stringer bell

The Twins will probably lose 90 games this year. That doesn't mean that they will be making wholesale changes of their roster, at least not from the position player standpoint. After watching half of the Angel series, I'm convinced that all of the 13 position players that will head north out of Fort Myers are playing for the Twins right now. Most of the players are givens. A couple of guys will have competition and two of the jewels of the system will probably get their chance sometime in 2015, but what you are seeing is pretty close to what you will get in the spring of 2015. Here's my thirteen players: Regulars--Mauer, Dozier, Escobar, Plouffe, Santana, Hicks, Schafer, Arcia, Vargas, and Suzuki. Bench--Parmelee, Nunez, and Pinto. You notice I listed ten regulars. I am visualizing Santana as a tenth starter, around the infield and outfield. Hicks and Schafer share with Santana in left and center. This is a young lineup (basically) with both power and speed. This is essentially the same lineup that is leading the league in scoring since August 1. If Hicks tanks again, there are alternatives. I have started a thread and stated in other threads that I like both Nuñez and Parmelee as bench players. I also expect that Pinto will gain more time behind the plate next year and that by the end of the season, he may be sharing time or better with Suzuki. With exciting guys like Sano and Buxton perhaps just a phone call away by midseason, one has to be optimistic about the position players. The pitching staff? well, changes have to be made.

Danny has played SS more in his career than Esco. Of course, EE has gotten most of the time there this year. He just wasn't very good there in the spring. I honestly haven't seen him there enough with the Twins to have an informed opinion. I remain unconvinced that he will stay as a regular at short. However, with his hitting, speed, and arm, the Twins will find somewhere for him to play.

Good for Hicks! Maybe Hughes can settle down during the middle innings. Of course, as ineffective and beat up as the bullpen is right now, I don't see any lead as safe.

Another hit for Esco. Yeah, he doesn't have Santana's speed, but he's had a really good year.

Que sera, sera. BTW, it is interesting that both of the Twins' Class A teams are playing Cubs farm teams.

Ok, I might be talking to myself, but I think there should be a role for Parm next year on the Twins. The way he has hit left handed pitching solidifies his role as a backup at both corner outfield spots and first. I like Nuñez in a backup role as well. Those two guys might not have the highest upside, but they can play a lot of positions and have some pop.

Escobar with the tying homer. He now has more than Mauer.

Well, I hate to do this, but I have to work tomorrow. I'm not as big a jinx as JB, but my luck hasn't been very good since I tuned into a 5-0 game that the Twins ended up losing 7-5. Good night all and root us on to a win or a double DQ blizzard, whichever is better.

This will not end well.

Bullseye down! Bullseye down!

Well, there goes any prospect of Pinto making the team next year.

ODed on Butter Brickle.

Here's a little secret, Hicks isn't a really good base stealer. He isn't that fast.

These last few starts are important for Nolasco. Captain Obvious says Ricky needs to throw strikes while staying out of the middle of the plate.

Don't know if this is the proper place, but I just saw a Twins commercial for ZubazPalooza and it has the famous picture of TK feeding the pitching machine, but the cigar and the cigar smoke has been removed. Hmmmm.

Everybody happy? I suppose somebody will find fault with the left fielder today.

OK, I'm going there. Eight plate appearances. Those of you advocating Polanco's recall and competing for a position on the team next year are putting way too much emphasis on eight plate appearances. I believe Eric Fryer had three hits in his first eight plate appearances this year. Does that make him a legitimate prospect? No. Some guys, from Aaron Hicks to Willie Mays go 0-8, does that make them busts? Again, no. Eight plate appearances is simply too small a sample to matter. Polanco, at 20 years old, competed well in High A ball. He wasn't dominant, but he competed well. He hit .281, with a .780 OPS and got a deserved promotion to AA. At New Britain, he was satisfactory, no more, no less. The batting average was OK (.281), but he only had seven extra-base hits and nine walks in a quarter season. Defensively, he's probably not ready, if errors made are any gauge of defensive performance. If Polanco shows the same improvement in 2015, it will make considerably more sense for him to get a late-season look. He then might really be on the cusp of staying in the big leagues, even if he doesn't get a single AAA plate appearance. We know that at 23, Danny Santana was ready offensively. It looks like Kennys Vargas was ready from his 24th birthday on. We also know that at 23 and 24, first round draft choice Aaron Hicks wasn't ready. I certainly haven't seen enough of Polanco to make blanket statements, but I'm sure the Twins get reports from his managers and coaches. If he were truly ready for major league baseball, even a September audition, somebody would have made the case for him. I doubt that has happened.

The only thing bringing up Polanco does is add service time, and that's not a good thing for the team. He's the fourth best shortstop and they sure don't need more than three. Let him master AA at least before he's promoted.

Generalities: The bullpen gets turned over for younger, harder throwing arms. After the last month, maybe just a thought might be made about grooming a future closer. More speed and defense in the outfield. I think there's a place for Schafer, not sure about Hicks. If Santana is the shortstop, the Twins could and should keep both Escobar and Nuñez as utility guys. Pinto is my backup catcher, but if a trade is made and there is a more defensive-minded (perhaps LH hitting) young catcher to be traded for, it makes the team more balanced. I count seven guys for five spots in the rotation: Hughes, Gibson Nolasco, Milone, Meyer, May and Pelfrey. While Pelfrey and Milone (and Nolasco) don't look that good right now, things can change in six months.

The Angels executed flawlessly in the top of the ninth. The Twins did not. Sad when the 3-4-5 hitters can't get a runner in from second with no one out.

Unless there is a walkoff or GDP, the Plouffe PR event is gonna come back and either bite the Twins or delight the Twins.

I said it last night and I'll say it today, there's probably no good hitter less likely to make a productive out in this case than Joe Mauer, and Dozier is a close second.

And the Brown Dirt Cowboy.

Not overwhelming evidence.

I think he's out.