TopGunn#22

I for one would gladly take a "2-year rental" of Shark. However, if he performed, I'd make every effort to sign him longer term. AussieTwin's list is a good one, but I think "Shark" would be near the top for me. It's an interesting trade, but if I'm the Cubs, I just feel like I'd want a little more, a little "something else." Is Dozier that much better than Darwin Barney (current Cubs 2B)? Fien is O.K. I'd hate to lose him, but give him up in a split second to get "Shark." But to make this possible we have to come up with something other than Mastro, who I think is a dime a dozen kind of guy. It would have to be a minor league pitcher of some note.

This is the right move. It was bound to happen sometime and now it's sooner rather than later. A vet catcher (preferably one that hits LH) would be a perfect bridge for Pinto and his continued development. As was pointed out elsewhere, Mauer is a monster at on base percentage. His power may even take a slight uptick absent the wear and tear of catcher. This is a good thing.

Thrylos...Great article. This is why we go to Twins Daily, to read a well thought out, well written piece about our favorite baseball team and how they could become fun to watch again (someday). We can all quibble on the specifics...that's what makes this fun, entertaining and educational. I'm intrigued by the premise that the Twins need to bring in 3 guys, and I agree, that whoever they bring in needs to be viewed as our #1, #2 and possibly #3. Meyer, Deduno, Worley, Gibson etc...give us a lot of options but a lot of unknowns. What we do need to do is improve this sorry SP rotation. The best guy to bring in is Tanaka. He fits all the criteria to a "T" but if the Yanks, Dodgers, Red Sox etc...are going all in on him, we will be out bid. It disappoints me to have to accept that, but that's reality. I agree with those who are bullish on Kazmir. Good grief, the Twins couldn't hit him a lick last year. I agree with those who are high on Hughes. Get him out of Yankee Stadium, we could very well get lucky with that. If we start with Kazmir and Hughes we are already 200% better than last year. Who would be #3. Ubaldo would be a terrific signing but our #2 will be pretty high, that's a negative. If you can get a Josh Johnson or Volquez fairly cheaply and leave yourself a little $$$ to add a bat I would give Terry Ryan an "A" for his off season. Since I'm much more accustomed to giving him D's and F's I'll remain skeptical. The Twins FO and the Pohlad's have to know the Twins have lost 50% of their TV audience in the last 3 years. I'm sure the radio audience is even worse. When that starts happening, attendance is set to tank in the not too distant future. If they don't get their #*#@! together this off season even when they young talent comes up, they might not see the interest in their ballclub come back right away. The clock is ticking...

The only problem with this scenario is that we don't have a SS. But as Twins Fan #34 pointed out, Texas could offer Andrus.

My answer to Shane's question would be Chuck Knoblach.

I'm sure Terry Ryan (or the Pohlads) don't read any of this stuff. But really, you guys are the backbone of Twins fans and to a man, NONE of you have any faith in Terry Ryan. And I agree with you all 100%! He has done nothing recently to inspire any confidence with Twins fans that HE, Terry Ryan, will set the market, but rather, Ryan will intently study what OTHER people will do (thus letting OTHERS set the market) and play it safe. Our starting pitching is historically bad and talented prospects are 2-3 years away from contributing. This is why Ryan needs to sign 3 pitchers. Two decent ones with the potential to be with us 3 years from now (Jimenez, E. Santana, Hughes, Tanaka) and one "flyer" like Johnson or Johan Santana. Money should not be a problem. The Twins are at risk of losing the fan base and they might not come back until the Twins are winning. And if Ryan waits for the market to establish itself before he decides to enter the fray, "winning" will be a long way off and there will be a lot of empty seats at Target Field.

After last season's major disappointment, I'll believe it when I see it when it comes to Terry Ryan and Dave St. Peter & Co. E. Santana makes waaay too much sense and fits waaay to well into the void we call our starting rotation. You have to be "somewhat" sensible, but the last thing the Twins FO should be concerned about is cost.

I agree 100% with MyHouseIsYourHouse: The best targets are in order: Tanaka: Young, good stuff, could be a #1. Expensive, YES. But worth it. Kazmir: He's 30. He looks like he's made it back. We couldn't hit him if our lives depended on it last year. Hughes: Still young, has the ability to miss bats. Gives up too many HR's. Yankee Stadium doesn't help, Target Field will. Josh Johnson intrigues me, but scares me. The guy just can't stay healthy. Colby Lewis: Interesting, but I don't know enough about where he is at health-wise and whether the Rangers want him back. Any way you slice and dice this. The Pohlads and Terry Ryan have to "show us the money." As Patrick Reusse said in an earlier column, they don't even appear to be trying. I would also love to see them get serious and sign the young Cuban SS. Good grief we need a SS!!!

