Winston Smith

I don't think it's being a debbie downer to expect a player to prove something before going all lady gaga over them. My hope is he gives us a nice Brad Radke type career. However it wouldn't surprise me if he fizzles out. You still have to prove it on the field!

"Lookin back in front of me....." Stevie Ray Our drafts from 2002-2008 have produced these Twins with at least a plus 1 war. 02: Span Crain Neshek 03: Baker 04: Perkins 05: Garza Slowey Duensing 06: None 07: Revere 08: None 7 drafts and they have Span, Perkins, Duensing and Revere left on the team. Nothing in return for the other guys. This really is at the heart of why we fell so hard. A team that doesn't sign average or above free agents must rely on it's farm system. 02-07 are Ryan's last 6 drafts and now he is back in charge. I'll keep looking for a reason for hope but I'm not seeing it yet. 2015 Morneau, Willingham, Doumit and likely Span will all be gone and Joe will be 32. A depressing amount of work to do!

A business owner taking money out of his pocket to fund some business venture happens all the time. If it is a publically traded corp that won't happen (they could issue more stock for cash) but any private business can do it whenever they want. This summer when the Wild made the big free agent signings they asked all the owners to chip in some cash to cover the cost. The Timerwolves have lost money many times over the years and Taylor just writes out a check to cover the loss. Some owners are willing to do that and some aren't.

Ilitch and the Pohlads are both worth over 2.5 billion. Ilitch is 83 certainly can never spend all that money and wants to win while still alive. Pohlads seem content to make more money so they can move up the Forbes list while winning is secondary. It's always been this way so no need to think it will change. If you are waiting for Jim Pohlad to tell Ryan spend what ever you need to make a team that can win a world series I think we'll wait a long time or maybe when he's in his 80's? We have to remember that the Pohlads were going along with contraction. NO MORE TWINS. They have a lot less attachment to baseball and sports than Ilitch does.

He may not repeat this year and he may never be what he was a few years ago but will he be an upgrade? For sure! Delmon is gone and they replace him with Hunter by any account a better player and they add 6 mill over what they paid Delmon. Seems like a good swap. An owner that isn't afraid to spend money, must be nice.

The Marlins lost 183 games the last 2 years and have decided what they were doing doesn't work. Trading all these guys, clearing payroll and bringing in some prospects may or may not work but they are moving in a new direction. Some young players to work with and a lot of money to spend or pocket could work, they have made this work before. I wish Red luck, gonna be a long year for him. The Twins lost 195 games the last 2 years and at this point they haven't really shown what the plan is for fixing it. The Marlins decided to blow things up and it appears that the Ryan approach will be using bandaids. Making radical changes when things are bad or staying the course hoping for better times that is the conundrum. Time will tell.

Didi and Cingrani for Span and a low prospect could work. Young starter and SS would really help.

