Seth Stohs

Star-Tribune's Phil Miller wrote this afternoon that the Twins will add Jeff Pickler to their coaching staff. He also notes that roles will be determined. Interesting article. Be sure to read through it. Pickler comes from the Dodgers organization where he has been in the front office the last two years. He reached AAA a decade ago, but never surfaced in the major leagues... http://www.startribune.com/twins-to-add-jeff-pickler-to-coaching-staff/407635816/

Zach Strecker pitched at the University of Kentucky. The Twins have quite the pipeline through the college. In recent years, pitchers like Taylor Rogers, Alex Meyer, Logan Darnell and Andrew Albers all came to the Twins after spending time at Kentucky. Strecker made 81 appearances over the last four years for the Wildcats. All of them came in relief. In the summer of 2015, he pitched for Willmar in the Northwoods League and pitched 57 innings over 10 games. Nine were starts. But in college, he was a reliever. Following the draft, the Twins needed a couple more arms in the GCL, so they called on Strecker. He came in and pitched well in whatever role he was asked, usually working multiple innings out of the bullpen. Sometimes coming in to close out a game. Image courtesy of Jon Tarr (photos of Zach Strecker) Zach Strecker pitched at the University of Kentucky. The Twins have quite the pipeline through the college. In recent years, pitchers like Taylor Rogers, Alex Meyer, Logan Darnell and Andrew Albers all came to the Twins after spending time at Kentucky. Strecker made 81 appearances over the last four years for the Wildcats. All of them came in relief. In the summer of 2015, he pitched for Willmar in the Northwoods League and pitched 57 innings over 10 games. Nine were starts. But in college, he was a reliever. Following the draft, the Twins needed a couple more arms in the GCL, so they called on Strecker. He came in and pitched well in whatever role he was asked, usually working multiple innings out of the bullpen. Sometimes coming in to close out a game. Recently, Twins Daily had the opportunity to catch up with right-hander Zach Strecker. Take a few minutes below to get to know another member of the Minnesota Twins organization. Seth Stohs (SS): Growing up in Louisville, who was your favorite team to follow? Who were some of your favorite players? Zach Strecker (ZS): Louisville is a huge Reds fan base, but my dad grew up in St. Louis so I was always a diehard Cards fan. Some of my favorite players were Scott Rolen and current player is Adam Wainwright.SS: What were some of the better memories of your high school baseball career? Did you play other sports or were you involved in other activities? ZS: High school memories I had were all hitting. I miss that the most and think I can still hit to this day. But my favorite memory was probably a home run I hit in a wood bat tourney, a feeling I won't forget. But baseball was all I was ever good at.SS: What was the recruitment process like for you out of high school, and what was it about Kentucky that made you want to go there? ZS: I was never recruited out of high school. I didn't want to play ball in college because I was hurt so much. And it wasn't until May of my senior year that I wanted to play, and it was too late to be recruited. My coach thought I could play at a JUCO or a small D3 school in Kentucky, but I always wanted to go to school at UK because I grew up a 'Cats fan. So the decision to walk on and show up unknown was a challenge.SS: What was the experience for you at Kentucky? What were some of your highlights and favorite moments in your four years there? ZS: I redshirted my freshman year and spent all year working out and gained 40 pounds which wasn't easy. But the experience there was like none other, and I have a group of guys that are now brothers for life. My favorite moment was probably the regional game against rival U of L or the extra-inning game against LSU where the baseball gods were looking after me.SS: Did you have the chance to speak with many scouts before the draft? Was there any thought that you might be drafted? What was your interaction with Twins scouts before the draft? ZS: I spoke to zero scouts before the draft. Had zero expectations of even playing pro ball at all. I've always been a dark horse and flown under the radar.SS: How about after the draft. You didn’t hear your name. What was the timeline and conversation like from the end of the draft to signing with the Twins? ZS: I had just gotten back from a golf trip with my older brother and one of UK's old assistants, Brad Bohannon, texted me five minutes after the draft ended asking if I wanted to play pro ball. I said no doubt I do and he said he had me a job and that was it until I got a call from a Twins representative.SS: What has the adjustment like for you, from the amateur/college game to the professional game, both on and off the field? ZS: Not a lot has changed on the field. You try to stay with your strengths and what got you there in the first place. But off the field it's all about taking care of your body and doing the right things. Hydrating was the biggest change being in Florida in the middle of the summer.SS: To what do you attribute your success in the GCL? ZS: A lot of my success has to go to our pitching coaches Virgil (Vasquez) and (Cibney) Bello because they got me over my fear of throwing the inside pitch or the high pitch. It opened up a whole new way to pitch.SS: What pitches do you throw, and what would you consider your out pitch? ZS: I throw both a two-seam and four-seam fastball. I also throw a changeup, slider and splitter and would say the splitter is the out pitch.SS: At this very early stage in your career, what would you say are your biggest strengths? ZS: Throwing strikes and changing speeds and movement on my pitches.SS: What are the areas of your game that you would like to spend time working to improve in the offseason and going forward? ZS: I'd like to work on consistency in the slider and to continue to attack the inside part of the plate. Also I've been working on shoulder strength to help recovery time and velocity.SS: Are you be going back to school in the offseason? What was your major in school? ZS: I graduated last May after five years and I got two degrees, in finance and accounting.SS: What are some of the things you enjoy doing outside of the world of baseball? ZS: I like to spend time with family, especially my baby nephew. And I like golfing with my older brother.SS: Who are some of the people who have helped you get to this point in your career? ZS: My parents have always been the biggest supporters, along with my older sister and brother. My brother helped me a lot at a young age when it came to baseball. Also gotta thank the coaching staff at UK for developing me into who I am as a player. Also I'd like to thank Brad Bohannon for always believing in me and getting me here with the Twins.SS: Favorite baseball movie? ZS: The Sandlot. Hands down the best there is. Rookie of the Year is good as well.A big Thank You to Zack Strecker for taking the time to respond thoughtfully to our questions. Please feel free to comment or ask questions below. View full article

