Seth Stohs

A couple of days later, I've settled into what I felt all along. I really think this is a good trade for both players and for both teams. We'll see how it plays out, but I get the logic, it's sound. I want to see Hicks take off. If he does, I'll be happy for him.But there is some depth. They still have Rosario, Buxton, Arcia and Kepler. They could add a veteran for the short-term or encourage Danny Santana to get some time in the corner outfield spots too. They needed catching. Murphy's just 24 and could be the starter by June. I'd expect Suzuki and Murphy to split time in the first couple of months, but for Murphy to take maybe 2/3 of the starts after that. We shall see.

I can honestly say I never heard that rumor! I remember the Cliff Lee rumors, but never Greinke.

Alex Meyer, Taylor Rogers, Logan Darnell, JT Chargois, Jake Reed, Nick Burdi... All guys who could come up this year. Chargois and Burdi can tough triple digits while Meyer and Reed are generally 95-97... Also, Tonkin's out of options, so they need to make a call there or open up a spot and let him sink or swim And assuming May isn't given a starter's job, he'll be sitting 94-97 out of the bullpen. They're close.

To be fair, that's Molly and every other manager in baseball...

I agree. In talking to pitchers as they move up the levels of the minor leagues, they'll often talk about how the strike zone shrinks. That always confused me because the strike zone is supposed to be a constant. In reality, what the pitchers are saying is that hitters as they move up don't expand the strike zone as much. They (many) have improved plate discipline and don't swing outside the zone as much. Where does the Atlantic League fit into the typical affiliated ball hierarchy? Some say AA. Some say Hi-A. The reality is that it's all over the place. There are several former Major Leaguers, and there are some guys just out of college looking for an opportunity.

And if he performs as well as Boyer did in 2015, we'll all be thrilled. The Twins have always done a good job with minor league RP signings. Maybe Runzler is the good story for 2016. If not, it hurt nothing.

There's really no way to know how a reliever will perform when signed. Tony Sipp could get 3 years and $21 million (or so), and he was pretty non-good for 5 years in the big leagues before becoming terrific last year... Which is real? There are a million examples of this over time.

I pointed out this morning on Twitter... Santana has made 7 starts now in the Dominican Winter League. Five of the have been in CF, and he has one start each at SS and 2B.

Sano is much, much faster than Plouffe.

He had Will Smith in the deal too, and he might be the best, stud reliever out there.

