TNTwinsFan

At least he's consistent.

Milone gets tendered then traded before July deadline. He will probably start the year in the rotation if he's not traded before then. No reason to not keep him. Someone will get hurt and/or off to a slow start. Here's a list of SP quality in the Twins' system (not in order of talent): Hughes Santana Gibson Nolasco Milone Duffey May Berrios Meyer Dean Rogers Graham Darnell Gonsalves (dare I say he may be on the cusp, al la Berrios 2015?) Point is not all of those guys are SP on a contending team. However, about 10-11 are. It seems like you need about 2 full rotations worth of SP depth to serously compete in a 160 game regular season and potentially another 20 game playoff season. What's great about the Twins' depth is that they actually could trade one or two of those listed above to plug other holes if and when they come up during the season. Also, as mentioned on this thread, not all of those guys have proven they're ready to roll on opening day 2016 in a MLB playoff contending rotation. Give those guys a month or two and see what is needed around late May/early June. Maybe at that time there is a surplus of arms and the Twins get some serious value for one or two of them.

Here here! Honestly, I don't want to see anyone like Nunez or Escobar or Danny Santana in the outfield again. If that means an OF of Rosario, Buxton, Sano, Arcia, and Kepler then great. Infield of Plouffe (Sano), Escobar (Santana), Dozier (Escobar), Mauer (Park, Plouffe) looks pretty good to me. Suzuki and Murphy catching. I'd say we're set with those 13.

With the way the AFL pitchers pitched in the AFL, I think its time to move on from guys like Fien. The Twins have young OF depth that should be given a shot before they put Santana in the OF ever again. You can also probably let Nunez go...especially if Plouffe is not dealt. So keep Plouffe, Jepsen, Escobar for sure. Milone for me is a bit of a "on the bubble" guy. It seems like the Twins have better SP candidates ready to take over not to mention the surplus of Veteran SP arms that will probably soak up most of the SP innings to start the year. Frankly, a SP Rotation of Santana, Gibson, Berrios, Duffey, May would be wonderful. But you have to put Hughes in the pen (which may be a good move). Obviously Nolasco is on the outside looking in, but what do you do with him? Realistically, I think we're looking at Milone as a trade candidate (thus, offered arbitration). Rotation of Hughes, Santana, Gibson, Milone, Nolasco. AAA Rotation will be Berrios, Duffey, Rogers, Meyer, Dean. MLB RP: Perkins, Jepsen, May, Cotts, Fien, O'Rourke, Pressley. Stud RP will stay in the minors until those last four pitchers listed begin to falter in May/June.

Is that really his AAA slash?! If so, that's a terrific signing!

Judging what Burdi and Reed have done in the AFL this fall, we probably have internal candidates ready to go. Our FA money needs to be spent on Wieters. Even with the logjam at 1B DH, I think the Twins would be better off keeping Plouffe. Towards the end of this season, I advocated that Mauer take more of a back seat next season regardless of the money he's making. I personally don't see him becoming even a .750 OPS guy again (bat speed being the main culprit, concussion being a close 2nd). Rotating Plouffe and Sano at 3B; Mauer, Park, and Plouffe at 1B, and all 4 of them at DH, with Mauer getting maybe 50% of the reps at 1B and maybe 5% of the reps at DH, I believe that gets at reducing Mauer's playing time and bringing those young guys into the fold more. Simple addition by subtraction.

Maybe Arcia instead? I'd rather keep a switch hitting masher as a bench bat/DH/1B type over Arcia and his inability to play in the OF when we have about 4 quality OFs either on the roster or knocking on the door.

Isn't that what the Blue Jays did?

Now sign Wieters! Trade Plouffe for a quality RP and a C+ type prospect and get ready for next season.

Now go sign Wieters. Heck of a line up: Hicks CF Dozier 2B Mauer 1B Sano LF Park DH Wieters C Rosario RF Plouffe 3B Escobar SS Bench: Vargas, Santana, Suzuki, Robinson/Arcia/Kepler Buxton will likely start in AAA as will Kepler I'd bet. If Robinson is resigned he'll be on the bench as a late inning defensive replacement. Frankly, I'd rather see a guy like Kepler who can play all 3 OF spots and 1B be on the roster, but you want him playing every day. I really think the Twins have to trade Plouffe now. You bring either Buxton or Kepler up (whomever is most ready) and that slides Sano to 3B and Hicks to LF. Lineup looks like this then: Buxton CF Hicks LF Mauer 1B Sano 3B Park DH Wieters C Dozier 2B Rosario RF Escobar SS

I thought you traded Hughes for Shields? Nonetheless, I'd say there is less than 5% chance any of your moves happen and 98% of that 5% is signing A.J. i just don't think these moves are realistic man.

If I'm the Twins, Wieters is my #1 FA targrt. 3-4 years at $14-$16mm is fine by me. Our depth at catcher will begin to show up around year 2 or 3 and will provide those guys the opportunity to learn from two of the best Catchers in the game (Wieters and Mauer). Zuke comes off the books next year, so cost isn't really a huge issue. Catcher is a premium position, here is a solid chance to try to get a premium player who can help NOW. 17th rounder be damned (likely 5+ years away with absolutely NO guarantee they turn into a player of Wieters' caliber.) Get this guy signed by Saturday and then take him and his family to the best Sunday brunch Minneapolis has to offer and never look back!

