Thrylos

IIRC the BoSox extended him big time last month

The logical flaw in this argument is that Span's numbers are from a player in his prime, while Revere has not yet reached his prime. Add the fact that Revere is better with the glove, faster and better on the bases; top it with certain weirdnesses that Span has like claustrophobia, tendency to fall asleep on the base paths etc; look at the salaries, the respective attitudes and what they can bring in return and it is a no-brainer

I'd love to hear a rational reason why Deduno (1.467 WHIP, 6.5 K/9, 1.13 K/BB) earned a spot over De Vries (1.209 WHIP, 6.0 K/9, 3.22 K/BB -WHIP and K/BB tops for Twins' SPs this season, btw). Where rational means excluding references of "unhittable stuff" and earned means performed better than others

Are you sure that Peavy is that much better than Baker in the AL? Career AL numbers: Peavy: 3.93 ERA, 1.182 WHIP, 7.9 K/9, 3.51 K/BB Baker: 4.15 ERA, 1.264 WHIP, 7.2 K/9, 3.44 K/BB And Peavy's numbers were all prime career numbers where Baker's include some early career numbers, which make them look worse than Peavy's. Pretty much the same numbers in the AL in their prime years

Here was the primary challenge I faced when trying to write this story: defining "thin." I decided to come up with 3 measures of the thinness or thickness of a market: 1. How many $20+ M contracts are signed - these are rare and clearly a sign that a team is investing in a significant pitcher. Over the last 6 years, here is how many have signed those deals: 3, 2, 2, 3, 1, 9. 2. How many $10+M contracts are signed - these are either solid guys or very good guys that are getting a one-year deal. Over the last 6 years, here is how many have signed those deals (beyond the $20+ M) : 4, 3, 4, 2, 1, 6. 3. How many get at least a major league deal. I don't have the exact numbers for these handy, but most years it has been 12-18. By those 3 measurements, this year's free agent market is going to be better than any of the last five classes in all three categories. I think if you go through the class, that becomes apparent. So when you say you think the market is "thin" I would be interested in your definition. I'll admit - I struggled to find mine. It might not be right. My definition of a non-thin market is one that has several number 1 pitchers in a championship team as free agents. This market has a guy who is maybe a number 2 (Greinke) and the rest are lower. Again, I am talking about a championship team, not the Royals of this world. Hamels' extension hurt the market. I just do not see any number ones out there in this market. Now, as far as $ goes, teams spend. They will spend and they will overspend. If Greinke gets a number 1 type of contract this does not mean that he is an ace...

I think that the market is actually thin and the Twins are better of trading Span/Willingham/Morneau/someOFprospects for young projectable MLB-ready arms with 4-6 years of control. That said: - I don't think that the Twins will ever give a 4 year deal to a FA pitcher. - I don't think that any of these guys who are free agents are better than a fixed Baker - I don't think that any of these guys who are free agents are much better than a good Liriano The Twins got to go to the root cause of this and look at a different pitching coach for starters.

This rotation is really hurting... They are only 4.5 hearthy starters (Walters is the .5). Shut down Diamond and you have issues... Funny thing and shows how bad the Twins' rotation has been this season: The olden days the magic number was 200 IP a season and we were saying that there were few Twins that hit that. Look at the numbers. This season only Diamond will hit more than 150 and only him and Duensing more than 100. If there is one to shut down, that would be Duensing IMNSHO

One thing that needs to be mentioned is that Baker has been tossing the ball around for a few weeks now and reportedly said that he feels "good" and "strong". Not sure about whether he is on a certain publicized schedule. The fact that he is a free agent the end of the season also means that he cannot use Twins' facilities for rehab. I can see him settle for an 1+1 year deal with the +1 option guaranteed to be the same as the 2013 option if he reaches a threshold. Lot's of incentives for the first season as well. I think that the Twins like the devils they know. They re-signed Capps and Pavano, didn't they?

I know a happy man

They got San Diego and LAA going from Fort Wayne to Beloit to Burlington. Talking about ups and downs

Talking about who is going to be the starting shortstop in 2013 right now, is like trying to pick paint color for your living room while there is a hole in your roof... Low priority. Unless this team upgrades the rotation in 2013 it will not matter who the SS will be, so it might as well be anyone.

The only inaccuracy about this is that the Twins (since he was in an AL team) had the first cut at him and did not pass. So we do not know whether the other 28 teams (the O's did pass) would pass on him.

At this point I'd rather see them have Pinto than Butera on the 40-man (now that Herrmann is also on the 40-man), but... Even if they re-sign him as a FA, if they do not put him on the 40-man, he would be subject to the minor league portion of the Rule 5 draft (since he did not play higher than high A) and he will probably be a goner then (and the team that drafts him does not have to put him in their 40 man roster, per the rules of the minor league part of the Rule 5 draft).