A contingent from the Minnesota Twins front office is currently at the GM Meetings in Florida. It is fair to say that they have been busy. On Tuesday, Chris Herrmann was sent to the Diamondbacks for Daniel Palka. On Wednesday, the Twins received catcher John Ryan Murphy from the Yankees in exchange for Aaron Hicks. The offseason is just getting started, and the Twins will likely make a few more moves before spring training starts… in three months. With that in mind, I’m going to do a way-too-early roster projection. Normally, we don’t do these until mid-to-late January, but we’ll try it here today. These aren't my ideas for a Roster Blueprint. I’m not going to try to predict which free agents the Twins will sign. I’m not going to predict trades. The purpose of this is just to talk about the Opening Day roster, with players currently in the organization. Here is what I think the Twins Opening Day roster could look like if the season were to start today, which is doesn't.Check out my roster projections, and then let’s discuss. Be sure to add your projections too. Catchers (2): Kurt Suzuki, John Ryan Murphy The trades from the past two days make this a pretty easy choice for right now. Chris Herrmann is out, and John Ryan Murphy is now in. My guess is that these two catchers will split time pretty evenly the first few months. By midseason or so, I think that Murphy will gradually start getting more playing time. One goal, unspoken for sure, will be to keep Suzuki under the 485 plate appearances which would make his vesting option for 2017 kick in. At this time, we still don’t know whether or not Pinto will catch again. Following his second concussion of 2015, he didn’t catch any more. The Twins said he will likely get another opportunity to catch in 2016, but I don’t think that is a given either. He may fit onto the roster more as a pinch hitter at this point. However, he is out of options in 2016. Gone from 2015: Chris Herrmann, Eric Fryer Infielders (7): Joe Mauer, Byung-ho Park, Brian Dozier, Trevor Plouffe, Eduardo Escobar, Eduardo Nunez, Danny Santana What do we know? Joe Mauer will be the primary first baseman. Brian Dozier will be at second base. I want to say that Eduardo Escobar is a given to be the team’s starting shortstop from the get go in 2016. He has earned it, and there isn’t a free agent shortstop available who is really a better option than what they already have. Unfinished Business: Byung-ho Park will get some time at first base too, but he will likely be the primary DH. I realize he hasn’t signed yet, but it’s hard to imagine that he wouldn’t want to come to the States to pursue his dream. The Elephant in the Room: What will the Twins do with Trevor Plouffe? Terry Ryan is saying all the right things. There is no reason for him to come out and flatly say that he wants to trade the third baseman. He has been in the organization since being drafted in 2004 as a 17-year-old. He does have two years of team control remaining and has been an above-average third baseman, offensively and defensively, the last two seasons. Ryan will likely try to maximize the return for Plouffe and to do that, he has let it come out that they would consider Miguel Sano in the outfield. As of today, Plouffe is the third baseman, but expect this to be a very fluid situation, full of rumors. And frankly, Terry Ryan doesn’t have to trade Plouffe. Keeping him should remain on the table. The Bench: Danny Santana is out of options in 2016. He has all the tools to be a solid regular. He did a great job in 2014 offensively and playing center field. As the everyday shortstop in the first half of 2015, he struggled mightily. Sure, he could be a trade option for the right return, but my sense is that he will be the utility player, able to play shortstop, second base, and centerfield. My guess is that he’ll see time at third base and in left field in spring training. Eduardo Nunez had a really nice season as a role player for the Twins in 2015. In his second year of arbitration, he could make between $1.75 million ad $2 million, not a ton for a solid utility player. Nunez can play three infield positions and both corner outfield spots. To me, it’s an easy decision to offer him arbitration, but it is also possible that he could be traded to a team looking for a solid utility player. Kennys Vargas is a guy who would be ready in-season if there were an injury to Mauer or Park. Jorge Polanco would be an option in the middle of the diamond. Gone from 2015: Doug Bernier, Outfielders (4): Miguel Sano, Byron Buxton, Eddie Rosario, Oswaldo Arcia I wrote much of this a day ago, before the Twins traded Aaron Hicks. I listed Hicks and Rosario as strong trade candidates. Now I look at who is likely to make the roster as of today, and there are not as many options. With the Aaron Hicks trade, it may be more possible that Byron Buxton will make the