jokin

Hey, not only is the Team Chemist making a double-secret second comeback... the "math" says he's apparently going to be revitalizing his career in a big way (now that Gardy is no longer around and having him patrol the OF, apparently?)... the Next Reincarnation of an 8-time Gold Glover @ SS.

I thought that ZiPS broke some surprising news about Matt Guerrier moving to TNT in 2015: http://cdn.bleacherreport.net/images_root/slides/photos/000/972/959/109351494_display_image.jpg?1306714734

"Regressions" is a term to characterize both improvements and declines towards the career means.

Don't forget Brandon Poulson, Pride of the Heraldsburg Prune Packers. Seth, do you have any updates on the Twins intentions for Poulson in 2015? A wild, weird, wacky, and amazing story:

A good-looking athlete- the Tigers must have seen something, as they (unsuccessfully) tried to push him quickly through their system- perhaps a late bloomer. ***And it looks like you might have the first chance we fans have to make an extended evaluation (after Berrios, of course, who seems to have played some role... it looks like Corcino participates in Jose's offseason workouts, was that how the Twins first became intrigued?)... "CORCINO'S LONG-TIME FRIEND AND THE TWINS' 2012 FIRST-ROUND DRAFT PICK, JOSE BARRIOS TWEETED OUT HIS CONGRATULATIONS ON TUESDAY.... Jose O. Berrios ✔ God be the glory, here an example of Persevering get great blessings! The Great Edgar Corcino new member @Twins org.

Barring crippling, Mickey Mantle-like ongoing injury issues, I think you and Thrylos are wildly underestimating Buxton's potential ceiling. On the defensive side, and perhaps it's a semantical misunderstanding, but Buxton's ceiling is not as "a plus defender", in point of fact, he's the epitome of a potential "plus-plus" CFer, and quite possibly could become the best defensive CFer in the majors over the first 10 years of his major league career. Offensively, I also don't get the discounting of the extraordinary season at the plate that Buxton accomplished in 2013. In the FSL, a league for which Buxton was nearly 4 years younger than the average age, he was the only 19 year old player in the FSL with 250+ PAs (in addition, there were only Five 20 Year Olds with 250+ PAs). To further put Buck's performance into perspective, if you scan the hitting lists over the last 5 years, it's hard to find ANY 19 Year Olds in the league with 250+ PAs, let alone in the Top Three in multiple major hitting categories. And don't get me wrong, I love Polanco, but here's the side-by-side comparison of his slash, one year older- at the age of 20, in the same league in 2014: Buxton- .326/.415/.472/.887 wOBA .406 wRC+ 155 (Top 3 in the FSL in every single category except SLG) Polanco- .291/.364/.415/.780 wOBA .359 wRC+ 124 And Polanco will likely not be even a "plus" defender, let alone Buxton's potential to be the best at his position in the game. Assuming that 2014 was a wild, health-related one-off for Buck, there's no reason to think he can't resume where he left off in 2013, and quickly move to claim the wide-open CF spot, possibly as early as July, but likely no later than sometime in the first half of 2016.

Huh? +7.5 and +2.5 are the same adjustment? Beg to differ on the CF/SS comp.

The Twins have made the same promise to a lot of guys over the years, and it was never going to happen. IMO, he's shooting for a late-inning relief role, with the fallback position for him being long reliever/spot starter. I really don't see any need for worry in a low $$/one-year deal from a guy who isn't even a reclamation or bounce-back deal, the guy's actually pitched pretty decently in relief the last two seasons, with no sign of arm strain or injury. In the case of Boyer, he will really have to show something special to be with the Twins beyond March 30- I'm willing to lay $20 that he opts out by that date. As others have stated, he's the ideal arm to bring in to let the other guys know that no one will just be handed a spot out of ST.

I think there is.... Nick Gordon played for E-Town and was in his first professional season. Minier played for Twins GCL and was in his second professional season.

