mnfanforlife

[ATTACH=CONFIG]3332[/ATTACH] As I look out any window, I am blinded by the results of several recent blizzards that have left Dakota Territory with an ultra-reflective blanket of glaring white snow. Nothing makes me miss baseball more. I close my eyes, but it’s not blackness. An orange-ish haze is all see, due to the sunlight attempting to breach my lightly-closed eyelids. Despite the overflow of natural light, I am able to envision big things for the Twins in my mind’s eye. A Venezuelan outfielder, Oswaldo Arcia, appears to be a mighty storm of a player. He will be ready to blow through the American League soon. Just how intense will the “Blizzard of Oz” be? The Twins signed Arcia as a 16-yr-old back in 2007. His numbers as a 17-yr-old in the GCL were very similar to Miguel Sano’s at the same age. He has duplicated that production successfully up to the AA level. He really has nothing left to prove at any level but AAA. He has slow-cooked to perfection and will start his sixth year with the organization on the cusp of forcing a big-league call-up. Please take a look at the things he was doing in New Britain last year: http://www.milb.com/search/media.jsp?sid=milb&text=oswaldo+arcia&x=16&y=12 Arcia’s accomplishments label him as a pure baller, and he will be a nice addition to the big club very soon. There is no need to rush him to the Major Leagues. But we could see a path cleared for Oswaldo mid-summer in 2013. His arrival would feel like a “Coors Light Blizzard” during the swelter of July and August (refreshing). And that will feel like Venezuela in February. [ATTACH=CONFIG]3333[/ATTACH] This ain't HD, but listen to the wonderful sound Arcia's bat speed creates. [video=youtube;7fugm0m6kyo]

...no reason to rush this trade. Maybe you trade Willingham too, and make a solid return for our rebuilding club?

Yeah, we have two-DH's in the outfield. Can't wait for Arcia's arrival. But we gotta get something good in trade for Morneau first...

Completely agree Old Goat. This was the positive end of the Sano spectrum. I was pretty negative in my top-20-post-2013 list of prospects. But Sano is on another level, and could force a big league debut in 2014. But 2015 to start the year is a good bet. If he needs to go to AAA in 2015, then he isn't Five-Star, in my opinion. Stay tuned for Ozzie's blog gush...

Morneau will have to go at some point this year. He is too spendy for a rebuilding team with a bunch of decent options at 1B (besides Justin). yes, eat the salary and get better prospects in return. They have to spend some money somehow, right?

Maybe a sequel is in the works?...but there is hardly any footage from his monster 2012 season on youtube. I have found about three home-run videos as a Beloit Snapper (~10% of his HR's)

1) Woohoo Colabello! Hope you're right. 2) Haha about the 2B/SS combo's 3) Duensing will "strive" as a LHRP, or "thrive"?? Strive is probably more accurate right now. 4) Completely agree about CF, RF, 1B situations.

Beastmode

I caved and signed up for a free month of Netflix. I was duped by my curiosity to watch Ballplayer: Pelotero, but now that I'm hooked I need to find eight extra bucks a month. My main interest on Netflix is the documentaries. So let's stick to, and sift through, the facts on Miguel Sano... [ATTACH=CONFIG]3322[/ATTACH] I recently dogged Sano a little bit by predicting he would fall from the gracious #1 spot on the top-20 Twins’ prospect list following 2013. I felt bad about this, mainly because Sano is the type of guy to make me eat my words. So, let me gush about Miguel in this post, and imagine the possibilities for this rough, Dominican diamond. Many have predicted that eventually he will hit for average to go along with his platinum power. I will play along and believe what scouts are saying pertaining to Sano’s hit/at-bat ratio. I think .290 or higher would be a high batting average. For example, last year Albert Pujols hit .285 (25th in the AL). Sano’s 2012 batting average of .258 was below our mark, but not by much. He was a 19-year-old in a 21-yr-old’s league. Miguel is going to catch up to his peers (meaning people older than him), and it will be in a large way. In Pelotero, Sano was a tall, skinny, cheery teenager. He has since mutated into a 6’4 - 235+lb. beast. [ATTACH=CONFIG]3323[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]3324[/ATTACH] The movie, Pelotero, was awesome. I have nothing but respect for Miguel Angel Sano, and his entire family. They had to prove their innocence to an MLB office that assumed Miguel and his family were guilty of age-fraud (because Sano was deemed "too good" to be 16). He passed each and every test or accusation. There is no question he was 16 when he signed. In a weird way, Twins fans can thank the age-questioning fiasco surrounding Miguel for drastically lowering the eventual bonus amount to be paid to him. It was his first real media attack, but he kept his dream alive. He won’t give up, and the Twins never gave up on him. After seeing Miguel go through so many different physical tests to prove he was not lying, you get the feeling this kid combines "Five-Star" talent with an attitude of “persistence through pain.” This kid will turn 20 in May, and can accomplish anything in the game. Watch out. I remember Sano predicting 100 RBI for himself in his first full-season of minor league ball. Amazing. No matter what happens in 2013, Twins fans can have hope that there is an “Angel” on its way to Minnesota. [ATTACH=CONFIG]3325[/ATTACH]

True. Maybe the Rangers are ok at SS too? But most every team wants a player like Bogaerts,

Heck, why stop at Curacao? There are prospects in every corner of the globe

Wow! Ballsy. I cannot agree 100%, but I like your 75% comment above. I love Eddie's potential. He is tough, smart, and polite (I hear): http://twinsdaily.com/entry.php?b=2528

I'm just tossing an idea out there, but would anyone else be willing to do this trade?.... BoSox get: Byron Buxton, Travis Harrison, Daniel Santana Twins get: Xander Bogaerts

Yeah, he is getting old

I think Berrios could force the organization's "hand" and become big-league caliber by 2015.

Yep, probably gonna have to go check out the Kernels this summer. Could have Vargas too?

Not sure, but sure he will spend a lot of time in CR. At least, he better.

I can feel the love for Eddie. May he travel his Rosa Rio quickly...and divert his waters to Target Field

Arcia is very promising, and he should already be in Minnesota when Sano and Rosario arrive together. Can't wait. Should be a nice influx

He tore up winter ball, and the idea of Eddie and Sano arriving in the MLB simultaneously to start 2015 is intriguing!

He is a dangerous 170 lb. hitter

Please take a few moments, and imagine having your face caved in from the impact of a line-driven baseball. That's what our boy Eddie Rosario was dealing with mid-summer in 2012 after taking a batting practice rep to the face. How much can you expect from a guy after something like that? [ATTACH=CONFIG]3294[/ATTACH] Well, I'll tell ya. If you combine Eddie's winter league stats with his abbreviated 2012 regular season stats, you'll see a fierce line of numbers that hints at what a full, healthy season could produce for Rosario. Combine everything he did in 2012, and you get 136 games played, 544 at-bats, 168 hits, 44 doubles, 17 homers, 94 RBI, and a .308 batting average. His on-base numbers were adequate for a top-of-the-order guy. I personally know a baseball coach that was struck in the face with a batting practice rep. His incident required emergency surgery, and was a very serious situation. I do not know if Eddie's meeting with a baseball was equally severe, but it's not prudent to expect him to hit like he did following such a confidence-shaking occurrence. What do the numbers tell you about Rosario? I'll tell you what they tell me. The Twins have a guy that will hit, get on base, and slug in the top of a Major League line-up someday. It all hinges on how fast he can learn, and excel at, second base defensively. How fast will Eddie get to Minnesota, and take over that pesky second base position? We just don't know right now. But one thing is certain, Eddie is floating down a "rosy river" of talent that will slowly bring him to the spotlight of Major League Baseball.