Nick Nelson

Now that TwinsFest and Winter Meltdown are in the rearview mirror and we've flipped the calendar to February, the countdown to spring training is under way. We're a little more than two weeks from pitchers and catchers reporting and soon after that a few compelling battles for starting jobs will get underway.Among the catchers who will be checking into camp on February 21st will be Kurt Suzuki and newly acquired John Ryan Murphy. Barring injuries in March, these will be the two backstops present on the big-league roster when the club heads north. There's little doubt which player will be the nominal starter at the outset of the season – that billing will belong to the veteran Suzuki – but we don't really have much of an idea as to how this timeshare will play out. That will be determined, to some extent, by how things progress in April and May, but the way these two catchers perform in Ft. Myers next month could help dictate the balance of this arrangement early on. Let's take a look at the relative merits of each heading into camp. Why Kurt Suzuki Will Win The Job Over the last two seasons, Suzuki has started 249 of Minnesota's 324 games behind the plate. While his offensive output has fluctuated, he has proven durable and reliable as a catcher, and he is considered to have a good rapport with the pitching staff. That staff remains almost totally incumbent heading into the 2016 campaign. In his interview with Parker Hageman for the Offseason Handbook, Terry Ryan stated that he expects Suzuki to settle in somewhere between his offensive numbers from 2014 and 2015. That's a reasonable stance; Suzuki's OPS in his first year with the Twins (.727) was nearly as far above his career mark of .681 as his second-year OPS (.610) was below. If the 32-year-old could rebound to the mid-point of his two years with the team and put up a .670 OPS, it would be right in line with what the average American League catcher produced last year (.678) and I think the Twins are willing to live with an average-hitting backstop at the bottom of the lineup. While pitch framing metrics and caught stealing percentages don't view Suzuki's defense all that kindly, he has mostly been able to avoid blatant gaffes and blunders, aside from the occasional passed ball. The coaching staff certainly appreciates many things that he brings to the table – not the least of them being his toughness. There's something to be said about a guy who takes the punishment he does, and reliably gets back out there day after day. It sets an example for players up and down the roster, and especially the young catcher who is being groomed behind him. Lastly, Suzuki is making $6 million this year (about 12 times as much as Murphy), and any team is going to try and squeeze value out of all that committed money if possible. Why John Ryan Murphy Will Win The Job Offensively, Murphy figures to be an immediate upgrade over Suzuki. He's eight years younger and has simply demonstrated more skill with the stick in recent years, excepting the veteran's outlier 2014 season. If the Twins are trying to garner more production from the catcher position – and that should certainly be a key consideration – making Murphy the primary starter is a step in that direction. There's no real reason to believe he'll be much above average this year, or even necessarily much above Suzuki, but he offers more upside and getting him regular at-bats is a way to help move him toward reaching that upside. Defense will be the crucial factor for Murphy. The reports from New York have been solid, and he is viewed as a guy who has been rapidly improving over the past few years. Still, the Twins have always placed a premium value on catchers who are able to build a comfort level with the staff. That tends to be a shortcoming for younger backstops, and especially one like Murphy who is brand new to the organization. If Murphy's work behind the plate earns high marks from his pitchers, it will help his case for increased playing time immensely. One final item to consider here is that Suzuki's $6 million vesting option for 2017 becomes guaranteed if he reaches 485 plate appearances this year, but I don't think that will come into play. He came up just short of that figure in 2015 despite no trips to the DL and no real competition for reps. Others In The Mix: John Hicks, Stuart Turner, Mitch Garver Beyond Suzuki and Murphy, there is almost no major-league catching experience in the entire organization, which makes Ryan's limited attention to the position over the offseason a bit frustrating. Hicks, claimed off waivers from Seattle in early December, leads the way with 34 MLB plate appearances (all in 2015) so he stands third in line behind the two top names. An injury to Suzuki or Murphy would likely lead to Hicks taking over as backup. That's unnerving since the 26-year-old put up a brutal .063/.091/.094 slash line in his first cup of tea with the Mariner's last year, but he has shown some offensive ability in the minors. Seth Stohs has an in-depth profile on John Hicks here. Turner and Garver are Minnesota's best hopes for an internally developed solution at catcher. Of the two, Garver has produced more in the minors but Stuart has advanced farther, having spent last year in Double-A. Neither seems close to the majors barring a big breakthrough in 2016. Click here to view the article

The Twins watched him work out last month, so they must have been satisfied with what they saw. Perhaps the extended rest has rejuvenated those balky knees. But when you combine those injuries with his age and his already suspect OF defense, it's tough to see how he really fits anywhere other than DH. That's why I'm hypothesizing about him as a backup option behind Park.

