Brandon

Our current state of the team comes down to a few defining trades more than anything. Santana to the Mets eventually helped us get pieces needed in 2010 but afterwards we have virtually nothing to show for it. Santana hamstrung us on that trade so it doesn't hold as much weight as some of the others. Garza and Bartlet for Young. This one hurt as we could have recieved sooo much more for Garza had we just been patient. JJ Hardy for nothing. Wilson Ramos for Capps. This one is allieviated a little since Doumit has performed and is relatively inexpensive. But we could have a more useful piece for Ramos too. These trades happened at the same time the team wasn't gaining etra draft picks for losing players to FA and the team was drafting lower due to the previous years record. These things resulted in us not replenishing our farm system fully. I bet we have a deep farm system again within 2 years because of trades, higher drafting spot, extra draft picks, and larger international budgets.

What's Willingham's WAR? I bet when you calculate the average cost of WAR times his WAR = more than twice his contract value. So to get = value we need to do better than double his value just to break even in a trade.

The Twins should play Luis Perdomo music when Luis Perdomo enters a game.

Outside of the Marquis signing, I am happy with what Ryan did during the offseason. I bet within 2 years we have one of the top farm systems in baseball. We had a solid draft, will get high draft picks next year, signed some decent international prospects, and hopefully will get to trade Liriano for something of value. Maybe Span too unless Willingham gets traded for more. I don't think it is a good idea to trade 2 OF's at this time unless we really get great offers on both players. The good thing about Span is that he will hold value next trade deadline when players like Hicks, Benson, Bigley, Arcia are ready to get their chance. Same for Willingham. Although I really like Span and Willingham because of their contracts. They have to be some of the most team friendly contracts out there.

I think Minnesota is the most logical spot for Torii. I guess he could replace Delmon in Detroit or goto Cleveland. But he has played here for a long time. I can see a 1 year deal if Span is traded (I hope they trade him after the season if they do there is no reason to trade him now as there is no one to replace him). I can see a 1 year 4 -6 million but I can only see this signing after we address the rotation.

How bout Lohse, Livian Hernandez and Moyer.

"Thyrlos had a list of all of the transactions of Terry Ryan. You will notice that Ryan does not trade players like Span in season. He trades players in the year before they hit free agencySee Matt Lawton" See Matt Lawton

I agree with Spidey Yo. There isn't much to offload right now. Maybe a reliever, Span or Liriano. Span and a reliever do not need to be traded unless we get overwhelmed as they have considerable time on contracts or service time requirements (no reliever is a FA until after next season except maybe Capps but I see the Twins picking up his option in all honesty. I wouldn't trade Span until we have a replacement closer to being ready otherwise we could end up with a hole in the OF for the forseeable future. Mastrioanni looks like he may want to step up and play everyday but still I mean for someone like Arcia, Sano, Hicks. Liriano is available and I was wondering if Baltimore with Matusz going to the minors be available so Baltimore could make a push now. I know Atlanta has interest. I also wonder if we could just pick up a veteran for the stretch drive and see if we can hang in there the rest of the year and at least be a .500 team. Seing as how a .500 team is in the pennant race in our division, that at least has entertainment value.

Bill Smith as GM Delmon Young Nick Punto bunting 3rd catchers taking a roster spot 13th or 14th pitchers on a 25 man roster. 4 man rotation midget wrestling

Here's some mindless fun with stats. The Twins are 29-29 since starting the season 6-16 and they are 19-12 in their last 31 games including tonights game against Detroit. (question here is can 1 or 2 more starting pitchers push us to the next level as our hitting, defense, and bullpen seem good enough to contend) Gray has a 4.08 era and most bloggers can't wait to get rid of him, but take out his worst appearance and he has a 2.80 era and 5 vulture wins. Waldrop tied Butera in K's this evening. which player is this Valencia or Parmelee: 100AB 19H 5 2B 1 3B 1 HR The Twins could actually have 6 players with 10+ stolen Bases on the team by the end of the season. When was the last time the Twins had that many Pirahnas? (I don't know that answer) but here are the candidates: Revere and Casilla with 10+ already and Span, Caroll, Dozier, and Mastroianni. A fun exercise: Rank the Twins starting pitchers from best to worst and beyond.... 1. Cole Devries 2. Brian Duensing 3. Anthony Swarzak 4. Francisco Liriano 5. Jason Marquis 6. Carl Pavano 7. PJ Walters 8. Liam Hendriks 9. Nick Blackburn 10. Scott Diamond Tyler Robertson pitched in 5 of his first 6 games after being called up. The Twins are taxing their bullpen. One last thought should the Twins go to a 4 man rotation and bring up a 9th reliever? or go to a 14 man pitching staff at some point to help the bullpen with some of their workload?

