ND-Fan

I think there is more of chance this years Twins are going to sign some players in the off season. Here's my take Pohlad gave interview earlier this year in that discussion he thought they would have to add some to this team but he was asked about risk in doing this and he stated that they would have to take some risk and maybe wouldn't turn out but more had to be done to make the club a winner. Now recent interview by Levine has been about sticker shock and then going to trade market and then high price of trading then going back to FA market again. Also quotes from Levine and Falvey that they would have to be more active this winter and they know the needs of team more this year. I also believe another positive to them making a move is from last summer heat they caught from fan base, and from business side of Twins when they subtracted instead of adding helping this team.

I could see the Twins trading for him if it is one quality position prospect with couple of low a to rookie league pitching prospects thrown in for hime or like some have been saying trading away dollars on international signing for some other prospect that cin would covet. But if we start talking several of top prospects than i think were way over paying should look else where for help.

If this like recruiting a college player why not sell him on the fact he will be pitching in front of one the best outfields in baseball. Second if they are going to let him hit he will be hitting in one of the best young lineups in major league baseball. Third one that I would stress from reading about him would be that Twins teach players how to play game right which would help in his longterm development and he could do this with less pressure than playing in other large market teams but if he has success he still will get all national press he wants. Like college recruiting I would use young players to convince him how it good to play in Minnesota. We see a lot of players that play here that want to play here and want to come back and contribute to the team I would think this would sell to player that looking for new place to play and this group is on verge of becoming major league contender to win everything if they can get talent like him to add to this talented group of players. I don't think this all about money with him because if it was he would just wait out next two years and he could sign for a ton of money where ever he wants to go. I think this player that wants to come play baseball and learn how to become the best player in the world its more about being the best there ever was than is about the money.

You could also frame it other way in that Dodgers held tight not giving Bellinger in the trade look how that would have effected them this year. The home runs lost by trading him could not have been made up by Dozier. This was probably good call for both teams they were better off not making the trade. My experience over the years the big trades usually don't work out that well over the years. The smaller trades can be good but when you start trading big name players of team it usually doesn't work out that well. My point would be I look at some of the Twins bigger name trades in my lifetime like Blyleven, Burnansky, Viola and Santanna didn't end up with much. The ones that did work were Knoblauck and Pierzynski for the Twins but over the years I think the big name trades it more often was bust. I don't think even geniues of today are any better on prospects if they are going to be hit or failure to many factors that can happen.

This is good core group of fielders for the twins and should not yet be broken up or traded for pitching. If They are going to improve pitching its going to have to be on the free agent market. Also it means they are going to have to sign some high cost and high risk players for next three to four years. Also maybe some international signings could be done. Verlander would have been a good fit for them he was high cost but he fit in this three year term and he would have given them shut down pitcher for this years playoff game. If the yankees would have been in similar position they would have made the deal to strengthen the team. I just don't see trading any outfield players now because they are improving and still low cost for next three years. Trading Dozier is possibility but by far he's leader of the team and the big question is Gordon ready to come up to be short stop. Only other player i see having any value would be Escobar but it would be limited value. I can't see the twins trading any prospects in farm system. I hate to say this but Sano may be only player they might consider to trade for pitching but could be like the red sox in trading Babe Ruth biggest mistake ever made. The reason for trading Sano is he may be injury prone and doesn't look to be longterm high value player and will become costly to sign in near future. The problem he is fan favorite and great draw to just watch him hit his big home runs. Ownership is going to be faced with decision if they want to invest big money in pitching. I am willing to bet that geniuses were thinking they have another poor year where they would get alot of high draft picks to add to farm system with there plan to be competitive in couple of years. Now this team won now fans expectations and ownership expectation have risen where they want something done next year. No time to develop pitching that will be major league ready by next year. If they this team falls way back again because of pitching the geniuses will start feeling the heat something they have been given a pass on this year.

Ideally would be Dozier leads off with homer to set the tone for the game and then the twins collect series of hits to put couple more runs in the first inning. Then Santanna shuts them down for number innings while Twins extend the lead with couple more runs in that same time. If the Twins could get to into 7 inning before using relief staff having 3 or 4 run lead this would be ideal game for the Twins and their pitching staff.