It gets lost in the big posting fee, the long-term contract, the monster numbers in Korea... But at this point in time, Byung-Ho Park should be viewed as a minor-leaguer. A prospect. A total unknown. Perhaps Minnesota's latest free agent signing is, to some extent, a reflection of that reality.The level of competition in the Korean Baseball Organization, where Park turned himself into a superstar slugger before signing with the Twins this offseason, has been compared – perhaps generously – to Triple-A or Double-A, meaning that his resounding success should be viewed with at least the same degree of healthy skepticism that we apply a player's big numbers in the Eastern League or International League. They're encouraging, sure, but they don't come close to guaranteeing anything. And given the cultural and stylistic adaptations that Park will face as he acclimates to baseball in the United States, one can argue that his climb will be much steeper than any typical homegrown pro baseball prospect. So it might take more than six weeks of spring training exhibition games to bring the foreign masher up to speed. Pushing him into real big-league action too quickly could be a mistake with lasting ramifications, especially given the length of the commitment. When the Twins signed Tsuyoshi Nishioka, he did little to impress during his first spring training, but was nevertheless in the lineup on Opening Day, starting at second base and batting second. He was blatantly overmatched through a week of games and then broke his leg on a play that could very much be chalked up to lack of familiarity with the MLB style of play. Whether this incredibly brutal start to his career here played into Nishioka's ultimate inability to turn any kind of corner isn't clear, but you do have to believe it's a memory that remains imprinted in the heads of Twins officials. If Park appears overwhelmed to any extent in Ft. Myers, the club may want to consider sending him to Triple-A in order to build confidence before launching his big-league career with a head full of steam. Could that help explain why Carlos Quentin was signed to a minor-league deal on Tuesday? Quentin brings many of the same qualities to the table that attracted the Twins to Park. He is a bat-first player, best suited at DH, who offers proven power from the right side, having slugged .503 with 136 homers playing for the White Sox and Padres from 2008 through 2013. But like Park, Quentin is also a major uncertainty. The 33-year-old endured a miserable, injury-riddled campaign with San Diego in 2014 and announced his retirement last May. He told Jon Heyman of CBS Sports in November that he was going to attempt a comeback, but it took him until February to finally land somewhere. Accounting for all of these factors, Quentin is clearly a long shot to make the team out of camp. He has a June 1st opt-out date if sent to the minors, so the most likely outcome is that he heads to Rochester and becomes a nice depth option if his bat shows up. Still, the weathered veteran will be another piece in spring training with some intrigue and upside. The Twins have assembled quite a few of those, and given that they're building around so many ambiguities and question marks on the roster, it's always good to have backup plans on top of backup plans. With a risk-filled blueprint for the 2016 season, it looks like the Twins are trying to find safety in numbers. Click here to view the article