Here's some mindless fun with stats. The Twins are 29-29 since starting the season 6-16 and they are 19-12 in their last 31 games including tonights game against Detroit. (question here is can 1 or 2 more starting pitchers push us to the next level as our hitting, defense, and bullpen seem good enough to contend) Gray has a 4.08 era and most bloggers can't wait to get rid of him, but take out his worst appearance and he has a 2.80 era and 5 vulture wins. Waldrop tied Butera in K's this evening. which player is this Valencia or Parmelee: 100AB 19H 5 2B 1 3B 1 HR The Twins could actually have 6 players with 10+ stolen Bases on the team by the end of the season. When was the last time the Twins had that many Pirahnas? (I don't know that answer) but here are the candidates: Revere and Casilla with 10+ already and Span, Caroll, Dozier, and Mastroianni. A fun exercise: Rank the Twins starting pitchers from best to worst and beyond.... 1. Cole Devries 2. Brian Duensing 3. Anthony Swarzak 4. Francisco Liriano 5. Jason Marquis 6. Carl Pavano 7. PJ Walters 8. Liam Hendriks 9. Nick Blackburn 10. Scott Diamond Tyler Robertson pitched in 5 of his first 6 games after being called up. The Twins are taxing their bullpen. One last thought should the Twins go to a 4 man rotation and bring up a 9th reliever? or go to a 14 man pitching staff at some point to help the bullpen with some of their workload?

There isnt that much better on the team right now. Who would pitch? Lets see we have Diamond, Liriano, Deunsing (from the pen), Hendricks (hasn't pitched too good yet) and Blackburn (can at least make it through 5 innings) Hurt starting pitchers Baker (out for year) Pavano (don't know when he's comming back hopefully soon) Walters (I think its right around the allstar break) in the minors our 2 best prospect Gibson and Wimmers are out. So as we start getting pitching back then we should consider putting Blackburn in the pen. but he still has value as someone who consistantly gets through 5 innings. (thats only value on this staff as it is that bad) We may need him to start again. I would keep him around to finish this year and even to compete in spring training next year. Hopefully the Twins do something with their pitching by next season so it is a competition and Blackburn could be let go if he isn't living up to his end or after Gibson is in the minors long enough to show he is healthy (put off arbitration and free agency another year). That could be his value too. I am in no way advocating Blackburn as he should be pitching for the Whitesox right now instead of us. But i did want to see him get closer to the over under of 70 wins that Gleeman and some guy at Baseball america had going a few years back after Blackburn was named the organization's top prospect.

I agree lets start a sign Jamie Moyer Movement.

I guess we'll have to pick up his option now so he can come back next year and show us he can be good.

Him and Moyer are good signings if you just need a few starts. Livan makes an ok swingman if you have a need or even an ok 13th pitcher on a 13 pitcher staff. He has pitched well enough to keep playing, he just isn't that guy you guarentee a roster spot too. he's more of a mop up man / 7th starter for a team.

He's worth the extention as he is a capable C and DH. He allows Mauer and Morneau to rotate positions. He also allows Mauer to stay behind the plate as he ages the next few years. and by that I mean Mauer can catch 100 games and DH and play some 1b another 50 games. He is worth a 2-3 year extention in the 3.5 - 5 million per year range.

Fixing the rotation Trade a relief prospect and an OF prospect maybe Guerra or Slama and Tosoni or Benson at most and take on the rest of his salary for Saunders in AZ, This gives AZ 2 potentially useful players for the bench, saves them about 3-4 million, and allows them to bring up Bauer. This guy is a left handed Pavano that can throw 200 innings around a 4.00 era for around 6 million. Then there will be 2nd tier FA this offseason. Sign one of the following Lewis, Marcum, Sanchez. (7-10 million per year) for the last pitcher you can go dumpster diving. Milwood Baker or Pavano on incentive contract, and or others that are available. (2-3 million base) Along with Blackburn, Hendricks, Diamond, and eventually Gibson and Zimmer we would have a solid but not great rotation 1-6 or 7 withou breaking the bank

If you sign Burton to a team friendly contract. Why would you trade him? I'm in the minority of opinion that our current core of players is almost good enough. We need 1 to 2 starting pitchers and maybe someone better than the .720 OPS we are getting from Doumit who is solid but not spectacular. Bullpen is good, defense overall is solid and offense has picked it up just holes in the rotation with everyone returning next year minus the pitching. The better question is how do we develop a solid rotation for cheep on the fly with trades, minor league signings, free agents. We could contend this year with another starter or 2 and probably next too.

