Seth Stohs

It wasn't that we 'knew' he was ready for the big leagues... but as a Rule 5 pick, he is on the 40 and either makes the team or doesn't. Jsut because he didn't play at AAA doesn't necessarily mean that he isn't ready. Just because he got hit hard today... and his last outing... doesn't necessarily mean he isn't ready. I think we're also all smart enough to know that a very, very small percentage of Rule 5 picks stick with the team that selects them, at least not on the big league level.

Player Comps are always cool because you can always find guys who have struggled and turned it around. But you also have to be careful in assuming that a player will suddenly meet that comp. it's like with Burnett. yes, two years ago, or even last offseason, I was thinking he had the potential to be a big-time closer. Right now, it certainly doesn't look good for that happening, but there are plenty of players throughout history that have struggled as much or more than Burnett at a young age who have turned into very productive big league pitchers. Does it mean he will for sure? Of course not, but I think it's silly to think that a guy who throws that hard and has that much movement coudln't turn it around.

I did say that during his rookie year and probably last offseason. I haven't said that, I'm pretty sure, for a year. I still believe he can be a quality relief pitcher in time.

Agreed. But I think we agree that he wasn't going to make the roster, and they still have a ton of relievers to figure out in the next two weeks. So, I get it.

Safe to say that wasn't the start the the Twins or Terry Doyle were hoping for today!

I don't recall ever saying the Cole Nelson was even a good prospect, and you know I don't think that I've ever called a reliever a great prospect. I had Burnett ranked as high as #10-12 when he was a starting pitcher in the minor leagues. I had him (and have Oliveros) in the 30s of my rankings. Secondly, I'm not sure where my rosey analysis on Burnett was from this article. Here's what I wrote: I don't think it's unfair or rosey to stay that he has 'good stuff' while at the same time acknowledging that, to this point, it hasn't proven successful yet. And yes, my style would be to say that he should go to Rochester and work this season on some things since he's still just 24, and your style is to just completely give up on him despite having the option year, the roster spot and time.

One of my favorite things is when Jack says guys should be immediately released because generally speaking that means that the player will play quite well in the near future.

I talked to Manship the other day and asked him about the slider. He changed his grip on the pitch and has found it to be much more sharp and it's been good so far. He's excited about that pitch.

If he's batting 3rd, I'd say 24. If he's batting 5th or later, I'll say 16.

You can view the page at http://www.twinsdaily.com/content.php?322-Twins-Make-First-Roster-Cuts

On Thursday morning, the Twins made their first cuts of spring. The following 40 man roster players were optioned and will report to minor league camp. Scott Diamond - LHP - it's not a surprise at all that Diamond will not be making the big league opening day roster, but it is somewhat surprising that he is cut this early. However, he will be starting in the minor leagues and needs to be stretched out. Matt Maloney's emergence likely makes this an easy decision. Deolis Guerra - RHP - This is Guerra's final option year. He had a rough first spring outing, but he has been decent the last two. It's a big year for Guerra to show if he has a big league future. Lester Oliveros - RHP - It is also a little surprising that Oliveros is cut this early. He has pitched alright so far this spring, but he was unlikely to make the big league roster for opening day anyway. It is best for his development to get more AAA time. Tyler Robertson - LHP - Robertson was just added to the 40 man roster last fall, so this is his first option. He had a good showing in his first big league camp. Darin Mastriaonni - OF - There were some that thought that Mastriaonni was a candidate if the Twins went with a 5-man outfield because of his speed and ability to play centerfield, but he didn't show much offensively or defensively. Interesting that the guy the Twins took off their 40 man roster in order to claim Mastroianni (Esmerling Vasquez) will remain in camp. Oswaldo Arcia - OF - Like Robertson, this is Arcia's first camp. He spent just half of last season in Ft. Myers, so there was no chance of him breaking with the big league club. But he had a couple of good moments in spring including a long, opposite field home run in a B game. The following players were non-roster invites to big league camp that were re-assigned to minor league camp: Aaron Thompson - LHP - The lefty made his debut a year ago with the Reds and is still just 24 years old, so he has a chance yet. He'll go to minor league camp and it will be interesting to see if he starts or comes out of the bullpen. The fact that he's sent down this early tells me that he may be stretched out. Steve Pearce - 1B/3B/OF - Pearce was a very long-shot to make the big league roster anyway, but an injury that will keep him out about a week meant he had no chance. Danny Rams - C/1B/OF - Rams was invited to big league camp shortly after it started because the team wanted another catcher. So, it's no surprise that he's among the first cuts. Any thoughts on this first round of cuts? The Twins are now down to 57 players in camp. They will need to cut another 22 players before Opening Day, so much more to come! [ATTACH=CONFIG]328[/ATTACH]

You can view the page at http://www.twinsdaily.com/content.php?321-Twins-Bullpen-Banter

