Thrylos

I just wonder whether the people who are running and/or reporting for the Twins have realized that pitching and defense was the biggest issue, and Bautista can neither pitch nor play defense, which means that he does not make sense

I think that one can look at this list and make a better argument regarding the Twins' defense in 2016.

Every single league has its own balls. So they use a different ball in AAA International League and in AAA Pacific Coast League even...

Originally published at The Tenth Inning Stretch ---- With pitchers and catchers reporting for Spring Training in about 5 weeks, it is time for the annual Twins' off-season top prospect list. The past 4 seasons, this list was a top 40 list, but I decided it to grow it to a top 60 list this off-season for various reasons, including some uncertainty towards the end of the rankings, plus the fact that I tend to include several players who have not yet played stateside. Unlike other prospect lists that include all players who qualify as rookies, mine does not include players who have played in the majors. I find it awkward to see players like J.T. Chargois who appeared in 25 games in the majors and was a major league player for the best part of 2 months, listed as a "prospect", and in some places with ETA 2017. Players like Adalbelto Mejia who appeared for one game only in the majors, take a mulligan and still treated as prospects in my list. I have waited as much as I could to include potential players received in trades, but I am afraid that if I wait any longer, I will run out of time, so additional incoming prospects will be ranked retroactively. As a baseline, here is my 2016 Twins' off-season list (the full link and analysis is here; it includes 2015 ranking in parenthesis and ETA) 1. Jose Berrios RHSP (5), 2016 2. Tyler Jay (--) LHSP, 2017 3. Nick Burdi (6) RHRP, 2016 4. Stephen Gonsalves (13) LHSP, 2018 5. Lewin Diaz (9) 1B/DH, 2019 6. JT Chargois (--) RHRP, 2016 7. Wander Javier (--) SS, 2020+ 8. Jermaine Palacios (36) SS/3B, 2020 9. Nick Gordon (12) SS, 2019 10. Mitch Garver (17) C, 2017 11. Levi Michael (22), 2B, 2016 12. Mason Melotakis (--), LHRP, 2016 13. Kohl Stewart RHSP (7), 2017 14. Travis Harrison (14), OF/1B, 2017 15. Amaurys Minier (6) OF/1B, 2019 16. Jake Reed (16) RHRP, 2017 17. Lewis Thorpe (11) LHSP, 2019 18. Daniel Palka (--) OF, 2017 19. Adam Walker (21), OF, 2016 20. Felix Jorge (29), RHSP, 2018 21. Rainis Silva (24), C, 2018 22. Jean Carlos Arias (--), CF, 2020 23. Engelb Vielma SS (20), 2017 24. Luis Arraez IF (40), 2019 25. Ryan Eades RHSP (30), 2017 26. Lachlan Wells (--), LHSP, 2020 27. Huascar Ynoa (--), RHSP, 2020 28. Brusdar Graterol (--), RHSP, 2020+ 29. Brandon Peterson (27), RHRP, 2017 30. Taylor Rogers (--), LHR/SP, 2016 31. LaMonte Wade (--), CF, 2018 32. Kolton Kendrick (--), 1B/DH, 2020+ 33. Chris Paul (--) IF/OF, 2018 34. Fernardo Romero (37), RHSP, 2019 35. Yorman Landa (--), RHRP, 2018 36. Kuo Hua Lo (--), RHRP, 2018 37. Niko Goodrum (--), CF/IF, 2017 38. Travis Blankenhorn (--), 3B/1B, 2020 39. Trey Cabbage (--), IF/OF, 2020+ 40. Emmanuel Morel (--) IF, 2020+ Berrios (1), Chargois (6), and Rogers (30) have graduated, Walker (19), Landa (35) and Lo (36) are no longer with the organization. The next segment will start the top 60 prospects countdown and will be the 56-60 prospects.

Of course the ball is different: http://www.zackhample.com/baseball_collection/photos/weird/international_league2.jpg http://content.sportslogos.net/news/2015/01/New-Major-League-Baseball-for-2015-Rob-Manfred-Signature-Rawlins.jpg

The point is that he sucked as a division III College manager as well.

A hire totally based on merit: He led a division III college team to a 81-116 record and slashed .232/.292/.274 for his career as a professional. He even hit 6 HRs in 7 seasons. What else does one want from a hitting coach?

With the Twins allowing him to pitch for PR in the WBC, this would be almost impossible.

He might be. Last year they had a total of 23 non-roster invitees. This year they committed to 16. Also, several players will be in the WBC, so I suspect about 10 names or so (and about 4 of them Cs) to be added to the NRI list.

Here is the current Twins' rotation (in no particular order) Santana Hughes Gibson Santiago May which means that unless they get read of Santana and Santiago (and Hughes as soon as they can), not only the new pitchers they may get in a Dozier return do not fit in, but Berrios and Mejia as well (Duffey in the pen where he belongs.) And by allowing Berrios to play for PR in the WBC, the Twins pretty much closed the door on him. This is not what to do to an 103 L team that had the worst pitching in the majors. Santana is half a UCL and one more PED suspension for being worthless for the Twins; he needs to go, as much as Dozier does.