He's just going to spring training... doesn't guarantee he won't be with the Saints by the time their season starts.

This morning they announced signing OF JB Shuck to a minor league deal.

No reason to add any more catchers. Should a wayyyyy down the priority list. They have their starter. Murphy can be the backup and if that doesn't work out, Garver's as ready as ever.

Just a note... in the article I said this is 'probably' how it would look IF the season started today. It wasn't a look at how it will look on Opening Day. Until there's a Dozier trade - and we all know that there is like a 90% chance there will be - and other moves, this is probably how it would look. But yeah, Dozier will get traded for at least one MLB ready pitcher and more, maybe an OF. Those other moves will also obviously affect others. No, I don't think Danny Santana should be on the roster. No, I dont think Robbie Grossman is a great player, but I do think he'd be OK as a platoon player. Ideally, they make a move so both aren't in it. I would have Berrios in the starting rotation. That said, I also don't believe in putting guys in position to fail. I think he's ready, but it was clear last year that he still had work to do, and that wasn't better by the end of the year. I'd like to see him up, but i won't in any way be offended if they decide that it is best for his career to spend a couple more months in the minor leagues. Same thing with DeLeon, Mejia and others. I don't think Kintzler will be the closer going into the season. I think he's a nice value as a 7th inning guy who can also get guys out in the 8th and 9th innings, but it's an area we can all be disappointed if on March 1st we still think he'll be the closer. This article wasn't about some sort of finished product. It's about looking and seeing where the needs are short-term, what is coming down the pipeline in the next 12 months, and where some longer-term needs are. C - they're fine now. 1B - plenty of decent options 2B - right now they're fine. IF Dozier's traded, Polanco goes there. SS - Stick with Polanco, but if Dozier's traded, have to consider adding someone. 3B - Sano needs to get a legit shot. LF - Rosario is fine, but a platoon candidate might be good. CF - They're set. RF - They're set. DH - plenty of options, but if they want to add Napoli, OK. SP - There are a lot of options right now, Berrios and Santana the ones that have potential to be very good. Gibson and Santiago could have comeback years. Mejia, Berrios, potentially DeLeon and someone like Stewart... May could be a starter, but he'd be better as a reliever, unless people think that his injuries are solely based on him being a reliever. He can be a decent #3 starter, maybe, or a potential closer. RP - Closer is an area where they could add someone... One year deals might be OK for a reliever or two, but there are several options very close. To read comments like This is anothe r100 loss team with that roster... well, first, that assumes zero improvement from the young guys (which would be very disappointing) and zero improvement from the guys who were injures last year. It also just isn't the roster that will likely be there Opening Day, so it's not worth even going to that thought yet.