One of the Twins biggest issues in 2011 was its bullpen. In fact, it was really ugly most of the year. In the offseason, the Twins lost Joe Nathan to free agency. They brought back Matt Capps and hope that the toughness he has exhibited by wanting to come back after a brutal 2011 will translate into improved performance in 2012. Glen Perkins went from the guy most fans wanted released last spring training, to one of the best left-handed relievers in baseball. The Twins locked him up through the 2015 season with his recent contract extension. Anthony Swarzak is out of options this year and showed in 2011 that he can and will pitch in long relief, spot start or whatever role he is asked. Brian Duensing moves back to the bullpen where his ability to get left-handed hitters out should again thrive. Those four (Capps, Perkins, Swarzak and Duensing) went into spring training as givens to make the Twins Opening Day roster. After that, there are three remaining spots in the bullpen to fill, and three question marks. I’m the first one to say that spring training statistics mean very little. However, that is only true for the “givens.” When there are potentially three open positions in a bullpen, spring statistics tend to be pretty important. So for the vast multitude of bullpen arms that the Twins brought in to camp, they are trying their best to make a good impression. Just 12 days into spring training games, it is far too early to generate any certainties. However, for the most part, the Twins relief pitching has been pretty solid. There are a couple of guys whose position may have dropped a little bit in the eyes of the Twins decision-makers, but even they will likely get another two weeks to turn things around. There have been a lot of pitchers who have made an early impression for the Twins in camp. Kyle Waldrop – Fellow TwinsCentrician Parker Hageman tweeted last night something that jumped out at me. He wrote that Waldrop releases the ball at 6’8” and it hits the plate at just 2’2”. That is some incredible sink, and that is why he has had a 60% ground ball rate. So far in camp, he has given up no runs on two hits in three innings. He has walked none and struck out three. Matt Maloney – When Bill Smith claimed the lefty after the Reds had released him, he was roundly criticized. Most who criticized the move now believe that he should be the Twins third left-hander in the bullpen. And they’re probably right. In 5.1 innings, he has not given up a run. He has given up three hits, walked one and struck out eight. Jared Burton – The Twins quickly signed Burton to a minor league contract. He was hurt most of the last two years, but he was a very good set up many for a couple of years before that thanks to a terrific cutter. In four innings this spring, he is yet to give up a hit. He’s walked one and struck out four. Jeff Manship – Many forget that Manship made the opening day roster a year ago, but just five outings into the season, it was clear that he wasn’t right. He was sent to Rochester and went on the Disabled List for most of the season with a couple of separate injuries. He has made an adjustment to his slider which should mean more strikeouts. In camp, he gave up a home run to David Ortiz in his first inning, but that is the only run he has given up in 4.1 innings. In fact, he’s given up just one other hit, walked none and struck out six. Casey Fien – Another minor league free agent signed by the Twins with big league experience (2009-2010 with Tigers), Fien has been good this spring. In 3.1 innings, he is yet to give up a hit or a run. He’s walked one and struck out three. Brendan Wise – Another minor league free agent from the Tigers, Wise has ERAs of 1.87 and 2.83 in AAA. The Australian gets a ton of movement by throwing from a three-quarter arm slot. In three innings, he has given up one hit, walked none and struck out none. Carlos Gutierrez – The former 1st round pick had a bad outing in the team’s very first scrimmage. The manager called him out. Since then, he has been terrific, aggressively going after opposing hitters. In three innings, he’s given up only an unearned run on two hits and a walk. He has struck out four. Those seven pitchers are off to a good start and making a strong impression. However, if any of them have a game in which they give up three runs in one inning (something relievers tend to do a time or three a year), their spring ERAs jump up to around 5.00. That’s why any time you’re looking at such a small sample size, you have to take it for what it is worth. Those seven pitchers are not the only pitchers in the equation though. Terry Doyle - The Twins Rule 5 draft pick has certainly had ups and downs in his few spring outings. He has been good, and he had a start last week in which he got hit very hard. The 26 year old would need to be offered back to the White Sox. It’s far too early to tell which direction the Twins are leaning with him. Jeff Gray – He is on the 40 man roster, and yet he has only pitched in two innings over two games so far. He has given up two unearned runs on two hits and two walks without striking anyone out. Alex Burnett – Gardy and Rick Anderson really believe in Burnett, and for good reason. There is no questioning his stuff. Simply, he was not given time to develop in Rochester, and I think it would be great for Burnett (and Lester Oliveros who has given up one run on four hits in three innings while striking out four and walking none) to spend a couple of months improving themselves in Rochester. Burnett has thrown 2.2 innings this spring and given up five runs on eight hits and two walks. It isn’t as if it is just one bad outing; he has struggled each time he has taken the mound. Jason Bulger – It’s been a rough spring for Bulger. In his first outing, he walked four before throwing a strike that Lars Anderson hit for a grand slam. He struggled again in his second outing but had a good third outing. The 33 year old has spent parts of the last six seasons with the Angels, so it isn’t as it he has just completely forgotten to pitch. But nine runs on six hits and five walks in just two innings is cause for alarm. There are three open spots, it appears, in the Twins bullpen. There is one spot (Joel Zumaya’s) on the 40 man roster. Fortunately Ron Gardenhire, Rick Anderson and Terry Ryan have two more weeks to determine who will head north to start the season. A lot can change. Some of these pitchers may start getting into game situations against starters rather than against hitters wearing numbers set aside for wide receivers or offensive tackles. The bullpen remains the most intriguing part of Twins spring training. How will it play out? [ATTACH=CONFIG]326[/ATTACH] --- At Twins Daily, there is a lot going on. John wrote his thoughts on some of the bullpen pitchers making an impression. Nick continued his Twins position analysis by looking at Jamey Carroll and the shortstops. Left-hander Ryan O’Rourke writes about the first week at minor league camp. Parker asked what Alexi Casilla can do in 2012. Seth asked if there is any way that Brian Dozier can make the opening day roster. Troy Larson asked when fans get excited about the upcoming season. Shanewahl wrote about the rise and ‘fall’ of Aaron Hicks. Twins Fan from Afar asked if the Twins need to hire a sports psychologist. In the Forums, there are a lot of great discussions being generated. Be sure to vote for and discuss the preseason AL Central third basemen. On the Farm includes discussion about the two Twins minor leaguers suspended 50 games each for testing positive for a banned substance.

