stringer bell

Nice take, Nick. I have hopes for much better times starting next year. In addition, I think the club will be more competitive for the balance of this season.

It may be that Parm only gets at-bats for three weeks. It is possible that someone now in the minor leagues will get outfield at-bats. The team will need to determine whether they have to go outside the organization for next year.

Here is a list of 2014 Twins no longer in the organization and their ages: Kendrys Morales (31) Sam Fuld (32) Jason Kubel (32) Darrin Mastroianni (28) Jason Bartlett (34) Kevin Correia (33) Josh Willingham (35) This is the right direction to go. It might be bumpy for a while, but the kids need to play. I would have appreciated such moves a year ago.

Plouffe: He is an adequate third baseman. Better than about half of the guys sent out there and worse than about half. The Twins can contend or maybe even win with a 3B of that quality. He joins Escobar and Parmelee as position players who have marginally (at least) improved their standing with the Twins. Add to that the emergence of Suzuki and Dozier backing up his breakout season, there is improvement in the 2014 Twins. I still believe that Trevor will be the Twins' near-regular LF at some point next season.

Sounds like Gardy is putting the botched bunt mostly on Nuñez: “It wasn’t a squeeze,” Gardenhire said. “There was no sign. He tried to drag bunt with Nunez at third. Nunez has to see the ball (go) down there.” That said, the same article also mentions Schafer's near helplessness vs. LH pitching (1-18 w/ 8Ks). A fourth outfielder, who can't hit and isn't that great in the field isn't worth it. However, since coming to the Twins, Schafer is 5-16 and hasn't made any glaring misplays in the field. I'm not ready to give him a starting spot next year or even guarantee him a spot on the active roster, but maybe the change of scenery is exactly what he needed. If he isn't keeping Arcia or Santana on the bench, I am fine with him playing. I also don't expect him to continue hitting, but hey, these things happen.

"Kevin Correia is a durable, reliable starting pitcher. He takes the ball every fifth day and gives his club lots of innings."

I think Parm stays in the majors for a while now. Unless they sign a couple free agents, the Twins will probably need him next year. If they were to DFA him, I'm pretty confident a team or two would claim him.

Kevin Correia was what the Twins paid for. What sticks in my mind is that Ryan said he was "a pretty darn good starting pitcher" or something to that effect. That quote and the one making reference to Willingham's contract as huge when in total dollars and annual salary, it barely registered in the top 30, always bothered me.

Milone is already on the active roster (for Correia) amiright? Mauer for ? With the one-man bench game just completed, I hope the Twins trade, DFA, disable or option a pitcher. Sneaky pick--Samuel Deduno.

I see that Schafer has succeeded Drew Butera, then Kevin Correia for the position of "TD Fan Favorite". I guess that means we trade him to the Dodgers for more than we could ever hope for.

"Joe Mauer went 2-4, though his manager and brother, Jake, didn’t see either of the hits as he was ejected before Mauer got his first hit." Jake Mauer got thrown out two days in a row? I know he was tossed on Friday, but I didn't hear that it happened again the next night.

I should hope so.

Hallelujah!

Over the past few years the Twins have made several roster moves which I would charitably call "puzzling". The addition of Matt Guerrier when the club needed multiple outfielders, the carrying of alternately three catchers or thirteen pitchers, the recall of Polanco from Single A, the recalls of Kris Johnson and Logan Darnell to start games when acknowledged better prospects are in Triple A are just some examples. I suggest that many of these decisions are based on a flawed 40-man roster. Some candidates worthy of promotion are not on the expanded roster, too many minor leaguers on the 40-man are not worthy of being in the majors, and too many marginal players on the active roster are frozen there because they can't be optioned to the minors. Several players who may have been optioned at one point can't be because they would have to be DFAed, and if they cleared they would have the option to declare free agency. Anthony Swarzak, Samuel Deduno, Chris Parmelee and Eduardo Escobar are all out of options. Escobar has cemented his status as a major leaguer and Parmelee may have, but it would have been in the Twins' best interests to demote either or both of the pitchers at some point this season. That is why next year, I am hoping one or both of pitchers is traded, non-tendered or released so that a player with flexibility (for example Yohan Pino) could take their place. The Twins were so thin in outfield depth that they were forced to use several infielders in the outfield this year. They have lost centerfield depth because the 40-man was filled and they attempted to designate players (Alex Presley, Darrin Mastroianni, Kenny Wilson) off either the active roster or 40-man. I respect Terry Ryan's ability to judge talent and I expect the next twelve months will be better in respect to roster issues than the past year has been. However, it cripples a team to have so little roster flexibility and the Twins need to do better.

