Seth Stohs

Very good. It's great to see. He's got the size, has a couple of good pitches and is very smart.

As we continue to prepare for the 2016 MLB Draft, today I present a review of the catchers in the Minnesota Twins organization. Yesterday, we reviewed the Outfielders. Next week, we’ll continue with the Infielders and the pitchers while I’ll also post my updated Top 30 Twins Prospect rankings. Why look at the organization’s depth before the draft? As we mentioned yesterday, taking "best player available" is always the right strategy early in the draft, but in the later rounds, it might be important to add some depth at other positions as they look to fill some rosters.Minnesota Twins - Kurt Suzuki, Juan Centeno The Twins signed Suzuki before the 2014 season to a nice, one-year contract. He had an all-star caliber first half, so they extended him and he immediately turned back into the catcher and hitter he had been the previous few seasons. The Twins have played him less this year, ensuring that his $6 million option will not vest. Juan Centeno was brought in as a minor league free agent. He had a solid spring training and when John Ryan Murphy struggled and was sent to Rochester, the 26-year-old was called up and is off to a good start. Rochester Red Wings - John Ryan Murphy, Carlos Paulino Murphy came over from the Yankees where he spent parts of three seasons backing up Brian McCann. Nothing in his MLB or minor league track record indicated he would slump as badly as he did in the season’s first month. However, he is still young and can become a starting-caliber MLB catcher. Carlos Paulino also was invited to MLB spring training after joining the Twins organization a year ago. He is a defense-first catcher. Chattanooga Lookouts - Stuart Turner, Mitch Garver, Jairo Rodriguez In a way, Stuart Turner and Mitch Garver have been linked since they were drafted in the 2013 draft. At the same time, this is the first year they have been on the same team since that summer in Elizabethton. While the senior-sign Garver began his first full season in Cedar Rapids, Turner (who signed after his junior season at Ole Miss) skipped straight to High-A. While Garver was our hitter of the year in 2014, Turner has struggled with the bat. Turner spent all of 2015 in Chattanooga while Garver is there for the first time. Turner has the reputation as a better defensive catcher while Garver is known for a bigger bat. Reports indicate that Garver has narrowed the gap defensively. He stacks up among the best in the minor leagues at pitch framing while throwing out about 73% of would-be base stealers. Garver just returned to the lineup on Wednesday after suffering a concussion. Jairo Rodriguez is one of the longest-tenured players in the Twins organization. He has played throughout the system over the last eight or nine years, serving as a backup (or third catcher) where needed. Ft. Myers Miracle - Brian Navarreto, Kevin Garcia Brian Navarreto has a powerful arm. He also has size that one might think could develop some power. To this point, however, he hasn’t hit at all. Kevin Garcia signed with the Twins before spring training after being let go by the Tigers after a couple of pro seasons. He began this season in extended spring but came up when Alex Swim abruptly retired. Cedar Rapids Kernels - AJ Murray, Brian Olson AJ Murray has been one of the better hitters in the organization so far this year. He takes quality atebats, gets on base and has some power. He also has been the primary catcher behind the plate. Olson was a late-round pick a year ago. He hit well in the GCL and in Elizabethton last year. While he started the season in EST, he has hit well over .300 since joining the Kernels. Extended Spring Training - Bryant Hayman, Robert Molina, Rainis Silva, Jhon Alvarez, Jose Ortiz, Kerby Camacho (Suspended) Rainis Silva is the best prospect of this group. He is very good defensively. He spent a little time in Cedar Rapids last year before the Elizabethton season started. Hayman started the season in Cedar Rapids this year but was recently sent back to extended spring. Molina played last year in the GCL. He also gets time at first base. Alvarez and Ortiz are in the States after playing in the Dominican Summer League last year. Top Prospects 1.) Mitch Garver, 2.) Stuart Turner, 3.) AJ Murray Draft Thoughts It is very difficult to get a catcher to the big leagues for several reasons. Injury/Concussion - Yes, there are a lot of catcher concussions due to repeated foul tips to the face mask as well as “regular” injuries. It is a position of attrition in some ways.Most organizations value defense above hitting for catchers for obvious reasons. They have to be smart and call a good game while working with individual pitchers, but they also need to have a strong arm and enough accuracy to help control a running game. Pitch framing and ability to block balls in the dirt are also important.However, a starting catcher also needs to hit enough . “Enough” can be dependent on team.Look at the number of catchers the organization keeps at extended spring training. In some ways, an organization needs to draft a few catchers every year just to help with bullpens in the rookie leagues and in spring training (and EST). In the past, the Twins have typically drafted at least one catcher in the top ten rounds. They then will draft a couple more in the later rounds. Just a few years ago, the Twins drafted Stuart Turner, Jorge Fernandez and Mitch Garver in the first nine rounds. The Twins have quantity of catchers. In my opinion, they should take one in the top three or four rounds if they believe he can develop into a starter at some point. Then maybe add one or two in the late rounds. Click here to view the article

