Seth Stohs

Project for everyone reading... if you can find a Twins prospect ranking that has Nick Gordon ranked below #12, I will get you a Papa John's pizza....

The calendar has turned to 2015. The Winter Meetings and Rule 5 draft are complete. Most of the free agents have signed with new teams. There are still a few free agents out there and some may be more willing to sign one-year or minor league contracts. Spring training is about six weeks away, and yet, it seems like a good time to post the first Twins Daily Roster Projection of the year.When a player becomes a “given” for the roster (in my opinion), I will highlight the player’s name in red. Trades and signings can happen at any time between now and spring training and then opening day, but that just means that “givens” change. We will also be able to learn, over time, what it is that Paul Molitor will look for from his roster. Feel free to discuss below. Catchers (2): Kurt Suzuki, Josmil Pinto Kurt Suzuki came to the Twins a year ago on a one-year contract. He became an All- Star and received a two-year contract extension. He’s the starter. Eric Fryer was removed from the 40-man roster recently which leaves Josmil Pinto as the only other catcher on the roster. He (Fryer) certainly could be given another shot as the backup catcher. Fryer accepted his outright assignment and remains with the Twins. He could be called up at any time. It’s also one area where the Twins could be looking for another veteran. Fryer and Dan Rohlfing, along with Chris Herrmann, will likely all get time behind the plate in Rochester, ready for a promotion at any time. Infielders (7): Kennys Vargas, Joe Mauer, Brian Dozier, Trevor Plouffe, Danny Santana, Eduardo Escobar, Eduardo Nunez, It appears that most of these positions are already set. We know that Joe Mauer will man first base. Brian Dozier will be the second baseman, and Trevor Plouffe will be at the hot corner. Despite a strong showing as the Twins shortstop in 2014, all indications are that Eduardo Escobar will return to a utility role. Danny Santana is expected to be the everyday shortstop in 2015. Santana had a strong showing in his rookie season, and so did Kennys Vargas who should be the primary designated hitter for the Twins. Eduardo Nunez has the lead at this point for the 25th man role, but I’m not sure that he can be called a given at this point. As the season progresses and/or injuries occur, we are likely to see Miguel Sano at some point. Jorge Polanco and James Beresford could also get time with the Twins. Outfielders (4): Oswaldo Arcia, Torii Hunter, Jordan Schafer, Aaron Hicks Torii Hunter will be the right fielder. Oswaldo Arcia, when healthy, will be out in left field. Center field remains a question mark. As I see it, there are two options. Number 1, if Aaron Hicks is deemed ready for opening day again, he’ll be the starter and Jordan Schafer will be the fourth outfielder. If the organization prefers Hicks gets more time in Rochester, my assumption is that Schafer and veteran Shane Robinson would platoon. Whoever plays center field will have to cover a lot a ground. The other thing about the center fielders, they will know that Byron Buxton is still the future. We should also see Eddie Rosario at some point in the season, though opening day is very unlikely. One reason that Eduardo Nunez makes some sense as the 25th man is that he can play in the infield and the outfield. Starting Pitchers (5): Phil Hughes, Ervin Santana, Ricky Nolasco, Kyle Gibson, Tommy Milone Phil Hughes was one of baseball’s best pitchers in 2014. Ricky Nolasco was one of the worst starting pitchers in 2014. One of the keys to the season will be Nolasco returning to the form he showed before last season. Adding Ervin Santana gives the Twins a veteran starter who has been good for a long time. Kyle Gibson got through his first full season in the big leagues last year and will look to improve upon it. So, the big question at spring training will again be about the fifth starter. Last year, Sam Deduno, Scott Diamond and Vance Worley were all out of options and yet it was Kyle Gibson who won the job. Deduno was sent to the bullpen while Diamond and Worley cleared waivers, they weren’t long for the Twins organization. This year, the competitors for that fifth starter job are numerous. Tommy Milone had a lot of success in Oakland, but he was hurt in his time with the Twins last year after being acquired for Sam Fuld. Mike Pelfrey was hurt again in 2014 and could have an outside shot at the fifth starter job. Trevor May has nothing left to prove in the minor leagues and made ten big league starts. After a shaky start, he pitched much better. Alex Meyer should also be given a legitimate shot at the spot as well. At this time, I would put Milone as a slight favorite for the role over May, though May should get an opportunity early in the season. Bullpen (7): Glen Perkins, Casey Fien, Brian Duensing, Tim Stauffer, Caleb Thielbar, Mike Pelfrey, JR Graham. In my opinion, the first five spots are pretty well set, pending injury or trade. Glen Perkins is the closer. Casey Fien will again set him up. Brian Duensing and Caleb Thielbar will be left-handed relievers. Tim Stauffer comes over from the Padres. It will be interesting to see if he can replace Jared Burton as a 7th inning guy or if he’ll replace Anthony Swarzak as a long reliever. It’s time to give Michael Tonkin an opportunity to show what he can do in higher-leverage situations. However, as long as JR Graham is in the organization, he has the inside track on a bullpen spot. Due to Pelfrey’s contract, he also will likely be the favorite to make the opening day roster in the bullpen. If his velocity is back, it really is a role that he could thrive in. If he doesn’t make the roster, the Twins would likely just part ways and eat the remainder of the contract. Tonkin is ready, but Ryan Pressly also deserves an opportunity in spring to make the roster. Ryan O’Rourke (non-roster) is very intriguing as a LOOGY, though Aaron Thompson does remain on the 40-man roster at this point so he’s in the picture as well. Nick Burdi, Zack Jones and Jake Reed could all be up by season’s end, though they will not be at big league camp, so we’ll have to wait a little longer. What are your thoughts? What does your roster look like? Click here to view the article