I'd agree with that, and based on last season, I was excited about the 2012 season about mid-September. But you're right, there are those times when that excitement comes up a little more. For me, it's the Twins Caravan and Twins Fest... the hardest part of the year for me is the two weeks from Twins Fest to spring training cuz I love spring training. And of corse, Opening Day is great!

His best pitch is his cutter, which was (unfairly) compared to Mariano Rivera's before the arm issues.

Today, we'll round out the infield and vote for the preseason AL Central third baseman. Let's get the discussion going on "Which AL Central Third Baseman will be the best in 2012?" Vote now and comment your rankings. The Candidates (2011 stats) Minnesota Twins - Danny Valencia - .246/.294/.383 (.677) with 28-2B, 2-3B, 15-HR, 72 RBI Chicago White Sox - Brent Morel - .245/.287/.366 (.653) with 18-2B, 1-3B, 10-HR, 41 RBI Cleveland Indians - Jack Hannahan - .250/.331/.388 (.719) with 16-2B, 2-3B, 8-HR, 40 RBI Lonnie Chisenhall MLB - .255/.284/.415 (.699) with 13-2B, 0-3B, 7-HR, 22 RBI Lonnie Chisenhall MILB - .267/.353/.431 (.784) with 15-2B, 3-3B, 7-HR, 45 RBI Detroit Tigers - Miguel Cabrera - .344/.448/.586 (1.033) with 48-2B, 0-3B, 30-HR, 105 RBI Kansas City Royals - Mike Moustakus MLB- .263/.309/.367 (.675) with 18-2B, 1-3B, 5-HR, 30 RBI Mike Moustakus MILB- .287/.347/.498 (.845) with 15-2B, 1-3B, 10-HR, 44 RBI SUMMARY Valencia burst on the scene in June of 2010 and hit .311. He hit .311 and came up big in many situations. 2011 was a very frustrating year for Valencia offensively and defensively. He was the lone Twins player who managed to stay pretty much healthy all year. He's off to a good start the spring, and hopefully that will carry into the season. Valencia will be 27 years old most of the season. Morel has been a prospect in the White Sox system for quite some time. He is solid with the glove, but he struggled at the plate in 2011. Morel will turn 25 years old in April. Cleveland has a little position battle brewing at third base. Cretin-Derham Hall grad and former Gopher Jack Hannahan is 32 and the definition of a solid, replacement level veteran. Lonnie Chisenhall was the team's 1st round pick in 2008 and has risen quickly up the system. He didn't hit as well as most believe that he will. He is just 23 years old. Miguel Cabrera is one of the best hitters in all of baseball. He has played in six All Star games. Although he's never been named league MVP, he has finished in the top five in voting five times. he has finished in the top three each of the past three seasons. He moves to third base this season with the Tigers' acquisition of Prince Fielder. That should be interesting for the soon-to-be 29 year old. Mike Moustakus has been a top prospect since being drafted by the Royals. He is a good combination of power and batting average. The 23 year old should hopes to make big strides in 2012 and give the Royals a great young nucleus with its corner infielders. There is the information, now it is time to vote. Who will be the best third baseman in the AL Central in 2012? My choice?

2004 - Plouffe is at a cross-roads, Waldrop is just getting an opportunity, Swarzak stepped up last year, Perkins signed the extension. 2005 top two picks were traded. 2006 top three picks were high school kids and are on the 40 man roster and in the plans. 2007 top two picks were high school kids and are in big league camp. Revere has almost a full year under his belt. 2008 Hicks was a high school pick, and Gutierrez is close. Hunt was a miss (at a level no one could have anticipated). 2009 Gibson was a good pick, probably would be considered for an extension if he'd stayed healthy. I don't know who should be expected to be up and contributing enough to give a long-term deal to from that group.

Health has always been the big thing with him. He finally started putting it together about 2 years ago and then got hurt again.

For some reason, I think there were a couple others from the DSL 2-3 years ago.