Oops... should be 6 weeks... My bad...

With their 15th round pick in June’s draft, the Minnesota Twins selected a 6-8, 260 pound right-hander from Cal State San Bernadino. Tyler Wells had his ups and downs this first two years of college, but he put together a strong junior season. He went 4-7 but posted a 2.84 ERA and struck out 89 in 92 innings. The Twins sent him to Elizabethton after the draft. In ten starts, he went 5-2 with a 3.23 ERA and 59 strikeouts in 47.1 innings. He ended very strong, giving up only an unearned run over 18.1 innings in his final three starts. In the middle of that he threw seven innings of one-hit ball with 14 strikeouts. Tyler Wells will be one to watch in 2017 and beyond. Today, we get the opportunity to get to know him. Recently, he took time to chat with Seth. Feel free to share your thoughts or ask further questions in the comments below. Image courtesy of David McQueen- image of Tyler Wells With their 15th round pick in June’s draft, the Minnesota Twins selected a 6-8, 260 pound right-hander from Cal State San Bernadino. Tyler Wells had his ups and downs this first two years of college, but he put together a strong junior season. He went 4-7 but posted a 2.84 ERA and struck out 89 in 92 innings. The Twins sent him to Elizabethton after the draft. In ten starts, he went 5-2 with a 3.23 ERA and 59 strikeouts in 47.1 innings. He ended very strong, giving up only an unearned run over 18.1 innings in his final three starts. In the middle of that he threw seven innings of one-hit ball with 14 strikeouts. Tyler Wells will be one to watch in 2017 and beyond. Today, we get the opportunity to get to know him. Recently, he took time to chat with Seth. Feel free to share your thoughts or ask further questions in the comments below. Let the Q&A begin! Let’s get to know, RHP Tyler Wells. Seth Stohs (SS): Growing up in southern California, who was your favorite team to follow? Who were some of your favorite players? Tyler Wells (TW): Well, I didn't really grow up in California. I was born and raised in Oklahoma and moved to West Virginia when I was 13, then moved to California when I was 17. So I never really had much a hometown team to follow. But I really enjoyed watching players like Derek Jeter and Roger Clemens.SS: What were some of the better memories of your high school baseball career? Did you play other sports or were you involved in other activities? TW: The day my grandmother, whom I was really close with, passed away, I had to start a game. I showed up late to the game, and we were losing 7-0 in the first inning. Then I pitched the next 6 innings, struck out 14, and we ended up winning 8-7. And I was never really involved with other sports in high school. I just stuck with baseball because it's what I loved.SS: What was the recruitment process like for you out of high school, and what was it about Cal State San Bernadino that made you want to kind of stay home and pitch there? TW: The recruiting process was very minimal for me. I never marketed myself to schools, never did Perfect Game events. I just played high school baseball and played on a scout ball team. I chose CSUSB because it was close to home, and I have three little brothers I wanted to be a role model for; the youngest is five now. I wanted to continue being a big part of their lives.SS: What was the experience for your at CSUSB? What were some of your highlights and favorite moments in your four years there? TW: My experience was very normal. I practiced, I worked out, and I did school work. I hung out with my friends when I could. I had some fun times with some great friends that I met over the three years I was there, but nothing out of the ordinary.SS: Did you have the chance to speak with many scouts before the draft? Where did you think that you might be drafted? What was your interaction with Twins scouts before the draft? TW: I talked to quite a few. I thought the draft was going to be a little better for me, but I'm not sweating it. I got my foot in the door, and now I'm trying to make a statement in this upcoming season. And the Twins scout I talked to was a very nice, genuine guy. Very helpful and supportive of my future with