The big take-away from this article is that the Twins have clearly noticed the trend toward more hard-throwers, hoping they can become hard-throwing pitchers. There are some serious arms down in the minor leagues. The other point brought up in the comments, however, is to remember that it isn't just about velocity. Even guys that throw 100 need a little movement and at least a second pitch. Eddie Guardado didn't throw very hard and yet he was very good as a closer. Luke Gregerson rarely hits 90 and he got huge money because he has been successful for a long time. There are certainly examples to all of this. That said, velocity allows for greater margin of error and it certainly can be intimidating. Let's hope these guys continue to develop and find themselves dominating out of the Twins bullpen for years!

That's the prospect side of it, and why he wasn't in my Top 50 prospect lists either. However, he has the ability to play 4 infield positions and 3 outfield position and a great athlete. His role in the big leagues, should he get there, is utility player. I don't worry about age at all in that scenario. Can definitely still be a productive big league player, and sometimes those types come up at 27 and have 5-10 year careers.

Slight exaggeration, but if Hughes isn't one of the 12 best pitchers in spring, should they send him down? Unfortunately, there are more factors into such things that just on-field performance.

Like I've probably had to say dozens of times already in the last 3-4 months, it's going to take me a while to say that one right for awhile!!

Regarding my saying that there may be about a 10% chance of Alex Meyer being in the rotation to start the season, here are my thoughts. I think that Milone and May will likely have about 45% chances each... I do think Pelfrey's going to the bullpen, though I guess I should have given him a couple of percent too.

Oh geez... yes, they did and I'm an idiot... Polanco's, I believe, was in June, and May's was in August... You are correct.

For what Rosario was allegedly suspended for previously, being on the 40-man roster means he no longer can be tested for that. I think there is about 5% chance he makes the team out of spring training. Maybe a spring training injury could make it happen, but very little chance he makes the Opening Day roster. That said, I do think he comes up at some point this year.

