shs_59

Got an e-mail yesterday from Jim Bowden (well essentially he finally replied back to me again) first time since well before the winter meetings. and he did confirm, the Twins had talks with clubs about their middle infielders Eduardo Escobar and Brian Dozier. Mr Bowden Speculated, but told me rather in-directly, that the Nationals approached the Twins right before the winter meetings or during them anway. Proposing SP Jordan Zimmerman, OF prospect Michael Taylor and what Bowden believed to be 2B Danny Espinosa While Recieving back from the Twins 2B Brian Dozier, and SP Alex Meyer and a low level minor leaguer. Wow.... if i was the Twins that would have definately peaked my interest level. Not sure how close that was to getting done. But its fun to know the rumor or one of them anyways, and to see the names being tossed around.

2 Huge things stick out to me when looking at the Adam Jones and Aaron Hicks photos there... 1) Hicks starts his swing much sooner than Jones (or thinks he has to) he's already looking way out towards the oncoming baseball well before it arives. Head pointed to his target almost tooo early. 2) Jones meanwhile, lets the ball get in much deeper, and look at his head, he's almost barely moving his head all the way while the baseball is oncoming to home plate. Jones just looks like a much better firing position on that shot than Hicks' does. Jones - Keeps a better center of gravity, is standing taller, is not have all the weight already shifted to his front side (as hicks seems to) and Lets the ball get deep.

Names of pitchers i'd rather of had than the Big Erv. Jake Peavey (cheaper) Jeff Smardjza (trade) Jason Hammell (cheaper, slightly) Edinson Volquez (cheaper) Justin Masterson (cheaper, way cheaper) I like signing Santana better than signing Shields or Szcherzer i guess.... but thats about it.

I think the Twins are done. At the Winter meetings anyways. Santana is enough to ponder, discuss and re-hash for the rest of the off-season. If the Mets like Eduardo Escobar and would be willing to trade Dillon Gee or a great reliever for him, i'd consider it. But Escobar is one of our best contact hitters. and he simply puts in it play. was hitting . ~ .300 for like the first 4 months last year. Also Escy's OPS is higher than one might expect, he had a lot of doubles, it seemed like last year. and he has 5-8 HR pop potential.

Well Graham > than Gilmartin anyways.... I like it. Neither player looks lke much, Gilmartin may have a better chance sticking on the Mets than Graham on the suddenly "full" twins staff....... But Neither player has a huge upside. I just think Grahahm has a bit more than Gilmartin. Like the move.

Meanwhile Justin Masterson gets. $ 9.5 MM + incentives on a 1 Year Deal with Justin Masterson's Red Sox. I'd of rather had Masterson on 2 for ~20 or 1 for ~ 10 million + ....than Santana for 55 Million. Nolasco looked like an OK signing this time last year, was the Exact same age....and now looks like a detriment.... I fail to see how this is any different. Santana > than Nolasco but by how much exactly? ; also as Seth says..... Ervin Santana is 32 years old..... just months younger than Nolasco. Put me in the Boat, that dispises this signing..... why not make a trade for Mat Latos or sign Masterson on the cheap for less years?... or several other moves than to go "all in" with the signing of Ervin "magical" Santana. It feels as if TR and the FO needed or wanted to make a statement to the Rest of the AL Central "not so fast" we're still a member of this division....... in 2015? who really cares... I'm eyeing 2016-2017 all along. Ervin better pitch to his sabermetrics for 2015 and beyond and not what he actually did last year, in the AL that contract will look terrilbe fast.

PUKE .... I"m soo sick to the gutt punched stomach.

I get ur point, and its a somewhat valid one. However: 1. Lester 2. Schzerzer 3. Hamels 4. Price 5. Zimmerman 6. annd maybe Maeda are the only 'aces' I see Shields , a great innings eater is really more of a #2 or superior 3 for me at this point. Porcello , an ace? Think that one over again real hard, he's not much different that Kyle Gibson. Samardzja , probably the closest call I see him as a #2 , but definately a top of rotation guy. Only 1 yr left on 9 Million dollar deal (then the huge payday comes :/ ) Fister , another pitcher who eats innings but more like James Shields for me than a true ace. So i Count 5. Maybe 6.