team right out of spring training. Eddie Rosario and Danny Santana can play center if Buxton needs a little more AAA seasoning. Max Kepler is not far off either. Is it really possible that the Twins could put Miguel Sano in the outfield? Despite his size, Sano has great athleticism and could likely be an adequate defender. However, since he’s never really played out there, it’s impossible to know. Sano is a given to be on the roster, of course. I mean, he was the team’s MVP and is a finalist for AL Rookie of the Year after an impressive debut. It feels more likely that he’ll be the regular third baseman, but this is an option. Personally, with a large left field at Target Field, I would prefer Sano in right field if he were to play out there. Don’t Forget: Oswaldo Arcia hit 20 home runs, in the big leagues, in 2014. 2015 was a disaster and yet he is still just 24-years-old. He is out of options, so he will need to be on the big league roster or potentially be lost for nothing. He is definitely a sell-low trade candidate… who could go elsewhere and find his power stroke again. Can you imagine an outfield of Miguel Sano, Rosario and Oswaldo Arcia? That is a little scary. Gone from 2015: Torii Hunter, Aaron Hicks, Shane Robinson Starting Pitchers (5): Phil Hughes, Ervin Santana, Kyle Gibson, Tyler Duffey, Tommy Milone In my opinion, Hughes, Santana and Gibson are locks to make the Twins Opening Day roster and starting rotation barring, of course, an unforeseen trade. In my opinion, Tyler Duffey showed in his last nine starts that he is ready for the job and should be in the rotation right from the start. Though his name may not be in Sharpie ink, it should be in that erasable ink that really doesn’t erase very well and actually just makes a mess but doesn’t really erase. After that, the question marks. If Tommy Milone is on the roster, he deserves to be a starter. The Twins will most likely tender him a contract and look to trade him. The return won’t be a lot, but Milone was good most of 2015, except when he was hurt. Likewise, Trevor May was told he would be given an opportunity to start again in 2016 after being moved to the bullpen around the All-Star break. He’s got the best strikeout stuff in the rotation, but he also showed that he could be dominant in the late innings. Ricky Nolasco’s salary may be able to be dumped, but at what cost to the Twins. Could they get anything in return for someone taking on all, or at least some, of his two remaining years? If not, he should come to spring training with a chance to make the starting rotation. And, of course, everyone wants to see JO Berrios get an opportunity. No question, he will be given a real chance to make the Opening Day roster, but he will have to be very good. More likely, he begins the season with the Red Wings and is the first to be called up. Gone from 2015: Mike Pelfrey, Bullpen (7): Glen Perkins, Kevin Jepsen, Trevor May, Casey Fien, Michael Tonkin, Ryan Pressly, Logan Darnell The bullpen is a huge priority for the Twins in the offseason, and to this point they haven’t made any moves there. Glen Perkins is a given to be back. Assuming he isn’t starting, Trevor May is a lock. Kevin Jepsen will be offered arbitration and come back. I would offer arbitration to Casey Fien, though that is certainly not a given to happen. Michael Tonkin is out of options. Few have traveled back and forth from Minneapolis to Rochester as many times, ever, so the Twins will either need to give him a job or risk losing him on waivers. He would be claimed. Ryan Pressly was pitching well when he got injured and will likely be in the running for a spot in 2016. I went with Logan Darnell on this roster, and he is the only left-hander I’ve shown. He probably fits the roster more as a long reliever than a LOOGY. So who else could be considered from inside? If they want another left-hander, there are some internal options. Ryan O’Rourke is an option against lefties. Taylor Rogers should be given an opportunity right out of spring training. He could be a long-reliever or he could be good facing only left-handers. It’s also entirely possible that Brian Duensing comes back on a lower contract. Likewise, Blaine Boyer could be brought back from the right side. AJ Achter is an option in the 6th or 7th innings. At some point, Alex Meyer could again become an option. JT Chargois, Nick Burdi and Jake Reed are certainly candidates to make the Twins roster at some point in 2016, though Opening Day is probably unrealistic. It is likely that any potential Trevor Plouffe deal would bring back at least one controllable reliever as part of the package. Gone from 2015: Blaine Boyer, Brian Duensing, Aaron Thompson This offseason has a long ways to go. A lot will happen yet, even before spring training. What are your thoughts? What does your roster look like today? Click here to view the article