There is no doubt that developing your own starting pitching is the best model. It's cheaper and provides stability going forward. But when your starting pitching has fallen to the depths the Twins has for the last 3-4 years you must move out of your comfort zone. The Tigers targeted SP's that they were willing to pay for both in both prospects and money via trades. They also went out and acquired bats (Cabrera, Fielder, Hunter, V-Mart, Infante). There really isn't a lot of home grown talent with Detroit. They just had an owner and GM who were willing to pay the price to do it. As Jon Bones points out...pocketing the cash ain't gonna make the Twins any better. And as Reusse correctly pointed out, when you compare the other ownership/GM's in this town, it just appears the Twins don't care. Perception is reality. Another point to consider. Terry Ryan is counting on 2015 as the year the Twins should be able to compete. What if Buxton and Sano are on the team and they play reasonably well but the team still struggles because many holes weren't fixed before they came up? Ryan is risking the fan base by signing the Corriea's, Pelfrey's etc...of the world. I think Twins fans should expect some bold moves this winter or the Twins risk crowds of about 15,000 per game. Someone should publish what the average attendance was in the month of September this year.

Val...just a couple rebuttal points: Oliver and Greenwell never won a Gold Glove. Oliver and Greenwell couldn't steal bases. Oliver won a World Series, but in 1971 the Pirates were Clemente & Stargell. (Oliver hit .282). Puckett was the BEST player on 2 World Champion teams. Furillo, while a very good player, wasn't Jackie Robinson, Duke Snider, Roy Campanella, or Gil Hodges and they only won one (1) World Series (1955). I would like to see Tony-O in, but he never won a World Series. Sympathy may have made Puckett a first ballot HOF'er but it didn't make him a HOF'er.

Shane, I think you're spot on with your guess that the free agent pitcher is B. Webb. He fits the profile. Some years ago he had one of the best power sinkers in MLB. Injuries have affected his ability to pitch, much less his performance when able to pitch. Plus, like Rich Harden, he's the type of high risk/high reward pitcher the Twins should be taking a chance on.

Very interesting. Thanks for laying this out Shane.

I agree Mauer should hit 2nd. As a #3 he has never knocked in 100 runs. Even in his MVP year with 28 HR's he didn't knock in 100. He should bat 2nd. If Maestro has to start the season in CF, you hit him leadoff until Hicks is up. Plus, hitting Mauer #2 moves Plouffe's power up to 7th in the order.

The Twins rhetoric and their actions don't jibe. I have no problem NOT over-paying for mediocrity, IF you pay for QUALITY. However, the Twins claim no one of quality wants to take their money (Greinke). Unfortunately for Spiritofvodka Dave, Corriea is going to be the yardstick by which any further free agent pitching acquisitions are compared. There's just no way you can have a discussion of comparison unless Corriea is used. Signing one more starting pitcher is necessary, but if the Twins are waiting for "sanity to return to the marketplace" hell just might freeze over first.

I vote "Best Comment" to No Crying in Baseball...

Jack Morris did in 1991.

Great HAL-9000 reference Brock! Although S.O.V. Dave can be annoying at times, that's no different than the rest of us. Plus, he's made 1,962 posts and I just reached 40! I bow to his greatness...!!!

Very interesting. With his stuff, he could be solid in the N.L. With his head, the Pirates may have just tossed $14-mil out the window...

Great signing. We should all say the rosary every day in hopes of keeping him healthy.

Can someone give a little background/detail on Biddle and Ruf?

Is Rosario only playing OF in the PWL? Is he playing any 2B?

I prefer Pelfry over Correia but alas, we are stuck with Kevin. A one year low risk deal for Pelfry would be O.K. I like Bedard under the same circumstances. But I REALLY think they should try a lot harder with Marcum. He's pitched in the A.L. and shown he can handle it. Bedard as well. Correia...??? Nope.

I agree that pitching and middle infield need to be the focus. Remember, Koskie and Gaetti were not Gold Glover's at the same stage Sano is at. I'm not suggesting sano is a Gold Glover either, just that he could be decent. And with that bat...I also agree that Morneau could be ready to come back in a big way, and I'm expecting some regression from Willingham. It may be better to trade "The Hammer" now if the price was right and trade Morneau at the deadline (or keep him, I love the guy). I would target Andrus. Willingham and a top #15 prospect (not a pitcher) to Texas for Andrus. In Arlington, "The Hammer" just might duplicate his 2012 season. Andrus is a top of the order bat and would give us our first legit SS since Gagne. Which top #15 prospect do you guys think could make this happen?

Both already mentioned Game 7 1965 W.S. I was 7 and thought Koufax was awesome! Final game of 1967 vs. Red Sox. And just to further show my age...game #2 of the 1969 ALCS vs. Baltimore lost in extra innings.

No. No. No. No. NNNNOOOO!!!!