That heel raise is throwing his timing off. Fix that and he's a better hitter, and fielder perhaps, as he may take the successes of hitting to the field with him.

I wonder if ABW might be suffering a bit from what Sano was talking about when discussing the quality of pitching between AA and MLB...Maybe he would hit a little better against more consistent pitching (although he could suffer the from the same "I-can't-lay off-breaking balls-outside-the-zone" syndrom that Buxton suffered from upon his arrival to the bigs). Send ABW to AAA and see how he fares.

C- Weiters (S) (260/320/400/720) 1B- Mauer (L) (265/360/360/720) 2B- Dozier ® (255/320/440/760) 3B- Plouffe ® (260/330/420/750) SS- Escobar (S) (275/345/410/755) LF- Arcia (L) (235/300/425/725) CF- Hicks (S) (280/380/390/770) RF- Rosario (L) (270/300/430/730) DH- Sano ® (285/390/550/940) Bench- Vargas (1B/DH), Nunez (2B/3B/SS), Hunter (RF), Suzuki © Seems like Molitor likes to play his starters all 9 innings. Hunter comes back because the young guys like Kepler and Buxton need to play every day in AAA. Same for Santana. You could make the argument to keep Vargas in AAA as well, but, time appears to be running out on him (1?remaining opition). Hell, same goes for Arcia. That kid is gonna need a really strong Spring. Vargas is on the bench because Plouffe and Mauer will begin the season on the roster. If either are moved, Vargas becomes the DH. SP Santana (13-9, 3.85ERA) SP Hughes (12-10, 4.15) SP Duffey (14-7, 3.50) SP Gibson (12-11, 3.90) SP Nolasco (10-12, 4.30) LR/SP Milone CL Perkins (for about 4 weeks) SU Jepsen RHRP Mays RHRP Boyer RHRP Pressly LHRP O'Rourke/Rogers Guys making a REALLY strong push in Spring Training these guys will be in the mix through the last week of Spring Training and are interchangeable with guys like Arcia, Vargas, Pressly, Boyer, O'Rourke, Rogers. Berrios Meyer Burdi Chargois Buxton Kepler Polanco Ortiz Santana If Terry Ryan surprises this Winter (probably won't) and moves any of the aforementioned Starting Pitchers (except the guys under 25; I'm looking at YOU Tyler Duffey) and/or one of MAUER (ain't gonna, but should, happen), Plouffe (don't recommend it, yet), or Arcia (also, don't recommend it) then things look different. 2016 will be another year of finding out what we have in these young guys. Like every year, 2016 success will hinge upon pitching because we have offense and defense (depending on the configuration) locked up decently. I'm guessing about 85-88 wins and into contention for a Wild Card spot. We'll see Berrios and maybe Meyer fill in for injuries/trades. Buxton and Kepler for similar reasons. Next year wil be fun for sure. 2017 will be the year we turn the corner and make the big push for about 5-7 years....shoulda started my own thread.

I find it hard to believe that the folks who bought those cushy seats right behind the plate (I'm assuming they are season ticket holders) have not shown up for this one. I would assume each game this weekend would be sold out...can anyone enlighten me on why those folks would show up? Too cold?

Obviously you dont care about the bat flip, thus, feel little to no punishment should be administered. Seemingly, almost EVERYONE wearing a uniform who witnessed the event yesterday feels otherwise. You may want to advocate for change and you should if that's how you feel, but I think you're fighting an uphill battle. Maybe a better way to change this aspect of the game (filling a vacume currently filled by unwritten rules) would be to add a written rule about what someone on this thread called "unsportsmanlike conduct" for bat flips, etc. Maybe that would curb the scary violence. Maybe it wouldn't.

By the way, self defense does not mean just physical self defense (although that's what we've all be taught). It simply isn't true, and trying to do so ignores human emotion and a sense of honor. We've been taught that honor doesn't matter. But it does. Ignore that at your own peril.

Look, this is an "in defense of honor" type event we're talking about here. Everyone i. The stadium, including the guys own manager, knew that what that kid did was not acceptable; regardless of the lack of a written rule. Everyone knows, including the bat flipper, knows what's voming. The first Twins pitcher who throws at an Indians hitter tonight will be issued a warning. There may be some jaw jacking (gotta defend your own players) but it won't be unexpected. What the kid needs to do is take his punishment without saying a word, giving a look, or retaliating (like a pro) and everyone will move on. Then, in his next plate appearance he can yank one off of Duensing, put his head down, run the damn bases, then go to his dugout.

THIS. Hence: unwritten rules (self policing is GOOD folks)

Think the guy on the receiving end of said 90+mph FB would flip his bat in a similar manner again?

Actually, I teach my kids that after all diplomatic approaches have been exhausted, sometimes you just have to defend yourself. And that you had better win. And that I have her back if diplomatic attempts failed. If she were to get suspended, I'd probably take her to get her hair done and then to the gun range. Then we'd talk about how to maybe improve her diplomacy skills while we knocked out a workout at the local gym!

I know you're being sarcastic, but that post earns my votr for the BEST POST of the year!

I would. Below shoulders, above the knees. Ribs or butt would be what I aimed at. Probably take something off of it too.

Good! Me too! I didn't think an internet debate warrants a punch in the face anyway! Have a nice day brother!