Thrylos

Frankly I do not expect many changes mainly because it is a domino effect and people have to move up from AAA, AA and A+ for Beloit players to move to Fort Myers. If anything, the opposite might happen. The Twins have 6 people on their DL. Eventually some of them will return, which means that some players with the Twins will go to AAA, some with Rochester to AA etc. Also, I seriously expect them to trade Pavano and Capps this month. I suspect that this would result to 2-3 players who are at the Miracle or New Britain level. You might see some of these guys But I can say that there is slim chances that Sano and Rosario go to Fort Myers for a month.

I think that Doumit's splits are a result of small sample size... His career splits are about equal with a bit better numbers as a LHB. I suspect as the season moves on, there will be a corrects Caveat: not sure whether he changed anything mechanically or whether there have been any issues (eg. if you have injuries/issues in one side of your body you are not at par) Re: Valencia/Plouffe. I still believe that they both have a position in this team. You have to look at short term and long term here. I think intermediate/long term (say 2014/5) unless something happens, Sano will be the starter at 3B. Plouffe can play the OF and I think that once healthy would be silly not to have him play there (at least as often as Doumit does.) There is a numbers issue right now. Hope that Butera is the odd man out when Plouffe gets healthy because Mastroianni adds something to the team and Valencia needs to play too. If they have traded the centerfielder (which I hope they do the off-season to get some decent SPs) I can see Plouffe as the starting RF with Valencia the starting 3B next season..

See, I think that you might be a perfect example of people who John is targeting with this. So: What it will take for you, to write more? Like a blog

I think that there might be some merit to it and people might join, but here is some food for thought: - You already do provide this platform (people can have their own blog) and you are trying to "formalize" it in a way. I think that there are a few of us (mainly the ones who are already been blogging and re-posting things here) who are already utilizing this platform. Also, I have noticed some very good blogs from people who did not blog before and I wish I saw more from them. I suspect group 2 is the audience you want to reach. And I would love to know what would make those people do it more but I cannot answer that question, since I am not one of them. Maybe you need to dangle a carrot, because what you are proposing looks a lot like what is available now, plus the 2 blogs a week commitment. So it looks like more commitment and more work for something that already exists. So, I think, that you got to give people something in return for doing that to motivate them to do it (because, as I said, as is I am not sure they gain anything.) - That 2 blog posts a week requirement will turn people away. And you know it. And I know it. And everyone who has been blogging for a while knows it. Sometimes life happens, sometimes you just don't feel like blogging... So I think that you got to loosen that requirement to something like once every other week to not scare people who are full time in school and have exams or who have jobs and families (and are not crazy like some of us) to do it. - I'd really take that constructive criticism off, unless you can make sure that a. the criticism given is constructive and b. the writer is not attacked personally because of his/her opinions and ideas... Reading in the forum, I think that you will agree that a sizable group of members would have a problem understand a. and b. above. And there is nothing worse for a new writer to write his/her first post and feel attacked by hostile forces Some of us have a really thick skin and do not care. But I suspect the people you want to reach have yet to develop that (otherwise they would post more). I suspect that people will be rating the content of a blog versus the skill, which is not really that much more than a popularity of opinion vote (now, how about firing them Gardy and Andy and Terry? ) I'd love to see more voices here (and there are in the forums etc) to create nice, written, structured arguments. That would be fun to read. Here is an idea: How about something like a mini-competition thing that lasts 2 weeks and people vote for the best one and the winner gets something: - Pick a topic - Give a 2 week deadline and some structural requirements (eg 500+ words, blah blah blah) - Let people write within those 2 weeks - Let members vote for the best - Winner gets something Something like that would be a tad different that what is available now... Just some food for thought... This has been a great place, I'd love to see how it continues to develop.

M-A-S-T-R-O-I-A-N-N-I DickNBert pronounce it like the first version above, but it is incorrect. I like him. I think he is probably the best 4th OF the Twins have had recently

Is there any kid or nephew or relative of people in the organization, who play baseball that they haven't signed?

Might make sense for the Twins but might not make sense for Baker.

Well... if he were not, he would have probably feel the meaning of his words by one of Blackburn's teammates...

Hard to tell with those things But... If you have Buxton at 70, Rosario at 65 and Arcia at 60 as far as potential goes, kind hard for me to see how Hicks at 55 and Benson at 50 make sense... Buxton and Rosario probably too high and Hicks and Benson too low. All of those guys, other than Buxton, who should probably be +5 should be at the same potential. And Rosario probably little lower, but his 2B transition raises him You got Josh Burris and Mason Melotakis way low, I think compared to people like Hudson Boyd and Luke Bard

So Ryan tried to fix (and he thinks he fixed) the communication process, instead of the medical/training situation in the organization. Great. Lets not focus on how to avoid or reduce the likelihood of a disaster, lest focus on an Emergency Response Plan...