Sorry about the lentgh of this, it came from fan graphs: 2. Danny Hultzen, LHP BORN: Nov. 28, 1989 EXPERIENCE: None ACQUIRED: 2011 1st round (2nd overall), University of Virginia 2010-11 TOP 10 RANKING: NA Almost every single mock draft had Danny Hultzen heading to the Arizona Diamondbacks with the third pick of the 2011 draft. Seattle put an end to that speculation when it nabbed the southpaw with the second overall pick after Pittsburgh grabbed another college arm, Gerrit Cole, with the first overall selection. The U of Virginia alum signed too late to play during the regular season but he did pitch 19.1 innings in the Arizona Fall League. Hultzen looked good, posting a 2.79 FIP (1.40 ERA) with 18 strikeouts and just five walks. He doesn’t have “explosive stuff” but he’s extremely polished and has an above-average repertoire for a southpaw. His fastball sits in the low 90s and can touch 95-96 mph. He also has a potentially-plus changeup and a slider. With his strong debut the lefty could open 2012 in double-A, an aggressive assignment for sure but it would allow him to skip over the potent California League. 3. Taijuan Walker, RHP BORN: Aug. 13, 1992 EXPERIENCE: 2 years ACQUIRED: 2010 supplemental 1st round, California HS 2010-11 TOP 10 RANKING: 4th As a multi-sport star in high school, Walker was supposed to be a bit of a project when the organization signed him in 2010. The club has been fairly cautious with him so far but the right-hander may finally be ready to explode after a breakout ’11 season. Walker has a good chance at becoming one of the top pitching prospects in the minors in 2012 and could very well reach double-A if he continues to advance like he did last season. He spent all of ’11 in low-A ball and he posted a 2.70 FIP (2.89 ERA) in 96.2 innings. He overpowered more advanced hitters; his strikeout rate sat at 10.52 K/9 and he allowed just 6.42 hits per nine innings. Walker also does a nice job of inducing ground-ball outs. His fastball sits in the mid 90s and can touch the upper 90s. He also has a good curveball and changeup. He’ll face a stiff challenge when he opens 2012 in the California League (high-A ball) and he won’t turn 20 until August. 4. James Paxton, LHP BORN: Nov. 6, 1988 EXPERIENCE: 2010 4th round, Independent baseball league ACQUIRED: 1 season 2010-11 TOP 10 RANKING: NA The Blue Jays’ loss is the Mariners’ gain. When negotiations disintegrated between Toronto and its 2009 first round draft pick, Paxton headed off to pitch in an independent baseball league and re-entered the amateur draft in 2010. Due to an uneven performance, though, he slipped to the fourth round where he was an absolute steal for the organization. The Canadian native had an outstanding 2011 season while pitching in both low-A and double-A ball. At the higher level Paxton posted a strikeout rate of 11.77 K/9 with above-average ground ball numbers in 39.0 innings. He also made strides with his control, which can desert him at times. The southpaw has a solid pitcher’s frame and an above-average repertoire. His fastball ranges from 91-97 mph and he also a potentially-plus curveball and a solid changeup. He could return to double-A to open 2012 but may very well make his big league debut at some point during the coming season.

Walter Johnson! Talk about a year, 1913: 36-7, 1.14 era with 29 complete games. 346 innings, a .78 whip and a 259 era+.

So trade Benson a guy that was bad at AAA got hurt and was later really bad in AA for a guy that had a solid rookie yr at "the major league level"? I'm surprised the Nationals haven't been all over that one.

Sure, Delgado and Minor?

More like a Pavano type contract at best!

We need at least 3 quality starters next year, he would be one of those. We can't be thinking if it isn't Verlander we don't want him because #1 starters are few and very expensive. 3 Hellickson type guys would go a long way to improving this team, imo.

We lost 99 and 96 games the last 2 seasons. Everyone should be on the table, a couple minor moves will not fix this team.

What's the point they aren't going to sign any of those guys anyway!

31 other teams passed, the guy will be 30 next summer, had a 4.44 era and 1.54 whip. If we need him in the rotation get ready for another last place finish.

Right fit means cheap?

Good for him! I would have liked to see him managing the Twins next year but that was never going to happen, hope he does well.

It's a start. Not a perfect pitcher by any means but he has shown he can be good. The problem with many teams the Royals and Twins among them is that when you have a really bad pitching staff it takes a lot to climb out of that hole. You can't just go out a trade for say a Fister, Sherzer or Sanchez to build a staff you need to band aid it together piece by piece and some of those guys may not be perfect.

I think Haren has a 3.5 buy out. I'd be happy to give up a 20's prospect for Haren and 3.5 mill.

Very much agree with this. Plouffe should have no problem at 2nd being a ss coming up, wait would he have to bat second?

No doubt Gardy is happy he has shortstops that play the way he did and not Hardy.

I would not be surprised to see Capps, Pavano, Baker and Blackburn all with the Twins come opening day. I'd be really disappointed but not surprised.

Joe Mays! I'm not sure I'd spend a lot until I knew he could pitch again.

Peter Gammons is reporting that the Red Sux are in on every free agent so Baker could sign with the Red Sux. Rumor mania has started!