My thoughts: I think this is a good trade for both sides. I think Hicks has the potential to take off, especially in that ballpark. Murphy should be the primary starter by about June and could be for several years to come. He can be an average hitting catcher and an average defensive catcher, and if he is, then it's a good deal for the Twins. I'm curious the next phase, but I don't have a problem with this deal, especially coupled with yesterday's Herrmann for Palka deal. I don't think the Twins are selling low. I think they may be selling high since Hicks really only had the great 6 week stretch followed and preceded by mediocrity. I want him to take off and become a star, but the Twins did fill a big need.

From Andro Cutura (pronounced Chew-tor-ha), his dad, Miroslav Cutura, is from Bosnia and Herzegovina.

He had some back issues.

That's a very true statement. Playing daily and playing all day is a lot different than twice a week and sitting in a classroom 7 hours a day. But, it's really just one piece to it all. It's going to wood bats, it's being away from home, it's getting that pay check, it's meeting people from various places all over the world, etc. I've often been told that the further away from the big leagues the level is, the less the actual stats mean in player evaluation.

I've always said that I think he could play the OF because of his athleticism and speed. Not great range, but like Cuddyer in his quality defensive RF days. Do I think he will in the big leagues? I still lean toward him not, but we shall see.

Kolton Kendrick was the Twins eighth-round pick this past June out of high school in Louisiana. He gave up a scholarship to Southeastern Louisiana to sign with the Twins. At 6-3 and 225 pounds, Kendrick has been long touted for his tremendous power potential. Unfortunately, he didn’t get much time to show what he could do in 2015. After signing with the Twins, he came down with mono and missed several weeks before joining the GCL Twins. In mid-July, he started playing, but not at full strength. In 24 games, he hit .200/.371/.271 (.642) with three doubles and a triple. He participated in the Twins Florida Instructional League and now is enjoying his first offseason as a professional.Continue on to read more about another new Twins minor leaguer, Kolton Kendrick. ----------------------------------------- Seth Stohs (SS): Growing up in Louisiana, who was your favorite team to follow, and who were some of your favorite players? Kolton Kendrick (KK) I never really had a favorite team in the MLB or a favorite player, but I really enjoyed going to college games like LSU football and baseball and Southeastern Louisiana baseball, where I was going to college. There are very close from where I live, and my family and I really enjoyed that a lot. SS: Drafted by the Twins in the eighth round... is that about where you thought you would be selected before the draft? What were your thoughts when you heard your name called? KK: I'm very blessed to get this opportunity, and where I went in the draft, it's been a lifelong dream. I was projected first five rounds, but I didn't sit on it just because I heard how the draft is in the past, and I just thank God every day that He put me in the position of going in the eighth round. Whether it was the first round or the 40th round, I still would be blessed either way and give the thanks to God. I was very excited when my name came across the screen. SS: You had the commitment to play at Southeastern Louisiana. How difficult was the decision to sign with the Twins, or did you know you wanted to sign all along? KK: It was very difficult, but it was a family decision, and I think I made the right decision to take it. Southeastern is a great school and is on a huge rise in their baseball program. They have one of the best coaching staffs, and they teach their players how to play the game hard and the right way. They get theie players mentally and physically ready for real life situations and game situations. SS: After signing, you came down with mono. How frustrating was it for you to have signed and then have to wait to get to play? KK: It was very frustrating because the doctors wouldn't let me do anything for a whole month. I thought I was going to go crazy cause that's never happened to me before. When I went back down to Florida, I was rusty and had to get back to where I was. It took me a while to get used, to it but I got the hang of it. SS: What was the biggest adjustment you had to make, going from the high school and amateur season to the pro game? On or off the field? KK: The biggest adjustment I had to make was probably staying more mentally focused into the game and taking care of my body. It was tough going from 32 games in high school to playing every day, but it takes time to get used to it. Fortunately, we were all blessed with great trainers and older guys being down there in rehab because they will teach you some things that they've learned along the way. You have to take those things into consideration if you want to mature as a person and become a better player. SS: In these very early stages of your career, what would you say are your biggest strengths as a player? KK: My biggest strengths are probably my power when hitting and working my butt off when no one is looking. My power numbers really didn't show this past year like they have my whole life. I was disappointed, but I know it takes time. I will do whatever it takes to get back to do doing what I've been doing my whole life and that's hitting with power and playing the game hard. SS: What are the things that you feel you need to improve over the offseason and going forward? KK: I definitely need to get bigger, stronger, and faster because I lost a lot of it when I had mono, and lost a lot of weight during the season. I also need to mentally prepare myself and learn how to take care of my body to have a healthy career SS: What were some of the highlights of your high school and amateur career? (What other sports or activities did you participate in?) KK: My highlight of my high school career was going to state my senior year for baseball, getting all-American two years in a row, my junior and senior years, and playing in the high school all-star game my senior year. SS: What are your plans for the offseason? (Baseball Training, but also what do you enjoy doing away from the game of baseball?) KK: I'm working out with former big leaguer Ryan Theriot and a bunch of pro guys. Ryan has a huge facility and a ton of pro guys are working out in there, so it's great to be around all that. He has a lot of great trainers and nutritionists and people teaching you how to take care of your body. I also love to duck hunt and deer hunt. I've been doing it my whole life and it's become a passion. It really gets my mind off of things, and I can relax without any worries. SS: Who are some of the coaches and others who have helped you get to this point in your career? KK: First off I’d like to give the glory to God and my wonderful family, but there's been so many people that have impacted me on this journey and helped me get to where I am. I'd like to give credit to Wade Miley. He's taught me some things, and he's playing for Boston Red Sox right now in the big leagues. He grew up and still lives in the small town where I'm from. All my coaches from when I played travel baseball when I was younger. I'd really like to give credit to Leo Mcluer and Trey Mcluer and also my high school coaches and Tony Salim who has helped me every step of the way. ------------------------------------------------ A big Thank You to Kolton Kendrick for taking time to respond to our questions. Best wishes to him! Please feel free to comment or ask questions below. Click here to view the article