The Three mentioned in the article are the only ones who made their MLB debut in 2014. (Santana, Vargas, Achter)

Welcome to 2015! For a baseball player, one of life’s greatest moments is getting that call that you have been promoted to the big leagues. Several Twins received that call in 2014. Today, I thought it would be fun to consider which Twins players could get that call and make 2015 a very memorable year for them.On May 3, Aaron Hicks was on the 7-day concussion list. Danny Santana was called up from Rochester where he had only played in 24 games, all at shortstop. The club was ready to send shortstop Pedro Florimon to the minor leagues. However, given the struggles of Hicks and the attempts to play Eduardo Escobar in centerfield, it wasn’t long before Santana was the team’s leadoff hitter and centerfielder. He was 23 and far outperformed his minor league track record with the bat. He goes into the 2015 season looking to avoid a sophomore slump while moving back in to shortstop. On July 31, the Twins traded Sam Fuld to the A’s for Tommy Milone. Earlier, the Twins had traded DH Kendrys Morales to the Mariners. Soon after, the Twins announced that 1B/DH Kennys Vargas had been called up from AA New Britain to take Fuld’s spot on the roster. He turned 24 on August 1st, the same day on which he made his big league debut. Weeks earlier, Vargas had played in the Futures Game at Target Field. He was in a major slump with the Rock Cats, but came up and immediately provided the Twins with a power bat in the middle of the lineup. He hit 10 doubles and nine home runs in 53 games with the Twins. AJ Achter was the Twins 46th round pick in 2010 out of Michigan State. Since moving to the bullpen full time in 2012, he has been the most consistent performer of any reliever in the Twins system. When the Red Wings 2014 playoff dreams were dashed on the second-to-last day of the season, Achter found out that he would be heading to Target Field to debut with the Twins. He posted a 3.27 ERA in 11 innings over seven games. He picked up his first MLB win in Detroit against the team he followed as a child. UPDATE - Note that LHP Logan Darnell, RHP Yohan Pino and infielder Jorge Polanco also made their major league debuts in 2014. So, which Twins prospects could get that all-important call in 2015 to join the Minnesota Twins? Obviously being on the 40-man roster makes it easier for a player to be called up. However, adding a player to the 40-man roster is rarely an issue when needed. (Note: the percentage shown is the percentage chance that the player reaches the big leagues in 2015, in my opinion) 40-Man Roster Options JR Graham (51%) – As a Rule 5 pick, the Twins will need to keep Graham on the 40-man roster or offer him back to Atlanta. Few Rule 5 picks stay with the team that drafts them and Graham certainly has some things to prove, but with his skill set and talent, they may choose to keep him around anyway. And, there is some small chance that the Twins will be able to work out a trade to keep Graham in the system. Alex Meyer (99.999%) – Meyer is going to debut with the Twins in 2014. No question. When will he get that opportunity? That is the question. I think the odds of him starting the season in the Twins starting rotation is very low, maybe 10% However, there is a decent chance that he starts the season in the Twins bullpen, maybe as much as a 30% chance. It won’t be long before he gets the call and starts contributing in the big leagues. Miguel Sano (90%) – After missing all of 2014, it is going to take Sano time to shake off the rust. No doubt, that will take some time, and we will need to be patient. I expect that he will be up around July and certainly for September. Eddie Rosario (78%) – After a disappointing 2014 season, for various reasons, Rosario performed very well in the Arizona Fall League. He has made the move back to full-time outfielder. He’s got parts of his game he will need to continue to work on and improve, but he could surface as an option if the centerfield situation doesn’t play out well early in the season. He should certainly be in line for a September call-up and get time in left field as well. Max Kepler (10%) – Kepler had a strong showing in the Arizona Fall League as well. I think there’s a decent chance that he will return to Ft. Myers for the start of the 2015 season before moving up to New Britain. If things go very well, he could get a September call-up. Fortunately, he has three option years remaining so the Twins can afford to be patient and let his performance catch up to his tools. Jason Wheeler (15%) – Four members of the Twins Opening Day starting rotation are set. Tommy Milone, Mike Pelfrey, Trevor May and Alex Meyer will all be given a shot at the fifth starter