On Saturday night, more than 200 baseball fans assembled at The Pourhouse in Downtown Minneapolis for Twins Daily's third annual Winter Meltdown event. We're still three weeks away from the official commencement of spring training workouts, but the season felt a lot closer than that over the weekend.This was our first year holding the event at The Pourhouse, which proved to be a perfect venue thanks to its proximity to Target Field, its spacious confines, its excellent stage and audio set-up, and its friendly and accommodating staff. Carl Pavano, who was the planned first speaker, unfortunately did not make it into town for TwinsFest due to a family matter, but Mike Pagliarulo stepped up as a pinch-hitter and delivered in a big way. Pagliarulo was a very fitting guest, given that 2016 marks the 25-year anniversary of the 1991 World Championship he helped win. Speaking with John Bonnes and guest emcee Paul Lambert (aka "Meatsauce") of KFAN, Pags shared stories about that team, and reflected on the evolution that the game has undergone in a quarter-century since. Pagliarulo was followed by another World Series champ: Tim Laudner, who served as catcher on the 1987 club. Laudner is a natural on stage and in the spotlight, so he had no trouble captivating the audience with memories of that classic group. As a current Fox Sports North analyst, he also had plenty of thoughts and insights on the current club. He didn't miss the opportunity to make a few snarky remarks about sabermetricians. Download attachment: meltdownlaudner.jpg After the two featured guest speakers, Lambert moderated a blogger panel in which Bonnes, Seth Stohs, Aaron Gleeman and myself answered questions submitted by the audience. The topics ranged from Miguel Sano's transition to the outfield and the state of the bullpen to the real killer of Theresa Halbach and the quality of John's dance moves. The panel, and both former player Q&A sessions, were recorded and will be available on a special edition of Gleeman and the Geek this week, so keep your eyes peeled for that. In addition to the speaker sessions, we enjoyed delicious beers from the folks at 612 Brew and gave away a ton of great prizes, including starter kits from Harry's Razors, a unique art piece from S. Preston, big bags of 612 Brew swag, and Twins tickets courtesy of the Star Tribune's Howard Sinker. The turnout was amazing, the enthusiasm was palpable, and the setting was ideal. Huge thanks go out to The Pourhouse for hosting; to 612 Brew for supporting in so many ways; to Meatsauce for lending his skills on the mic; to our distinguished guests for sharing their stories and insights; to Gleeman for helping drive the event; and most of all to everyone who came out and made it such a good time. Twenty-one days until pitchers and catchers report. Click here to view the article

As we close in on the month of February, the Twins have remained quiet on the Hot Stove front. In terms of spending, it has been one of the most conservative offseasons we have seen from this franchise in some time. Byung Ho Park is the only addition that has really cost them anything. Outside of a few escalating contracts and arbitration raises, they haven't added payroll anywhere. With Torii Hunter and a couple others coming off the books, that leaves them slightly short of last year's Opening Day mark of $108 million, barring further moves.Following a season in which the Twins finally turned the corner and set their long-awaited contention blueprint into motion, the lack of aggressiveness on the market this winter has left many fans scratching their heads. An article by Jack Moore for Baseball Prospectus this week discussing Minnesota's misapplied label as a "small market" rankled plenty of folks, as evidenced by the nine pages of discussion on the topic in our forums. Personally, while I have been critical of the front office's timid approach at times in the past, I'm not too riled up by the sparsity of moves, for a couple of reasons. For one thing, there was Park's posting fee. At $12.85 million, it was very large, in the contexts of both this organization's past and the Korean market standards. While you might not technically construe this as a payroll expense, for all intents and purposes it is. They spent many millions of dollars to add immediate talent to the major-league roster. So if you prorate that money over the four years of Park's contract, the 2016 payroll figure jumps to about the exact same level it was at a year ago. That number ranked the Twins 18th in baseball last season, and while it might rank a bit lower this time around, it'll still be fairly close to the middle of the pack. It's not unreasonable for a club that falls on the lower end of the mid-market category in terms of revenue. The other thing is that the Twins seem to be committing to a more youth-focused approach. While it's difficult to have absolute confidence in the present bullpen array, I'd much rather allow the younger internal options to take jobs and run with them, as opposed to seeing them blocked by mediocrities like Tim Stauffer. Last year, he came in and had just about the worst spring you could possibly imagine, but still made the club and received a relatively long leash, on the basis of his guaranteed contract and veteran status. No more of that. But while we're on the subject, let's talk about Stauffer for a moment. Last offseason, he was Minnesota's most expensive bullpen addition, with his $2.2 million commitment ranking as the 23rd-largest given to a free agent relief pitcher by an MLB club (per MLB Trade Rumors). There is a "you get what you pay for" dynamic in play here. Nearly every reliever who signed a bigger deal than Stauffer last offseason performed better than he did. Given that the Twins missed the playoffs by only a few games, and given that Stauffer performed miserably almost literally every time he took the mound, you could certainly argue that aiming a little higher with their veteran bullpen upgrade might have made a big difference. But instead of aiming higher here in an offseason where the bullpen is an obvious area of need, the Twins haven't so much as set their sights, at least not with any urgent intention of pulling the trigger. We're getting the same explanatory arguments as usual: Terry Ryan and the Twins simply don't like any of the free agents that much. Tony Sipp? Too many years. Antonio Bastardo? Overpaid. This is about evaluation, not spending. It's a line that's being echoed by media members. But of course this overlooks the fact that, so many times in the past, those players that the Twins "haven't liked" ended up having successful seasons in which they could have been difference-makers for the club. Meanwhile, many of the players that they liked enough to sign, who invariably ended up being on the second or third tier in terms of monetary commitments, panned out as poor investments. These payroll arguments that come up every year (usually around this time) are tedious and frustrating in part because they become so repetitive but even more so because people on opposite sides tend to cling to outrageous extremes. The fact that the team isn't spending aggressively and adding big contracts does not necessarily indicate a lack of desire to win, nor is it a surefire sign that ownership is interested only in hoarding cash. At the same time, nobody is arguing that the Twins should "spend money just to spend money," and to dismiss the reality that it costs more to acquire more established and coveted players is ridiculous. So if we're going to have these discussions, let's at least try to be reasonable and realistic. I'm on board with what the Twins seem to be doing, but I'm also running out of patience with watching the same conservative strategies come up short. If the front office's decision to eschew the open market and look inward while their competitors pile up relief talent backfires, there needs to be some accountability. Click here to view the article