He pitched hurt. Now he is fine.

I think it does not require crystal balls to see that the Twins will not be players on the top level starting pitching free agents next off-season. These guys would require $12-20M/yr contracts for multiple seasons. And I think that the Twins are smart enough not to do that. That is that. If one of them falls through the cracks (like Edwin Jackson did last season and they passed) and can be signed with an one year contract, they should pounce. Hopefully no more Marquis/Livan/Ponson and other "veteran presence" moves... I seriously rather have them stay put and have Hendriks or some other kid and Deduno rather than have them pay $5M a year to someone like Marquis. That said, this off-season they should really start thinking about trading from strength (OF) to get some SP. I see no reason for them not to do that.

Why is Gray still in the majors? Guerra has been back off the DL in Rochester. Obvious move.

I'd argue that Span's value is close to its peak. Maybe this offseason, but there is a risk. He is another inner ear flare up or another injury away from having that value decreased. The good thing about the off-season is that there are 29 other buyers not only 15 so there is more demand out there... We shall see

Sell high.

Sure there is if that player is at the peak of his value and the Twins have a ready in-house replacement. Both of those things are true for Span. Assuming that his value will continue to be steady or rise in the off-season is not true. Injuries etc happen. Got to trade high. But have to get better returns that what Pence and Victorino brought

They actually got 3 prospects. The 3rd one is Twin Cities (and U of M) own Seth Rosin who is pitching pretty well in the Giants' organization. But Span should bring more.... The C is the best prospect in this deal and Span needs to bring a SP who is at least that good a prospect ( or better likely.

If you do not like the President and the Congress, you better off being an expat? Or you are not a "good" American? (and I think that there is a lot of good within the organization; however, unless there is a major change, the Twins will not win. That's why I question the olde school people. Ryan and Gardy started talking about how there will be no "tenures" and "scholarships" or whatever with the players. About time that Management is treated that way. It appears that they are tenured and stale... And I don't like it.) And "despise everyone" is a big word. I don't even know most of them. Don't despise (or "hate") them. Just don't like what they have been doing to my Twins. That simple.

Good question and there is a method to the madness and a lot of players at other levels rehab at Fort Myers at the GCL league versus the FSL (high A - Miracle). Has to do with the time of the games and the level of the competition, but mainly the first. Games start in the morning. Usually 10AM sometimes 9:30. They are in a side ballpark with little league type stands and are free to watch. So no pressure and not 4-5000 people. And no heat and humidity. Also the competition is much much less, so you achieve successes and build on them. Might get to NB next I suspect.

The people who are running the Cubs have a couple of recent World Series titles under their belts. Ryan has nada. Unfortunately he is overmatched...

The whole article is here and requires subscription, but here is what he has to say about the deal: So the only people who like the deal so far are people who think Ryan can do no wrong...

Here is the point: the 2011 team was awful. Not enough was done before the 2012 season to improve it enough to be a contender. The 2012 team is awful. So you got to fix it. If you sit on your rear end and do nothing, it is not going to fix itself. That's why Ryan should be on the phone trying to get new players here. Or, you can say "we cannot compete in 2013 and look towards 2014-5" and sell everyone who will be over their primes by then and acquiring new talent so you can compete when you plan to compete. Sitting on your rear end, waiting for Godot or divine intervention does not work. Gotta have a plan and execute it.

The only players who should be off the table at this point are guys who are making the minimum and are under team control for a while: Plouffe, Revere, Dozier, Diamond, Burnett. Maybe I forgot somebody else who is not Arb eligible the coming off-season. That's about it.

Victorino is a rental. Span is under a good team friendly contract for a while. He has to be more valuable and return at least a B+ prospect plus.

I think that here is part of the root of the problem with this team: a. you cannot cut the season in chunks look at the best chunk and hope that what happened then is the "truth". They did that last season, stayed put at the deadline and ended up losing 99. Lesson not learned? b. if we are ok with them making the post-season instead of being competitive in the post-season and making and winning the World Series, it will never happen. Back to the original premise, if they do nothing, it will reinforce my belief that for the Twins to win (see b. above - which have not done until MacPhail was the GM) this whole front office team needs to go from the top to the bottom and new blood needs to come...