slightly encouraged by this quote from a LEN3 article: "If Pinto makes the team, as seems likely, the club understands that he will need to play more than twice a week."

But it is a bit of a dilemma.

 

I don't know why Gardenhire can't stand the idea of pitchers getting a few AB's. Some of them could probably end up with a BA higher than some of the other starters.

[Brandon]

Pinto should make the team but with 5 off days in april he should probably go down the first month of the season. but I'm ok with him over Hermann. I have Hicks and Pressly in the OF with Arcia and Willingham. IF is Mauer, Florimon, Dozier, and Plouffe, with Escobar as the back up and Suzuki and either Hermann or Pinto as the back up my vote is Herman to start the season. DH is Colabello and that leaves one more bench player which is likely Bernier or Parmelee depending on what the Twins feel they need. Kubel still has a chance to beat out Parmelee for the last spot should the Twins go with that type of player over the extra middle IF.

 

Pitching the 5 starters are pretty much named with Gibson being the 6th starter. the bullpen is Perkins, Deunsing, Burton, Fien, Swarzak, then you have 2 spots left. Thielbar, Pressley, Diamond, Tonkin, and several others. there are too many good options here to call. Though I wonder if Swarzak is guaranteed a spot with his spring? I would think so but I haven't heard anything about him and his numbers are terrible. I bet Guerrier start the season on the 15 day DL so he gets more time and the Twins can keep evaluating. aand my last question is could Gibson be the starter who gets stashed in the bullpen to start the season?

[stringer bell]

Many posters are saying the Twins outfield alignment should be Willingham, Hicks and Arcia to start the season - that is fine hitting-wise but it would be a disaster defensively to have both Willingham and Arcia in the outfield together. If they are to be in the lineup at the same time one of them absolutely has to be the designated hitter.

Presley might get some starts at a corner with Arcia/Hamer then DHing. If Parmelee makes the club, he could be starting at a corner sometimes, relegating Osvaldo or Hammer to DH.

[Craig Arko]

1500ESPN reporting Worley let go.

 

Haven't seen confirmation of this, but it wouldn't come as a huge shock.

[Rick Blaine]

Haven't seen confirmation of this, but it wouldn't come as a huge shock.

 

I haven't seen anything anywhere else either. It may have been Mackey and Souhan wishful thinking. Mackey was telling the story how Gardy had to put the Vanimal down---but he kept going with it. Maybe I didn't catch the satire.

[nicksaviking]

1500ESPN reporting Worley let go.

 

Was he released? Or was he DFA'd? The ESPN 1500 facebook page says he was optioned to Rochester which I think is impossible as he's out of options. Or did he already clear waivers when we weren't looking?

 

Edit: The report I saw on ESPN 1500 was from his demotion last May. I'd still like to hear if more comes from this. Letting him go would imply a release. If that's the case, you have to like Meyer and May's chances of starting in Rochester, otherwise why wouldn't the Twins try to sneak Worley through waivers unless they didn't want him taking up a Rochester rotation spot either.

[strumdatjag]

Take Colabello instead of Kubel or Parmalee. Diamond has probably done enough to be the proverbial "lefty with a pulse" although it may be a pretty weak pulse. Deduno is 5th starter and put Scott in the pen

[ashbury]

Given the blurb on MLBTR http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2014/03/quick-hits-sabr-sandoval-bedard-twins-owings.html that the phones are heating up for trades, I'm not sure we can forecast the 24th and 25th man very well at all. An out-of-options decision or two may become moot. (Oddly, the MLBTR blurb indicates taking on someone's o-o-o headache isn't out of the realm of possibility either.)

[Shane Wahl]

Hopefully there aren't o-o-o swaps!

[Shane Wahl]

In Shane's fantasy land, the Twins trade Correia and Pelfrey for mid-tier prospects and roll out with a rotation of Nolasco-Hughes-Deduno-Diamond-Gibson.

[Riverbrian]

I'm usually pretty optimistic but the offense is starting to freak me out in a half empty kind a way.

 

I never really considered Colabello as a serious option to start with the big club.

 

I'm considering it strongly now.