Good stuff. I think that what Vargas did (albeit in a short season) deserves a spot in the list (heck, if Kepler can make it, so should other short season guys.) The one I do not get is how Colabello can be ahead of Pinto, even though Pinto was better in all rate categories: AVG, OBP, SLG, OPS, HR/AB etc. The fact that he played less was manager's choice and should not penalized him. Really excited to see Pinto give the Twins a legit C prospect something they did not have since the Ramos trade.

well... they are 4-5 OF and 2 Cs in most rosters, so I really see no issues. Also, at this point there are probably 8-10 OFs ahead of him in the minors (let's say the beginning of 2013 and I am not counting the MiLB FAs that Rantz will sign). There are probably 8-10 Cs ahead of him as well. So the numbers make me think that he has higher likelihood in advancing as an OF plus you have to add another year to learn another position as a C. That is academic. Pettersen is 170 lbs with a diving weight belt on Dereck Rodriguez is also close to 150. Stick arms stick legs. Nothing like Pudge and Pudge was closer to 225 than 205...

I've said it before, but with just the 3 guys ahead of him in OF at this camp (Buxton, Kepler and Pineda) alone, why isn't Derek Rodriguez lookng at a faster way to get to the majors by catching like his Pop? Have you seen Derek Rodriguez in real life? Let me find a shot of his from ST. I think that would answer your question... There you go: (and this thing is not letting me embed images unless you upload them locally too... gee) He is about AJ Pettersen size

Likely, but this is in 2013. 2 games with the Twins, Herrmann is still warming the pine while Butera started both. Let's see him in a game in September first and then we can talk about next season.

An interesting fact about Ft Wayne: that metro area has half a million people. Way more than a typical single A host city and much closer to lots of AA and AAA host cities. (matter of fact, as far as city sizes go, Ft Wayne has more people than Rochester, NY) That is why the attendance.

In reverse order: TK has 2 rings and a great post season record. Maddon has an excellent post-season record. Showalter is as good as Gardy The Vikings were cheated big time at that game. Lots of non-calls including the bounty calls. If they called that personal foul dirty hit against Favre game was over. But the powers of being definitely had a Katrina-driven agenda. Again, I said that Gardy's record is worse than Childress and they got totally different treatment by the fan base. Regular season records are a dead heat (so Gardy is about as great as Childress, I give you that) but the postseason/playoff records are not. Gardy is light years worse. And this is a fact.

Would that be robbing (St) Peter to pay (St) Paul?

This is true if you also think that a team playing with a 24 man roster (often 23 because of the "day-to-days" ) against teams with 25 men, does not matter much

3 variables: - different hitters (less experienced) - different catchers - different pitching coach I think all 3 have a role

That is a suburban legend and for some reason has propagated like crazy. And really ask anyone who played with both Butera and Rivera (or even better a pitcher who they caught) about them (off the record) and you might get a true story. Here is a litmus test: We have seen Butera's passed balls and throws to CF (or hitting the P on the back) the last 2 seasons and his whole "defensive" play. This season we are also blessed to see the defensive play of a guy who was named the worst defensive catcher in the majors (Doumit.) Think about Doumit behind the plate and think about Butera behind the plate. Do you see much difference? I really don't

This is great news for Herrmann and he did deserve this promotion. Now I hope that the Twins do the right thing and let Butera go. I do understand Rivera's frustration (and this is not because of Herrmann) but because he has been the best of the 3 Catchers who started the season in Rochester and Butera has been collecting an MLB paycheck because of his last name, while he was making a fifth. Yes money matters to folks and if they see worse people promoted and get fat paychecks (in any business) they leave. That simple.

---I looked it up. 5 seasons. 39-35 overall record. 2 playoff appearances. 1-2 playoff record. Sorry, not seeing the basis for the claim that it is a fact that these teams were "as a whole were more successful that Gardy's teams...". Were you expecting anything else when you consider the source? ---I looked it up. 5 seasons. 39-35 overall record. 2 playoff appearances. 1-2 playoff record. Sorry, not seeing the basis for the claim that it is a fact that these teams were "as a whole were more successful that Gardy's teams...". There you go: Regular Season: Childress: Overall record 39-35 .527 Gardenhire: Overall record 926-839 .525 Childress went to a league championship game and was cheated out of a Superbowl Playoff record: 1-2 and a bye Gardy's post-season record has been dismal. Post-Season record: 5-22 So: Unless .527 is worse than .525 and a 1-2 and a bye record is worse that 5-22 record, it is a fact (last time I checked) Another example of the pro Gardy bias