I'm not saying the pro's outweigh the cons but REASONS signing Torii Hunter is a Good Idea/ investment. Aaaaand just for you Paul :-) 1. Fans , mainly longtime Die_hard Minnesota Twins fans, yes you're brotherin. Get to witness the Derek Jeter like Closing escapades in A minnesota Nice kind of way , for what its worth. 2. Many of those same fans get to bring out the old tathered #48 jersey out of the closet and Actualy WHERE it to Target Field. NO NEED to buy a Hicks jersey. 3. Some and possibly very few of these same fans, will NOT for-go renewing season tickets and help stave off falling into disparity and the Tampa Bay Rays like payroll #'s untill we are relevent again. ( meaning 85-115 Million annually is a REALITY because of MOVES Like the Torii Hunter signing.) 4. The Puckett to Hunter dynamic exists; and Do you think the Hicks to Buxton dynamic was at all going to be a proponent into Buxton's development? Nahhh its Hunter to Buxton. Thats the torch we are witnessing now. (I Don't Care if Hunter actually helps Byron .01 % with his development or 5% either way it a positive.) Also Hunter's presence helps allow for the Twins FO to avoid rushing Buxton in any way. 5. He Makes things a bit more interesting for 2015, and maybe fun again for Joe Mauer. And others. 6. Getting him off of Detroit, where he could NOT DH , (Victor Martinez) WIll now allow him to have fresher legs than he did in 2014, for much of 2015. Assuming he DH's twice as much as he did in Detroit. It will help down the stretch. The question is how much or how little? -Also you take away a middle of the order bat from a Division Foe. 7. THE 2016 SALARY CAP...... In a genious move by TR, forcing the Pohlads to spend the $10.5 Million on Hunter for one season, absolutely means the same 10.5 for the 2016 Season will be spent on a NEW player or towards player(s) in a Positive way for the Future of the Minnesota Twins. 8. Hunter gets to one way or another retire as a Minnesota Twin, and i'm not sure if he's Hall worthy but going in with a Twins cap seems so right. Spider-man Hunter and his wall climbs...may be no More but maybe Superman's kyrptonite he can be for us in 2015.

I'm not saying the pro's outweigh the cons but REASONS signing Torii Hunter is a Good Idea/ investment. 1. Fans , mainly longtime Die_hard Minnesota Twins fans, yes you're brotherin. Get to witness the Derek Jeter like Closing escapades in A minnesota Nice kind of way , for what its worth. 2. Many of those same fans get to bring out the old tathered #48 jersey out of the closet and Actualy WHERE it to Target Field. NO NEED to buy a Hicks jersey. 3. Some and possibly very few of these same fans, will NOT for-go renewing season tickets and help stave off falling into disparity and the Tampa Bay Rays like payroll #'s untill we are relevent again. ( meaning 85-115 Million annually is a REALITY because of MOVES Like the Torii Hunter signing.) 4. The Puckett to Hunter dynamic exists; and Do you think the Hicks to Buxton dynamic was at all going to be a proponent into Buxton's development? Nahhh its Hunter to Buxton. Thats the torch we are witnessing now. (I Don't Care if Hunter actually helps Byron .01 % with his development or 5% either way it a positive.) Also Hunter's presence helps allow for the Twins FO to avoid rushing Buxton in any way. 5. He Makes things a bit more interesting for 2015, and maybe fun again for Joe Mauer. And others. 6. Getting him off of Detroit, where he could NOT DH , (Victor Martinez) WIll now allow him to have fresher legs than he did in 2014, for much of 2015. Assuming he DH's twice as much as he did in Detroit. It will help down the stretch. The question is how much or how little? -Also you take away a middle of the order bat from a Division Foe. 7. THE 2016 SALARY CAP...... In a genious move by TR, forcing the Pohlads to spend the $10.5 Million on Hunter for one season, absolutely means the same 10.5 for the 2016 Season will be spent on a NEW player or towards player(s) in a Positive way for the Future of the Minnesota Twins. 8. Hunter gets to one way or another retire as a Minnesota Twin, and i'm not sure if he's Hall worthy but going in with a Twins cap seems so right. Spider-man Hunter and his wall climbs...may be no More but maybe Superman's kyrptonite he can be for us in 2015.

I mean its one thing if you have 1000 AB's in AA and then go straight to the big leagues. But 250 - 350 AB's or less in not enough in my opinion to make the jump straight from the Eastern League.

http://espn.go.com/espn/fp/flashPollResultsState?sportIndex=mlb&pollId=4613070 a poll , nationwide, on what other sports fans (mostly educated fans) think of the Hunter to Twins move. And in response to, tobi 0040 who was questioning my Vargas to AAA notion, (citing his .761 ops for the Twins in 2014) When has entirely skipping AAA ever been a good idea for the Twins? Brian Dozier hasn't even blossomed yet; if anything was dissapointing for me in 2014. after a great 2013. Hicks, is one of many many many examples that skipping AAA entirely is not a good idea. The Twins needed a bat after they traded awway poor Kendrys Morales so they dug into AA to bring up Vargas , who did a great job. But with torii on the roster i think its a better idea to have someone like Vargas in AAA. Where he can play everyday. And hopefully improve in some minor areas. Hunter needs to DH at least once or twice a week. (if not more)

http://espn.go.com/espn/fp/flashPollResultsState?sportIndex=mlb&pollId=4613070 ^ nationwide pole on Hunter to Twins and what ppl think of it.