I am going to go with Joe Sanders for Burnett (Guerra or Oliveras, or Slama) and Benson or Tosoni, sign Sanders to a 2 year 12-15 million extention and we have another "Twins pitcher who can be a reliable 3-4-5 starter with good control and 200 innings. Basically 2 usable prospects that can somewhat contribute, Benson may be a bit much... Guthrie is available too. I doubt he would cost much either.

If Capps continues to pich the way he has so far this year. The Twins will pick up his option. Management likes him and he has been effective and 6 million isn't necessarily that much for a closer.

Why doesn't someone post players list and their correspoding salaries or estimates for next year so we can all see all of the calculations and discuss from there.

I see 3 pitchers on that list for Twins to target. I am guessing on the money needed to sign the pitcher. Colby Lewis 3 year 21-24 million? Pavano if healthy 1 year 5 million plus incentives to 8 million plus option for 2nd year if he pitches 210 innings? Joe Saunders2 year 12-15 million. I don't know the extent of Pavano's injury but i suspect if he can throw the ball 88mph or better he can get a contract Saunders was offered a 2 year 12 million contract at one point and had to settle for one. He is a #4 starter that can throw 190-200 innings. Lewis is a number 3 starter who can do the same. I am hoping the Twins sign Greinke and one of the 3 above. Another cheap starter is Milwood. There will be others like him next year.

I mentioned Soriano as the Cubs are mentioned as wanting to trade him several times on mlbtraderumors.com. They mentioned being willing to eat most of his remaining salary 45million of the 54 remaining on his contract. The Cubs are looking to blow up their team as they are really far from contending so I think they are looking for prospects and cash relief to get the process fuly underway. And I imagine it would take someone like a 7 to 10 ranked prospect, A reliever prospect, and a throw in of some kind that is useful Manship maybe. I am actually more interested in someone like Sanders for the rotation. Fixing the rotation would get us back into contention or atleast give us the best chance to get back. Its obvious we do not have enough pieces right now, but another .800 OPS bat and 2 starting pitchers would just about do the trick. And the starting pitchers don't need to be great, just not terrible. I think Hendricks could be one of those 2 pitchers I am talking about too.

Right now our offense is hitting on all Cylindars since Plouffe at 3rd and Revere in RF started hitting. Right now I feel our offense is a little "Piranha" heavy as we have 4 "piranha's" in the lineup any given night if not 5 or 6 (Span, Revere, Dozier, Carrol, Casilla, and Mastoianni) We also have 4 versatile solid power type of hitters Morneau, Willingham, Doumit, and now Plouffe with Parmalee trying to join the crowd. And we have 1 all round high average Mauer. If Parmelee could make his way to the starting line up consistantly then we could have a CF (Span or Revere) available to trade for SP. The bullpen has been lights out as we can say we have 6 guys who have done an above average to great job so far this year. (Burton, Burnett, Capps, Deunsing, Perkins, and Swarzak after you subtract out his starting stats you will see his era in the pen has been pretty good) 1 below average Gray and 1 with the jury out Manship. We also have several prospect ready to come up just in case Slama, Oliveros, Guerra. And these guys are under team control for the next 2 to 3 seasons, and they are cheep comparitavely speaking. One other great thing about our pen is that they make the game a 5-6 inning game for the starting pitching instead of 6-7. The rotation is where the main issues on this team lie. Lucky for us Bill Smith traded a relief prospect for Diamond against our better judgement and PJ Walters has filled in well too. Now if Liriano can continue his turn around and Blackburn is healty enough to give the team 5-6 innings a start. Like I said earlier with the bullpen giving the team a chance if the starters can go 5-6 innings makes it easier for Blackburn who got a win after getting lifted after 5 innings vs giving up 3 runs in the 7th against Baltimore in his first start of the season. We can get by with an average rotation. There are several pitchers available to consider. Joe Saunders of Arizona is available and has about 4 million left on his contract this year. Az wants to bring up their top pitching prospect in Bauer. I bet the salary relief would lower the asking price. Milwood should be available from Seattle after the all star break since he just help pitch a no hitter. I am sure there are other Plus Pavano could come back from injury. There is also a hitter available on the trade market that could hit 20-25 HR drive in 80-85 RBI with a .760-.820 OPS at a cost of 4-5 million per season for the next 2 years and may not cost much in prospect but Soriano of the Cubs is available and he just hit 3 HRs at our ballpark so he can hit here. I think that is cheep for Cuddyer type production. We are currently 2.5 games out of 3rd and 8.5 out of first place where the White Sox have 2 great starting pitchers and 3 who have era's near or over 5.00. I believe with a little reinforcement and not a major overhaul, we can get back in the race and compete this year.