On Thursday at Target Field, Torii Hunter addressed a crowd of Twin Cities media, former teammates and friends . It was his first public appearance since his retirement was announced last week. "Did I say 'retired'? I mean 'Real Tired.'" It was another day of memories for the Twins great as he said many Thank You's. Guest writer Heather Rule returns the favor with a Thank You to Torii Hunter.It was the 2002 All-Star Game in Milwaukee. Torii Hunter was an All-Star for the first time. He left his mark in the first inning with a homer-saving catch against the wall off the bat of Barry Bonds. Hunter had plenty of spectacular catches over his career, earning him nine Gold Gloves. But that one in particular is the most memorable. I don't think I'm the only one either. Hunter addresses the crowd at the end of the season. It's the end of an era now, as Hunter, 40, announced his retirement from baseball. He started and ended his career with the Twins, stopping with the Angels for five years and the Tigers for two in between. One of the favorites Hunter is right up there when you think of franchise players for the Twins. Not necessarily for his baseball stats, although those aren't too shabby either. No, Hunter represents the heart and soul of the organization. He quite often flashed those pearly whites and just had fun. The Twins drafted him in 1993, with his major league debut coming in 1997. It was Kirby Puckett who took him under his wing as an outfielder, and then it came full circle as Hunter became the leader for guys like Byron Buxton and Aaron Hicks. He's a career .277 hitter with 353 home runs and 1,391 RBI. He won American League Gold Glove Awards from 2001-09. He was part of the Twins core that avoided contraction and won a string of division titles. Coming home He returned to Minnesota for the 2015 season. It was really a sentimental signing, I believe. It was tough watching him slump with the bat in late summer and to watch those miscues he occasionally had in the field. But overall, it was nice to have him back in the Twins lineup. One of the other memories from this past season that sticks out isn't the most flattering for him. It was his ejection from a game against the Tigers in June. It was after a strikeout when Hunter said something to the home plate umpire about a strike 2 call. He ended up taking his jersey off and throwing it onto the field, along with his elbow pad. It was quite the scene. "Just a lot of emotions," Hunter said after the game. "We have bad days, all of us. Hitters, pitchers, even umpires have bad days. He had one. So what can you do? "All you need to do is look at the video and decide for yourself." That probably wasn't Hunter's finest moment, but it was certainly memorable. There were other things from this past season, too, like his solo home run in the 9th inning Aug. 7 in Cleveland to win the game 10-9. That was actually a weird game where the Twins gave back their 6-0 lead before rallying late. It was definitely a bright spot for Hunter though. His story seemed clear to me: He was part of a great run of division titles for the Twins in the 2000s, but played free agency because he wanted that World Series ring. Who wouldn't? He had some playoff success with the other teams, the Los Angeles Angels and Detroit Tigers, but he fell short of that final series. There was one thing he said during Thursday's news conference that I thought was great. He realized how fortunate he was to play in the playoffs for a number of years, since some guys never get that chance. "You get brainwashed into wanting a World Series," he said. So he came home. Not his born-and-raised home like it is for Joe Mauer. But Minnesota is still home for Hunter. He wanted one more year with the Twins. One more year playing baseball. One more year where he could mentor the youngsters, and start a fun dance-party tradition. Thanks for the memories Going forward, I'd like to see him on the desk for baseball broadcasts, maybe even up in the booth, too, especially for a few Twins games. He hasn't made any decisions about what path he will take in retirement, but I wouldn't mind if he wanted to coach. Or he could just hang around and mentor the young outfielders and pass on his Gold Glove wisdom. Whatever he decides, it doesn't change what he's already given the Twins and their fans. Great catches, a signature home-run bat toss, leadership and just being one of the best overall fan favorites in team history. Thanks, Torii. Find the original blog entry at Thoughts from the Stands, a sports blog with focus on a variety of sports including the Twins, Wild, IndyCar, tennis and prep sports. You can also follow writer Heather Rule on Twitter @hlrule. Click here to view the article