the Twins!SS: When you did hear your name in the 15th round, where were you? What your reaction and the reaction of those close to you? TW: I was at home on the phone with the scout from the Twins actually. We were talking and all of sudden my dad starting yelling and saying I got picked by the Twins. But everyone was really happy and excited because it's been a lifelong dream of mine.SS: What has the adjustment like for you, from the amateur/college game to the professional game, both on and off the field? TW: Well, it's been a big adjustment on the field as far as learning how to pitch all over again. Learning a bunch of different things like when to throw a certain pitch in a certain count, just a lot of learning in a short amount of time. And off the field wasn't much of an adjustment, because I always tried to be professional away from the field, even in college. I know people watch us athletes closely, and I want people to look at me and think "He's a good person away from the field, and a bulldog on the field."SS: To what do you attribute your success in the Elizabethton, particularly late in the season when you ended the year with 19.1 scoreless innings? TW: A lot of time and effort was spent getting my delivery in sync and really working on my mentality. Me and our pitching coach worked and talked all the time about mentality and controlling what I can control, and not worrying about outside factors.SS: Specifically, what was working so well in your 7 inning, 1-hit, 14 strikeout game against Bristol? TW: To be honest, it was all my mentality. When I was on the mound, I wasn't really thinking at all. Ben Rortvedt just put down the pitch, and I threw it. It was great because I didn't worry about anything. I just played the game. I had a good slider that day, a good change up, and my fastball had a little something on it. Just came together perfectly.SS: What pitches do you throw, and what would you consider your out pitch? TW: I throw a fastball, curveball, slider, and changeup. My slider would be my out pitch..SS: At this very early stage in your career, what would you say are your biggest strengths? TW: My biggest strengths would be my mentality, my size, and my drive. I've been an underdog all my life. I've worked hard on my mentality with mental training and visualization. My size is something you can't get, I was just blessed with it. And my drive is something that pushes beyond my limits. I refuse to let someone tell me I can't do something, especially in this career.SS: What are the areas of your game that you would like to spend time working to improve in the offseason and going forward? TW: Really just working on educating myself on our pitching philosophy. I learned a lot about it when I was at Instructs, and now I want to be able to put it in action on the mound.SS: Are you be going back to school in the offseason? What is your major in school? TW: I took the semester off to really focus on my training and getting my body ready for this next season. But I will be continuing school next offseason, if possible. While I was in school, I was a kinesiology major, with a concentration in exercise science.SS: What are some of the things you enjoy doing away from the game of baseball? TW: I love to fish, hunt, and hike. Recently just got back from a hunting trip in Texas with my grandpa and great-uncle! I also love to golf with my dad and little brother.SS: Who are some of the people who have helped you get to this point in your career? TW: Kurt Stange, my pitching coach for the first two years of college. Dave Martinez, my pitching coach my junior of college. Dave Coggin, my trainer/mentor. And my father, Jeff Wells. All of them have helped me becoming a mentally strong person and really pushed me to go out there and grind everyday.SS: Favorite baseball movie? TW: Bull DurhamA Huge Thank You to Tyler Wells for taking time to answer our questions today at Twins Daily. The right-hander is certainly one to watch, particularly as he begins his first full professional baseball season. If you you have any questions, please feel free to ask. I can get back to Tyler, or who knows, maybe he’ll answer himself. View full article

