Boom Boom

I'm not so sure that the Royals' intention was to immediately jump from 70 to 90 wins. I think they were just trying to get more competitive quickly. The Royals had been mired in awfulness for almost 30 years... I get the feeling that the mood changed in KC, and "waiting for the kids" became more of a running gag than a long-term plan. Maybe they'll regret trading Myers down the road, but in the meantime they turned themselves into a contender, and I can't really criticize them for that.

FTR, I suspect that the Twins will use Pelfrey out of the rotation to start the season and let him play himself out of it. It's not what I'd do, but it's what I've come to expect - loyalty to veterans, even to a fault. Since Meyer won't debut in 2014, I don't think he'll make the team out of Spring Training, and I'd put May's chances at about 50/50, unless he absolutely dominates in Ft. Myers.

I think the best the Twins could hope for in a Pelfrey trade is cash considerations. He's not worth his contract right now and no other team is going to give up a meaningful player for him. Ultimately, if the Twins can get somebody else to pay all or part of Pelf's 2015 salary, that would be the best case trade scenario.

Let's go down the list of players the Twins have put on the field most often: Suzuki - For all the Twins have raved about his catching, he doesn't throw well at all. I'm frankly surprised that teams don't run on him more often. I'll have to take their word for it on the game-calling. Mauer - He's getting better I think, but for much of the year he looked uncomfortable over at first base. I think he'll be a more than adequate defensive first baseman, but the trade-off is that Vargas will have to DH, and Sano better stick at third or be moved to the outfield. Dozier - He makes some nice plays, but the numbers don't like him defensively as much as the broadcasters do. Plouffe - Probably the biggest bright spot, he's turned into an above-average third baseman after wandering in the wilderness for so long. When Sano is ready, will the Twins decide to sacrifice Plouffe's defense to put what might be a square peg in a round hole? Escobar - He can play shortstop and not embarrass himself. Probably best suited for a utility role, though. Willingham - Since being traded to the Royals, he's been almost exclusively used as a DH, which is probably what he should have been doing while he was a Twin. Left field is a big question mark going forward. Santana - Well... he's fast, I guess. Arcia - Sometimes when I see Arcia in the outfield, I think I'm looking at an old replay of Delmon Young reflected through a mirror.

No, I would have preferred he be fired for it. And saying "professional sports isn't the real world" is ridiculous, because it is the real world, and these are grown men we're talking about, not little leaguers. And that'll be my last post on the subject.

I don't care. You don't do that. In any other occupational walk of life besides professional sports, he would have been canned for that. I'm not a fan of the double-standard that exists in regards to sports vs. the real world.

I don't think it's awesome at all that he got into a fight on the field. I think it's immature and irresponsible, especially for someone in a position of authority over some of the youngest and least mature players in the organization. I don't care if "boys will be boys" and "there's a different culture" and bla bla bla. It reflects very poorly on his character.

I'm not going to defend Worley, but there's two sides to every story, and once Worley was gone we were only going to get the Twins' side of it.

Coaches the Twins have held accountable: Jerry White Steve Liddle Rick Stelmaczek (though I'm pretty sure he was planning on retiring that year anyway) Now... for the last four years we've been hearing "What's Gardenhire supposed to do with the awful, ratty, scummy roster he's been given"... but if anything, the guys the Twins did hold accountable had substantially less to do with the success/failure of the team than Gardenhire. IMO, Gardenhire and Anderson should have been gone already, but I'd be shocked if the Twins actually cut them loose. The Twins FO is married to those two guys.

They've brought it up on the broadcast before, and you can see it in in the second clip, that Arcia has been starting with his hands at his shoulders and dropping them as the pitch is delivered. It's not nearly as evident in the first clip.

I wouldn't even suggest signing a long-term right fielder... but I would be interested in signing a right fielder to a relatively short contract and make Arcia earn his way back on to the team.

I like him too, but his play has been awful and not deserving of a major league spot. He hasn't even shown any improvement since last year. While we're on the subject of outfielders, the Twins are still lacking a left fielder for 2015 as well.

I'm not sold on Oswaldo Arcia and I think the Twins could do better in right field. He's hitting .220/.288/.429 with 101 strikeouts in only 81 games... and not to mention the bad defense. I know he's young, and I know he's conquered AAA already, but he needs to step back and collect himself because I'm not impressed with how he's played. I'm also not sold on Trevor May being part of the rotation immediately in 2015, leaving Nolasco, Hughes, Gibson, and... Mike Pelfrey? I guess what I'm saying is that I disagree with the premise that the Twins don't need to make any major moves in the offseason.

I'm in the "wake me up when they get here" camp regarding Buxton and Sano. Throw around all the superlatives you like, I guess I'll believe that they're the next Trout and Cabrera when I see it happen against major league competition.

I'd add Pinto to that list. Not that I think he should be traded... but I feel like the Twins are throwing in the towel on him ever being their catcher, and they've got DH shored up for a while.

I'm betting that the Twins will move Sano to left field to keep Plouffe at third.

Mauer was rather rough at first base for a while. I think he had to adjust to the instincts of the position - I saw him many times go after ground balls that he needs to let the 2nd baseman get, among other things. He's been much better recently. I do think it's kind of a waste to keep an athlete of Mauer's caliber at first base.

Suzuki's PEITTH (Pitchers' Enjoyment In Thowing To Him) is 1.000.

I don't want the Twins to make Pinto into a Ryan Doumit, DHing most of the time and only catching a little - you could do better at DH, and you're also inviting the manager to keep a third catcher around. Pinto either needs to be a #1 catcher or be traded, and the Twins didn't sign Suzuki to a contract extension to be a backup, so I think they're planning on the latter.

The comp seems primarily based on positional similarity and looks, and not so much on statistics. Vargas has been a very good minor league hitter, but Ortiz was quite a bit better.

I remember when Delmon Young was being compared to Frank Robinson... Not that I don't see a visual similarity between Vargas and Ortiz, I just wish we could talk about Vargas without referencing Big Papi.

I would be shocked to see Meyer up before rosters expand. It might help sell a few more tickets if the Twins announced that Meyer would be starting a game or two... I think that might keep them from stashing him in the bullpen.

Nah... Teams that are in contention aren't going to look at Kevin Correia and say "Hey, this guy would really carry us to the postseason!"

Dang, if Mike Ilitch put this much effort into Little Caesar's they might make an edible pizza.

Well, there is the possibility that Suzuki wants more money to stay in Minnesota because the team around him is bad. He doesn't have to take the offer. If the Twins offer 2/$15, and Suzuki's camp comes back with 3/$24, do you still do it?