Andro Cutura was the Twins seventh-round pick in 2014 out of Southeastern Louisiana. An injury meant that he spent that season rehabbing. This season, he pitched in Elizabethton and was terrific. In 11 starts, he went 3-2 with a 1.34 ERA and a 1.01 WHIP. He walked just 15 and struck out 49. Following the Elizabethton season, he joined the Ft. Myers Miracle, though he didn’t get into a game. Cutura was kind enough to answer our questions recently. So continue reading to learn a little more about the 22-year-old right-hander. Seth Stohs (SS): Growing up in Louisiana, who was your favorite team to follow, and who were some of your favorite players? Andro Cutura (AC): Growing up in Louisiana you were either an Astros fan or a Braves so I kind of kept up with both but leaned more towards the Astros. Greg Maddux was and will always be one of my favorite pitchers mainly because of the similarities we possess. I try to mirror my game to his. SS: What were some of your favorite high school memories, from baseball or other activities you were involved in? AC: I would say my most memorable moment would be winning the district championship in soccer my senior year and all the fans rushing the field for the dog pile. Another great memory was helping Pearl River High School baseball to win their first playoff game my junior year. SS: You then chose Southeastern Louisiana for your college ball. What were some of your favorite memories from your three years there? AC: This is a tough one because there were so many great memories from my three years there. It all started with my freshman year getting my first collegiate win against Mississippi State, all the way to dog piling as conference tournament champions my junior year. It was all topped off with getting to a regional for the first time in 20 years and finally getting a start against LSU. We fell short but it was an awesome experience with my teammates. SS: Drafted by the Twins in the seventh round in 2014. Is that about where you thought you might be selected coming into the draft? What were your thoughts when you heard your name called by the Twins? AC: I mean yes, I was definitely planning on going earlier, but I knew I would drop mainly because of an injury at the end of my junior season that played a pretty big factor in the selection process. However, I was so thankful that I had people who still believed in me and my work ethic and gave me the opportunity to move on to the next level. I was so excited when I heard my name called. Everything happened so fast! My whole body was shaking, but when I heard my name it was great to give my parents and coaches a big hug and thank them for everything. SS: You spent the rest of 2014 rehabbing an injury. How frustrating was it for you to have signed and then have to wait to get to actually play? AC: It was very frustrating, especially with the longevity of the rehab process. It took a lot longer to heal than we expected so that was definitely a low moment in my career where I thought it would never get better. The main thing I had to focus on was staying positive and trusting in faith because I knew God had a plan for me. I am so thankful that I had a great training staff that stayed on me and kept me positive through the lengthy process. SS: What was the biggest adjustment you had to make, going from college or amateur ball to the pro game? On or off the field? AC: I think the biggest thing for me was to understand that yes, this is every kid’s dream and we are out here to have fun, but now this is my job. The coaches aren’t going to be on your tail at all times to do the right thing, it is up to you to get your work done and perform or else you will be looking for another job. SS: How would you describe yourself as a pitcher? What do you throw, and what are you doing when you are at your best (your strengths)? AC: I would say I have more of the bulldog mentality with sort of a controlled fire within me. I will be on the rubber telling the batter to step in the box because I’m ready to get you out; you’re not going to beat me. That is my mentality with every hitter. I throw more of a power sinker for the most part, I will mix in a few four seams, and I also have a slider and a change-up. I think I am at my best when I am down in the zone and have a good feel for all three pitches mixing them in any count. SS: What are the things that you feel you need to improve over the offseason and going forward? AC: The main thing for me is building more overall strength and stamina. Rehabbing for 7-8 months and not being able to do any lifting or running for the most part was very tough for me. I lost weight due to lack of muscle mass in my legs and upper body. I want to get stronger and increase my stamina to be able to go deeper into games. As far as the pitching side I really want to work on my fastball location and consistency of my off-speed pitches. SS: What was the Elizabethton experience like for you, on and off the field? AC: E-Town was great! I had a great landlord who was extremely helpful along with awesome roommates. I stayed in a house about two blocks from the field and right next to a river so I couldn’t complain. We had a very close-knit group players and coaches and the town as a whole was very supportive of their team. SS: What are your plans for the offseason? (Baseball training, but also what do you enjoy doing away from the game of baseball?) AC: I’ve spent a lot of time visiting the family and watching the siblings play their sports. I also plan of doing a lot of fishing and duck hunting while I’m home. SS: Who are some of the coaches and others who have helped you get to this point in your career? AC: There is such a long list of names that have led me to where I am now. I will start off saying my parents getting me through the tee-ball stages as my coaches and throwing with me in the front yard growing up. Here’s a little list of the shoutouts : Coach Wayne Chambers, Ron Hollier, Jack Pineiro, Gary Funel, Al Barrileaux, Rick Cavers, Randy Buck, Albert Garza, Vinny Dicarlo, Steve Bullock, Gee, John Crawford, Derek Bicham, Jacques Jobert, Jay Artigues, Matt Riser, Daniel Latham, Zack Zulli, Louis Ramirez, JP Martinez, Virgil Vasquez and any others that I may be leaving out. I thank my parents and many of my coaches for getting me to tournaments and practices and being so helpful. Thank you to Andro Cutura for taking time to thoughtfully respond to our questions! Please feel free to comment and ask questions below. Click here to view the article