This morning, the Twins released their Winter Caravan schedule. Over the course of two weeks leading up to Twins Fest, the Twins will send out four busses with players and TV/radio types to talk about the 2017 Twins. It's always fun to go to these events, listen to the players, hear stories and maybe even get an autograph or picture. If you have the chance, I'd encourage going. http://minnesota.twins.mlb.com/min/community/winter-caravan/ Are they making stops in or near your town?

Like it or not, 'out of options' matters in every organization. It's a reality for them all. And, the Twins haven't always kept out of option guys either. Just two years ago, they let 2 or 3 out of option guys go at the end of spring training.

I'd put Sano, Buxton, Kepler, Polanco, Chargois, Berrios in the high ceiling category of prospects, and they were all called up last year (or the year before for Sano, and the year before that for the first Polanco cup of coffee).

It’s never too early to start thinking about what the Twins 2017 roster could look like. Based on players on the 40-man roster and in the minor leagues, it is possible to start putting that 25-man, Opening Day roster together. Of course, it is always subject to change. It’s pretty clear there are trade talks ongoing with several teams. An actual trade will obviously make the below change. There are also free agents that the team will still sign and bring to big league camp, whether they sign big league contracts or minor league deals. So, this is an ever-changing document and will be updated at various times through the off-season. Image courtesy of Denny Medley, USA Today It’s never too early to start thinking about what the Twins 2017 roster could look like. Based on players on the 40-man roster and in the minor leagues, it is possible to start putting that 25-man, Opening Day roster together. Of course, it is always subject to change. It’s pretty clear there are trade talks ongoing with several teams. An actual trade will obviously make the below change. There are also free agents that the team will still sign and bring to big league camp, whether they sign big league contracts or minor league deals. So, this is an ever-changing document and will be updated at various times through the off-season. It was a fun exercise putting together this first draft, even if there aren’t as many changes as we would think. But it is a starting point. As you read this, consider where the Twins should focus their attention the rest of the season. For this, I am going to go with a 13-hitter, 12-pitcher roster as most teams like to begin the season that way. Catchers (2): Jason Castro, John Ryan Murphy Kurt Suzuki’s been the primary Twins catcher the last three years, but that will not be the case in 2017. The Twins new front office regime quickly targeted pitch-framing sensation Jason Castro and signed him to a three-year, $24.5 million contract. He may not hit, but the goal is for him to assist heavily in the improvement of the Twins pitching staff. John Ryan Murphy will be out of options which obviously gives him the advantage over Mitch Garver, who was just added to the Twins 40-man roster last month. Murphy is younger, but Garver is likely the better player. My reports tell me he was much better than Murphy offensively and defensively in 2016, so it’s likely he’ll see some time with the big league club in 2017. Infielders (6): Byungho Park, Joe Mauer, Brian Dozier, Miguel Sano, Jorge Polanco, Eduardo Escobar It’s pretty clear that it is very likely that this alignment will change significantly before spring training. Dozier remains quite likely be be traded, and if that happens Jorge Polanco likely moves to second base and a decision will need to be made at shortstop (Escobar or someone from outside). Joe Mauer will be the primary first baseman. Dozier will be the Twins second baseman until he’s not in the organization. Sano is going to get the opportunity to be the regular third baseman now that Trevor Plouffe is not in the organization. Polanco is out of options and will be playing somewhere because of his bat. Eduardo Escobar was offered arbitration, a wise decision with so many question marks around the infield and his ability to be an option at three of the positions. I believe that it is an either/or situation at DH between Kennys Vargas and Byungho Park. How much of Park’s rookie struggles were related to adjusting to a new league and how much of it was related to his hand and wrist injuries? He does have two option years remaining. The Twins petitioned for an extra option year for Vargas and it was granted, so he also can be sent to Rochester if deemed appropriate. Adam Brett Walker was DFAd and has since been claimed twice. Daniel Palka is now on the 40-man roster so he could potentially be brought up if a DH is needed. Also, Robbie Grossman’s best defensive position is DH. Outfielders (5): Eddie Rosario, Byron Buxton, Max Kepler, Robbie Grossman, Danny Santana Byron Buxton did so much in September to hand him the center field job. His defense made it likely even if he hadn’t hit. Max Kepler had a solid rookie season in right field, showing power and defense. Eddie Rosario struggled as a sophomore, enough to be sent to Rochester. He came back and was better, but a platoon option might be good. Robbie Grossman isn’t a good defender, at all, but he can mash left-handed pitchers, which gives him some value. And yes, Danny Santana is still - maybe inexplicably - on the 40-man roster, and he is out of options, so an MLB roster spot still is in his future. Obviously he’s a great athlete. He’s got very good speed and the tools that keep him intriguing. We’d all love to see him put up numbers anywhere near his 2013 rookie campaign, but playing time should be limited. Palka is an option in right field and DH. Zack Granite was also added to the 40-man roster and could be an option in center field if there is injury and he needs to be up for an extended period. Ben Paulsen is a capable replacement level player who will be in AAA unless needed. Starting Pitchers (5): Ervin Santana, Phil Hughes, Kyle Gibson, Hector Santiago, Trevor May Pitching appears to be Derek Falvey’s calling card, and the Twins currently have a long list of pitchers who could start the season in the team’s rotation. There are even more that have a