Arias is mentioned in the report. He came to the States right after spring training for Extended Spring Training.

My thoughts - When I saw him this spring, he looked 'bigger' than he did a year ago (not as in good of shape). He tops out at like 93, though he sits 89-91 most of the time. I'm very intrigued by his success, especially at AAA because of how much he struggled there last year. I'd like to catch up with him on what the difference has been.

ESPN just did a very interesting story on Thornley and a very interesting hobby of his, graving: http://es.pn/1RrER8Q

As Jeremy noted earlier, we are about to embark on a ton of draft coverage here at Twins Daily. We will be posting several draft prospect profiles of players who could be available when the Twins make the 15th overall pick. Jeremy will post a couple more mock drafts. I’ll post my updated Top 30 prospects, and also will consider the Twins organizational depth. Why look at the organizational depth right now as the draft approaches? Nearly two months into a new season, trends may start taking place, storylines are developing, players are stepping up, or they’re not. As you know, in the early rounds of the MLB Draft, it is wise to generally take Best Player Available, but as you get to Day 2 and especially Day 3 of the draft, it may make more sense to load up on positions of need. Today, we will begin this series by looking at the outfielders.Minnesota Twins - LF: Robbie Grossman, CF: Danny Santana, RF: Miguel Sano, OF: Oswaldo Arcia, Darin Mastroianni (DL) The Twins have had a lot of talented outfielders come through the big leagues in recent years. Several were traded, others have just begun to arrive. At times last season, Twins fans dreamed on a future outfield of Eddie Rosario, Byron Buxton and Aaron Hicks. Hicks was traded to the Yankees. Eddie Rosario and Byron Buxton are both at AAA. Miguel Sano has struggled defensively at times (and offensively too) in his transition to right field. So, right now, the Twins big league outfield is not at all what the Twins or the fans thought it would be at this point in the season. Instead, Robbie Grossman opted out of his minor league contract with Cleveland last week, signed with the Twins, played one game in Rochester and was called up. He has been on base in all six games he’s played since. Santana and Arcia are both out of options. Rochester Red Wings - LF: Eddie Rosario, CF: Byron Buxton, RF: Max Kepler (DL), OF: Adam Brett Walker Now this is the outfield a lot of Twins fans were dreaming of and hoping for starting in spring training. Rosario’s inability to not swing at pitches outside the strike zone came back to bite him, and even his defense took a step back. He’s hit just .160 in his week in AAA so far. Buxton missed a week recently with back spasms. However, after a slow start, he has torn up the International League in May, cutting down his K-rate while being more aggressive and showing power. Kepler is on the DL right now with a groin strain, but he has been on fire for the last two weeks. Adam Brett Walker launched his 10th home run of the season on Wednesday night. Yes, he’s striking out about 44% of the time, but he is showing great power. Chattanooga Lookouts - LF: Travis Harrison, CF: Zach Granite, RF: Daniel Palka, OF: Joe Maloney, Shannon Wilkerson Palka was the story in April, cutting down his strikeouts and showing strong power. He has struggled in May, but he is a strong prospect acquisition. Harrison gets the opportunity to repeat at the level and that should prove beneficial. Zach Granite leads the organization with 17 stolen bases. Joe Maloney was the top player from independent leagues in 2015. He is among organization leaders in doubles. Wilkerson signed last July with the Twins and was an instigator for the Lookouts championship run. He has missed time