Kwak

BPA is a lazy man's way of saying "this guy". People don't have BPA stamped on them.

Sluggers are worth the risk--he might start April 2014--and HIT! Four years later--can trade him for two quality starting pitchers and two bench types.

He will have been selected when it's the Twins turn! Longoria went 3rd in '08.

My pick is Trey Ball. Power LHPs are truly rare and have a floor as trade bait or RP. Face it, there just aren't enough LHP with major league arms, "when you get the chance Take IT!"

Simple question--what do the Twins need to become a consistent winner? Quality starting pitching and a dominant hitter for the middle of the lineup. The Twins can't continue to complain about their SP--and then not draft who they think is the best available SP--unless they sign the next Miquel Cabrera.

It was clearly stated that a qualifying offer is $13.3MM for one year. No one would sign a two-year contract for $15-16MM, they take the $13.3MM and play the game again the next season.

By Golly, 10 pages about waiving a failure. My favorite is: "there is worse than Benson". Perhaps the discussion should be about why there are so many on the 40-man roster who deserve to be waived? Perhaps the rants should be about replacing the decision makers instead of the "failing" players? I truly wonder how many of the teeth gnashers on this thread will surface in 2 years or so when Hicks is replaced by Buxton? Will there be rants about Hicks--"he was a 5-tool player"? Continuing with "surely a compentent GM could have obtained multiple prospects for this 1/7 hitter".

He didn't much trade value--if any. Huge salary, concussion issues, as well as limited power. Morneau is a pure salary dump.

Any of the OFers would really bother me. Stewart concerns me--unless he convinces me that a MLB career is his passion and that FB was just a HS fancy. A kid who struggles the least bit might start listening to "feelers" from FB coaches. Those type of distractions might derail a BB career.

This discussion happens every year. The Twins will conjure up: overpaying, blocking future prospects, some people fail, can't build the entire team this way, etc. The fans counter with: results failure, ineffective drafts, prospects also fail, need for cornerstones, and more.

Twins need anybody who is cheap, and might hold a job pitching. Unless Benson is carrying a toolbox--he doesn't have 5 of them. He can't hit for power or hit period. There really isn't much use for those guys. But don't be concerned, if the Twins want him, he will be available when Benson is DFAd by Texas.

My take on the article: mostly right from the Twins PR department. The statement that FA are by definition "overpaid". Twins-spin at its worst. The two conclusions of FA signings in general and second those by the Twins need two sets of evidence to form a conclusion. There was nothing cited that supported FA signing by all of MLB (other than the self-serving "overpaid" comment). Some teams have been successful at signing FA pitchers (wasn't Jack Morris a FA when he signed with the Twins?)--true most of the successes are at the "high-priced" level. But just because the Twins didn't want to compete at that level doesn't mean signing FA pitchers is a bad strategy. The second point of the lack of success by the Twins--well that part is true. But what caused the failure? Was it the "aim low strategy", or the "PtoC" strategy, or was it the FO that gather, analyze and decide? Perhaps changes there would make said strategy viable for the Twins. In neither case did Souhan justify his claim.

"Poor planning?" Allow me to simply refer to TD posters. Everyone was complaining about the pitching rotation, clearly new "arms" were badly needed--and soon! Only tradeable ML players available were Span and Revere. Most TD posters were in general agreement with those trades. Read the Benson threads--oh so many thought he was a "prospect", a few still do. It wasn't unrealistic for the Twins to think Benson would be a viable option for CF in 2013. Hicks had a standout AA experience and performed well above expectations in Spring training this season. It was very reasonable to conclude he was a viable CF option in 2013. TD posters were mostly shouting to make him the regular CF on opening day. Mastroianni had proven himself as a competent ML CF and also performed above expectations in Spring training. It was certainly reasonable to consider Mastroianni as a viable option for CF this season. "Poor planning"? Expecting that Mastroianni would break his leg and render himself out of action for most if not all of 2013?--not reasonable. "Poor planning"? To witness Hicks render himself only slightly better than useless?--not reasonable. Benson to stink-up again so badly to render himself useless to the Twins?--reasonable to think he might (he did last year), but at least as reasonable to conclude he would "turn things around". "Poor planning"? Last year the Twins had three catchers on the active roster--so they could not be accused of "poor planning"? Most TD posters derided that philosophy--as I hope they reject said notion of "poor planning" because they don't have even more viable options for CF. I sure hope none of those guys need a spot on the 40-man roster or require that the Twins trade a useful player from a different position to have another CF option so they can't be accused of "poor planning".

I'm guessing this was "leaked" by the Twins. So much for "keeping things in-house".

AAA experience doesn't prepare a guy for the majors. Twins fans get very excited about the minor leaguers that show promise, but forget that most of them don't succeed at the ML level for long.

You imply that the Twins have adopted Anderson's philosophy of pitching. But, I think it's the other way around--Anderson was selected to be the PC because he was Gardenhire's close friend and he agrees with this pitching philosophy--which comes from "on high".

Thome was strictly a DH, so his defensive limitations weren't much of an issue.

"The Twins Way", means "the cheap way". Strikeout pitchers are like HR hitters, there is a big salary premium for these guys. Using "TTW" as a guide, means for the Twins to have K-pitchers or HR hitters these guys must have very few years of ML experience. They have been big believers of minor league experience--more is better.

Worley to Rochester, Pelfrey to ?, if Correia sputters to Blackburn level is anyone/thing also on their/its way out?

You are mistaken! Amateurs aren't in the union (yet). Preventing draftees from signing huge contracts with roster status favors existing ML players both in available salary dollars and in roster spots.

Exactly! Hitting in AAA--is just that, and nothing more! Hicks will likely be sent down when Mastroianni heals, and somehow plays to an acceptable level to warrant a shot in the Twins lineup. But, that isn't happening any time soon.

The concept of contact pitching and hitting is in tatters. A 3-run HR and the game was over. Unless there is a change in philosophy, with the Twins building with power hitters, and strikeout pitchers, this outcome will repeat many times.

There is no need to be concerned about service time for average (and below average) performers--these guys exist in abundance.

There are several on-going discussion points: Gardenhire--no, of course it's not all his fault. But when things go poorly for awhile, some big changes have to be made. Replacing the field manager is the easiest and quickest. Replacing the GM generally means a clean sweep, and a committment to spend a lot more money. The Twins haven't reached that level of desperation--yet! Veterans--the die is cast that there is to be a completely new (a much less expensive!) team--say "Good-Bye". Youth at the ML level--someone has to play, and it won't be free agents. So, these guys get there 1-3 years to "prove themselves", one way or the other. Youth at the minor league level--those that excel should be challenged by agrressive promotion. I believe it's foolish to promote 1 level per season. The top performers need at most a half-season at a level, then promote him. Continue this pace until said players can't continue their success.

Reality is setting in, but some are concerned with whether to place the fine china at dinner on the Titanic, or just use the the everyday porcelain. It's only May!--and still 3/4 of the season remains. My guess is that Ryan has directed his scouts to scour BB to find who he can sign next year for under $3MM and for only 1 year to complete the rotation. Any guess?