Thrylos

Nope. If the Twins were to sign a 40-something Japanese player in the weird case he might attract Osani, Koji Uehara might fit the bill because, unlike Ichiro who is done, is serviceable.

Edit. Was a column. Here. From there: There have been rumors that he would prefer to be part of a rebuilding effort rather than joining an established power, but nobody really knows if that means he’d pick, say, the Twins over the Dodgers.

I'd rather see them not extend Santana, Mauer and Dozier and address that pen. As is, looks pretty pathetic.

Olney at some point suggested that Otani might enjoy a rebuilding situation vs. the Yankees, and he mentioned the Twins specifically, thus all this talk.

2017 against the AL : 4.76 ERA, 1.294 WHIP, 6.4 K/9. That's Ricky Nolasco territory. He is available too I have no problem with them signing older free agents who maybe lottery tickets if: a. it is a zero risk MiLB contract b. they are willing to go to the minors and prove themselves in Rochester for a while Both Lackey and Werth will not do that.

A tad surprising to say the least. Congratulations to him.

Yes. The Twins tried to do something like that with Vargas last off-season, but he did not sign. Tonkin will negotiate and sign the contact. The Twins will sell the rights for that negotiation for $500K or so usually

Nickie and Tobie

Sad. My thoughts to his family.

Agree. Miller is on a different category. Right there with the Baseball Executives and the like. As far as players go, they need a rule that a player needs to be 20 years away from the last time he was on the regular ballot for his candidacy to be re-examined. Just imagine what hysterics will happen in those "modern era" ballots when McGwire, Clemens, Sosa, Bonds et al. are included, if they do not make it the usual way.

Miller should make it. The others had their chance recently and were passed over for good reasons. The Veterans' committee looks like a back door to the Hall arrangement and really serves no purpose.

Watson is way too low. He is one of those prospects that flashes top of the rotation potential, but there is a lot of risk, since he has not put it all together. Yet. He is not quite at the Romero / Graterol level, but deffinitely a top 20 talent in this organization. Burdi and Moya are also ranked very low. Moya had a video game season last year. Slegers was horrifying in the majors, is a definition of replacement player and will likely moved from the 40-man roster. Way too high.

I think that if the Twins had a different manager in 2016 whose mess Molitor cleaned, he could have won. He cleaned his own mess and just gained 2 games from 2015. This is not manager of the year territory.

I ranked him 23rd in my last off-season prospect list. From there: Felix Jorge was signed by the Twins as an international free agent from the Dominican Republic on February 21, 2011. The Santiago native received an $250,000 bonus and was assigned to the Dominican Summer League the following summer. He has been moving along the Twins organization, about a step a season, until 2014 where he had major issues in Cedar Rapids and had to return in Elizabetheton. He started 2015 again in Cedar Rapids and was the Kernels' best pitcher, pitching 23 games (22 GS) a team tops 142 IP, had 32 BB (2.03 BB/9, 14.6 K-BB%) and 114 Ks (7.3 K/9 and 20.3% K,) for a 2.79 ERA, 3.54 FIP, and 1.056 WHIP (2.67 BABIP). Last season he started in the Miracle rotation where he has the best results of his career: 14 GS, 93 IP, 77 K (7.5 K/9, 21.6 K%), 11 BB (1.1 BB/9, 18.5 K-BB%), 1.55 ERA, 2.50 FIP, 0.94 WHIP, .280 BABIP. He moved to AA Chatanooga in July and fell a bit flat, especially as far as strikeouts go: 11 GS, 74-1/3 IP, 32 K (3.8 K/9, 10.7 K%), 12 BB (1.5 BB/9, 6.7 K-BB%), 4.12 ERA, 4.21 FIP, 1.28 WHIP, .307 BABIP. Jorge's effectiveness has decreased in the second half both of last seasons, which might indicate that his decline in AA might have been the result of low endurance, in addition to facing better competition. Jorge came in the organization as a 16 year old with a rare 3 above average pitch mix. He has a low 90s fastball that maxes at 93 with good downward movement, which the hitters have a hard time picking up. Above average slurvy curveball and change up. He commands all three pitches well, has good control and he mixes pitches well. One might see his 2016 results in Fort Myers and think that Jorge had a break-through season, but his biggest issue surfaced again: endurance. He does have mid-rotation potential, but time will tell whether he will have the endurance to be in a major league rotation or the pen. Well... Same situation this season, and decrease in overall IP. I think that he can be a serviceable bottom of the rotation arm, but I'd love to see them turn him into a reliever (like they did with Taylor Rogers) and if he picks up a few ticks on that fastball, he will really have a lot to offer for the Twins. The potential is there. I think that his value vs. potential equation is upside down now for the Twins to trade him.

He lost the battle with pancreatic cancer today. Thoughts to his family and friends.

Miller should be in there. As far of the rest, there were not good enough to get in the normal way. About time this loophole closes.

No surprise at all. There are at least 3 LHRPs ahead of him at this point (Rogers, Enns, Moya) Still waiting for Buddy Boshers, Ryan O'Rourke, Aaron Slegers, & Michael Tonkin to be removed off the 40-man roster.

12th in K% 30th in K-BB% 33rd in fWAR, FIP, 76th in WHIP 0 Cy Young votes No AS appearance among 120 pitchers with 130+ IP, makes an above average, not a great season...

Hellickson has a really intriguing 2.36 ERA and 0.960 WHIP the first time though an opponents' order (68-2/3 IP), which makes me think that despite his K% being low, he might be intriguing as a potential bullpen set up guy. However, a. would he do it? and b. would he do it at a rate ($2M plus incentives) which will make him a "bargain"? I doubt both. Tillman, Ross, and Cahill are about as healthy and effective as Phil Hughes. Jimenez's last great season was in 2010, and even 2.5 seasons in Cleveland could not fix him much. His FB is 6 mph slower than its peak. Might take a flyer on a MiLB contract, but that's about it.

Frankly, I don't see much difference there

Cobb: 6.7% SwStr%, 17.3 K%, 11.3 K-BB% Lynn: 9.0 SwStr%, 19.7 K%, 9.7 K-BB% (in the NL so several of those against Ps) That's why they should hesitate. For comparison's purpose: Mejia: 10.5 SwStr%, 19.2 K%, 9.3 K-BB%, and has not yet reached his prime.

I am optimistic that the Twins will go after pitching via trades and not free agency. Other than Morrow, I do not see anyone in free agency who will provide enough bang for their buck, and I'd rather do not see them half-rear ending this again with mediocre second tier pitchers. As far as where this optimism comes from, Pohlad said so pretty much.

Cannot do that. MLB contracts are guaranteed

Nishioka

Notice the lack of love for Scottie.