job. However, over the course of the season, other starters may be needed as well. Wheeler made 13 starts back in Ft. Myers. He made one start in Rochester, but has posted a 2.78 ERA in 12 starts at New Britain too. He still has room for improvement, but he’s definitely worth watching. Not on the 40-Man Roster Byron Buxton (51%) – Had he not missed so much time in 2014 due to injury, Buxton likely would have debuted with the Twins at age 20. Unfortunately, like Sano, Buxton is going to need to shake off some rust while at the same time moving up to Double-A. Expect that things won’t come easy at the start for the uber-talented outfielder. Even if he struggles, he remains one of baseball’s best prospects. That said, I think he figures things out quickly, and if healthy, he could be wearing a Twins uniform in August. Because he doesn’t need to be added to the Twins 40-man roster until after the 2016 season, it makes no sense to call him up for just September. Might as well save the roster spot and call him up in May 2016. Nick Burdi (75%) – The Twins drafted Burdi in June out of Louisville. The flame-thrower sits in the upper-90s and often hits triple-digits. Early in the year, he was throwing sliders in the low-90s. Relievers can move up more quickly than other positions, but a review of fast-moving relievers is a mix-mash of success and failure. I think it’ll be hard to keep Burdi, who will be 22 throughout the season, from Target Field. Taylor Rogers (21%) – Rogers just turned 24 in December and learned that he had been invited to big league spring training. After a slow start in 2014 in New Britain, he pitched very well the rest of the season and was selected to pitch in the Arizona Fall League. The lefty throws 92-94 with a good slider and has the makeup to be good. He will be a solid big league starter at some point in his career. Tyler Duffey (20%) – Like Rogers, Duffey was drafted out of college in 2012, just turned 24 and just learned that he too will be reporting to Twins big league spring training in February. He pitched well at three levels in 2014, from Ft. Myers to Rochester. Duffey was a part-time closer at Rice (with JT Chargois) but has been primarily used as a starter with the Twins. He touches mid-90s as a starter and gets a lot of grounders. Out of the bullpen, he can reach 97. JO Berrios (19%) – Berrios has very good stuff and really took major strides in 2014. As a 19-year-old, he pitched at Ft. Myers, New Britain and finished the season with a start in Rochester. That said, he has just nine starts above A-ball, so we might need to slow our timeline expectations. That said, there is no questioning his work ethic and his makeup. He is going to pitch for a long time in the big leagues, and he’s going to be successful. Will he get his first opportunity in 2015? Jake Reed (15%) – Reed was the fourth straight college pitcher drafted by the Twins in June. The fifth-round pick from Oregon threw 31 professional innings between Elizabethton (four games) and Cedar Rapids (16 games) and gave up just one earned run (0.29 ERA). He gave up just 11 hits, walked three and struck out 39 batters. He then went to the Arizona Fall League and continued to pitch well. He could move quickly. Zack Jones (15%) – Jones missed most of 2014 because of an aneurysm near his right shoulder followed by blood clots in his leg. He returned at the very end of the season to Ft. Myers and closed out their championship run. He was back to hitting 97 mph by season’s end. He didn’t give up runs in the AFL, though his control was not good. His control will determine his big league opportunity and success. If he can throw strikes, he can be very good. James Beresford (10%) – Doug Bernier, a similar player to Beresford, has received a call up each of the past two seasons. Beresford is a 26 year old who has been in the organization for a decade. Last year was his first full season in AAA and he played second base each day. He has a very good glove and if Brian Dozier were to require time on the disabled list, don’t be surprised if the Australian gets a call. Others (5%) – There are, of course, several others who we could see promoted to the Twins in the right circumstances. Reasons could include injuries, trades or performance. Ryan O’Rourke is devastating against left-handed hitters and could be called upon if a LOOGY is needed. Danny Ortiz could be a fourth outfielder option if needed. Jason Adam and Adrian Salcedo are guys who could debut in 2014 if arms are needed. I also wouldn’t be surprised to see Levi Michael get a September call-up. Who else could make their MLB debut with the Twins in 2015? Are there players you think are more or less likely than the percentages that I gave them? Click here to view the article

