Siehbiscuit

Agree 100%. Doumit is not the problem at DH or even as a backup catcher. Although, he isn't great defensively, he does seem to call a good game when behind the plate. Regarding all Twins catchers, if I had to choose, I would rather our catchers be great at calling a game than being defensive wizards. Just my opinion.

The most important thing for me is as an organization, you can't draft or sign FA based on the fear that they may get hurt. If the organization sees something in their delivery that puts a ton of stress on the shoulder or elbow, or they have chronic weight problems or even character problems, that is all fine with me. But avoiding elite talent because he MIGHT breakdown is operating out of fear. Pitchers are more likely to breakdown. Mark Prior was a STUD, he broke down unfortunately. We could list a hundred pitchers that had tremendous talent that broke down, but to be an elite, championship level team, you need a guy that's capable of being an ace. The Twins have a need for a top of the rotation pitcher now and in the future (minors are still not that deep). This same principle could be applied to shortstops. They are hard to find. Instead of breaking down though, they get moved because they lack the range, arm, instincts or bat to do it at the MLB level. Good shortstops are hard to find, let alone a great one. Draft for best player available and develop them NEEDS to be their philosophy and not be ashamed of it. If its who we are going to be, quit pretending. If we need to say the word, "rebuild," it's okay. Most of us likely understand and agree.

The only way to get FRONT of the rotation material, is to draft it and pray against injury, overpay in FA or to trade established players for minor league prospects (Revere and Span trades). The FO's willingness to spend $$$ on FA pitching is clear. Find serviceable, journeymen-types to fill-out the MLB rotation, but trade or Rule 5 for top of the rotation starters when they are still prospects. Santana (Rule 5), Liriano & Boof (via trade), Milton (via trade), Diamond (Rule 5), and more recently with Meyer and May. Drafting pitchers they look for the best available. And recently the injury bug has gotten them. The Twins have tried to get some of the best college arms in the draft recently in Gibson (considered a top 10 pick prior to forearm injury and then TJ surgery) and Wimmers (Steve Blass disease followed by TJ surgery). IF both of these solid #2-3 guys had not gotten hurt and lost seasons, they both would likely be up in the rotation THIS year. They were both solid draft picks. Sometimes, bad luck happens and it COMPLETELY forces your hand. The Correia signing is bad when you look at as just a $$ vs production. But Correia, like Pavano, will likely take the ball every 5th day. He didn't log a lot of innings in the past, mostly due to be demoted, not injury. The Twins ARE desperate and made a desperate move. They need him to take the ball frequently and hope to the offense shows up. If Wimmers and Gibson had stayed healthy, Correia and Pelfrey would likely have never have been signed. We would be looking at a rotation that included 3 young 24-26 year olds, that are all making the MLB minimum. Sometimes teams, just get a string of bad luck. That being said, the only way to get front of the rotation material, is to draft it and pray against injury, overpay in FA (not going to happen) or to trade established players for minor league prospects (Revere and Span trades).

I disagree that "anything less than a disappointment" portion of the statement. I think we all as fans expect our corner OFs to produce at a better clip than .800 OPS, but this is his first full-time gig in the Bigs. I think if he ends the year (or second half) showing that he can be in the lineup as a long-term option then I think we will all be happy. Parmalee is just a year removed from prospect status. He still has lots of upside. Realistically, I believe (based on 600 PA's) he can go .274/.347/.422. That is with 30 2B's, 1 3B, 24 HR's and 75 RBI. Oh and he would walk ~60x. This wouldn't be his career year, but a very solid step moving forward. His defense will not be very good. Not a bunch of errors, but very few good plays made. Total OPS .769.

Here is where I COMPLETELY disagree with you. The dude that gets on at a .380 clip controls very little of what the hitters behind him do. This guy could be John Kruk or John Olerud, but you have to get your teammates the opportunity to drive you in. Top of the order guys, have a job to do. One see several pitches and ultimately finda way to get on base. Once on base, try to advance without getting out. Seems pretty simple, but in your EXTREME example your comparing Ben Revere to a Kruk/Olerud-type. Revere definitely has his advantages leading off or batting in the two hole, but so do Olerud and Kruk. They may not run as well, but they also had far more XBH and were on 2nd base to start with A LOT more than Revere would ever be. Your scenario is kinda ridiculous to put it nicely. The math works, but the logic doesn't. Even Scott Hatteburg batted 2nd for the A's at times. Speed is great if that's your team's philosophy. If it isn't, like the A's (who frown at stealing bases) or the Yankees, who play for the 3-run homer, it doesn't matter.

I don't know why we would be so quick to dismiss a 1B prospect like Parmalee?! He was the Twins #1 pick a few years back due to his bat. He annihilated AAA pitching last year. Let him have a year to adjust to MLB pitching and he could still be a solid to very good 1B for the Twins for quite some time. Prospects are always 'sexier' but Parmalee has a proven minor league track record.

...and you forget Rosario at 2B! If only a shortstop could emerge?! Polanco, Santana or someone/anyone (2014 draft pick, not 4th overall though) needs to have a breakout year and bust into the team's top 10 prospect list.