decent shot of getting called up in 2017. Ervin Santana is easily the team’s top starter. He just turned 34 and has two seasons (and an option year) remaining on his contract. While he’s not an “Ace,” he has been a quality MLB starter for more than a decade. Somewhat surprising, his name has not been mentioned in off-season trade rumors. That could obviously change at any time and there are teams where it makes complete sense for him. But as long as he’s on the roster, he’s at the top of the rotation. The Twins offered arbitration to both Hector Santiago and Kyle Gibson. They’ll be around unless traded. Gibson was the team’s pitcher of the year in 2015, but an early season injury cost him six months. With health, he should take a good stride forward again in 2017. Santiago has been a solid starter the last few years. He was even an All-Star a couple years ago. He was not good for his first month with the Twins, but he can be a solid starter. In reality, both could be July trade chips if they pitch well. Trevor May might get a shot to start again, and for right now, I’ll include him here. I think the odds of May starting are not high, but hopefully he gets a real chance. Tyler Duffey should head to spring training with a shot at a rotation spot again. I’m going to go with May here, but Duffey has about the same likelihood. Others will get a shot too, including Jose Berrios and Adelberto Mejia. Berrios is an Opening Day option, but it’s 100% based on his command starting in spring training. Could any of the AA group get to the big leagues in 2017? It’s possible we see Stephen Gonsalves, Kohl Stewart, Felix Jorge, Tyler Jay or even Fernando Romero late in the season. Bullpen (7): Brandon Kintzler, Ryan Pressly, JT Chargois, Taylor Rogers, Ryan O’Rourke, Tyler Duffey, Justin Haley. This is another group that could change quickly. I mean, as of today, Brandon Kintzler would likely still be the team’s closer. He had 17 saves last year and did well, but we all know he isn’t the prototype for an MLB closer. It’s also possible that the righty is traded. Ryan Pressly, like Kintzler, was just offered arbitration. He could fit in to the closer role as well, but he’ll certainly be used in late innings again. JT Chargois, like Byron Buxton, seemed to relax and play much, much better in September than previously. He has a chance to be a closer, but I don’t think they would throw him right into the role. Taylor Rogers had a quality rookie season. He had a few flare-ups, but for the most part, he got the job done as well. I think that, as of today, the second lefty reliever role would be a strong competition between Ryan O’Rourke and Buddy Boshers. Depending upon additional Twins free agent signings, they could remain in that role, or they could be DFA candidates. Mason Melotakis is likely to get a shot sometime in 2017 as well. In his return from Tommy John, the Twins handled him carefully in 2016, and they will likely do so for the first half of 2017, but he’ll be up at some point. Also, Glen Perkins is going to be back in 2017. He had shoulder surgery midseason, but the thought is that he could be back and throwing in spring training. I suspect he will start the season on the disabled list, getting a few appearances in rehab games before coming up. I show Tyler Duffey pitching in long relief. With his inability to add a decent third pitch, he is more suited for the bullpen and could team with former Rice teammate JT Chargois in later innings too. If the Twins start the season with a 12-man pitching staff, we have one more spot for the opening of the season. Michael Tonkin could fill that role again. He made the team and stayed on it in large part due to the fact that he was out of options and had to stay with the team. He obviously remains out of options. I’m including Justin Haley as the final bullpen spot. After some of the annual Rule 5 maneuvering, the Twins ended up with the big right-hander who spent the first four seasons of his professional career with the Red Sox. As a Rule 5 pick, he would need to remain with the big league club all season or risk losing him back to the Red Sox (unless the teams work out a trade, which is possible too). At some point during the season, we will likely see more of the hard-throwing relievers drafted by the Twins since 2012. Melotakis is one of them. The others include the likes of Jake Reed, Trevor Hildenberger, Nick Burdi and John Curtiss. So there is Roster 2017 version 1.0. Share your thoughts, your areas where you believe that Falvey/Levine should focus. Aside from adding Jason Castro and letting Trevor Plouffe become a free agent, there have not been a lot of moves so far. Obviously it is still very, very early in the off-season yet. The next four weeks will be very busy for the Twins and all other teams. Before spring training, we’ll obviously have resolution on the Brian Dozier situation, one way or the other. That will obviously affect the Twins at both second base and shortstop, but depending on the return, it could also affect two of three other roster spots either now or in the next year or so. Pitching hasn’t really been addressed in any meaningful way yet, even in terms of minor league signings. There are still a lot of relievers available. I also don’t think the overall lack of moves is a bad thing at all.The Terry Ryan tenure ushered in a lot of very good, high-profile, high-ceiling types of prospects. Some of them have debuted in the last year or so. Others will arrive in 2017. Derek Falvey and Thad Levine have come in and made just a handful of changes to the front office. Likewise, they may choose to make just a handful of moves to the roster that will help complement the young, potential stars who are taking their lumps in the big leagues but could become very good. Signing some veterans to minor league or low-dollar deals does two things. First, if they’re any good, they can be traded in July as the Twins did with Fernando Abad a year ago.They could also pitch as well as Brandon Kintzler did, allowing the Twins do make a decision on whether to keep them around or deal them in the off-season. Third, if they’re not pitching great, their low-dollar contracts are easy to DFA, making room for talented prospects when they are deemed ready. What are your thoughts? What does your roster look like? View full article