This pitching staff has about got as much as they can out this group of individuals down the stretch. Yet i think this team could surprise alot of experts if they get a chance to show people what they are capable of. What makes this pitching staff work is the kids playing behind them. This group of kids catch ball if its close and turn them into outs or limit the hits to singles majority of the time. I think this what has trurned around Gibson season he has learned he doesn't need to make perfect pitch but make the pitch that will keep the ball in the park. This has been Colon problem recently he has give up to many home runs in last outings. The Front office knows now they wish they wouldn't have traded Kinsler but they did. Today Levine I think was as honest as I have ever heard him in that they thought they were couple years away from becoming contender they miss judged what they had in the early part of the season. But right now all that's water under the bridge in that this team got to compete with what they got. I think a lot of people have been hard on couple of these kids lately like Duffey and Rogers. Both these guys have been used a lot put in some very high leverage positions some games to pitching more than one inning to piece a game together. I think they are worn down some mentally and physically and need some rest because neither one of these guys have gone through whole season before and have been used to this degree there's learning curve. Matter a fact pretty much whole relief staff has little experience of going through whole season. I lack confidence in several of these relievers but I have seen them do what is expected of them also. The ones they take to playoffs will depend on coaches and what type of game plan they are going to try implement. I have wondered about Perkins why they haven't used him a little more recently because they are going to need another left hand specialist to get left hand bat or two out in playoffs and he has experience and has been in high leverage situations. Yankees are going to br tough to beat in there park because its hard to keep the ball in park because of small size which there team is built to hit in that park. My guess is the Twins pitching can keep the ball in park they have very good chance to beat them but if they let them hit home runs I don't think the Twins can match them in that type of game. Falvey and Levine work really begins next year they have a very young team that has developed to where they can be contenders for number of years. The thing the Twins need is front line pitching to be added to this group of players for next several years. They need at least one to two starting pitchers add to their pitching staff plus they need closer plus at least one other relief pitcher to fill out their pitching staff. They may have relief help in the minors but starting pitching looks to be at least another year away before they will have them up to big leagues. My guess will be they will need to find this help through free agency because they are in best of all worlds now they have young and controllable players all way around field with exception of Dozier and Mauer but they don't have to address that unless they want to keep them. This could be very good times for the twins in next few years if we don't have major injury problems with this group of players.

`I agree in keeping on the bench where we are trying to win a games. Second i think Kepler could use the rest he has shown siigns of wearing down again. I looke at last two days hes had better games hitting and i think the rest is helping. We going to need every one at top there game if we make the playoffs. Having some positive games will do more good than few extra bats against left handers. Kepler going to play in big games but playing the percentages to gain a win is smart baseball move now and I bet he gets to bat again against left handers again regularly next year.

This is modern day baseball this is not football where the domninat team is usually the winner. In baseball a team with flaws can get on winning streak and beat the best teams in short period of time. I am not saying the Twins are going to do this for sure this year but getting the chance opens the door for doing this. Look at last 10 years how many wild card teams have won and got themselves to the world series. Several have won the world series. Don't tell me they didn't have flaws. What infuriates me is this front office has done nothing to help this team down the stretch run. They acquired a pitcher and traded him away in few days plus one of there best bull pen pitchers this shows you how much confidence they have in their team. Second i wonder about Sano whats going on their to me if they were in we would be hearing more why he is not ready to return i get feeling again no urgency from the front office. I do have respect for this group of players and coaches that are carry this load to get themselves to the playoffs. It could be one and done deal or it could be they get a chance to play deeper in the playoffs. The Twins were one hit away from beating Yankees twice in New York this week and that all it takes to get into the playoffs. I will tell you this group of players learned something going into New York this week and like they have been all year they have responded well the next time they have been put in similar situations. I just wish more people understood baseball its different sport than football difference between teams and game is way different, player development is different, and rebuilding is way different than football and even poorest teams still beat the very best teams in short game series every so often. Also these chances of getting to playoffs don't come very often and I sure hate to see when teams squander these chances.

I think Escobar is valuable to the Twins in that Sano may not be able to play full season at 3 base without getting hurt or worn down. Escobar has shown he can hit and play well enough at 3 plus he can fill in at other infield positions. I wonder what the Twins are going to do with Sano, Mauer, Vargas next year they do not have the option of sending Vargas back and forth to Rodchester like this year. Also Mauer will be in his final year of his contract and will they be willing to resign him after next year. The next option would be release Vargas but that i will think come back and bite them he has value as desinated hitter and can fill in as first baseman. Also the Twins have log jam now at the outfield positions with Rosario, Buxton, and Kepler making for very young outfield. Do they keep Grossman or bring up some minor league players for the forth outfield position. Same thing will be SS and Second base what do they do there with Dozier, polonco, and Gordon pushing from minor leagues do they sign Dozier or trade what do with other two plus couple they have now for backup. In these decisions is make up for team chemistry and leadership for the future. Like i say this will be how this front office is judged and they have had pretty much a free pass and had added bonus of this team was alot closer to winning than most people thought so people are feeling good about this team. Actually this was season people thought this team could have had last year but fell miserably short of . Also comment that Bill Smith had more to do with this group is somewhat right. I also want to comment Bill Smith was released because he stated that if Twins were compete in near future they would need to add free agent signings because of lack of talent in the system. Ownership didn't want to go that way went back to Terry Ryan who had built the Twins from ground up with very little money and when they were competitive he added players by trading away some of there talent. Never did the Twins add big signee to get over hump when they were competitive when they were in the playoffs. I think this was by design at time put pressure on community to build a new stadium. If they had went out signed big free agent and won a championship there would have been not the push for the stadium. Also i get tired of weak central division since 2006 to last year central division has been in world series 6 times in 11 years so how weak is the division.