I completely agree. If he can be average at 3B he becomes so much more valuable. But this kid is entering Giancarlo (Mike) Stanton territory. In all honesty, I don't know that I am that concerned about his defense. His bat is what makes this kid the #12 overall BA prospect. That quality needs to be the one that we are all concerned about.

1. Marcum 2. Worley 3. Diamond 4. Correia 5. Hendriks I don't think Pelfrey will be 100% by the beginning of the season (fatigue?) and won't be better than Hendriks out of the gate. Gibson will be held back. He'll be impressive in AAA and get a rotation slot in mid-June.

I like the thought of adding Mark Reynolds. He can play 3rd, 1st or DH. Is he much of a drop off defensively or offensively from Plouffe? I also like the risk of Hocheaver. The potential has always been there. He has the highest ceiling of any of the pitchers. WHAT IF Hocheaver reached that level as a Twin in 2013? I think this organization is due for a little luck.

First point, pitching and defense does win championships. But if you look at Terry Ryans's track record, I believe the teams he has assembled in the past have won several AL Central titles. We may not always agree with him, but he is probably better at that job than any of us would be. Secondly, I am one fan that thinks the Twins can have their cake and eat it too. If the Twins keep re-building and re-building, and trade off veterans we will have a poor MLB product for a while. Then in 2015 or so when our farm system bears its fruit to the MLB we will will have several years of cheap (potentially good, some growing pains) labor, but what happens when all of this young talent becomes arbitration eligible or ready for their FA pay day? If the re-building isn't a blend of veterans AND youth the Twins will be in this same cycle again. Around 2016-2020, the Twins could be winning the division again and be drafting in the mid to upper 20's year after year and missing out on the elite talent again. Doesn't this sound familiar? Signing one solid starting pitcher via FA (Sanchez is my personal choice) for approximately 5 years is the first move I would make. Also, trading Span as his value is very high and his departure doesn't cripple the big league team for the best pitcher, regardless if its a Trevor Bauer (prospect) or James Shields (All-Star), period. Pitching at all levels is essential. Make a trade that involves Morneau and prospects for the best available middle infielder, either prospect or MLB-ready. Depth here is atrocious at all levels. The Twins need talent. If the Twins go the side of trading for prospects, then as fans we better be ready for some Jason Marquis/Sidney Ponson-type signings. BUT the as bad as the Twins have been, the team's luck has been pretty awful. Maybe the Twins catch some lightning in a bottle and sign the next RA Dickey (or at least at the right time) and the Twins get lucky and see WImmers, Salcedo and other pitching prospects start to get really healthy and dominate in the minors and advance to AA or higher by the end of the year. AND maybe Anthony Slama gets a chance to prove he can get some outs in the Majors. Maybe, just maybe.

You have gotta use better punctuation! It is very difficult to understand if you are making a statement(.) or asking a quesition(?).

Justin Upton, BJ Upton, Bryce Harper, Mike Trout, Ken Griffey Jr - All of these guys are American-born players that were OUTFIELDERS. Their advantage was not in just understanding the culture, which is a major hurdle, but they are playing defensive positions that allows them to use there athleticism to its fullest. When Miguel Cabrera first came up with the Marlins, he was playing left field. Centerfield is a very important defensive position, but when you have the natural ability to run the way all of these guys I listed, it can cover up some of the technical flaws in their defense. With Sano, clearly the Twins management thinks he can be a corner infielder. He isn't allowed to just shag fly balls and make sure he is hitting the cutoff man, he is having to work hard on his defense. The time and practice this takes is mentally taxing enough, but add to it the offensive expectations and cultural adjustments. Sano was 16 when he came to the Twins. Most of us would have been playing our SOPHOMORE seasons of high school ball. Byron Buxton was just drafted and as an 18 year old (only one year younger than Sano), fans and experts alike expect him to spend probably 4 years in the minors before getting a sniff at MLB. The Sano debate is only a debate, because it seems like he has been in our system for awhile. His age is huge to consider. He has tremendous power as we know, but the SKILLS in his game need a lot more than just some tweaking. If Buxton has at least four years to go, can't we wait three more for Sano? Lastly, if our favorite team was competitive and in the midst of a mid-2000's type of run, would we as fans be pushing for some of our top prospects to be pushed so hard or would we be patient and just wait for them so we could reload instead of rebuild? Elite prospects should be treated correctly and pushed on the timeline that is right for them and REGARDLESS of how the parent club is doing.

The Red's rotation is pretty deep and they continue to flirt with moving Aroldis Chapman back to the rotation. Would a Span for CHapman swap be a good option for both?

Go with Youk for 2 years and 12-15 million and move Plouffe to 2nd base! Two birds, one stone. Florimon at SS and Carroll at utility infielder. Plouffe's NEVER going to be great defensively, but playing second would hide some of the accuracy issues a little better than at 3rd. Youk had a down year, but he has a pretty solid track record. He is worth the investment/risk, IMO. Wouldn't it be great to see a Twins 2B hitting 20-25 homers? Youk can provide 25 homers still. 50 homers between the two isn't unrealistic.

