Linus

I would disagree with this assertion. The information required to make this type of decision is not available to TD posters - sorry. His actual working knowledge of pitching mechanics, his ability to relate to players, ability to communicate his thoughts effectively would all be the most important factors in a decision like this. We don't know this stuff and never will. Twins Daily is great - I visit every day but let's be honest. All of the this stuff (including mine) is speculation, pure and simple.

This. The act of firing someone is not akin to cleaning out your garage and should not be taken lightly. If he is truly deficient at his job, he should go but none of us has the information required to make that assesment. I get the whole "bottom line" argument but its not that simple. He's had horrible pitchers to work with over the last 4 years. For all we know, he might actually be really good at his job but there is only so much that coaches and managers can do. I wonder if the pitching coach in NY is getting ripped because he couldn't get the best out of Phil Hughes like the pitching coach in Minnesota?

I have several thoughts here.... Reason I don't want him here: if everyone keeps up with this "Dougie Baseball" bit I'm going to go nuts. Its old already and he is still in Ft. Myers. Reason I want him here: his wife is defintely worth a camera shot or 10. On a serious note: do we know he is any more forward thinking about sabrmetrics, etc. than Gardy? Just because he's younger doesn't necessarily mean anything. What we know for sure is that he's won but he has also really good players. My guess is that Jeff Smith is suddenly going to turn into a managerial genius the next year or so in New Britain.

What's holdin this team back is a lack of good players. I understand the frustration and I couldn't care less if they fire them all or bring them back. I just think we all have to be realistic about how much of an impact the manager and coaches really make. I can't find much of anything to defend Gardy and Andy. I am also ready to say that you could have hand picked your manager and pitching coach at the beginning of the year and the results would essentially be the same.

Actually, I don't believe coaching plays a "major" part. The Twins have had fundamentally sound teams and good pitching under this regime at certain points in the past. What it really shows is that the Twins just haven't had many good players lately. Fire them all if you want, just don't think coaching will take this starting rotation and turn it into gold. I'm not advocating for keeping them either but it is way more important to go get a couple of pitchers than a couple new coaches.

Absolves them of what? Approving of a survey question that Keith Olberman found funny? Complete non - issue.

First off, the Twins likely did not create or complete the survey. As another poster noted, this is almost always done by a third party specialty organization. Second - who cares? Is this really a big deal? Are we so hard up to rip the Twins that we are going to worry about this? I personally am glad they are ignoring it - shows that they might have something bigger to worry about.

Good thing he is giving Vargas hitting advice.......I like the potential that our lineup has and they have scored a lot of runs this year...however, they strike out way too much, which is one reason they tend to be inconsistent. Arcia is the poster child for this problem and he, along with several of his teammates are going to have to figure it out.

I would like to go get another outfielder or two but am not going to because......I am going to take all the money and go get a free agent starter that is equal to or better than Hughes. We have enough quantity, we need quality. I'm not worried about the contract or blocking someone because, first of all, we don't know that we will be blocking somebody and we do know that our current rotation is holding us back. If we do end up blocking somebody, its not really a problem because starting pitching is the best trade currency there is. I will worry about having too much quality pitching when we get there. As far as the lineup, I don't see major changes unless we can't sign a pitcher. If that were the case, I would add another outfielder with the watchword, again, being quality.and the ability to cover some ground. No more DH types in the outfield. Specifically, I am not even counting on Sano, Buxton or Rosario next year. Santana plays short with Esco and Nunez your utility guys. Plouffe at third, Dozier at second, Mauer at first. Suzuki and Pinto split behind the plate and Vargas is the full time DH. Arcia gets right and I hope that Hicks can handle center. If not we have to pick up an outfielder. At this point, if I'm only carrying one backup outfileder it is Schafer. I don't mind Parmalee as a bench bat as he can play multiple positions but I like the speed and better defense that Schafer brings. I would keep Parms on the 40 man if possible and deal him in the offseason. Same thing with Fryer, he's not part of my team next year but he might fetch a low level prospect since Butera did. Cola, Pino, Bernier, Floriman all DFAs. There are others I'm sure but I am doing this off the top of my head. As far as the field staff goes, I don't really care. I'm not a big believer that they make any substantive difference. No, Rick Anderson didn't wreck Tommy Milone in two weeks.........(he's org depth at AAA by the way; no way am I counting on him or Pelfrey next season).

I think people are underestimating that most of our young players in the lineup will continue to improve which makes the lineup better, even without adding new players. I'm of the school that they could very much use a left fielder and another starter but only if they are quality players. We don't need anymore quantity, especially with starting pitchers. I would go hard after someone that will move in at or near the top of the rotation. In the event that we end up with too many good, proven, candidates for the rotation, we can deal someone. After what we've seen the last few years, I will take that problem. With a rotation upgrade, this team will be 500 in 2015, with an outside chance at contending.