with a quad injury a couple of times this season. Ft. Myers Miracle - LF: Austin DIemer, CF: Edgar Corcino, RF: Chad Christensen, OF: Max Murphy, Tanner English (DL) Tanner English has been out over a month with a concussion. He was the Twins minor league defensive outfielder of the year last year and is a leadoff type of hitter. Murphy was promoted to Ft. Myers just about two weeks ago and already has four home runs with the Miracle. Corcino has been terrific with nearly every day playing time in May. Diemer and Christensen are terrific athletes with good speed and the ability to play all over the outfield. Cedar Rapids Kernels - LF: Daniel Kihle, CF: LaMonte Wade, RF: Jorge Fernandez, OF: Brad Hartong LaMonte Wade has been the most consistent hitter in the organization throughout the season. He was our choice for May Minor League Hitter of the Month. He walks more than he strikes out, plays solid defense and has some pop in his bat. Jorge Fernandez has been a catcher in the organization since being drafted in 2012. The athlete was moved to the outfield and has shown good pop in his bat. Daniel Kihle and Brad Hartong were drafted last year and began the season in extended spring but were recently promoted to the Kernels. Extended Spring Training - Rowan Ebersohn, Cristian Cavaness, Tyree Davis, Jaylin Davis, Roberto Gonzalez, Jean Carlos Arias, Luis Martinez, Lean Marrero, Aaron Whitefield. In extended spring training, this group of outfielders has a ton of talent and athleticism. Most are quite young and have to learn more about how to be a baseball player. Ebersohn was a member of the South African team in the WBC Qualifier in Australia. Jaylin Davis and Roberto Gonzalez have a ton of power. Davis was drafted last year but did not play due to injury. Gonzalez has been hurt quite a bit since being drafted in 2014. Tyree Davis is a tremendous athlete with great speed and developing power. Arias and Martinez come from the Dominican Summer League where they showed a ton of speed. Marrero has a fluid left-handed swing but he’s young. Whitefield was an international softball player from Australia before leaning how to play baseball less than two years ago. He too is a great athlete. Top Prospects (Outfielders) 1.) Max Kepler, 2.) Adam Brett Walker, 3.) LaMonte Wade, 4.) Daniel Palka, 5.) Travis Harrison. Draft Thoughts The Twins have clearly focused on pitching the last two or three drafts and it has shown in the offensive numbers in the lower levels of the minor leagues. Obviously pitching is important and should always be a focus in the draft, but the Twins certainly can afford to restock bats too. As always, we can’t look at team needs now when it comes to the draft. Even the top picks generally need at least a year and a half to get to the big leagues. There is no way to know what the Twins needs will be, for sure, four to six years from now. So when it comes to outfielders, the Twins should always draft a few. If we’ve learned a few things this year, defense does matter but the Twins also just need to have hitting. Therein lies the rub. In the top five rounds, you’re obviously looking for a mix of athleticism and ability to hit, even with some power. Looking at the big league roster, you can see a log jam of of corner outfielders, first base and DH types, but at the same time, if those types of guys can hit, they can move up the system and provide value. However, the Twins have had a lot of success drafting athletic, center field types. They can move a little more slowly as they translate from athlete to baseball player. We also have seen the value of having a great outfield defense. Speed and natural outfield senses are important. Personally, I would most likely draft mostly center field types knowing they can transfer to the corners as they move up. Click here to view the article

