ScottyB

If we can get Sulbaran for Butera, there must be other decent prospects we can get who don't need to be on the 40-man roster. We need to clear space and remove guys without options. What TR needs to do in the next 2 weeks - Trade Worley to the NL for a prospect or two, he's more well suited to that league. Trade Duensing and put Diamond in his place in the bullpen. Trade Swarzak and put Hendricks in his spot in the bullpen. Trade Burton or Fien with the remaining guy taking over as setup guy. Leaving the bullpen looking like this: Perkins; Burton/Fien; Diamond; Hendricks; Theilbar; Tonkin; and one other. (Pick from Pressly/Oliveros/Ibarra or if we pick up another starter maybe Deduno). Rotation should be Nolasco; Hughes; Correia (untill he's traded at the deadline with Meyer taking his place); Deduno and Gibson. As I said slip Deduno into the pen if we sign another starter (unless the starter is Pelfrey, then let Pelfrey and Deduno fight it out). If we do pick up AJ in the next 2 weeks, immediately trade Doumit, he becomes superfluous. AJ and Pinto would platoon with Herrmann as additional backup.

Thank you

Okay, I'm an old fart - almost 60. What the hell is SSS. Every time someone uses it, I'm confused. I always knew it as Shave, Sh-t and Shower, but that makes no sense. Thanks from the older generation.

If we sign Cano, at $25-$30MM a year for 10 years and keep Mauer at $23MM/yr and Nolasco at $12MM/yr we'd have to trade Willingham, Doumit, Correia and Perkins. We wouldn't be able to sign anyone else, be hamstrung for a decade (as our youngsters come of age and the rest of the payroll increases) and our starting rotation would be something like Nolasco, Deduno, Gibson, Worley and Diamond. I'll pass, thanks.

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2013/11/twins-agree-to-terms-with-ricky-nolasco.html

My God guys, are we really panicking on Arcia already? At age 22, Killebrew had 11 HR's and 30 RBI's over 113 games in 5 seasons. Arcia, at age 22, had 14 HR's and 43 RBI's over 97 games in 1 season. In Harmon's career, he had more strikeouts (1699) than walks (1559). And lest we forget, Harmon was at best average as a defender, and more often a lousy one. Despite all his flaws, Harmon was loved (and is in the Hall of Fame). Give Arcia a chance, it's way too early in his career to give up. His minor league stats over 6 seasons, showed him as a .376 OBP and .540 Slugging for an OPS of .915 - let him acclimate to the majors and let's see what he does hitting in front of or behind Sano. Don't even think of trading this guy.

RB - All projections I've seen on Tanaka are that he isn't as strong as Darvish, and will end up costing more with the posting fee. I just don't see him as realistic. My top choices for starters (in order) are 1) Garza - 4 years, $62MM with an option year based on reaching some goals would be fine with me. I'd love to see his personality back lighting fires in the clubhouse. 2) Kazmir - 2 years, $21MM with an option based on games started. Signing these two and I'd be all smiles. 3) Hughes - same contract as Kazmir would be fine. I think he'd be a much better pitcher at Target Field as opposed to Yankee Stadium. 4) Scott Feldman. His name hasn't been mentioned much. He had a pretty good year for the Cubs and Orioles and could possibly be flipped at the deadline, like the Cubs did. I think we could get him for under $8MM a year. Maybe one year and an option. 5) Nolasco. He's never pitched in the AL and I'm just very nervous about him. He's gonna want at least four years, and I'm hesitant to go that long. He's clearly going to get Vargas years at twice the price and I think that's too much. I'd much prefer Garza. And lastly 6) Arroyo. He's the oldest on this list and made over $16MM in 2013. He's not going to want to take a pay cut. That much money for a 38 year-old innings eater who doesn't strike out guys scares me. He's not all that much better than Correia was last year. I'd take him as a second signing, but I wouldn't be terribly excited. I'd take Pelfrey as a 3rd free agent signing for no more than we paid him this year. I haven't yet thought about the rest of the team. Starters are my priority.

Wouldn't suprise me if Detroit brought back Peralta to play 3rd as a steadying force for Castellanos and extended Cabrerra beyond 2015 - not to mention extending their starting pitchers as needed. It is definately a good move for both teams.

Ah! But the best kind of Rule 5 pick - we don't have to waste a space on the 25-man roster all season!

It seems to me that Kris Johnson is just a replacement for Pedro Hernandez. Ryan came out and said that the Twins have more of a need for starters than relievers, that's why he swapped Welker. Johnson is clearly just filler. A body we can throw out there if we have a double-header and can add a 26th body at this point. He's certainly not an upgrade to the rotation.