But O'Rourke is also an example of why this strategy is dangerous. He had all of the numbers in the minors to suggest he was more than capable. He started off smoothly, and Molitor even used him pretty well (more PA v. LH than RH), but things went off the rails and he had these horrible control spells based on, what we can only assume, were adjustments to the MLB stage and learning curve. This is something you have to factor in when looking at a rookie like Taylor Rogers who looks great for the role on paper.

I see number of people espousing the strategy of staying away from guaranteed free agent contracts, opting instead to head to camp with the present collection of non-roster invites and prospects, then choosing the best ones. Theoretically, I like this strategy, because it isn't THAT hard to find a lefty who gets lefties out, and it keeps you away from any monetary commitments that would block a younger player. However, it is also dependent on the Twins identifying the right players for the bullpen, often -- in this case -- based on minimal MLB data. I just haven't seen a lot in recent years that gives me confidence in that. There have been a lot of really head-scratching personnel decisions in that department that have taken far too long to correct. If you sign a guy like Thornton or Choate, you're taking that element out, because then you have a guy locked in, with everyone else operating as depth and backup plans. I'm confident those guys could both be effective if utilized properly. I'm not as confident they would be utilized properly.

I don't think this is really true at all. Bullpen is important and whatever reliability the Twins have there, it's all in the form of righties (excepting the closer Perkins). You need to have guys you can call on situationally to get LH hitters out in tough spots. Right now they have guys who might be able to do that, but outside of Abad, no one who has done it.

