ScottyB

Okay PJ, 3 strikes and you're out. Send him through waivers since he has no options. If someone takes him, fine. Add Albers to the 40-man and let him audition. When Pelfrey is ready, send Diamond out to find himself. Trade Pelfrey at the deadline and bring back Worley.

I hear there's a kid in Japan having a pretty decent year - I think his name is Nishikoa or something like that.

Thank you all - this has been helpful!

Polanco and Sano were definately added at the same time.

Can any of our experts please answer - who are some players who will need to be added to the 40-man roster this off-season? Also, as far as some of our prizes - when will they need to be added? Thanks!!

And you can add Jorge Polonco to that list. On most lists he is also in top 20.

If you're going to trade Morneau to the Yankees, wait until the after the all-star game. I don't want him to face the Twins.

I think they should trade Doumit ASAP. That way we could get Butera up here pronto!

If both Willingham and Morneau are traded, Arcia goes to LF, Parmelee goes to 1B, but what happens to RF? Doumit? Ramirez when he comes back? Herrmann? Bring up Romero to play 3B and move Plouffe to RF? I also assume Hicks comes back to play CF after a rehab stint. These options aren't the most palatable. I think it would be hard to trade both.

Is Nelson related to Bengie, Yadi and Jose?

Plouffe has two assets - power and versatility. Gardy always praised Cuddy when he would move around playing various positions and said he was a team MVP. When the kiddie corps is all up (Buxton, Hicks & Arcia in OF, Sano 3B, Rosario 2B, Pinto C, Someone SS), Ploufffe can be available for DH, PH, and backup at all IF and corner OF and still be playing almost every day at a different position. I realize he's not Jamie Carol as a fielder, but he's an adequate backup who has some pop. Add in Mauer as 1B, C and DH and someone like Vargas or Harrison and maybe Escobar and you've got a great everyday lineup plus a very good bench. Do not trade Plouffe, but maybe he should learn some card tricks, just in case, to earn Gardy's praise.

According to LEN III Siegers has also signed.

Here, here!

Let me explain my logic. First of all, I agree that 3 catchers aren't needed. Gardy is afraid that he might have to go a game with no DH because his 2 catchers DH quite a bit, and he might lose his catcher due to injury. Gardy is a product of the 60's when 3 catchers were routinely on a roster. Let's look at history a little bit. In the 65 WS Twins' 3rd string catcher John Sevcik, he was the only player not used in that World Series. Rosters in the 60's routinely had only 10 pitchers because you had a 4-man starting rotation. You therefore had 15 players, with no DH, so a bench of 7. Having 3 catchers wasn't a handicap. Pitchers went deeper into games and you didn't have LOOGY's who came into games to face 1 batter. I remember one year when Tony Larusso was managing the Chisox, he almost went with an 8-man staff. He went with 9. Obviously, the game has completely changed. When your bench is eaten away by the DH and 13-man pitching staffs, you need as much flexibility as possible. Doumit is a liability everywhere in the field, Hermann is not. Gardy prefers to work with a net. Would you prefer to have a bench which includes Drew Butera who we know is a sub .200 hitter and ONLY plays catcher or Chris Hermann available at mutiple positions and in his most recent stint of 7 games batted .462 with a double and an HR plus 4 RBI's and an OPS of 1.302. In the day of a 3 man bench, that kind of player would be valuable. I realize that Hermann's track record does not show he is that type of player. But if he can bat .260 with some pop, play decent defense, and be able to come off the bench to pinch hit, I'd say he is more valuable than even Jamie Carol, who is only on the team for his defense.

In a era of smaller and smaller benches, Hermann's value, to me would come if he could actually play 3B to supplement other positions. Gardy is most at ease when he has 3 catchers. A third string backup who just catches is worthless. Even a catcher who can play OF and/or 1B, isn't that unusual. But to me, if a third string catcher can play a good OF and a competent emergency 3B would make a versatile bench component. I'm thinking a Brandon Inge type. Hermann isn't going to be a regular starter, but as stated above he'd be a much better option than Butera.

Eventually Pinto will be our starting catcher. Mauer will play mostly 1B, but will also catch at least as much as Doumit does now. If Hermann can in fact play 3B as well as catch and play OF, he will be around as a valuable member of the bench, and be a major leaguer for a long time.

Let's face facts, both Thomas and Ramierez will be gone when Mastoianni comes off the DL and at least one of them will be off the 40-man.

I'd keep Parmelee around as PH, 1B, RF, DH - as I've said before he's Randy Bush (10-14 HR's, 50 RBI's off the bench), and by then a veteran presence. The list of pitchers shows how weak we are from the left side (the reason I'd keep Diamond on Thry), I'd also add Albers and Melotakis, just for balance.

Matt Capps

Dave, the guys I mentioned Rodriguez and Cora both (plus Guillen) have extensive coaching resumes as well as managerial experience. Rodriguez managed the Puerto Rican team in the WBC as well as being interim manager for the Marlins. Cora has been a major league coach on and off since at least 2000 (mostly for Guillen) and has managed in the minors for several clubs. These would not be interpreter coaches, they have legitimate experience and both (all 3 with Guillen) were infielders.

Should the Twins add an hispanic infield coach to prepare for the next wave of talent? Many of the guys coming up speak very little English - Sano, Arcia, Rosario, Vargas, Pinto, Berrios, Polanco, Santana, even Florimon and Escobar need interprepters. Wouldn't it make sense to hire an experienced multi-lingual coach. I realize Boby Cuellar was partially brought on for this, but having someone who was an infielder just makes so much sense. Someone like Ozzie Guillen would be nice, but I think he's too high profile - especially with Gardy in a contract year. In place of Scott Ullger I wouldn't mind seeing either Edwin Rodriguez or Joey Cora come on board to work with our infield of the future. I have to admit that coming into the season I wasn't a big fan of Florimon, but he has won me over. With the recent promotions, as early as next June I could see an infield that includes Sano, Florimon and Rosario and I think they'd be more comfortable with another hispanic coach on staff.

I should have said my favorites were Ray Scott and Halsey Hall - but since they're both gone I'd still take Robinson and Kaat.

What time does today start?

Best team ever was Ted Robinson and Jim Kaat. Doubt they'd come back, short of that Jack Morris always did a great job.

Could any Twins or former Twins be on the list? Any speculation?