My first question for EVERYONE here is..."How can we address our weaknesses the quickest?" Trading Morneau will NOT get us a great prospect, because his value is too low. He has the potential to become very good again, but the potential to never recover is likely just as high. Quality pitching HAS to be addressed in FA. Span, Willingham or Morneau will not produce elite pitching unless we are willing to wait until 2015 or later to see them. Pitching, middle infield AND even 3B is a bigger priority than doing something with our first baseman. If it was guarnteed that the Pohlads would spend the $14 million on a proven FA then I wouldn't mind a salary dump. History has shown us that the Pohlads don't operate like that. Keep Morneau and hope he can regain his old form to move him at the deadline or to re-sign to an extension. Trading him gets us nothing for 2013.

This move to me is a lateral move at 3B, but a huge improvement at 2B. Youkilis, Plouffe, Carroll all can play multiple positions in the infield. This may not be a bad idea. Versatility and keeps our best bats in the lineup!

The best part about this site is not just the loads of articles, but the bantar (when clean and professional) of the posters. Its a revolving door of dialogue that makes so many of us think from different perspectives. Everyone of us have different approaches and philosophies and "airing" it out here makes it a healthy, fun and entertaining outlet for us. Thanks!

I am sure everyone understands that fans scruntinize players on our favorite team more than we do players on other teams. That said, Cleveland Indians fans would LOVE to have a shot at Francisco Liriano and be forever over the roller coaster that is Fausto Robert Carmona Hernandez! These two guys are the biggest teases available in FA. All the talent in the world with inconsistent mechanics and very little mental toughness. Who am I describing? Both, Liriano and Hernandez. Maybe he gets a deal that includes an invite to Spring Training. Caution: Other than the slider vs. sinker philosophy, these guys can be brilliant one start and terrible the next. If the Twins get on the Hernandez roller coaster, expect fans to be having Liriano-type de ja vu!

I agree. Revere is also still very young (starts next season at 24, Span, 29) and there's no reason that he can't still become better than Span. If Revere, improved next year by nothing more than drawing 10 more walks, his line changes to .300/.350/.387 and 10 more trips to first means more opportuinties for SB's and runs scored! Get something for Span while he is still a sought after commodity and let's roll with Revere.

I love the post. But I do think that a combination of signing FA pitchers and trading away "replaceable" talent will be done. I would love the Jackson and Marcum combination and I think it is very realistic. I do think Jackson would require closer to the 3/42 that you mentioned, but to most of us, fans, it is very much worth it and necessary. I do not like Ervin Santana. He seems to have a dead arm. He overthrows like crazy to compensate for his diminishing velocity and his fastball is ALL over the place. Seems more like Liriano 2.0. I love Denard Span. He is inexpensive and he is a very good CF and leadoff hitter. That said, the Twins have a servicable replacement for him in the short-term, in Revere and in the long-term in both, Hicks and Buxton. Getting upper-tier prospects in pitchers, infielders or catchers would be ideal (Mauer's future replacement). Also, the same deal for Morneau. He has value and I would like to see the Twins "eat" some of his salary in order to aquire high-end talent via trade. His second-half was very good and it only takes one buyer to like what they saw. If Adam LaRoche moves on for example, would the National be willing to part with a good prospect for Morneau to remain competitive? Other teams will be needing leadoff men and LH power bats this off-season. With FA pitching (and hopefully one middle infielder) help the Twins can strengthen its MLB squad. With the trades of Span and Morneau, the Twins can strengthen and keep building on a solid farm system. The Twins may chase for a AL Central crown a little longer than they did in 2012, but two pitchers isn't going to be a 27-30 improvement. The Twins should shoot for .500 in 2013 by adding to the rotation in the off-season and build for 2014 and beyond with the trades of Span and Morneau.

Liam Hendrks spot is completely dependant on what the Twins do in the off-season. Is there any chance that the Reds would look at Span and maybe a mid-tier prospect like Max Kepler for Aroldis Chapman?

I know the Revere/Span thing has been beaten to death, but Revere has nearly two full seasons of moderate success at the MLB level. At the same age, Span was still in the minors. Right now, Span is definitely a better player and worth much more in a trade. That said Revere's upside is not as great as some of the prospects coming up, but if he continues to steadily improve there is no reason to think that Revere can't bridge the gap between he and Span in the next couple of years. And as far as being called a "Juan Pierre" clone. Do you actually remember Juan Pierre in his prime? The guy was an absolutely GREAT leadoff hitter that drove pitchers crazy at the plate and on the basepaths. If that was supposed to be durogatory you may need a better comparison, because even this year Juan Pierre showed how productive he can be in his middle 30's. Span for a good starting pitcher improves the Twins more than any other trade probably would, partly because the drop off from Span to Revere is bearable and because the need for a solid starter is so desperate.

Yes, you can hate him! I hate him out of pure jealousy. The Twins have had a revolving door at SS for the last 20 years and the Yankees have had Jeter.

I agree this post was the best thing on here in a while.