ajstolt_09

Injury prone is exactly the term for him. He might not have a chronic elbow or knee that flares up, but wether it's his body type, how he plays, or any other circumstances, he has been on the injured list more than we'd all like him too be. It doesn't mean he's a bad guy. It doesn't mean we don't want him to succeed. He just finds a way of getting himself dinged up more than a lot of people. And that is injury prone!

If Romero, Gonsalves, and that hoard of bullpen guys don't all get significant run in the next month and a half, I'll be shocked!! The bullpen guys deserve a long enough chance to fight through the struggles they might have, and Romeo and Gonsalves are going to be part of what the rotation is built on in the next few years. Get their feet wet this year so next year they can jump right in in the deep end.

My question is are we punting on next year already? One of our best 2 relievers under control next year, and a guy that loved playing here that we could have resigned. Especially valuable with the struggles of Sano and impending departure of Dozier. I don't understand what we are doing here. And of course the obvious Why is belisle getting innings that the AAA guys deserve? I mean, it's great getting these single A guys that might never pan out as talented as they are, but what about next year?? I'm shaking my head at the 2 guys we dumped today. I'm all for getting rid of Rod, Duke, Dozier, Lynn, Santana.....but how things are moving, Gibby, our #2 starting pitcher is going to be next and I'm really against that. Go into next year with nothing but budget free agents and the AAA roster. Gives a person a lot to look forward to. Glad the farm will have profile to follow

This could have been selling high, but I feel like Hicks has more to offer. I liked what he did, and finally started coming around the last half of this year. I don't love this trade at all, unless I am missing something on this 3 year backup catcher. I hope this doesn't mean Sano will move to the outfield! Unless they really don't care about outfield defense, which was one aspect that hugely improved this past year

Appears it just happened today. Not sure I am in love with it because he seemed to be really figuring out how to hit, and he helped make that outfield very good defensively! Does this mean that Kepler is a legit candidate for getting called up early in the year? Sano should not be moved out there, whatever they decide to do!!!

The fact remains that the money is spent and at this point the contract is not the issue. It wont hinder the team from making moves. The problem is the black hole he has become at 1B and 3rd in the lineup. He is blocking Sano or Plouffe from moving to first. He is also occupying a very important spot in the lineup. And hes not dangerous enough to want to play at DH much. Moving him from 3rd in the lineup will be a very tough pill to swallow for him, and management. It will remind everyone that the 8 year, 23 million per was maybe a bit overzealous. I just see the team being more competitive with Joe not at first everyday and batting 6 or 7

We DID have to sign him to this contract. I thought it was too rich at the time, but that is besides the point. I think we all completely understand that the money has been spent and we understand that there are numerous young players making little money. Not every player on your team can be signed on a big contract or you would be called the Yankees. The issue with Mauer and this contract is what I call the "boat anchor" effect. Joe is basically anchored in at the 3 spot in the lineup and at first base. This is the issue. The studies have been done and Joe ranked very low, if not one of the lowest starting first basemen in the league in productivity. Being anchored in at these spots doesn't allow us to either move someone up or to sign someone from outside in order to improve either the 3 spot or first base. So if the last 2 seasons are what we are going to come to expect from Joe, he is dragging the team down, or best case, keeping it where its at and not allowing for improvement. It would be a tough pill for the organization to swallow to take him out of the everyday lineup or out of the 3 spot, but at this point, based on recent performance, a guy who NO LONGER reaches base 40% of the time, should not be in the middle of the order. The Mauer issue is possibly the biggest issue going into this offseason. Can we build the lineup to push Joe to the 6 or 7 spot? Can or should we rely on him to spend larger amounts of time at DH allowing for a harder hitting first baseman? Its complicated. He no doubt has sold the jerseys and gotten the organization their dollars worth, but now its down to production and there just hasn't been much. How do we change things knowing that hes going to be here for 3 more seasons? If Terry Ryan can figure that out, he probably deserves a raise!!

I think the biggest ripple that comes from this is that Collabello and Parmalee have very little rope left, and are both most likely destined for bench roles or being in AAA. Arcia should start in right if we are trying to develop our young guys. Mauer should play EVERYDAY(162 games) at first base, or DH. That leaves no room for Parm or Collabello, which doesn't hurt my feelings. They are both frustrating to watch at the plate. I give Collabello a slight edge because at least he has hit a few home runs. So anyone talking about one of them being in a starting lineup to start the year....I cringe at that thought!!! Would also love to see Sano start the year with the Twins. There is no reason to wait. He crushes no matter what level he has been at. I think we could expect 25-30 HR's from both Sano and Arcia next year. And if we think logically, Sano is most likely every bit as solid at 3B as Plouffe is, if not better! And that's more of an indictment of Plouffe's defense than it is a compliment on Sano's. I will be annoyed if he isn't there starting the season.