It was a great night for the Rochester Red Wings’ offense and it was led by Byron Buxton as you’ll read below. Adam Walker did what he does best, crush mistake pitches. Jason Wheeler continued to pitch well. Two long streaks continued for Kernels players, and the Miracle got a clutch hit from a top prospect. It was an eventful night in the Twins minor league system.NOTE: Seth will be in attendance at the games in Cedar Rapids on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, so expect reports and stories from there throughout the weekend. Remember, Cedar Rapids is less than five hours south of the Twin Cities. It’s certainly worth the trip, especially if you’re interested in prospects. Also, the Field of Dreams movie site is less than an hour away. Consider making a trip this summer! You’ll enjoy it! Check the Kernels schedule and get tickets here. For much more on what happened on Wednesday in the Twins farm system, please continue. TRANSACTIONS On Wednesday, there were a few transactions in the Twins system: First, the Twins moved LHP Glen Perkins to the 60-Day disabled list. They put OF Darin Mastroianni on the 15-Day disabled list. They purchased the contract of LHP Buddy Boshers and called him up to the big leagues.Mitch Garver was activated from the DL, but RHP Ryan Eades was placed on the DL.RHP Hector Lujan was returned to extended spring training. RHP Nick Anderson was promoted from Cedar Rapids to Ft. Myers. RHP Kuo Hua Lo was brought back to the Kernels from extended spring training.RED WINGS REPORTRochester 9, Indianapolis 8 Box Score Byron Buxton has had a tremendous May with the Red Wings which begs the question, how long will (and should) he remain in AAA before coming back to the Twins? It’s a fair question, to be sure. He led off this game with a double. In his second at-bat, he hit his fifth home run, a long blast to the right of center field. He was intentionally walked the next time up. In his final plate appearance, he lined a single up the middle. Altogether, he was 3-4 with his seventh double, fifth homer and two RBI. In the first inning, Tommy Field knocked a three-run homer, his third homer in just over a week with the organization. He went 2-3 with a walk and four RBI. Field’s home run was followed by Adam Brett Walker’s tenth home run of the season, a tape-measure shot measured at about 450 feet. Kennys Vargas went 2-4 with a walk. Eddie Rosario went 2-4 with a double. Jorge Polanco added his fifth triple. Jason Wheeler was good again. He improved to 3-1 with a 1.86 ERA with six solid innings. He gave up two runs in five hits and a walk. He struck out three. David Martinez came on and gave up one run on one hit and two walks in the seventh. He struck out two. Alex Wimmers gave up a hit in a scoreless eighth. The Red Wings went into the ninth inning with a 9-3 lead. Ryan O’Rourke started the inning. He got two outs, but gave up five runs (two earned) on five hits. JT Chargois came in and gave up a hit, but he then got the final out for his third Red Wings save. The Red Wings have now won 15 of their last 20 games and are 26-20 on the season. CHATTANOOGA CHATTER Chattanooga 6, Tennessee 2 Box Score Good things come in threes, right? The Lookouts scored three runs in the third inning thanks to two triples. TJ White got things going with a two-run triple. Next up was leadoff man Zach