I'm excited to see how the Vikings Journal site does with new content every day throughout the offseason, following the combine and the draft and mini-camps and all that. It should do very well.

I think we're all eagerly anticipating that and how it will effect the Twins Daily site... I'd like to think page views and discussion goes up, but I also know there are a lot of people who prefer to complain in comments than cheer... so it'll be very interesting.

As we celebrate the end of 2014 and anticipate the hope of another new year, we thought it would be fun to take a look at the busiest days here at Twins Daily. Which days created the most discussion and the highest traffic? Enjoy the following review of the Top 5 busiest days at Twins Daily. Twins Daily hopes that you have had a prosperous 2014 and would like to wish you and your families all the best in 2015!#5 Busiest Traffic Day at Twins Daily – December 11, 2014 We knew it would be a busy day. In fact, I took a day off of work in anticipation of a busy day. Of course, there were other reasons for that decision as well, including putting the finishing touches on the Minnesota Twins Prospect Handbook 2015 (which was completed at about midnight that night). On the site, the day started with a very interesting look at payroll from Jon Marthaler. $200 Million Is The New $100 Million discussed the changes in baseball’s revenue streams and how teams, including the Twins, needed to adapt. As you would expect with any payroll discussion, there were plenty of opinions shared. That morning was also the final day of the Winter Meetings which means it was time for the Rule 5 Draft. There was plenty of discussion on players that the Twins could potentially lose or add in the Major League portion. The Twins used the fifth pick of the Rule 5 to select right-handed pitcher J.R. Graham from the Atlanta Braves. Several picks later, the New York Mets drafted lefty Sean Gilmartin from the Twins. In the minor league portion of the Rule 5 draft, the Twins picked up right-hander Greg Peavey from the Mets organization. Unfortunately, the team also lost lefty Matt Tomshaw to the Marlins. However, that wasn’t the last news of the day. Less than two hours after the completion of the Rule 5 draft, it came out that the Twins had agreed to a four year contract with right-handed veteran Ervin Santana. Nick wrote about how the signing showed a shift in the Twins mindset. Parker wrote about what we should expect from Santana. #4 Busiest Traffic Day at Twins Daily – September 29, 2014 It was a day that many Twins fans and Twins Daily commenters had been waiting a couple of years for. A day after the 2014 season concluded, the Twins announced that Manager Ron Gardenhire had been fired. The press conference was certainly interesting and unusual as both Terry Ryan and Ron Gardenhire. Soon after, we started discussing the potential managerial candidates. The perceived Twins loyalty could not overcome four straight losing seasons from the Twins. Both the Gleeman and the Geek podcast and the Twins Hangouts podcast had special shows to discuss this move. It took a month, and a lot of interviews and rumors, before the Twins decided to hire Paul Molitor as the next Twins Manager. #3 Busiest Traffic Day at Twins Daily – June 5, 2014 The draft is one of the busiest times of the year for the Twins. Jeremy Nygaard is the most knowledgeable draft expert of anyone not in the Twins organization. He wrote a series of articles leading up to the draft on several topics. Twins Daily writers also profiled ten potential players that the Twins could have drafted with the fifth overall pick. It all led to the first day of the draft. The last couple of days, the draft has been broken into three days. On the first day, it is just rounds one and two and it starts in the evening. However, the Twins Daily MLB Draft Day 1 Thread got the conversation going throughout the day. Finally, with the fifth overall pick, the Twins took the player most assumed that they would select. The Twins drafted Nick Gordon, a shortstop from Orlando with great bloodlines and tool set. In the second round, the Twins drafted Nick Burdi, the flame-throwing closer from Louisville whose team was in the College World Series. The Twins had drafted Burdi three years earlier out of high school but were unable to sign him them. #2 Busiest Traffic Day at Twins Daily – July 31, 2014 When your team loses 90 games four straight seasons, you know that the July trade deadline will be a busy time. There were several rumors throughout the day that were discussed. In the morning, the Twins traded outfielder Sam Fuld to Oakland in exchange for left-hander Tommy Milone. Ironically, the Twins had claimed Fuld off of waivers earlier in the season when he had been DFAd by the A’s. He had played well in his time with the Twins. The A’s made several deals around the deadline, including trading outfielder Yoenis Cespedes to Boston. They needed an outfielder and Fuld made a lot of sense. In return, the Twins received Milone who had pitched well the last three seasons with the A’s and yet found himself in AAA due to a numbers crunch in the A’s rotation. As a side-note in the article, it was mentioned that there were rumblings that Kennys Vargas would be promoted from Double-A New Britain. The other big topic of the day revolved around All Star catcher Kurt Suzuki. He had signed a one-year deal with the Twins before the season. At the deadline, the Twins had to decide if they were going to trade him while his value was high. Instead, the Twins extended Suzuki for two years and $12 million with an option for a third year. #1 Busiest Traffic Day at Twins Daily – June 6, 2014 The Twins were about to start a series at Target Field against the Houston Astros. Sean Gilmartin also pitched well again for the Rochester Red Wings. However, those articles weren’t the big draw of the day. The first day of the MLB draft is a busy day at Twins Daily, but since the draft is later in the day on Day 1, Day 2 is actually an even busier day. A more in-depth story on Nick Gordon called Beyond the Bloodlines was written. Sure, Gordon’s father Tom was a big league pitcher for two decades, and his brother Dee was an All Star in 2014, but Nick Gordon has an incredible tool set and is very talented and isn’t in the same mold as either of his family members. The Twins also made their 3rd round through 10th round draft picks on Day 2. The discussion revolved around the fact that each of these picks was from college and also that they were drafting a lot of relief pitchers after selecting Burdi in the 2nd round. Of course, since then, we learned more about Michael Cederoth and his high-90s fastball. The Twins had him starting games for Elizabethton. And, at this point, Jake Reed looks like an absolute steal in the 5th round. Though it ranked just outside the top 10 busiest days of the year, Day 3 of the draft also was quite busy. That day, the Twins drafted 30 players (Rounds 11 through 40) and announced that they were signing DH Kendrys Morales now that he would not cost a draft pick. Later in the day, one of our favorite Twins Daily contributors, AJ Pettersen, announced that he was Moving On from baseball as a player. As you now know, he has been hired to coach the varsity baseball team at Chanhassen high school starting in 2015. (By the way, if you have read the Minnesota Twins Prospect Handbook 2015 already, I’m sure you enjoyed his article in it about finding joy in all things) There you have it, the Twins Daily Top 5 Busiest Days of 2014. I’m sure this brings back some memories. What were your favorite memories and story lines of 2014? Click here to view the article