The Twins entered the offseason with a glaring need for left-handed relievers. Here we are nearing the end of January and they still have not signed one such player to a major-league contract.What Terry Ryan has done is assemble a group of intriguing arms with non-guaranteed commitments to go along with the (altogether decent) in-house options. Fernando Abad, who has been quite effective for the A's over the past three seasons, becomes the most established player in the mix, and appears to be the leading contender at this point for top lefty in the bullpen. He'll be joined in spring training by some other outside guys that offer intrigue. Buddy Boshers, inked to a minor-league contract in December, is coming off an eye-opening season in independent ball. Mike Strong, claimed off waivers from the Marlins on Friday, has piled up a lot of strikeouts in the minors. And then you have Ryan O'Rourke, Taylor Rogers, Pat Dean, Aaron Thompson, and maybe Tommy Milone. If that's the group that the Twins want to take to camp, they'll probably be able to head north with one or two adequate southpaws to complement closer Glen Perkins. But this is a collection that ultimately lacks experience in a very evident way. Aside from Abad, none of the pitchers competing for these important roles has made more than a few dozen relief appearances in the majors. And for those that have, the results haven't been there. As for Abad, while he looks fine on paper, there's a reason that no other club wanted to give him an MLB contract, so he is a gamble in his own right. Given their aspirations for this season, it would be surprising if the Twins didn't add one more veteran lefty. They are known to value the qualities that such a player brings to the table, and with Antonio Bastardo off the market, any remaining free agent can likely be had on a one-year deal. Here's a look at those remaining options, with a quick glance at the pros and cons for each. Matt Thornton Pros: Shuts down lefty hitters year after year. Held them to 484 OPS in 2015. Familiar to Twins, having spent many seasons with the White Sox. Tall, sturdy specimen at 6'6" with a long track record of durability (10 straight seasons with 60+ appearances). Cons: Turned 39 in September. Velocity has been declining along with his strikeout rates. Last year he averaged a career-low 5.0 strikeouts per nine innings – not exactly what this K-starved bullpen needs. Neal Cotts Pros: Spent time with the Twins last season, delivering solid performances down the stretch. Steady vet with 3.03 ERA over the past three years. Not overly vulnerable to right-handed hitters. Cons: Limited upside. He's had one season in the last decade (2013) that would truly be considered a stand-out. Occasional control problems. Turning 36 in March, he's not as old as Thornton, but he has seen a similar downward velo trend. Randy Choate Pros: Has been used as a true lefty specialist, making 196 appearances over the last three years with St. Louis and recording only 296 outs. He has been effective in that capacity, with a 1.12 WHIP and only four home runs allowed during that span. Fits the bill for experience; has played with six different teams, has pitched in the playoffs five times, and has led the league in appearances twice. Cons: At 40, he's the oldest player on this list. And while he has been very good as a lefty one out guy, do we really expect Paul Molitor to use him that way? The manager didn't really show a propensity for doing so last year. Franklin Morales Pros: He was the No. 1 lefty option last year in a bullpen that helped carry the Royals to a World Series title. Held left-handed hitters to a .192 average. At 30, far younger than the names listed above him here. Cons: Very inconsistent track record. Terrible against right-handed hitters. Has averaged more than four walks per nine innings in his career. Represented by Scott Boras. Sean Marshall Pros: From 2010 through 2013, he was one of the National League's finest left-handed relievers, posting a 2.44 ERA and 253/60 K/BB ratio in 221 innings. Would carry substantial upside on a minor-league deal. Cons: Recurring shoulder problems limited him to 16 appearances in 2013, 15 in 2014 and zero in 2015. Manny Parra Pros: Has been mostly effective in Cincinnati for the past three years. Cons: He's been fairly mediocre since a career year in 2013, and last year he battled elbow and bicep issues. Eric O'Flaherty Pros: Consistently exception from 2009 through 2014. During that span, he never posted an ERA above 3.04 or a WHIP above 1.25. Sharp command and very tough to hit. Cons: His 2015 was a disaster. In stints with the A's and Mets, O'Flaherty posted an 8.10 ERA and allowed 47 hits in 30 innings. He has generally had a hard time staying healthy in recent years. Craig Breslow Pros: Very fine reliever for many years after leaving Twins in 2009. Effective against both righties and lefties when he's on his game. Cons: He hasn't been very good over the past couple seasons and, at age 35, do we really expect that to turn around? Brian Duensing Pros: Drafted and developed by the Twins. Has held lefty hitters to .238/.289/.325 in his career. Turning 33 in a month, not as old as many others on this list. Cons: He was bad in 2015, even against lefties, and he has always been a liability against righties. Who would you choose from this group? Or would you be more comfortable sticking with what the Twins have? Click here to view the article

