TheLeviathan

I would add 4) Aggressively spending in the international FA market. Otherwise, excellent post. Ryan is quite good at finding bargain RP and roster fill-ins on the cheap, but he most certainly does not use all avenues available to him.

Veras to Detroit for Danry Vasquez and PTBNL.

3 = well done. Kudos sir.

I guess we can only wish. I love that this is somehow sarcasm against the idea that people would be happy to have tradeable assets. I shudder at the mere thought of such blasphemy! Harden is toast. I hope the guy has a great future outside of baseball, because that's what it's going to have to be. Decent gamble by the Twins, but Harden hasn't been an ace since we enjoyed Brian Buscher and Mike Lamb at 3B.

I believe a similar boy dictated "Bonerland" was founded by "some guy". Ah good satire, how I miss thee.

Well, I think your first point I took out here is wrong. The second, I agree with. I don't disagree Mauer likes a challenge. And, by the way, this is no slight on Mauer. I think Pujols is similar in demeanor. But since you want to use hockey, let's talk analogy. The cup winners this year had a captain by the name of Jonathan Toews. I think we can agree Mauer and Toews are similar players in terms of demeanor and personality. Toews makes a fantastic captain for the very reasons Mauer would in hockey - outstanding work ethic, team-first guy, willing to do the little things, humble, and speaks with his actions more than his words. Toews is the guy that is grinding and working and setting the tone with all of those qualities. It makes for an excellent leader. In baseball, those qualities are not on display mid-game nearly as much. (Dramatically reduced by comparison) But they show up off the field - which is where I think Mauer is an outstanding leader. But.....he's not often the guy that is the finisher, that wants the spotlight, that isn't afraid to be brash. In this case, I'm talking a guy like Patrick Kane. Here's a guy that relishes being the one that puts the boot to the throat. The Jeter/Sano/Pierzynski/Holliday/Brian Wilson type that craves the spotlight and wants to lead more than in the background, but wants to be the man that buries the puck the final time just so he can have the glory and the last laugh. That's what Sano is that Mauer isn't. That's what the Twins need more of IMO. And, hopefully, this analogy shows you that I'm not slighting Mauer at all, it's just not in his make-up as a person to be Kane. He's Toews - which is still pretty friggin awesome. But I LOVE seeing our own Kane coming up through the minors.

I think I'm already his biggest cheerleader. We've reached man-crush stage I think.

For trade deadline purposes I approve of Doumit's performance today.

I completely disagree. The physicality and ability to constantly impact offense and defense makes leadership during games much differrnt. Earlier I specifically used a game situation because I'm not sure how his leadership works behind closed doors (where I agree the skills are more universal) but mid game leadership couldn't look more different by the nature of the games. Hockey needs physicality, heart, and work ethic. Baseball you have to want to be the guy that has to get the hit, face the pressure under a one on one spotlight, and do it yourself. IMO - totally different as the game dictates.

I think hockey and baseball are apples and oranges. I'd say hockey is a unique sport in tht regard.

Scot Boras would have to be a complete idiot to take 3/25 over 1/13. He'll know that no one will give up the pick so he'll take the better deal without even thinking about it.

Ah, yeah I was speculating. I could only think of righties in my head, but now that I'm looking I see that. Maybe there isn't a fit for this, but I'd be asking.

Really? That's an awfully unfair and shaky limb you're on. One which Terry Ryan would think is ludicrous by his own comments.

Which they are. As the link I posted said, it's only the "meatheads" that are mad. Of course Cubs fans wish they weren't rebuilding - don't all of us Twins fans wish the same? But being upset we have to rebuild doesn't equate with being upset with how the rebuild is being done. Somehow that equivocation is happening and no logic or evidence seems to be breaking through.

I'm glad someone said it, because I've been trying to say that as nicely as possible.

Things might change if we can pull off a few trades in the next week. Which I've built several shrines for already. You should too.

I was thinking flipping a guy like Duensing for him. Or Doumit. I'd certainly be placing a call, he's the kind of guy that you could get for less value than you eventually re-flip him for. The Twins NEED to be utilizing this crappy set of roster options to give buy-low options a chance to regain sell-high value.

Is there even a time table for his return yet?

You're right, but we're not all that far past the 48 hour mark now anyway. And a premature birth of Twins I have to expect would go beyond that standard mark.

Also, I forgot to mention - Reusse said today that the pimped home run was in retaliation for some "dust-ups" Sano and the pitcher had while teammates with the Twins. For whatever it's worth.

Maybe, maybe not. I won't deny it's a lot of speculation, but in my experience most humble, soft-spoken, "aw shucks" types are not lining up to be "the guy". Just not in his personality. Which isn't a slight against him, but I'd like some guys on the Sano end of the spectrum too.

My wife and I had our first earlier this summer and he was born on a Tuesday, we weren't released until the Friday. Now it depend on C-sections and all that too. I know that twins generally are born premature by a few weeks as well and with any pre-mature birth you are likely to stay a bit longer too. I'm guessing most people that duck out sooner do so more for the cost. I can tell you I'm quite happy for my insurance being awesome with what I saw for charges.

Um, it's pretty standard for the woman to be in the hospital 3-4 days after birth. This really shouldn't be any indication at all. But I agree, let the guy have time with his family. It sure as hell doesn't make a difference for the team one way or the other. (Though my fantasy squad misses him right now....)

I agree with both of these points. I like Deduno, I'd probably say among this motley bunch of players he is one of my favorites to watch behind probably Hicks and Perkins. But part of what makes him a better bet than Diamond is also what makes him dangerous to rely on. But it's not like we have a whole bunch of reasons to kick him out of the rotation either. We have plenty of time to see what he's got.

If you are going to hand this guy 13M - do it as part of a 2 year/15 type contract. But jesus, don't give him a one year 13M deal. It makes him untrade-able if he's anything but excellent next summer and it still does solve any problems for your rotation going forward. I'm ok with throwing around a little extra cash, but Pelfrey on a qualifying offer is insane. Bump him a few extra million and see if you can get a couple of years of value out of him if you're going to do that. (And I'm not saying I would)