Granite who switched places with him with a triple of his own. Ryan Walker went 2-4 with his third stolen base. Leonardo Reginnato went 2-3. Daniel Palka added a triple late in the game. DJ Baxendale started and worked the first 6.2 innings. He gave up two runs on four hits. He also hit a batter. He struck out one. Mason Melotakis came on and get the final out of the 7th inning, on a strikeout. Trevor Hildenberger picked up his fourth save. He struck out three over two scoreless innings. He gave up two hits. Baxendale improved to 4-5 with a 3.06 ERA. With the win, the Lookouts improved to 20-26 on the season. MIRACLE MATTERS Ft. Myers 4, Palm Beach 10 (10 innings) Box Score Obviously the tenth inning didn’t go well for the Miracle. Nick Gordon’s third triple tied the score at four in the ninth inning. However, in the tenth, the first eight batters reached for the Cardinals and six of them scored. Keaton Steele started. The right-hander gave up one run on six hits and four walks in five innings. He struck out four. Nick Anderson came on for his Florida State League debut. He gave up an unearned run on one hit and one walk in his inning. The unearned run was due to a throwing error by Anderson himself. He struck out two. Raul Fernandez threw two scoreless innings. John Curtiss gave up two runs in the ninth, but when the Miracle scored two to tie it, he returned for the tenth. All three batters he faced reached base. He was replaced by Brian Gilbert who faced five batters and gave up three hits, a walk, and the next batter reached on an error. He was replaced by Todd Van Steensel who gave up a hit but got the final three outs, two on strikeouts. Max Murphy and Brian Navarreto each went 3-5 in the game. Tanner Witt went 2-4 with a walk. Edgar Corcino went 2-4 and his fourth home run of the year tied the game at two in the eighth inning. Gordon went 1-3 with two walks and the triple. The Miracle fell to 24-23 on the season. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 6, Burlington 7 Box Score Sam Clay had his first rough start of the season. The left-hander gave up seven runs on six hits, five walks and a hit batter in just 2.2 innings. He struck out one. Kuo Hua Lo struck out six over the next 3.1 innings. He gave up two hits and walked two, but no runs. Williams Ramirez then worked two perfect innings, striking out one. LaMonte Wade got things going for the Kernels with a home run, his fourth, in the first inning. He didn’t take long to increase his streak of consecutive games getting on base to 25. He went 3-5 in the game. Later, Zander Wiel extended his hitting streak to 13 games with a two-run single. Brad Hartong went 2-4 with his first triple. Jermaine Palacios went 2-4 with his third double and two driven in. TWINS DAILY PLAYERS OF THE DAY Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Day – Trevor Hildenberger, Chattanooga Lookouts Twins Daily Minor League Hitter of the Day – Byron Buxton, Rochester Red Wings THURSDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS Indianapolis @ Rochester (10:05 a.m. CST) - RHP Jose Berrios Tennessee @ Chattanooga (6:15 CST) - LHP Nick Greenwood Palm Beach @ Ft. Myers (6:00 CST) – RHP Felix Jorge Cedar Rapids @ Burlington (6:30 CST) – RHP Fernando Romero Please feel free to ask any questions and discuss the Wednesday games. Click here to view the article

