Riverbrian

The Royals played .500 ball in August and September of last year. This was done with no pitching at all. They are starting to hit... The acquisition of pitching by the Royals should not be discounted. I think they gave up too much... Most everyone does but the upgrade on the pitching staff will be huge if they work out. The Rays easily won the trade in my mind but the Royals improved for 2013 at the same time... The Twins won't like playing them next year.

I'm not sure how the players involved would be valued. Perkins is about the only thing we can offer that the Dodgers would really want. And I think they would really want him. As it stands today the Dodgers have 2 to 3 starters too many. I'm curious to see what Tiwns Daily thinks... What is reasonable in return for Perkins. Myself.. if Capuano and Harang are possible for Perkins... I'm listening. Capuano alone... I'm not so sure. But I sure would like him on the roster.

Montgomery is no longer a top prospect. Orodozzi is no bigger a prospect than what Wade Davis was when he debuted. That's the problem with dealing or recieving prospects....dont know how players will turn out. Look at the Johan trade.....Each of the 4 players recieved coulda been percieved as a top prospect. Sometimes its better to take the 'sure' thing Don't know if I agree with you about the Johan Trade... but believe me... I agree about prospects not always panning out... But I also disagree about Shields and Davis being sure things as well. So in the end... A trade is a trade... The thing that leaps to mind is... the Rays have done it again... They pgrabbed a haul from the Cubs for Garza and now the Royals. I agree... Montgomery has fallen off... He would be our Benson... Still has value in my opinion. I can see this working out for the Royals... But I can see this really working out for the Rays. Maybe it's a deal that ends up being good for both clubs.

Wow... Thats quite the trade... The Royals just gave up 3 top 30 prospects. There used to be a time... When one top 30 prospect would fetch something Like Shields and Davis. Someone should pass a note to Terry Ryan... The note should say... "Don't trade with the Rays ever". Still the trade could do great things for KC... Their rotation is better... Those young hitters should keep getting better... The Tigers better not be too cocky.

Northerns go after shiny things... So the Twins should... Are we still talking about Pitching?

Capuano and Harang both have backloaded deals... 13 million in salary combined for 2013. Options for 2014. Both sported ERA's under 4 last year. Capuano 3.72 and Harang 3.61. Capuano WHIP respectable 1.22... Harang shaky WHIP 1.40 Capuano's ERA and WHIP match up with Diamond in 2012 but Capuano has nearly double his K's in about 20 more innings of work. When you consider the other options out there. I'm not sure why Capuano wouldn't interest a Twins team starved for pitching. He's left handed and doin alright... He had Tommy John and missed 2009 but has been a much better pitcher since. Age I guess... Would be a concern... He is 34... But he we are talking 1 year and an option for 2014... He did fade some last year but was also lights out the first 2 or 3 months in 2012. Harang doesn't excite me... Also 34... But he does eat innings. You could do worse at the back of the rotation. Zach Lee... I don't think the Dodgers would go that way... They are overloaded with starters and the farm is light. Maybe they would but should the Twins add another arm that won't help this year. Wouldn't 2 in the hand be better than 1 in the bush... We need some starters... Are these guys worse considerations than Myers, Pelfrey, Lannan. Are the salaries out of line? Blanton was considerably worse and got 15 over 2 years. Could Perkins bring them both to Minnesota. Perkins plus ? Or would the Dodgers have to add something? Would it be Perkins for Capuano straight up? I believe this could be a decent match. Losing Perkins would be problem but we could find a closer. Valverde? Wilson? K--Rod? Somethng homegrown... I gotta believe that Perkins would be near the top of their want lists. Diamond... Worley... Capuano... Gibson... Harang... You'd still have money left.

My guess is that besides Mauer... Perkins is about the only guy that would interest them... I also guess that they woud be very interested in Perkins. Within reason of course. I'd be surprised if Coletti and Ryan haven't spoken on the phone... It seems like a match to me. They got Pitching... We need Pitching... They need a left hander in the pen... They won't be interested in an average LOOGY so Perkins would be a great pick up for them. Am I crazy here?

Would you trade Perkins to the Dodgers? I think Perkins would get their attention.

With Greinke off the board... Sanchez... Jackson or Marcum... Does anyone really care if the Twins go off the deep end salary wise. I don't care what they pay right now... If Jackson wants 15 a year... I don't care... The Twins have the money and they got to land someone. Outbidding the other teams in free agency is how it works. Years... Sanchez wants 7... Dempster wants 3... I don't care... They got to land someone. I'm worried we have stopped fishing in the walleye lake and are going after panfish exclusively right now. Or more accurately... We never did go to the Walleye Lake... Just kinda drove by it and thought it look to crowded.

I'd like to see our big fish FA Pitching Signing to be at least 3 years. I'd prefer someone younger for the big fish (if we actaully get a big fish type guy)... I'd like to see someone good with at least a 3 year contract so he will be with the club in 2015. If Terry Ryan felt that Dempster's arm would still be operational in 2015 and if he felt he was the Big Fish Guy... OK with me... But I think Sanchez, Jackson, and Marcum would be better choices for at least 3 years.

I've certainly heard from quite a few that Hicks is a CF Monster. I haven't seen him play but I will trust those words. I've heard it often enough. He may start with the big club but I've seen too many prospects delayed until the Arb Clock and am guessing that it will be the same with Hicks. Just a guess. As for Mastro... He didn't do anything in the OF that concerns me... Haven't really seen him in CF much to judge him against Revere and Span. Revere is clearly better in my opinion but it would be tough to hold that standard against Mastro. No doubt about it... Our OF defense took a step back but it actually took the first step back when Parmelee replaced Span in the starting lineup. The D will be challenged regardless if it's Span, Revere or Mastro in CF.