Pretty sure he didn't, in any way, compare them as ballplayers at this time.

Turner likely isn't going to be a great hitter, but he can be an every day player. I really like Garver too. He is solid behind the plate and can hit a bit too. Both have things to work on, but both have good potential.

I don't think it's 'fair' that Escobar isn't handed the starting shortstop job, but it is probably the right thing to do. Probably. That said, I wouldn't have any problem with them doing what you suggest.

I was at probably his fifth start. Talked to him and Arteaga after the game. He made an adjustment and added 2-3 mph and had better control. He struggled with control mightily but the strikeouts are encouraging. He's just outside my top ten too but it was more about concern about the elbow. He's very young and has a long way to go but he's very intriguing!

About 4-6 years ago, I really liked the idea of the Twins signing Stauffer to a minor league deal. He's from the Rochester area, but he has always been a really good AAA pitcher. He also had that high draft pick pedigree. I like the strikeout per inning that he was able to do last year, and I like that he's a ground ball guy. I don't mind this signing. Definitely not exciting, but he can take either Burton's or Swarzak's spot.

He went home for the holidays and was feeling well at that time. Obviously there's no way to know how he'll respond in the spring or in game competition. Ervin Santana is an example of a guy who had the same injury and never had TJ surgery. So, we shall see what happens.

The weather has nothing to do with it, I woudln't think. It would be more about getting some at bats in a league where he has had some success in an attempt to shake off rust. I mean, honestly I wouldn't be upset if they chose to send him to the Miracle for 3-4 weeks to start the season.