Erock

Todd Frazier

No real point in doing so. He doesn't become a free agent until 2019 when he is 32. He is a solid 2B, but no all-star and he we have some interesting 2B in the minors.

Jason Bartlett. 3 AB, 3 SO, 3 Runs, 0 BB and a .250 OBP.

He makes sense as a platoon and strengthens the outfield defense. Either way, I want someone fast in one of the corners this year.

If Davis is signed, then I believe Doumit should be on his way out. Davis improves our OF defense which we desperately need. Parmelee is the big question though. He likely spends some time in the OF and pinch-hits for the likes of Florimon, Presley and Davis. I don't think we have the playing time left to see if he develops further. I think he has to take his bench role and will have to take advantage of any playing time due to injuries and the like if he wants to prove himself. If Doumit is kept, Parmelee likely has no spot on the team. If Doumit really isn't catching anymore, then it's even more easy to prefer Parmelee as the bench option.

Besides the obvious ones. I would be strongly against Arcia being involved and would have pretty mixed feelings about dealing Rosario or Berrios.

Signings: Matt Garza 5/80 (14, 16, 16, 16, 18) - Automatically becomes the teams ace and hopefully stabilizes a spot in the rotation for the foreseeable future. Bronson Arroyo 3/28 (10, 10, 8) - Gets an extra year, but takes Correia's role in the following year of veteran innings eater as rotation is built. Front-load contract a little bit to lessen the blow of having to give that 3rd year. Jarrod Saltalamachia 3/34 (10, 12, 12) - Good behind the plate and lets Pinto start in AAA to get more at-bats as he earns his way back up. Wilson Betemit 1/4 - Injured last year, but great numbers from the left side of the plate. Platoons with Plouffe and backs-up Sano after we switch Plouffe to a corner outfield/DH role Trades: Ryan Doumit to Boston Red Sox for C+ Prospect - Yes, we swap catchers. Gives a small amount of (not really needed) salary relief and opens up play time for Hermann, Pinto and Parmelee. Opening Day Roster: C- Jarrod Saltalamachia 5 1B- Joe Mauer 3 2B- Brian Dozier 2 SS- Pedro Florimon 9 3B- Trevor Plouffe 7 RF- Oswaldo Arcia 6 CF- Alex Presley 1 LF- Darin Mastroianni 8 DH- Josh Willingham 4 B- Chris Hermann C/OF B- Wilson Betemit 3B/1B/DH B- Eduardo Escobar IF B- Chris Parmelee 1B/OF SP- Matt Garza SP- Bronson Arroyo SP- Kevin Corriea SP- Kyle Gibson SP- Vance Worley RP- Anthony Swarzak RP- Ryan Pressly RP- Caleb Thielbar RP- Michael Tonkin RP- Brian Duensing RP- Casey Fien RP- Jared Burton RP- Glen Perkins Total Payroll: 89.5 million (55 + 38 for FA - 3.5 for Doumit) Notes: Liam Hendriks, Sam Deduno and Scott Diamond will both have a few starts this year. I would like Hughes > Arroyo, but I think someone pays him more than we would like. Fliers on SP with upside (Rich Harden type signing) could also occur. Pinto, Hicks and Sano all start in AAA. Roster Pre September Call-ups: C- Jarrod Saltalamachia 7 1B- Joe Mauer 3 2B- Brian Dozier 2 SS- Pedro Florimon 9 3B- Miguel Sano 5 RF- Oswaldo Arcia 4 CF- Aaron Hicks 1 LF- Alex Presley 8 DH- Trevor Plouffe 6 B- Josmil Pinto C/DH B- Eduardo Escobar IF B- Chris Parmelee OF B- Wilson Betemit 1B/3B/DH SP- Matt Garza SP- Bronson Arroyo SP- Kevin Correia SP- Kyle Gibson SP- Alex Meyer RP- Anthony Swarzak RP- Ryan Pressly RP- Caleb Thielbarr RP- Brian Duensing RP- Casey Fien RP- Jared Burton RP- Glen Perkins Trade: Josh Willingham for Prospect/s to a team looking for a bat. Probably won't get much in return, but Plouffe can be a replacement at DH and gives Pinto a chance to DH more often when not catching. Notes: Plouffe shifts to play LF/DH from 3B when Sano is called up. Pinto replaces Hermann after thriving in AAA and gets plenty of at bats as catcher and DH. Alex Meyer forces his way into the rotation. Worley should improve, but is the most likely candidate to be replaced. Correia could be hovering near 5 and Gison might also struggle, so they are other candidates. September call-ups: CF- Byron Buxton (plays all 3 outfield spots, but primarily center) 2B/OF- Eddie Rosario (gets at bats at all positions) RP- Edgar Ibarra RP- AJ Achter C/OF- Chris Herrmann P- Trevor May (gets a start and is also used in the pen) SS- Danny Santana Maybe Mastroianni/Diamond/Deduno but they could be gone from the team at this point. What 2015 should look like: C- Jarrod Saltalamachia 1B- Joe Mauer 2B- Brian Dozier or Eddie Rosario SS- Pedro Florimon or Danny Santana 3B- Miguel Sano RF- Aaron Hicks CF- Byron Buxton LF- Oswaldo Arcia DH- Trevor Plouffe B- Josmil Pinto B- Pedro Florimon or Danny Santana B- B- SP- Matt Garza SP- Bronson Arroyo SP- Kyle Gibson SP- Alex Meyer SP- Bullpen harder to predict, but assuming their is no drastic fall offs, it could be very similar. Notes: Open slot for another starter. Lots of money to spend (-12.5 for Willingham and Correia FA). Payroll should rise to 115-120 mil range, especially if the team looks primed to compete. Could grab a big name starter to join the rotation as there are (hopefully) few holes on offense. A big bat could also be added as a DH option and Plouffe could be traded or designated to a bench role.