From 2011 through 2014, Detroit reigned over the AL Central, winning the division (and at least one postseason series) every year, with a lineup powered by Miguel Cabrera and a rotation led by Justin Verlander. In 2015, the Tigers suddenly sunk to last place in the division, failing to overcome reduced contributions from their erstwhile superstars and receiving minimal production from role players.Looking back, it's kind of amazing a team that had Yoenis Cespedes AND David Price, along with Cabrera hitting at an MVP level, in the first half was in position to sell everything by the end of July in a wide open American League. But that speaks to how badly things went off the rails elsewhere. Verlander missed the first 10 weeks and only sporadically looked like himself after returning. Outside of Price's sterling four months, the entire rotation was a mess around him. Cabrera missed a month with a calf injury. Victor Martinez, MVP runner-up a year earlier, hobbled around on a bad knee and posted career lows in batting average (.245) and OPS (.667). In many ways, it's tempting to count the Tigers out. Cabrera and Verlander aren't getting any younger, and Detroit's organizational talent was ranked 30th out of 30 clubs by Baseball America last March. However, their pipeline was reinfused quite a bit last summer by the Cespedes and Price trades. And whereas the Twins have taken a very passive approach this offseason, relying on their talented young core to keep improving and driving further progress, the Tigers have been proactive in reinforcing their aging roster. The signing of Justin Upton this week to a six-year, $132.75 million contract is an enormous move. Upton is a premium athlete who will thrive offensively in Detroit's park and is only 28. He drastically upgrades a Tigers lineup that will already be bringing back a healthy Cabrera and J.D. Martinez, who is coming off a 38-homer campaign. Jordan Zimmermann, one of the best free agent starters on the market, was signed to join Verlander at the top of the rotation and the Tigers are hopeful that our old friend Mike Pelfrey can add a little more reliability at the bottom. Meanwhile, the acquisition of All-Star closer Francisco Rodriguez from Milwaukee powers up the bullpen significantly. Even coming off a 74-win season, the Tigers are undeniably a threat, and they could be downright dangerous if Verlander's late-season resurgence (2.30 ERA in his final 10 starts) carries over while a few younger guys emerge. We'll see whether new general manager Al Avila's profound aggressiveness in the wake of a nosedive pays off. Click here to view the article

Meatsauce (aka Paul Lambert) is a comedian and one of the hosts for the highest rated morning radio show in the Twin Cities. Also one of the nicest and most down-to-earth guys you will meet in the radio biz. He will be a great host and emcee.

To add to this, I wouldn't be surprised if the changing nature of the market helps facilitate a change in this regard. It used to be that if you were a reliever without saves on your stat sheet, the best pay-day you could hope for as a free agent paled in comparison to even the non-elite tier of ninth inning men. Now, with relievers becoming more highly valued in general, and setup men scoring deals like the ones Darren O'Day and Tony Sipp got this offseason, a guy might not grumble so much about his role. Especially someone like Perkins who has two years left on his deal.