Shane, in your first scenario I don't see Deduno anywhere (either on the staff or as trade bait). I think Ryan is on record as saying that he feels Deduno has earned a chance to be back in the rotation, soI think Deduno is likely to be in the rotation, assuming a clean bill of health.

Okay, there's something I don't quite understand. Last year about this time, the Twins made their coach shuffle. At that time Terry Ryan said that Paul Molitor was "not a good fit" to be added as a coach. What has changed since that statement? I'd like someone to pursue that questioning of Ryan. I like the move, but I also agree with the many voices that say get rid of Ullger (he adds nothing at this point) and bring in an Hispanic coach.

Interesting - a 14 man bullpen and a 5 man rotation. My Minnesota math tells me that leaves 6 position players for the team. What positions aren't we going to fill with a player? We have to have a catcher, someone at 1B would be nice, I guess a middle infielder, a 3B and 2 OF. I guess it's doable, but our pitchers are gonna have to hit - no DH. Pretty thin bench as well. I hope no one gets injured during a game.

My $150 - $200 was meant to be an exageration. However posting fees are not counted toward luxury tax, and whatever the final posting fee is it will be more than Ryan will spend. With the Yankees, Bosox, Dodgers and Rangers in the mix, it will be well north of Darvish's $51 million +. The most we've spent for a posting fee is the $5 million we paid for Nishi. We came in second for Iwakuma to the A's who paid $19 million to negotiate.

Not only is it unlikely that we get Tanaka, but I would go a step further - it's impossible. The Yankees have decided to go after him strong and the other teams in the mix are the Red Sox, Dodgers and Rangers. We would need to bid between $150 and $200 million just for the rights to make an offer. We just don't have pockets that deep.

Why do I get a bad feeling that Stewart's going to be traded to the Rays for Delmon Young.

I think I'd wait as long as possible to add his name to the 40-man. He'd be my last option. I'd be more inclined to add him to the AAA protected to not lose him in the minor league phase and not have to lose an option. I'm trying to remember about Romero. Once he was taken off the 40-man, did the option clock re-set? In other words, if he is added once again to the 40-man, will he have less than 3 options?

Roenicke could still stay - it's his option. I'm sure the Twins could find room for him at Rochester next season and then it's possible he could be given a ST non-roster invite.

So outrighted means these guys passed through waivers and have been assigned to Rochester. We haven't lost any of them, but Roenicke is arbitration eligible, so he has the option to file for free agency. I'm assuming that if nobody wanted him on waivers, there won't be much interest in signing him to anything but a minor league deal anyway. Relief pitchers like him can easily be found. If nothing else, it opens a spot for Tonkin for next year.

I think Bobby Cuellar is above A level. And when we say above A level, there are only six coaching positions between AA and AAA. At the two A level clubs, their six coaches include Tommy Watkins and Ivan Arteaga, an African American and a Venezuelan. Admittedly, there could be more, but it's not totally empty.

Bernadino tweets all coaches retained.

I would guess that there will be another shake-up in the coaching staff. I could see Anderson out, Cuellar in as new pitching coach. I can also see Ulger and possibly Vavra out. Who would replace those three is the question.

There are quite a few easy choices as in who's not part of the future: De Vries, Hermson, Martis, Bernier, Fryer, Ramirez (this doesn't open a spot since as he's on the 60-day), Thomas, Pelfrey (off as a free agent). That opens 7 spots. Then it's decision time - Roenicke (he should be fairly easy to replace), Hendricks (he could be a Roenicke replacement in the pen), Duensing (could be a non-tender because he'll be more expensive), Colabello (probable AAAA guy, but has pop), Parmellee (see Colabello), Mastoianni (maybe it was injuries, maybe age, but he wasn't the terror we saw in 2012 running the bases and stealing runs). That could open another six if there are 13 better options to add from the minors. I don't believe that Willingham or Doumit will be traded before the November 20 deadline for changes to the roster. I do expect them to be traded to make room for Sano, Rosario, etc. The question is who don't we want to lose in the Rule V draft. I'd add Wimmers, if only because we could put him on the 60-day when a free-agent is signed. I'd probably add Vargas to replace Colabello or Parmellee. Two additional possibles are Kepler and Polanco. What is the likelyhood of a Low A level player being drafted and kept on a major league roster? I can see a pitcher being hidden in a bullpen, but it's harder to see a position player making the jump from Low A ball to the majors. Who else should be added?

Sorry to picks nits, but Florimon is just not suited to be a backup. Gardy tried him at second and third in ST, and he was very uncomfortable. He has 2 games away from SS in over 800 minor and major league league games. Escobar is comfortable and capable all over the infield and has some time in the OF. He was also our emergency catcher early in the season, when we had only Mauer and Doumit. Escobar's a Punto type - a decent utility guy, not a starter.

Nick - one of your options on edit is delete. You can delete your second entry.