SwainZag

I just browsed his career fielding ratings. Either way, in a full season, Esco could be a 15-20 HR guy at SS with decent glove, nothing to sneeze at.

I think saying that is a straight assumption, especially for a 26 year old. He put up 4 WAR combined in the last 2 seasons, and while he probably won't ever been an AS player, I don't see why he can't be the answer at SS. .268/.331/.426 - This is Jhonny Peralta's career line .268/.312/.425 - This is Eduardo Escobar's line for the past 2 seasons. I don't know if Escobar will ever have the glove that Peralta has, but if he turned into that kind of player, I don't know how anyone would complain about him being the starting SS.

There's no doubt in my mind they will protect ABW, it just doesn't make sense not to with the tools he has. The extreme warning signs are there but he's young enough to at least make sure he's around for another year.

I thought Hicks made great strides at the plate this season. With Rosario as a good candidate for regression, not knowing if Buxton or Kepler are ready to hit MLB pitching, I really see no reason why the Twins would like to trade him.

We also have know prior knowledge what went on behind the scenes. He could have thought the team should buy and make a run at the WC and re-sign Price and the rest of the front office thought otherwise. Anything could have happened. Assuming they fired him because they had a down year seems pretty short sighted IMO. Just to correct you, he is with Boston now, not Toronto.

I actually don't think I would mind if they gave Cotts a 1 year deal to stay next year, any one else?

There are a lot of threads on specific players and the predicting the 25 man roster for Opening Day, but first things first. Breaking down the current 40-man roster Players under contract for 2016: SP Phil Hughes SP Ervin Santana SP Ricky Nolasco MR Glen Perkins C Kurt Suzuki 1B Joe Mauer 2B Brian Dozier Pre-Arb Players SP Kyle Gibson SP Tyler Duffey SP Trevor May SP Logan Darnell SP AJ Achter SP Alex Meyer MR JR Graham MR Ryan O'Rourke MR Aaron Thompson MR Ryan Pressly MR Michael Tonkin C Josmil Pinto C Eric Fryer C Chris Hermann 1B Kennys Vargas SS Jorge Polanco SS Danny Santana 3B Miguel Sano OF Max Kepler OF Oswaldo Arcia OF Aaron Hicks OF Eddie Rosario OF Byron Buxton Arb Eligible Players: SP Tommy Milone MR Casey Fien MR Kevin Jepsen Util Eduardo Nunez SS Eduardo Escobar 3B Trevor Plouffe OF Shane Robinson Potential Free Agents SP Mike Pelfrey MR Blaine Boyer MR Brian Duensing MR Neil Cotts OF Torii Hunter There is your 40 man roster, actually there are 42 with Pressly and Darnell being on the 60-day DL. First things first, 5 free agents. Who stays and who goes? Arb Eligible Players next. Who gets arb? Who gets an extension? Who gets free agency?

Tough to run a count when the pitcher is getting 3-5 inches off the plate on the outside. Escobar and Plouffe run up on balls.

Yeah, that's really the selling the point, does he rebound to career norms? I guess I am just skeptical of the switching leagues, bigger park and worse numbers entering his mid 30's. I can only imagine if he bounces back and the Padres aren't in contention we might be talking about this towards the deadline next year as well.....if he isn't moved this offseason.

That was ugly. How do you call Zuke with the error there?

The Twins are in a pretty good position with Escobar right now. I doubt he gets that much in arbitration this offseason. If he continues to improve next season they could think about an extension and if he falters, you aren't tied up in a contract. Plouffe will be interesting. At this point I can't imagine they give him an extension and let him go to his last year of arbitration. Then again I could be wrong.

Agree with this! Win and put a little pressure on the Astros tonight. I'd love to see at least a meaningful game on the last day of the season!

Considering the only homegrown players on the roster with more than a 1 year contract at this point are Mauer, Perkins and Dozier......I would say no.

The more I look at the Shields, the more I question why we would want the Twins to trade for him, even with including Nolasco's contract. Shields turns 34 this upcoming offseason, is owed $21M per season for the next 3 years. Obviously the guy is a workhorse, this being the 9th straight year of tossing 200+ innings. Should that be a cause for concern? That's a lot of mileage on an arm. While 2015 could have been a down year for him, there are some concerns. His BB/9 was double the year before and 150% higher than his career average while his HR/9 was the highest it's been in 6 years, while he leads the league in giving up HR with 33. This all coming with a switch of leagues from the AL to the NL and pitching in one of the more pitching friendly parks in the MLB. His FIP of 4.46 is a career high. The good news is his velocity is still right around his career average and his K/9 was a career high this year. Kyle Gibson on the other, while no spring chicken, will finish just his 2nd full season in the bigs. While not the most consistent guy, he improved for the 2nd straight year. His K/9 has gone from 5.1 to 5.4 and now to 6.7 this year. His control gets him in trouble sometimes, but he looks to a guy getting better, opposed to aging and while already having TJ surgery, has a whole lot less mileage on his arm than Shields. He isn't even eligible for arbitration until 2017. I understand in the trade scenario listed that Nolasco and his $12M for the next 2 years goes, but I would take Gibson + $8M over the next 2 seasons and $21M in 2018 minus Gibby's arbitration number to vastly out produce Shields in the 3 year time span. Just my 2 cents on the Shields trade scenario.

End of the day they still only scored 1 run tonight. Perkins was perfect in the 1st half, was bound to blow a few here and there. Saying that he cost the Twins the post season is pretty rough.

Why would Wieters turn down a QO for 1 year at 14-15M then sign with the Twins for 2 years and 22M? This is assuming they offer him one, which I have to imagine they will.

Technically they can't be eliminated until tomorrow......

Is that a John Madden-ism?

Right. Wait until next year when everyone is healthy. Next April is a long time away.

Well. Plouffe-Rosario-Hunter. Now is the time boys. Now is the time.

Pujols just knocked in Trout. 2-1 Angels, Top 9.

That's a close one.....just call him out.

I have no idea. Like I said in my original post, I wouldn't have gone to May right away, I said nothing about putting in Perkins. We both know Perk hasn't been himself lately.

I feel this is why they went out and got Cotts. Lefties hit .177 against him. May is a good pitcher, but he isn't invincible.

Damn. Big swing by the big fella.