I know what you're wondering. Did I decide to start writing this article about Glen Perkins and the Minnesota Twins' closer situation solely so I could make the punny Family Guy reference you see in the headline above? The answer: yes. However, it also happens to be a pertinent topic as we inch toward spring training, so read on. Giggity.To call the ninth inning situation a "closer conundrum" isn't really accurate. The job belongs to Perkins, as it should. The lefty has made three straight All-Star teams, and has established a reputation as one of the league's best. Multiple times this offseason, Paul Molitor has confirmed that Perkins would be returning to the role. The fact that the manager would even need to address it speaks to the tumult that Perkins faced in the second half last year. After fatigue had worn him down late in the 2014 season, his body broke down once again, and this time at a crucial juncture. When Blair Walsh hooked a chip shot left to cost the Vikings a playoff win two Sundays ago, Perkins tweeted out a message of commiseration: Granted, no blown save in Perk's career could measure up to the crushing devastation of Walsh's shank, but the 32-year-old hurler can certainly relate. So accustomed to getting the job done, his arm started to fail him as he pitched in meaningful late-season games for the first time. Perkins did his best to battle through, receiving cortisone shots in his neck and back, but he floundered. In August and September opposing hitters had an OPS above 1.000 against him. Time and time again, he watched hard fought games slip away at the very end, while he stood in disbelief on the hill. Alas, that is now in the past, and Perkins has had several months to heal and rest up. La Velle E. Neal III mentioned in a recent column that the southpaw spent six weeks in Ft. Myers working out daily during the offseason. No surprise there. Perkins likes to goof around on Twitter, and he's generally one of the most relaxed guys in the clubhouse, but he is competitive as hell and takes a lot of pride in his game. He's going to come back with some fire. If things should go the wrong way, how long is his leash? It's an interesting question, given the effectiveness displayed by Kevin Jepsen while filling in at times last year. At the end of the season, with both pitchers ostensibly healthy, it was Jepsen getting the save chances. He got the job done, too, converting 10 of 11. In La Velle's article, Molitor lamented the communication issues that arose while trying to navigate the situation. It's an unenviable spot for a rookie manager. He's surely hoping that he won't be thrust right back into it in a couple of months. Considering the way Perkins bounced back from his September swoon in 2014, converting 18 straight saves to open the following campaign, we can have confidence that he'll be back to form come April. But even if he is, one quandary remains. Perkins has worn down late in consecutive seasons and it's hard to believe his heavy usage didn't play a part. This especially rings true for last year, when the Twins essentially needed him in every close game for lack of adequate alternatives. In May, when Minnesota won 20 games, Perkins pitched 15 times – basically every other day. He came through, converting 13 saves while the Twins went 14-1 in those contests, but you have to wonder if it cost him down the stretch. Perkins might have worked harder this offseason on conditioning himself for the long grind, but he turns 33 in March. Managing the closer's workload will need to be a prioritized concern for Molitor in his second year at the helm. Fortunately, the presence of Jepsen will make that easier. He's a viable backup and sub in the ninth inning, and his acquisition last July will go down as one of Terry Ryan's best in-season pick-ups if the righty picks up where he left off. The fact that Jepsen looked so damn good after coming over last year is the only reason Ryan's inaction this winter has been remotely understandable. And, well, it still really isn't. Because once you go beyond Perkins and Jepsen, you've got Casey Fien, Trevor May, and a whole lot of question marks. In a best case scenario, this could become a pretty effective and reliable unit, but in anything less than that, the Twins are going to be turning to guys that don't necessarily merit a lot of trust. Either that or once again leaning on Perkins way too hard. We've already seen the end of that story. Click here to view the article

But that's not actually how the payment is dispensed. The entirety of the posting fee is payed up front.

Over the weekend, salary agreements were announced for four of the Twins' six arbitration eligible players. For two others, figures were publicly exchanged. Below, we will take a look at those numbers, while also examining where the 2016 payroll stands with the updated info incorporated.Here are the official 2016 salary numbers for the four players that reached agreement (in parentheses, their 2015 salaries): Tommy Milone: $4.5M ($2.775M) Casey Fien: $2.275M ($1.375M) Eduardo Escobar: $2.15M ($533K) Eduardo Nunez: $1.475M ($1.025M) (Big ups to Mike Berardino of the Pioneer Press for being first to report most of these figures on his must-follow Twitter account.) Trevor Plouffe and Kevin Jepsen did not finalize deals with the team, which isn't surprising since they will be the two highest paid players of the bunch. As the arbitration process goes, both players submitted numbers, as did the team. In almost all cases where the difference is relatively modest, the two sides settle right around the halfway point. How that would look here, with a little rounding for simplicity's sake: Plouffe Proposal: $7.95M Twins Proposal: $7M Midpoint: $7.5M Jepsen Proposal: $5.4M Twins Proposal: $5.05M Midpoint: $5.2M With these specifics in hand, we now have a clearer picture of the team's projected payroll for the 2016 season. Here's how it shakes out (note: pre-arb numbers all rounded down to $500K, though most will likely be closer to $550K): Joe Mauer: $23M Ervin Santana: $13.5M Ricky Nolasco: $12M Phil Hughes: $9.2M Trevor Plouffe: $7.5M Glen Perkins: $6.3M Kurt Suzuki: $6M Kevin Jepsen: $5.2M Tommy Milone: $4.5M Brian Dozier: $3M Byung Ho Park: $2.75M Casey Fien: $2.275M Eduardo Escobar: $2.15M Eduardo Nunez: $1.475M Fernando Abad: $1.25M Ryan Sweeney: $750K Eddie Rosario: $500K Oswaldo Arcia: $500K Miguel Sano: $500K Danny Santana: $500K John Ryan Murphy: $500K Kyle Gibson: $500K Trevor May: $500K Ryan Pressly: $500K Michael Tonkin: $500K TOTAL: $105.35M A couple notes: Fernando Abad and Ryan Sweeney are on minor-league deals but will get $1.25 million (per Darren Wolfson) and $750,000 (also per DW) if they make the Opening Day roster, which for now we'll assume they will. Several of the names toward the bottom of the list are obviously not locks to make the team, but barring further moves, they would be swapped out for other minimum-salary players. That total of $105.35 million is a small drop-off from last year's Opening Day payroll of $108.26 million. However, if you factor in the entirety of Park's $12.85 million posting fee, which seems reasonable enough, the new figure rises to $118.2 million. Click here to view the article