No Colabello. We all know he slumped after his fine April. His stats since his recall have been bad, as well (not Florimonian, but still bad). I see Nuñez as a keeper. Here's my list: C: Suzuki, Pinto, Chris Gimenez 1B: Mauer, (Parmelee, Vargas) 2B: Dozier (Escobar) 3B: Plouffe, Nuñez (Escobar) SS: Escobar (Nuñez, Santana) LF: Parmelee (Nuñez, Schaefer, Gimenez) CF: Santana, Schaefer RF: Arcia (Nuñez, Parmelee, Gimenez) DH: Vargas (Mauer, Pinto) SP: Gibson, Hughes, May, Milone, Nolasco RP: Pino, Pelfrey, Duensing, Oliveros, Pryor, Thielbar, Perkins

He'll do better than that line. Remember--all that foul territory!

Seldom is a competition on purely equal footing. This is a case in point. May and Meyer are both 24-yo RH pitchers acquired for Twins' center fielders. Yet, there are differences that make May's promotion the easy call and delay Meyer, possibly until next year. 1) Meyer has been on a pitch and innings limit. The boundaries aren't exact, but Meyer will likely be shut down while May should be good to go through September. 2) Meyer is not on the 40-man roster and the 40-man is full. While the loss would only be something like Pedro Florimon, the Twins are reluctant to add Meyer this late in the year and perhaps burn an option on him, as well. I'd love to see the 6'9" kid pitch for the Twins this year, but I'm happy that May will be getting his shot, with Milone waiting in the wings.

Circumstances make Meyer a long shot to pitch with the Twins this year. Too bad, because it probably will hurt his chances to make the club out of Spring Training. Of course, a couple weeks in Rochester will give the team control for another year. Meyer should be good to go 180 or more innings next year. I hope at least 90% of them are for the Twins.

I'd compare him to Escobar. I think both are big leaguers who can start on a marginal to bad team, but neither are stars. If either Parmelee or Escobar is a starter in 2015, it will be their positions that we fans will be looking for replacements.

Good for Hicks. He really needs the AAA time. I still am of the opinion that his bat will never play as a corner outfielder, but I have been wrong before. He's been swinging well at New Britain from both sides of the plate.

Actual talent in CF: The Twins have let go of Presley and Mastroianni, two guys that would qualify as 4th OF, who could cover center. They acquired and just recently traded Sam Fuld, another 4th OF, who did well for the Twins and netted them a guy who figures to get at least 50 starts for the Twins in the duration of his contract. They've suffered through the frustration of Aaron Hicks and seen one other prospect (Rosario) take a step back after serving a 50-game suspension. Their top overall prospect is a CF, but has missed over half a season with wrist injuries. That's quite a drain at one position. The answer has been converting a shortstop on the fly and now acquiring Schafer.

I read that Darnell had been optioned, not a huge surprise. That creates room for Schafer for now. I would presume they could recall Milone to start sometime next week. They would probably have to send out a pitcher. Of course, when Mauer returns that is another issue.

Overall, I like the move. Schafer has one major league skill for sure--he can steal bases. Even with bad instincts, he has to cover more ground than the Twins' regulars in left and right. If Schafer could manage to get on base enough, he could really help the team in a part-time role. If not, backup CF, PR and occasional corner defensive replacement.

I continue to believe that Byron Buxton will be the Twins center fielder by June 15. He is the real thing. He's healthy and will play in AA and then the AFL. Actually, I won't be surprised if the OF isn't very mobile on the corners next year, but they should have a much better staff and a better offense.

I agree that the combo of "pitch to contact" pitchers combined with a team that has range-challenged corner infielders and a lot of flux in center field isn't fair to the pitchers and not a formula for winning baseball. I always look at total runs allowed versus innings pitched as a fairer version of "runs suppressed" than team ERA. Pitching and defense are intertwined. The combination for the Twins hasn't been great in the last four years. Both better pitching and better, more athletic defenders will improve the team statistically and in the standings.