Ya , Nick, I tend to agree. Nice article 100% am intrigued by guys like Medlen and Beachy although ...look how bad Scott Baker turned out for the Cubbies 2 years or so back , in a similar situation as Medlen and B.B. But i do not want to overpay for someone like Hammell or Vogelsong or Volquez i'd rather feast on someone like Brett Anderson or some on the names you mentioned. Also i saw the Twins just signed OF Shane Robinson probably essentially AAA depth. But i like the move non-the less unless the Twins think he gets a prominent 40 man spot.

realisticaly the only guys of the 6 were Nunez and Duensing to be possilbe non-tender candidates... But i guess you can hope both have amazing April / May's and re-coup some trade value and both maybe together ? can be moved at the trade deadline for a C+ prospect or something. The thing is i keep seeing "pitchers" as the targets for the winter meetings...... UNless there is a Twins trade it should be PITCHER (singular) there is not room for 2 Starting pitchers on our team this off-season SPECIFICLY there is room for 1 SP however I like the names Seth Mentioned above, But also maybe Brett Anderson and Jason Hammel lshould be considered....

I agree thrylos.... and somewhat Tobi0040 too Joe Mauer has not been Joe Mauer and the pitching needs to improve. Those 2 single factors are much bigger to the team impending success or lack of success in 2015. Than the signing of Torii Hunter...... I think Hunter can DH and in the first half before Vargas' re-call from AAA maybe even be the full time DH.

Dozier + Hughes + Hicks (or someone similar) >>> Than Jay Bruce althought the Reds might see that as a solid fair trade I do not exactly. Close but not a great trade idea I don't think.

people really need to end the bashing on this. Maybe come mid april The Twins IN MOLITOR WE TRUST - will move Torii to DH full time...Ke Kennys Vargas should start the yr in AAA . While Rosario, Buxton, Sano, Kepler and others are hopefully tearing more so than toiling in AA..... I think ABW should start off in FSL untill someone from AA moves up to AAA.

WOW !!!!! READING through the comments you would of thought 90% of you're Dogs died... Did Torii Hunter kill you're "mans Best Friend" GREAT move and a great signing..... Hunter will play some RF , Arcia mostly LF and some RF and Torriii can DH.. KENNYS VARGAS TO AAA !!! -this is important anyway for his development... Danny Santana to MLB Kennys Vargas to AAA at least for APril/ May

ya the KMH in the vid i saw of him his FB was primairly 142-146 KMH thats like 88-91 MPH not overly impressive although his deliverly looks smooth.... From my early observations no way this guy starts in the Big Leagues this year, maybe a starter in AA or late inning reliever in AAA.

yeah no way he's a successfull starter in the Majors with a 4.7 BB per 9 .... Unless severe improvement comes in that area. Nice litte signing as a Duensing replacent type..... Maybe a slitghtly better version of Theilbar.....But those dreaming of a no. 3 Starter Need to look themselves in the mirror. Not happening anytime soon.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fllI16rKtU4 here seems to be some of the little YOUTUBE i can find of the lefty.

Should of cost at least 3 million to win the BID My guess is Twins will offer him a 3 yr deal, (hopefully a 2 yr tho) at about 3-4 Milion per year.. so i could see 3 yrs and 9 million. I hope the Twins see him as Duensing's replacement with a 93- 94 MPH fastball , rather than a no. #3 starter, he isn't going to be that in the Majors. Like the move if Twins see him as 7th, inning guy / potential late inning lefty, and not a no. 3 starter.... at best he's a no.4 starter or a 5 which the Twins have countless of already.

weather its 20 minutes long or an hour and 45 minutes long. I always listen to the entire thing. Maybe in 2 segments but I always find time. love the podcasts'

A lot like Swarzak for us, If we non-tender Swarzy and or could get Crow Cheaper i'd be all for it as Anthony's Replacement. ath this point, Crow probably as a fringe bit more upside than Swarzy, Also Crow has pitched in the Twin Cities before (St. Paul Saints) I believe. I am for getting Aaron Crow.