Sadly, I agree with you on Boni over Nunez, the Twins missed a golden opportunity in the preseason, still a headscratcher to me why they didn't pull the trigger. For the Whities, not only does signing Bonifacio give them a Top 25th Man roster spot/elite PR/defensive all-purpose role--- he gives the Sox an insurance policy at both 2nd and CF (Remember Eaton is an aggressive CF and spent time on the DL in 2014), meanwhile, buying time for one of the 2nd base prospects to get himself established enough to earn the job outright. Good roster upgrade move, at a very low cost, while not blocking anyone in the process.

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/evaluating-the-prospects-minnesota-twins/

Thry's ranking has to be the lowest one out there. http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/prospects/watch/y2014/#list=min

So... even a better deal, w/ some added incentives for Bonifacio to produce. The White Sox fill another bench/depth hole, plus.... they now have the luxury in the OF to possibly deal Viciedo and fill yet another hole.

Whities strike again. $4M well-spent for 25th man MVP, CF insurance, as well as a capable replacement at 2nd should the young options for the position falter.

Minor nit to pick... Kepler is in fact, just 21 years old. It was really a tale of two seasons for Kepler in 2014. From the season's outset, through his trip to the DL in June, and struggling for another four weeks upon his return, his slash line was a horrendous .224/.303/.336/(.639), with a K% of 17.9%, an ISO of .112 and wRC+ of 85. From there though, Kepler flipped a switch. In the last two months or so of the regular season in Ft Myers, he slashed .316/.376/.458/(.835), with a marked reduction in K%- 11.0%, and markedly improved ISO- .142, and wRC+- 140. And for an encore, he acquitted himself well against some of the elite arms in the AFL. I'm not willing to say that Kepler has finally "gotten it", but I'm not as worried about the power drop-off, and willing to ascribe it to the FSL effect. But he's really going to have to show more of the same in 2015 in AA, especially what with all of that plate protection around him in the Lookout lineup, or else the "Chattanooga Choo-Choo" of hitting talent is going to leave him left at the station and on the trading block- or expecting platoon/bench bat status in his Twins future.

And Danny Santana wasn't going to make the team last ST, even though it was very obvious that both Florimon and Bartlett couldn't play.

You might be steaming come 4th week of March. This signing seems to be a statement by Ryan. If Stauffer takes Fien's role, every RHP moves one down in the pecking order. It seems that Ryan sees Tonkin most likely fighting for a back of the pen role. We all saw Tonkin struggle in 2014, now he has to prove he's got his 2013 mojo back.

Who isn't high on Thorpe? The only issue is the elbow, and how much that will slow his progress.

Yep. This is a classic Terry-style upgrade, but maybe just a little higher up in the bargain ban than Burton and Fien were located, And come on, he' a little better than a typical P2C guy when he comes in off of a K/9 over 9.00 year.

The K% doesn't have a lot of correlation to the Petco OF.... and I would wager Terry didn't sign Stauffer @ $2.2M simply to take Swarzak's job. And the fact that he wasn't used as much in high leverage situations in San Diego is more a reflection on their staff and Stouffer's history of injuries. It's pretty safe to surmise.... Stouffer's going to challenge Fien for the set-up role. Tonkin clearly took a step back in 2014, he'll likely be one of the guys challenging for spots in the back of the pen.

Uhhh... 24.5%.... that's Stauffer's K%... there is nothing similar on this staff to that number among any of the RHPs (Fien is the only one close, and he was only at 19.6%). Only LHP Perkins has a better number than that

Stauffer's FIP of 3.02 is identical for both 2010 and 2014. His K% and K/9 were never higher than in 2014. Unlike most RPs, he has a bevy of pitching options and a nice change-up- lots for Neal Allen to work with. The 2014 outlying BABIP of.356 accounts for quite a bit of that WHIPsaw.

Nice upgrade over Burton..... ladies and gents, meet your new Twins set-up man...

It's simple really. Yet another vast Twins search for talent across the Caribbean, only to find it on the same Winter Ball team as Escobar and Pinto. To be fair, Martinez IS putting up good numbers and playing every day in VE (.320/.370/.459), but he turns 29 in January, so in the final analysis I don't see the point, except keeping the affiliate happy.

A bouquet to your missive, Mister Major-domo-Doc... a bubbling Baueresque bravura display of brevity and alliterative bon mots.-