I'm surprised they are listing his fastball as a 4 seamer. It looks to me like he throws nothing but 2 seamers (which would be slower). A guy like him has literally no margin for error. His control has to be nearly perfect and when it isn't, he is going to get hit.

I guess that would be a problem......thought he signed a one year deal.

They need a quality starter much more than a left fielder (although they could use on of those as well). Having said that, we have enough quantity, we need quality. If we can't add a guy that is as good or better than Hughes, then don't bother. If we were able to add somebody of that caliber, I think this team could be better than many people think (plus 500). As far as left field goes, get Rajai Davis for one or two years. He's acceptable, can play center or left and, while not a great hitter, has some speed and defensive that would be an improvement. No longer interested in seeing Parms out there. I wanted him to get his ABs so we could find out what we have and now we know.

I hope we see Oliveros. He's been nearly dominant in Rochester for most of the year.

This is how teams get in trouble. Prospects are suspects until they actually do it. All the other SS prospects are so far away from the big leagues that to predict how they fit into the future in the big leagues is pure guessing (most will never even make it). Polanco is a second baseman, Michael has about two good months in the minors and is closer to Santana in age than people realize and the rest are years away from the majors. Other than Gordon, my prediction is that none of the others achieve in the majors what Escobar or Santana has done this year. That's why you keep them both - to make sure you have something decent to run out there for the foreseeable future.

I don't get it. We've been waiting forever to have anybody competent at the two middle infield positions and now we have a prevailing opinion that we should trade them? Good teams have depth and multiple choices for lineups something that the Twins haven't had in years. So, when the one guy you are counting on doesn't come through, you have another hole in your lineup. Between Santana and Escobar, we are likely to find a competent SS for 2015 and beyond. Nobody knows who it will be so we need to keep both and not return to the middle infield black hole we had for years. If both prove worthy (not likely) then you can trade one of them without creating another hole in the lineup. I think a great scenario is for Santana to be the SS and Escobar plays just as much, but at a variety of positions and filling in for injuries. Being a utility guy doesn't mean he won't get full playing time. You could argue that the lineup would be better with Escobar at third instead of Plouffe (far better defense and offensive production that is more similar than most people think).

I agree completely. The whole development process is a VERY inexact science. Guys develop differently and at different ages. Our ability to generate an incredible amount of statistics and data do not change this. The bottom line is whether they ever develop the ability to play in the majors - we obviously would like it to happen sooner as opposed to later but that's just not realistic for all prospects.

I will say that it was very fun yesterday watching Schafer, Santana and Nunez stealing bases and showing an element of speed in the lineup that we haven't seen in a while. Jaso had no chance to throw any of them out. I doubt Schafer is with the team next year but I'm all for having play quite a bit of center the rest of the way so Santana can get back to SS. Santana is turning into the feel good story for the 2014 Twins.

This is spot on - its always good / necessary to have depth at AAA in the form of experienced starters that can take a few spot starts for the big league club in case of injury. Does not mean they are at all in the long term plans for the big club's rotation. Having said that, Corriea needs to be moved now, take whateever you can get. - same with Burton. Milone, Meyer and May for the rest of the year.

I hope they sign him. Counting on Pinto is a big risk and they have nobody else remotely ready. With their potential rotation, the Twins could be decent next year.

Like the deal a bunch. Starting pitching is the best trade currency and the Twins are starting to stockpile enough arms that they deal some of it without creating another hole to fill, which is the problem with dealing some of their other players.

Wow - the A's must feel like they can sign him. Cespedes is quite a price to pay.

Part of the issue is the lack of compensatory pick for pending free agents. In prior years, you could deal for a rental, let them go and gain the pick. Now, the only return is the production you get for two months. In light of that, how much would you be willing to give up for two months of either player? My guess is, not much. Ergo, no activity.

At what point is "anything" enough? Before I would call it a failure, I guess I would have to know what they are being offered. Based on the only available information the answer to that question is they are being offered little to nothing.

I wouldn't be surprised if nothing happens today. Ryan is very patient and if he is getting subpar offers for either, he will wait. Right now, there just doesn't seem to be a market for either player, which is a little surprising. Personally, if all they are going to get is organizational filler, then I would rather keep them. They are blocking nobody and Suzuki could be valuable to Meyer and May. Plus it might help sign him in the off season. I do want them to move Corriea no matter what, even for a bag of balls. Time for Meyer and May in the rotation.