Free agency is not a shortcut in this case. Its supplementing the rotation, which is in dire need of assistance, with talent that we lack in the upper levels of the minors. Meyer and Gibson could both very well be members of the rotation hopefully earlier than June or July. Correia is a 5th starter who gives you decent innings and occasionally throws a quality game. Besides that, we need at minimum 2 pitchers to fill spots this year. I have no confidence in Diamond to come back and be a solid starter, especially with his unusually terrible strikeout per 9 rate. Worley? Maybe he can surprise us, but last year was a disaster and I wouldn't want to bet on him bouncing back in a big way. Deduno can be fun to watch but is WAY too inconsistent, although might be an option if we don't bring in quality free agents. Hendricks might be the next Swarzak. But I have to say, certainly looking forward to how this offseason plays out, and what happens with the kids down in spring training. A lot of things to keep an eye on

Kubel would be a below average to average defensive outfielder and a decent hitter. If we didn't have a hoard of guys in the minors knocking on the door, I would say bring him aboard! But right now, I am more concerned with the progression of the young guys. Kubel should be able to get a multi-year deal somewhere and we don't need him for more than this year, if at all. So at this point, being patient with the youngsters is the way to go IMO. See what Hicks and Arcia can do this year. See what happens with Dozier and Rosario, that problem will work itself out. If there are guys to trade, ie Doumit, Willingham, Dozier, etc, make those trades. But I am fully expecting another year below .500. Thank god for the prospects to make this team interesting to follow!! P.S. I believe the money will be best spent on a couple of #2/3 starters on the market, guys who can give us innings and occasionally give us a chance to win, as opposed to the constant early big deficits we have had the past couple years

The guy absolutely crushes the ball! Hes a good looking athlete from the right side of the plate, hopefully he cruises on up to the Twins by 2015

LOVE that lineup!! That's why its exciting to be a Twins fan coming up in the next few years. There are even more players that could contribute, but those top guys will make this resurgence probably better than the one in the late 90's!!

Loving the rankings of these guys as well. I just think its funny that the MLB.com top 20 rankings are nowhere even close to these, aside from the possible top 5. I was worried that Walker fell apart or something because he wasn't in their top 20! I trust someone who lives and breathes these players. And reading stuff like this gets me jacked for whats coming! I was so withdrawn from Twins baseball back in the 90's, along with being only a teenager at that time, so the last rebuilding process was mostly lost on me till '01 when things really came around. But following these guys coming up and waiting their call-ups is pretty much what a Twins fan has to look forward too these days. I cant wait till February!!

Good to hear. We may have a solid rotation rounding into shape beginning this year with Gibson, and sprinkling in some of the other prospects in the coming years. Not happy that we are going to have to wait fo it to happen. But a young team can make things interesting as we are waiting to compete again

Its all very true, both ends of it. He MIGHT not have a chance to succeed and his career numbers would suggest that. But also, at $5 million, its not a horrible gamble for a team who coming into the off season, had 1 proven starting pitcher. Its a small gamble just like it was with Marquis last year. If it doesnt work out, it wont be a huge burden to just can the guy. And hopefully we can land Saunders, or maybe Hendricks and Gibson can impress, and we wont need this guy who has no chance to be above a number 5 starter. I would say, call Correia plan C or D...hopefully A or B materialize and work!

No, they couldn't. That kind of thinking is how decent teams become the late-1990s Orioles and Dodgers. There's a time when opening up the checkbook makes good sense (the Tigers now, the Twins three years ago), and a time when it doesn't (the Twins now, the Tigers a decade ago). There's no amount of money they could throw at this to help things in 2013. That is a bunch of garbage!! With money already invested in some solid to very good players, the offense is not all that far off from being good. But when you dont have the pitching coming through the pipe, you need to spend money to acquire it!! The pitching is out there to be had. We cant always just get lucky and find guys like Liriano or Santana. Proven major league ready starters cost money, both to acquire and to keep. We NEED to open the checkbook and sign pitching. If not, everybody's darling Mr Mauer, and his talents, will be completely wasted. Why spend the 23 million a year on him if you refuse to infuse the areas that need help?? Sounds like that 23 million a year will go to waste because they need to sit on their checkbook when it comes to pitching