 

If Hammer and Plouffe don't provide big power we are in trouble. Colabello would be some insurance. Right now Colabello is replacing Kubel on my dance card.

[zchrz]

If it were up to me,

 

Hicks

Dozier

Mauer

Hammer

Arcia

Plouffe

DH

Suzuki

P-Flo

 

Bench

Escobar

Pressley

Colabello

Pinto

Kubel

 

Rotation

Nolasco

Hughes

Correia

Pelfry

Gibson

 

Pen

Deduno

Swarzak

Duensing

Tonkin

Fien

Burton

Perkins

 

(And I would be activley shopping Corriea, Duensing, and maybe Burton to open up spots)

[Richie the Rally Goat]

In my world

 

Starting 9:

CF Hicks

C Pinto 50%

2B Dozier

1B Mauer

LF Arcia

RF Parmelee

3B Plouffe

DH Willingham

SS Florimon

 

Bench 4:

IF Escobar

OF/DH Colabello

C Suzuki 50%

OF Pressley

 

Rotation:

Ricky Nolasco

Phil Hughes

Mike Pelfrey

Kevin Correia

Sam Deduno

 

Bullpen: (7)

Perkins

Fien

Burton

Duensing

Swarzak

Thielbar

Tonkin

 

Trade Worley and Diamond for whatever you can get.

Trade Correia for prospects during the season and bring up Gibson.

Trade Duensing during the season for prospects and bring up Meyer for the bull pen.

[SydneyTwinsFan]

I like Sconnie's roster. I'd personally be inclined to start Gibson at #5, put Deduno in the pen and option Thielbar, but the 13 position players are the ones I would take North. At the start of ST I had Kubel in for Colabello, but I don't see how you can hand Kubel a job right now.

[Richie the Rally Goat]

I'd personally be inclined to start Gibson at #5, put Deduno in the pen.

Deduno might be better suited for the pen than a starter, but with the options issues, I don't see the a Twins breaking camp with Gibson on the big league roster.

[SydneyTwinsFan]

Thielbar has an option remaining I think. It comes down to whether you think a roster with Gibson/Deduno gives you a better chance to win games than Deduno/Thielbar. I think it's the former, but there may not be much in it.

 

Worley is gone or DL'd I think. I would try to trade Diamond for whatever can be got, even if it's not much.

[stringer bell]

It is a small point, but isn't Colabello only an emergency OF? I'd rather see Escobar or Bartlett out there than see Colabello try to play RF. CC has played a lot of 1B this spring and has made quite a few nice plays, but my memories of his "D" in RF from last year would be categorized as "Doumitlike".

[Jdosen]

I don't understand why the Twins seem to want to pencil Florimon into the starting SS job automatically. I really want to see Escobar given a chance to play everyday. I don't think he will ever be a league-average hitter, but if he can put up an 85-90 wRC+ while providing 96% of the defense Florimon does, it would be an upgrade. #Eddie400

 

Also, I don't see any scenario in which Kubel or Bartlett are kept.

 

My 25 if I ran the team--

2B Dozier

1B Mauer

LF Willingham

RF Arcia

3B Plouffe

DH Pinto

CF Hicks

C Suzuki

SS Escobar

 

OF Presley

1B Colabello

SS Florimon

1B/OF Parmelee

 

Nolasco

Hughes

Pelfrey

Correia

Gibson

 

Perkins

Burton

Fein

Swarzak

Thielbar

Diamond

Duensing

[howeda7]

Lineup:

2B: Dozier

SS: Escobar

1B: Mauer

LF: Willingham

RF: Arcia

3B: Plouffe

DH: Parmalee/Collabello

CF: Hicks

C: Sazuki/Pinto

 

Bench:

Pinto/Sazuki

Colabello/Parmalee

Pressley

Bernier or Barlett

 

Put Florimon on the DL for a bit, let's see what Escobar can do. If he hits at all, Florimon comes up and is the utility guy.

 

Pitchers:

Nolasco

Hughes

Corriea

Pelfrey

Gibson

 

Bullpen:

Perkins

Burton

Fien

Duensing

Thielbar

Swarzak

Deduno

 

Wouldn't mind if they trade Corriea and put Deduno in the rotation, but seems unlikely