[quote name=glunn;69270 I don't want to be contentious' date=' but to me the discussion is not completely pointless. It's sort of like can Superman beat up Thor -- never really going to happen but interesting to talk about while we wait for something more real to develop. And I agree that the name calling is not productive -- we are all Twins fanatics and therefore brothers who share a sacred bond,[/quote] Superman can't beat up Thor!!! Easy call... Thor would win... He's a God... Superman is an alien from another planet. How bout a Tiger vs Lion? Or better Yet... Justin Morneau vs. Joe Mauer?

Sometimes all a guy needs is a chance. Mastro could be getting that chance come April. His window will probably be short so he better be getting himself ready to make the most of it. The Twins could make a run at Nyjer Morgan or something... That wouldn't be out of the realm of possibility but I don't think the Twins fortunes will sink with Mastro in Center for awhile. Rosterman... As for Benson... I've read all the reports... I saw him in September 2011... I'm pulling for him. If he hit is potential... It would be huge for this organization. However... That .202 from last year... was a bummer. Not saying he can't bounce back... By no means am I saying that but since that .202 from last year is sitting there. Don't you think that Benson should be given some additional minor league time to build some confidence back before being thrown into the big time? Of course that leads to an interesting question that should probably be in the Farm Section. Where do you see Hicks, Arcia and Benson starting the year and at what position? Is that our Rochester OF?

Nothing wrong with Mastro to start the season. Matter of Fact... He may become sticky with an everyday job. He Could Steal 50 Plus bases with playing time. Ben is faster but I think Mastro might be a better SB guy in total.

Somebody should just give you a little smuck across the back of your head... lol... A Finger Flick across the nose or something. Jeez... The Guy was nice enough to give you two decent pitchers and you still compliment him with the back of your hand. lol...

lol... Kasper... You started this thread... You threw the doors open. If you want realism... Trading Mauer will be about the hardest thing you could do in my opinion. If the Red Sox would pick up the entire contract. I'm sure they would... But that contract would have to be figured into the return and the haul of players back would lessen considerably because of the money owed. Therefore it makes little sense for the Twins to do it... Because without a significant return fr Joe... You would be just dumping him for the money. The Twins don't really need the money right now unless you are talking about a total transformation and moving away for Mauer and taking a run at Hamilton and Greinke or trading for someone else's high contract player. I suppose you could eat some of the contract to get better players but that gets complicated. Johan Santana on talent alone should have brought a huge haul of players in trade value. The fact that the trading team would have also had to pony up 20 plus million a year for Multiple years lessened the return. Maybe if you clarified the direction you are heading... I could play along better.

Of course a Scenerio exists. The scenerio that you list would easily do it for me. I assume this exercise would have to be a bare minimum what would it take. Because if its not a bare minimum question you might as well shoot for the moon and say Harper, Gonzalez, Zimmerman, Zimmerman, Morse, Ramos and Strausburg. First of all... Trading Mauer would have nothing to do with the 23 Million on his contract. We have plenty of money to spend right now and very little to spend it on. We will have more money to spend in the future. It would have everything to do with improving our team. 2nd... I could probably find a scenerio to trade Joe with almost every club. So picking a single squad is hard. Since all of MLB is at my disposal. I'd want Pitching. Kershaw would be at the top of my list. Would he be enough by himself??? He'd be close... Throw in Zach Lee and I'd do it. Or maybe a scenerio where you take a little less than Kershaw at the top so you can get better throw ins... To Arizona for Kennedy, Skaggs and Bauer. Seriously... Tons of scenarios to sort thru. Hard question with a bunch of easy answers.

Jeez Glunn... You crush me... I have always counted on you to be Pro... even on the rainy days... You ain't the con type. It's why everyone likes you. Actually... For complete truth with my above scenario... Winning one more game out of ten is certainly do-able. But... Losing one more game out of ten is just as do-able. I just don't like bringing up that part.

If that was the case... There wouldn't be a mystery team anymore. Dickey... That guy was a human knuckleball for us. All those years... Gardy wanting a knuckleballer for the dome. They finally get one in Dickey. He gets a couple of innings here and there and is so so. They let him go... And one year later he goes nuts for the Mets. The knuckleball can screw up your timing at the plate... And Dickey the human knuckleball sure was mis-timed in Minnesota... That guy could be our contract problem right now. One year away from the breakout,

Oh God Glunn... ABBA? Lol... I'm not hitting that big red button in the middle... I won't do it.

I watched him pitch a couple of games... His fastball isn't hard but it sinks. If he keeps it down he can be effective and its one of the best pitches for getting out of jams. But guys that rely on the sinker get lit up if they leave it up. A good example of that is... Blackburn. I like guys who can get a good sink on their two seamer but I feel more comfortable with guys who also have a 2nd pitch if they lose command of that sinker. That is where Lannan could get into trouble and exactly where Blackie got into trouble. Pelfrey on the other hand is similiar but his sinker is much harder and I think his arm strength will let him get away with mistakes easier.

Not really. Sanchez, Greinke, Jackson, Marcum, Dempster (puke) are still out there. The dumpster will continue to be full of back end guys like Lannan, Pelfrey, Webb??, Liriano etc, so there is no rush to overpay and sign any of these guys. Lavelle...(I trust him more than most)... Said that Marcum is about the only guy on that list that the Twins are still in on. If that's true... I really hope we land him.

ERA isn't the end all be all stat because its a team game. ERAs can be distorted by Good Defense and Not so good defense. Distorted by RP failures. But it's still a pretty nice indicator. WHIP is still my favorite and Lannan is a little below average in that department... Yet so Is Pelfrey... So go figure. I can be as conflicted as the rest of us.

The pile to pick from is getting kinda... (Put your adjective here).

This will be fun.