Indeed. Mater of fact, evidence suggest that Polanco will hit better than Dozier: Polanco Career MLB: .284/.340/.429, 109 OPS+ (up to Age 22) Dozier age 25 MLB: .234/.271/.332, 67 OPS+ Dozier Career MLB: .246/.320/.442, 108 OPS+ (up to Age 29)

The biggest need in the Twins' roster is to get rid of veterans (Dozier, Santana, Santiego, Kintzler, Boshers, Perkins etc) one way or another, get young pitching in return and see what they have in the organization, in order to assess what they might have and what holes need to be plugged when the team will compete. Trying to make an 103 L team to a 90 L team makes zero sense. Re: Storen: 2-3 mph velo drop across the board scares me. If I were to bet, I do not see him finishing the season healthy.

This cuts both ways. It could also be the defining non-trade and the continuation of the Ryan Twins' way whose most of its practitioners, unfortunately, still have the same jobs and potentially the same influence in the Twins' front office. For me the bottom line is: If they do not trade Dozier, the new dual-head regime will start the wrong way. I expect a bit of risk taking vs. sitting on one's bottom (the paradigm of the Ryan front offices) from the new guys, and so far this off-season I have been vastly disappointed.

I would not be surprised if he repeats GCL. Speaking of GLC, Jean Carlos Arias is another kid to keep your eye on as a toolsie OF. He had a hard time adjusting to the US last summer, but there is a lot of potential there as well.

I think that he is underrated, esp his arm. He was only 17 last season and still growing.

Badoo

Baxendale had a 10.3 K/9 and 28% K% in AAA as a reliever. 1.03 WHIP, 2.03 FIP, 1.29 ERA. His numbers as a starter are much worse, but he does have hope at this point. Much more effective than Wimmers. Really.

I think that Hughes might be a surprise. Also Palka who I think will push Grossman out of the roster. I think that Vargas will continue where he left, but that would not be a surprise. Kinda expected. Also I expect that Justin Haley will make the team, so it will be a surprise if he does not. I also think that Mejia might make the team as well. That said, still lots of off-season left and I suspect that the 40man roster might have up to 4-5 changes by then

Those Zips projections are nuts. Adding the top 15 position players' (disregarding Plouffe and Suzuki) zWAR is 27.2 Adding the top 15 pitchers' zWAR is 14.4 This is 41.6 wins above replacement. A replacement team baseline is 48 wins. So this projects the Twins to win 89.6 games in 2017. I would not take it to Vegas quite yet...

WAR begs to differ

Key Largo High School. That services the Islamorada area. Good fishing there

Not all keys are Key West I suspect that Mient probably lives in a more family-friendly place like Key Largo or Marathon

One person's opinion. And not very data driven. Fact: Based on WAR, Dozier ranked 4th in 2014, 7th in 2015, 3rd in 2016 and 3rd in 2014-2016. Unless the ranking is some sort of a future predictor that then has the same validity as prospect lists or team power rankings...

Here is the thing: This "plaque in a closet" provides additional income for former players. Someone like Tim Raines could double or triple his income because of that plaque. As long as there are people collecting Hall of Famer memorabilia and autographs, it matters.

My 10 votes The easy ones: Bonds Clements Mussina Schilling Rodriguez Then a ranking of the DH/1B/OF types: Career: Bagwell 149 OPS+, 79.6 bWAR Walker 141 OPS+, 72.6 bWAR Ramirez 154 OPS+, 69.2 bWAR Raines 123 OPS+, 69.1 bWAR E. Martinez 147 OPS+, 68.3 bWAR Sheffield 140 OPS+, 60.3 bWAR Guerrero 140 OPS+, 59.3 bWAR Sosa 128 OPS+, 58.4 bWAR Kent 123 OPS+, 55.2 bWAR McGriff 134 OPS+, 52.4 bWAR I think that Raines belongs, so by default do Bagwell, Walker and Ramirez who had better careers (PED or not PED, I don't care, and Raines was involved with Cocaine that is a PED, in addition to a street drug, plus greenies were legal most of his career) This makes it 9. Final between Edgar Martinez and Trevor Hoffman. DH and Closer. Apples with pineapples. So go to perceived dominance: Both 7 times All Stars. Martinez one 3rd place MVP vote, Hoffman 2 2nd place Cy Young vote. Advantage Hoffman. That's my 10. Got to be objective as far as hitters go, and Raines is the tie-breaker for me that pushes Walker and Ramirez (better players than him in the same position, using subjective metrics) with him. Guerrero might do the same for Sheffield at some point as well, since they played the same position (other that the years Sheffield was at 3B) and accumulated practically the same numbers.