According To Plan

Swap out Vargas and Pinto. 

Bring up that Lester dude to pitch in the pen. 

Do it now....

I disagree with the premise of the opening post. The blueprint this year is to continue rebuilding this team for 2016 and beyond. What would make things interesting in the final months of this season has nothing to do with the team's win-loss record. It would be seeing continuing improvement by our best young prospects.

While I think part of the plan is to continue rebuilding, I think the other part is to put butts in the seats for most of the summer. It's a balancing act and the last week or so must be a great relief.

Buxton has looked a lot better lately.  I'd like to see the Twins send Berrios and Buxton to Rochester in a couple of weeks.  Not to change the subject but has anyone been paying attention to Taylor Rodgers?  Guy is off to a good start in AAA.

The interesting thing about the endless Sano+Plouffe conversation is that Sano will be up sooner rather than later and neither guy is getting taught a different position.

I agree that this will be an issue in the long term, but if they wanted to get Sano's feet wet in the majors later in the summer (and I don't think they should be in a hurry to do that yet), it can work for a partial season. If they think he's ready for a trial, Sano can be a part-time starter for a few months without it hurting his development. Rotate him in at DH and let him start a few games at 3B while Plouffe rests or takes a spot start at 1B or LF. Sano could take Nunez' spot and you wouldn't miss much besides a third-string shortstop. 

I'm not sure we should be suggesting they call up Sano. 

I think a lot of people are still Ooo-ing an Ahhh-ing about Sano's Spring Training BP HR's.  I'm concerned he's still swinging for those in the games.  Reality is Sano's .162 BA is very concerning. 

I'm thinking [ doing a lot of that this morning   ] that Plouffe is performing better because he's feeling challenged more by being the regular cleanup hitter.  Sometimes, it's a pride thing....

After looking as awful as they have, looking like an average MLB team is a nice change.  The SP has been as advertised despite the injuries.  I still believe it is a bit silly to expect Buxton to come up, and set the world on fire.  That being said, if he brings defense, that is a great place to start.  It will be an awesome problem to have if Sano is pushing his way up, and Plouffe is still raking (hopefully end of this year or next year).    Arcia seems destined to the DH spot, especially if Vargas keeps playing like this, but that is ok.

Hopefully the bullpen can get worked out by the end of the season as well.

I don't think Sano is ready or will be for most of the year - but the good news is that Plouffe is playing All-Star and Gold Glove level third base.   

Buxton may appear sooner, but I am not sure it will be a mid-season playoff push promotion. I still think he is a late season call up.  He has had a good week, but let's not get ahead of ourselves.

Think it is more likely that Hicks makes it up before both of them.  His numbers are solid, if unremarkable.  If they hold up for another month, I think we will see him up with the club.

I believe the Twins were 12 and 12 at this time the last two years (according to Ruesse), so my guess is in late June, we will not have to be worrying about wild card vs. rebuilding.

I don't see what evidence there is that the Twins really have a plan or that, to the extent they did have one, the current season is conforming to it. 

It's a long season. You don't get a prize for being .500 in May. Of course it beats getting off to a bad start, but we've been down this road before.

I don't see what evidence there is that the Twins really have a plan or that, to the extent they did have one, the current season is conforming to it. 

 

It's a long season. You don't get a prize for being .500 in May. Of course it beats getting off to a bad start, but we've been down this road before.

I don't know. It seems to me the plan is pretty self-evident.

1. Pick up some guys to keep the beer and hot dogs selling (you can agree or disagree if these were the guys you wanted, but they were purchased).

2. Watch the development of the minors for some mid to late-season calls ups.

3. Tread water near .500.

4. Likely be out of the playoff hunt, and if all goes okay, trade Milone, Hunter, Stauffer, Boyer, and any other marginal player, if possible.

5. September: Call up youth (keep the hot dogs and beer selling even though the season is over).

6. 2016: Sell hope for the future. 

Seems like the plan.

If you aren't calling up an Elite prospect by July.....I can't see burning a year of control to get him a sniff. IMO, he's either up before August, or it's another year.

If they call him up after rosters expand on Sept. 1, it would not burn an option.

That said, I don't think the Twins should be all that concerned about Buxton's option since he'll very likely get an MLB contract before all his options are used up.