Alrighty then... check it now.

Probably because I'll be down there for games Friday, Saturday and Sunday... so they're being nice and letting him be there when I'm there... Probably.

To be fair... that deal is looking great for the Diamondbacks to this point...

I kind of think that's the point. A GM oversees so much, and he can't be hands-on in all of those areas, but is in a way fully responsible for all of it. The article is, for me at least, a way to get past the complaining about needing a new GM (or whatever position) and really starting to think about what criteria are important to you if you were to make the decision on the next GM. It isn't easy, and there are a lot of parts to it. It's kind of a fun exercise to see what kind of footprint you'd like to see. And there likely isn't a GM that is going to 100% agree with your philosophies on everything, so which are most important.

I would say pretty much none. He's likely kept updated by Ryan on ideas and knows the pulse, but he isn't making baseball decisions in any way. He's doing a lot of the other stuff, and I agree, it's well run.

Great response, Roster... Very well thought out.

I would think that would be true, depending upon how he does and if he's able to get back to his pre-surgery form, as well as how Taylor Rogers does. If Rogers pitches like he did last night, he shouldn't go back down.

I feel no need to call for anyone to get fired. I won’t do it. Yes, I fully understand and don’t necessarily strongly disagree with the overwhelming philosophy that major changes may be needed to right this ship. The grass isn't always greener (though sometimes it really is), and sometimes change for the sake of change can be good. We will never 100% agree with any other person on every baseball topic. So instead of regurgitating the old, tired discussion about why the Twins should fire their general manager or others in the front office, let’s be a little more productive. Let’s not jump to hyperbole and automatically bash everything about the Twins brass. Like all of us, there is good and not-so-good in everybody. People have strengths and areas for improvement. Also, let’s not pretend that this (the Twins shockingly bad 11-33 record) is the fault of just the GM. There is plenty of blame to go around. Ownership warrants blame. The front office deserve blame. Player development can be questioned, if you like. I’m sure the scouts find some blame too. The manager and his coaching staff deserve some blame, and I do believe that the players deserve a large amount of the blame.So, for the sake of important, meaningful discussion, let’s limit this discussion to the general manager role. Today, I’m going to post several qualifications of an MLB general manager. Feel free to discuss the qualifications in the comments, but mostly, use this article to start thinking about who you would like to see replace Terry Ryan (if that were to happen). We may not know the names of specific examples, but think about which qualities are most important to you, and how a candidate stacks up in those categories. Whether the Twins stay inside the system for a replacement or look elsewhere, the same questions need to be asked. Background Do the Twins need hire someone with experience as a big league GM? If so, does it need to be a GM who has put together World Series champions, or could you consider a candidate who wasn’t good in his first GM job but meets many other requirements? Do you prefer a candidate who has been second-in-command in a winning organization? Can the candidate be a former player, or would the negate him as a possibility for you? While we probably couldn’t officially ask, does age factor into the decision? SCOUTING The Draft The draft is less than three weeks away. Scouting is a big part of the draft. What would you want a GM to have as a draft philosophy? Would it be simply best player available? Would you focus on college or high school players? Would you use high picks on pitchers or hitters? How involved do you expect the GM to be in the draft process? Should the GM be very involved in the specific names, or should the GM simply have a plan with the director of scouting and develop a plan that is expected to be followed? International Markets How do you feel about signing players from around the world? Do you spend more money on scouting in the Caribbean? How do you feel about signing players from Cuba? What should the strategy be on spending slot, going over slot, or even trading draft picks for international slot money? Advanced Scouting The Twins send scouts to watch the teams that they will play next. Should that process continue, or should they just hire a stats company to provide all scouting data ADVANCED STATISTICS This is one that people think that the Twins are so far behind on. I don’t think we really know. However, if there were a change, and you were in charge, how much focus would you put on it? Do you need a group of 30+ statheads or could much of the same work be done with a group of six to eight? How much voice do you give the analytics group compared to the scouting group? Are they on equal group or should it be all about the past numbers? PLAYER DEVELOPMENT What are your philosophies on the minor leagues and player development? How do you strategize areas of focus, and development of individual development plans? What should the role of a minor league manager be? What role should player discipline be for various issues? What should the role be of a minor league hitting coach or pitching coach? What should the culture look like in your ideal world? Is it about winning? Solely about developing the top prospects? What is the responsibility of the GM and the big league team relative to the organization’s affiliates? What are the expectations for each player in the offseason? Should coaches meet individually with each player throughout the offseason? How much time should the GM spend with each of the affiliates during spring training, and during the season, if any? MEDIA/PRESS RELATIONS The GM is also in charge of the media relations department, including the press releases. Ideally, transactions and news would come through the PR department and to the media via press release. How do you feel about information