With spring training less than six weeks away, the Twins' outfield remains amorphous. We can't say with any degree of confidence who will be starting at any of the three positions and we might not have any real clarity on the matter until camp gets underway. One wild card in this equation is Max Kepler. How, and when, might the ascending young prospect fit into the team's outfield picture?Kepler is, of course, coming off a huge breakout season in which he was named the organization's Minor League Player of the Year after hitting .322/.416/.531 with 54 extra-base hits, 19 steals and a phenomenal 63-to-67 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 112 games at Class-AA Chattanooga. His campaign ended with a September call-up to the big leagues at age 22. The fast-rising outfielder is featured on the cover of the recently released 2016 Twins Prospect Handbook and could very well be a factor in the 2016 campaign. But how quickly is it realistic to believe he'll become a viable option? Could he make a legitimate play for an Opening Day spot? The fluidity of the outfield situation would appear to leave that door open. Eddie Rosario is basically assured a job, and – barring an unforeseen Trevor Plouffe trade – so is Miguel Sano. With Aaron Hicks gone, that leaves one opening, which could be center or a corner spot. The contenders for that gig are all questionable to varying degrees. Oswaldo Arcia is coming off a wreck of a season. Byron Buxton may need more seasoning. Danny Santana is a less than appealing option. Ryan Sweeney, Darin Mastroianni and Joe Benson? Meh. Kepler certainly has more momentum behind him than any of those names, and there is precedent for a prospect turning the corner at Double-A and overtaking a vacant outfield job the following spring. Hicks did so in 2013, following the trades of Denard Span and Ben Revere. While that obviously didn't end well, Kepler is coming off a considerably more impressive year at Chattanooga than Hicks' 2012 at New Britain. Still, as a kid who was signed at age 16 out of Germany and was always viewed as more of a long-term project, I think the Twins will be more inclined to show patience with Kepler. His hit tool has developed very gradually in the minors and while his 2015 campaign was a very encouraging one, I believe they'll be inclined to give him some time in Triple-A before considering him as anything other an an emergency option in the majors. While he'll be in big-league camp this spring, I suspect that even with a big performance in Grapefruit League play, he'll be ticketed for Rochester out of the gates. How long will he stay there? That will be dictated by what happens in the Twins outfield and of course by his own performance. It isn't difficult to envision Kepler entering the fold by June or July, and perhaps earlier if injuries strike. I also wouldn't be surprised if he spends the entire year at Triple-A, even with solid production, because Buxton is ahead of him in line and it behooves the Twins to give Arcia a good long look this year. Really, what it comes down to is that the guy standing in front of Kepler is Plouffe. Once he's gone and Sano can return to third, the path becomes much clearer. Whenever Kepler does arrive, he'll have a pretty good chance at quickly establishing himself as the best European player in MLB history -- a highly attainable title given the relatively untapped nature of that market. Sometime this season, a Minnesota Twins lineup could feature representation from Germany (Kepler), Dominican Republic (Sano), Puerto Rico (Rosario), Venezuela (Eduardo Escobar) and South Korea (Byung Ho Park). That's an exciting mix of nationalities that reflects the growing international flavor of baseball as a whole. I love it. When do you expect Kepler to be here? Click here to view the article