Maybe, but if so, that's our fault, not Buxton's... To expect Griffey or Trout isn't fair to anyone.

I don't recall Blyleven throwing very hard, certainly not 95. Here's the Mets Big Five (I'll include Zack Wheeler as well): Jacob DeGrom: Mets 9th round pick in 2010 out of Stetson... debuted a month before he turned 26. Matt Harvey: Mets 1st round pick (7th overall) in 2010 out of UNC. Steven Matz: Mets 2nd round pick in 2009 out of high school in New York. Noah Syndergaard: Blue Jays supp. 1st round pick in 2010 (38th overall) out of high school in Texas. Came to the Mets after the 2012 season (with Travis d'Arnaud) for reigning Cy Young winner RA Dickey. At that time, Syndergaard had never played above Low A. Zack Wheeler: Giants 1st round pick (6th overall) in 2009 out of high school in Georgia. In July 2011, he was traded to the Mets for Carlos Beltran. At that time, he was pitching in High-A ball. So, generally speaking, four of the five were high draft picks, three out of high school, one out of college. Two were acquired in trades before they reached AA. DeGrom is a rarity, but the others all were drafted with this kind of upside.

1.) Read the next paragraph after the quote where you said I ended it. 2.) Radke would give up some early runs. But for the most part, he gave his team a chance to win almost every time out. He played on some really bad teams and still gave those teams a chance to win. How he won 20 games on a team that maybe won 70 is remarkable. He ate innings, he threw strikes, he got weak contact (especially after the first inning). No one is putting him in the Maddux, Kershaw category, but if you're eating a lot of innings, it means you're doing a pretty good job. And, don't make too much of the "Pretty good about taking the mound comment." How many of us say that when we really feel 'really good' or whatever. That's just words. I think any free agent signing is risky and probably won't end well, so I woudln't go out and get an established one. It does speak to developing one. They developed Santana (even though he was a Rule 5 guy, he hadn't pitched above Low A ball). They developed Liriano (acquired when he had like 9 innings above the rookie leagues). But that's the best way to do it. Get those guys during their first six years, extend them a couple of years past free agency, and then let them go. That's probably the right strategy, but very, very difficult to do.