No way I give up that much from Trumbo. He is a marginal upgrade over Plouffe and can't play 3B. Let alone giving up the other three with him. I don't think Trumbo really fits our needs anyway. He has some power, but doesn't really get on base. Might as well stick with Willingham or put Plouffe in the OF. Also. Samardzija is interesting, but I don't give up Arcia's potential and more importantly his years for someone who will be a free agent in 2015 and likely cost a pretty penny. I'd rather go hard on a Free Agent and lose that draft pick then give up a top prospect/rookie like Arcia who could provide near all-star level production for the foreseeable future.

I like Kazmir and Hughes if he can be signed for multi-year. If not, I would target Nolasco or Arroyo. I would certainly take a flier on any of the guys who are looking at minor league contracts and the international players for the right deal. Kazmir, Hughes, Johan is who I sign, ideally.

I think Phil Hughes is a great fit and could be a solid #3 starter for the Twins. I want to bring him in and then take a risk on someone with upside like Josh Johnson or Tim Lincecum. Bring in a 3rd guy like Pelfrey or Nolasco and build your rotation around them. Yoon is an intriguing option, but I'm not giving him anything like 3/21 that I've seen some people mention. If he can be brought in on a smaller contract with the idea that he might start in AAA or be a bullpen option, I would be all for it. Hughes, Johnson, Pelfrey, Yoon would vastly improve the rotation and give us plenty of options. It won't win us a championship, but it's a lot better than what we have and can bring us toward that .500 mark as our team grows with our top prospects.

The Twins won the world series in 1991 on my first birthday. My uncle spilled beer on me that night. Also 2 of Kazmir, Hughes, Jimenez, Lincecum, Nolasco, Feldman, Johnson or Tanaka need to be in Twins uniforms next year. In addition, a third pitcher, perhaps someone like Mike Pelfrey or Randy Messenger or even Johan Santana should be brought in, particularly if one of the first 2 is an injury risk like Kazmir or Johnson. My body is not ready for another year of **** and 4.5K per 9 from every starter. While the current free agent class of SP is pretty ugly for playoff caliber squads, it's strangely good for the Twins current situation.

Arcia?

Let him 1B/DH if cleared. Gives us a chance to have more looks at Hermann and Pinto behind the plate.

Trevor May dealing tonight

His career SO rate in Japan is higher than Verlander's in the MLB. Not that it would translate directly, but he sure as hell would strike out more than anyone on our current squad.