leaks? And, as a GM, how much should you be telling the media or a listening audience? Do you want them to be an open book, or do you want the information on what is going on to be kept close to the vest? Do you, like Terry Ryan, spend time before each game meeting with the media and answering what he can? FRONT OFFICE What is important for you in a GM as it relates to hiring the following: What are the expectations for the hiring of an assistant GM? What are the expectations for the director of player personnel? What philosophies are important for a minor league director? How do you feel about keeping Twins “royalty and historical figures” around? Should Tony Oliva, Rod Carew, Torii Hunter, LaTroy Hawkins, Tom Kelly, Ron Gardenhire, Kent Hrbek and the like be involved in the organization, and how so? Of the current group, who stays and who goes? THE ON-FIELD STAFF What is important for you in hiring a GM in terms of his or her philosophy on the role and/or selection of a manager? How much say do you let a manager have in player decisions, if any? How much say should a GM have in managerial duties such as lineup construction and in-game decisions, if any? What are the keys when selecting the coaching staff? THE CURRENT SITUATION That’s all the behind-the-scenes stuff (probably not ALL, but a good portion of it) that a GM has to be responsible for, but now this candidate must step into the current roster and make some decisions. Do you want a manager who makes a bunch of moves on day 1? Do you want a manager who steps in the door and says that he needs to evaluate a few things before making decisions. How do you figure out the outfield situation? Should Miguel Sano be in the outfield, moved back to third base, or DHd. Should Brian Dozier be sent to AAA, keep playing or be traded? Should you trade the likes of Trevor Plouffe, Brian Dozier, Kurt Suzuki, Phil Hughes, Rick Nolasco and Kevin Jepsen for pennies on the dollar? Or, if you can’t trade some of them, are you willing to just explain to ownership why releasing them is the right thing? TRADES What should a GM's philosophy be on trading veterans? Whose opinion counts most when it comes to prospects you are getting in return: scouts, minor league coaching staffs, or number crunchers? How does that same GM feel about acquiring an elite talent and being willing to deal prospects? FREE AGENCY Four years ago, the Twins needed to go from a terrible pitching staff to just a mediocre pitching staff, so Ryan went out and spent money to acquire some solid, mediocre veteran starters. Results have been mixed. Understanding the Twins current starting and relieve staffs, should the Twins have gone after the $150-200 million starters? Should they have stayed away from the $10-13 million starters and focused more on the $5-8 million variety. What is the value of a strong bullpen and quality, reliable relievers. How long is too long for a contract, or how much is too much? What is your philosophy on signing minor league veterans to contract? Good idea, you never know who will develop later, or never sign them and push players excessively rapidly? MISCELLANEOUS Have them define “Success” in their job? What do you want their answer to be? What should the clubhouse atmosphere be like? What should the atmosphere of the front office personnel be? How does the GM candidate feel about building from within.? How does that GM candidate create a culture of accountability? Which current major league and minor league coaches would be let go, and who would you bring back? (I do find it interesting that a lot of people who want to clear house would like to see Doug Mientkiewicz as the next Twins manager, but anywho…) WHAT DO YOU THINK? All right, now it’s your turn? What are the most important qualities that a GM can bring to an organization? I brought up a lot of topics, and how do you go about acquiring those kinds of players? Again, I will not call for Terry Ryan to be fired. I wouldn’t be surprised if he steps down again, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he sticks around and says, “I helped make this mess, how are we going to make it better?” You are in the shoes of the Twins owner. You need to decide if you want Terry Ryan to make the July and August trades and then let him go after the season. Or, you need to decide that it needs to happen right now so that a replacement can be established before the draft and before any trades are made so that the new GM’s footprint can be made on those decisions. Again, I appreciate this thread not turning into yet another negative, bashing thread, but instead, let’s be productive and each of us jot down our thoughts on what makes a good GM, and what type of candidate we would support the Twins signing. Click here to view the article

It's awful to watch right now, and using stop gaps is not fun either... but I have no problem with Buxton, Kepler, Polanco, Rosario, Walker playing every day and getting a ton of at bats and make some adjustments and succeed (hopefully). What I don't want them to do is see a two-week hot streak and call a guy back up. Let them get a month or two of at bats. Berrios will be back, but he needs to find some control (much less command). Chargois could be ready now. Not sure this is the atmosphere to throw him in, but any time. I'll likely watch full games against in late July and early August, but I think this is the right plan. They'll still get 150+ plate appearances over the final two months, which is a decent amount. Oh, and I don't know that they're so much "sick" of watching prospects fail as much as they're just sick of all the losing, regardless of who is playing.

It was good to see Jake Reed's line last night... Certainly his best performance of the year.

Still shut down with the bone bruise on his elbow.

That's always the case, so I don't put it.

You can vote for who to blame on Twitter:

A couple of weeks ago, someone posted some comments about how the Twins losing culture starts in the minor leagues and has worked its way up. That couldn't be further from the truth. The Twins minor league system has finished in the Top 4 in winning percentage the last 4 years (full season teams). I'd say that's a culture of winning and learning how to win together.