Danchat

I chose all of the above.

According to MLB Trade Rumors, it's a done deal. Maddon is going to be managing the Cubs.

It would appear that Mientkiewicz is out of the running... but at least he's probably getting a promotion, so at least he'll still be around just in case we whiff with this new manager. I like Paul Molitor, but something inside me says that the Twins need to try somebody outside of the system. I'll be happy with either guy as the manager, but I want to see Lovullo get the job.

"Committed to winning" is a very hard subject to define. Aren't all teams committed to winning? Are there teams out there committed to losing? I think the Twins would be willing to open up the checkbook. TR seems to have a lot of power, so if he asks the Pohlads to stretch the payroll, they're going to agree-they'll do anything to win and they'll agree with basically everything TR does. I have a feeling that Maddon isn't going to sit out 2015... he's definitely going to end up somewhere.

Personally, I'd like to see Brunansky stay as the hitting coach. But it'll be all up to the new manager...

Something tells me that the Pohlads aren't going to go out of their way to hire Maddon and have him be a superior to TR. The Pohlads appear OK letting TR do whatever he wishes. I wonder if Maddon really wants to be a manager or the head of baseball operations of whatever team he eventually signs with.

I would have liked to keep him in AAA as a spot starter, but at least we have an open roster spot now. Let's keep opening these spots up.

As much as I like Jared Burton, it's time for him to go. We need to give one of the younger guys his roster spot.

I'm not surprised Gardy isn't going to be a manager in 2015. I think he'll take a one year break and then attempt to land a coaching spot in 2016.

Hallelujah! It's been confirmed! Oops, I mean... he'll be missed... urk. We need to get a pitching coach who can get something from our starters.

End of Season Summary I know AAA ended a month ago, but I'm writing the final piece on Dan Rohlfing right now. Rohlfing ended up being the main catcher in Rochester-or at least he commanded the most starts at catcher. He ended up playing 58 games at C, 6 at 1B, and 4 in the outfield. Dan looked like a competent catcher. He caught 39% of baserunners stealing, which was second on the team next to Fryer's 44%. He only made 2 errors catching. However, he's been having problems at the plate. He ended the season batting .205/.307/.311. In 219 ABs, he hit 17 2Bs and 2 HRs. When Rohlfing arrived at AAA in late 2013, he hit .314 with 2 HRs. Unfortunately it looks like AAA pitching has adjusted and Rohlfing hasn't been able to adjust. .205 was the lowest average on the Red Wings for anyone that had over 100 PAs. There isn't many ways to look at his stats and find anything positive. He did get 28 BBs, which helped him have a mediocre OBP of .307, but he also had 56 Ks. Dan Rohlfing will turn 26 by the start of 2015 and will enter into his 9th season in the Twins system. That is, if he returns at all. I actually have no idea about his current contract status. He doesn't appear to have a chance at making the majors unless he begins to hit AAA pitching. It would also require him to hone his catching and framing abilities. And yes, Rohlfing did pitches two innings for the Red Wings, both scoreless. He only gave up two hits. I recently pitched my two innings ever in my inter-mural baseball league and I gave up 7 runs, so kudos to Rohlfing, who was able to get 6 outs without any runs against AAA hitting.

You guys should read this article on 1500ESPN: http://www.1500espn.com/sportswire/Jim_Pohlad_distances_himself_from_decision_says_GM_Ryan_calls_shots092914 It seems clear to me that Terry Ryan was the guy who fired Gardy, and the Pohlads are basically going to be supporting whatever TR does.

This was inevitable. It's a good step in the right direction... but the big question is who will be the new manager? It appears that there isn't a favorite yet. This could potentially be very good or very bad for the Twins...

Due to pitch counts, May could probably pitch 8 innings and Scherzer will probably be done after 6. It's funny that even if you pitch well like Scherzer but throw too many pitches, it doesn't matter, you get pulled around 100. Oh well, at least May isn't giving up walks.

I would browse the starting pitcher options, but I will guess that the Twins will decline any megadeals to Scherzer or Price. Perhaps if they see a potential bargain they will pounce on it like they did with Hughes-a bargain in their eyes but not in other teams'. I think we should sign a LF to a 2-4 year deal. I'm not so sure about a short term CF because Buxton could be here soon... Hicks and Schafer could hold down CF but that'd be quite unpopular with the fans... I think the Twins should add a bullpen arm, but we'll see. They might go dumpster diving for a reliever and see if they can find treasure out of someone else's trash. (I'm thinking a la Jared Burton)

At this rate, Kluber is going to set a record for Ks in a game. Or at least it seems like it.

Since when did Anthony Swarzak become one of our starters? Is Logan Darnell that bad?

Here's what I'd like to see: Perkins Fien Duensing Thielbar Pelfrey Tonkin Free Agent-I haven't taken a look at who'll be available but we should get a guy who could be a setup guy. And when the time comes, Pressly can be the 8th guy in the bullpen. When somebody gets hurt, I'd like to see Pino, Oliveros, and Achter as the reserves. Maybe late in the season we could get a look at Burdi, too.

Aaron Hicks has been scratched from the lineup. Will Santana play CF now? I hope not.

Way to go, Arcia! I hope next season he can hit .250 with 30 HRs. I think he could do it.

Uh, yeah! I was busy throwing my own party celebrating his departure so I didn't have time to post earlier today. Sorry I didn't invite you.

Also, Which is bad Nolasco and which one is good Nolasco? I like Chips Ahoy better than Fig Newtons...

I dunno, if we keep sucking this much, I think we can get the #3 or #4 pick, depending on how Arizona and Colorado do. #5 seems the most likely at this point, though.

I think locking up 100 to 120 million on a single player is a really, really bad idea. He could begin to regress in his middle 30s and become a complete waste of money. Look at how many people are/have been complaining about Joe Mauer! Signing Lester would get us back in the same situatino. I'd much rather draft a pitcher with the talent of Lester and wait for him and get him cheap and pitch him while he's young.

I'm a bit young for the 90s, but this stretch of baseball has been bad. It'll go down as the "early 2010's slump" or something like that. If there's a game on, I'll turn it on, but rarely ever does it draw my attention. I love watching the young guys like Santana and Vargas play, but so many times we blow so many games, I can predict them. Once the Twins had the bases loaded with no outs and I bet my sister that the Twins would score zero runs that inning. I won that bet. That's how bad we are.