I should have posted this a half-hour ago when it started, but the Twins are having a town hall on FSN tonight at 7 (it's 7:30 now)... Thad Levine and Derek Falvey have answered questions for the first half hour. Paul Molitor is coming in now. I'm sure it'll be aired other times, but I'm curious what other people find interesting. For me, Falvey has twice discussed individual development plans for each player. That stands out to me because I've talked to a lot of minor leaguers the last decade who went home after seasons without being given really any direction for their offseason. Maybe a workout program, but not really a season-end one-on-one with a coach. I think if this planning can be led from the top and work through the coaches and such, that is a wonderful thing.

It would be nice to see if there is one team capable of making him a good MLB pitcher...

And there have been reports, though the team would never confirm it, that the Twins would have taken Correa if they had the first pick in the 2012 draft.

I don't care what they were doing in the 80s and 90s. Means nothing at this point.

As I said, Cuba is different.

I think that points been made clear a few times, thanks. The main point was just that there is more than just the first five picks.

The Twins haven't spent in Cuba, but they've been much more active in the Dominican and Venezuela in the last 5-6 years. They've spent $1M+ on Sano, Minier, Diaz, and Javier in recent years. They've been $750K or more on guys like Polanco, Kepler, Ynoa. Sano was $3+million. Javier was $4+ million... and that was more alone than the Twins allotment last year. So, I don't think the Twins haven't done enough in the International markets.

See above. That was the purpose of doing this research. Lots are saying the Twins are bad at drafting, and I don't necessarily think that's true. I'd say they're average at drafting, maybe mediocre would be a better word. Now we have something to base that all on, rather than just using a blanket statement.

I agree... and I think to do this, you'd have to look at a very complex formula based on expectations. Maybe we look at the average WAR for a draft position to give an MLB value. But, a team (their scouts) should get some credit if an 8th round pick gets to AAA, or a 15th round pick gets to AA, or a 20th round pick gets to Hi-A, etc. I probably don't have time for that. Ha!

Yup, that's my point. The 2012 draft could alter the way this looks. As of right now, 2003-2012 drafts for the Twins would be very much average... but that 2012 class could push that up significantly. Honestly, we can't really judge this 10-year set of draft picks fairly for another 15 years probably. Or hey, if they went back to 2001, the Twins could add Mauer, and I'd say that was a great pick. His career WAR is above all but maybe 1-2 on this list. The Twins could also add Denard Span and he has 25 bWAR. So, to be fair, drawing arbitrary lines will always affect data.