I would like to say this is all making of previous Front office and it looks like they were not as incompentent as all people on here have made them out. It just took time for these players to develop. I will give credit to this front office on several of new coaches hired it seems they have been able to turn the corner on this group of players in getting them to make needed changes. Also i have stated in past this front office was able give up on some previous high draft picks and let this new group play in there natural positions. The question is will this new Front office will be able add the right people and subtract right people in the future to improve this team in next few years because this core could win couple of championships if they can add pitching without subtracting to much from the core.

This is mirroring the Twins of the past. If you would look back 87 twins to 91 Twins there were writing about Hrbek in similar fashion he was to big and didn't work hard enough. There seems to be this similar attitude with larger players and players that have fun time playing baseball in Minnesota with the media. With Hrbek there was thought it would have extended his career but he had good career who knows if it would have extended his career or improoved on his numbers. He was leader on winning team and now appears Sano may have similar career path and i think may even surpass Hrbek. Players are what they are and it difficult to make whole sale changes in them and if they do change alot of time they miss what made them great.

We will never know how Kintzler would have faired but safe to say this is second time we have lost a game since the trade by failure of closing game out. So we go just by low percentage of success say 1/3 if we have one more failure we could have lost a game which I think its going to come down too a game or two. Also we had to run another minor starting pitcher out there in double header where he only made it a few innings taxing the bull pen again. If we had Garcia a veteran presence In playoff run how much would that helped. This is sure looks like major league the movie where the FO has done little to help them win its on these players and manager and coaching staff just going out there with attitude they are going to win no matter what happens. Like I have said every so often things line up where average team can win playoff spot and get hot win it all. This may be one of those years and media, fans, and experts are left dumb founded something like that can happen.

I think looking back at past Front office i think were way to hard on them. I think there major weakness was they had poor results drafting pitchers. I look at there signing of relief pitchers they had some fairly good success with signing of Kintzler, Rogers, and couple of other low cost signing relief pitchers. If Detroit would have had equal success they would have won couple of world series. There trading for pitchers was 50/50 they had some success with Mjeha and Mays but missed on big piece in myer. Free agent signings they had success with Hughes but extending him has been bust, Santanna has been a good signing , Nolasco was a bust but this was pushed my management and ownership. This front office has done very little to be judged on what they have done is little more than parade bunch of pitchers through hoping one will stick but looking at results I have not seen anything that has come close yet. The best so far is Colon but this is no long term solution for the Twins and they did have Garcia which would have been upgrade to what they have been running out there but they waved white flag way too soon. This Front office will be judged on this off season by fans on what ever moves they make to improve pitching. I believe many fans will find out they are going to keep number of pitchers they have right now because pitching is hard to find and teams are unwilling to let go of young pitching prospects unless your willing to give up a lot of talent to acquire these prospects so far this FO has shown there reluctance to do this. I believe for Twins improve there pitching they will be signing at least one starter and one relief pitcher on free agent market this coming year. I wouldn't be surprised if they sign a couple of starters. Also I believe they will be keeping Gibson and wouldn't be surprised if they keep Santiago too. If they do not they will have traded away some of position players for pitchers. The Twins help from farm system is at least year to two years away before it makes impact on pitching for the Twins. Look at how long it has taken to get Berios to where he is at now. The problem is that the Twins have on field team that is ready to win now so they need immediate pitching help now. If This FO fails to do this we will be looking at another rebuild and I wouldn't be surprised on another FO either. The grace period is over for this FO and I believe they made fatal error this year in that they didn't know they were this close to having winning team and could have made couple additions in off season plus not waving white flag so quick they could have made run in the playoffs. Even with this the team could still pull off run in the playoffs. I Think there problem has been where they came from. Falvey Thought Cleveland was just superior to the Twins but this was based on last year but not how were the teams this year. Same thing with Levine he came from Texas where they were much better last year than the Twins so he had same impression. This years Twins were destine to be much better with development of young players and FO that had cut loose of Plouffe which previous FO had put to much value in because he had been number one draft pick. This move alone improved the Twins defense to where the pitching staff showed improvement this year but it was all about one move. With this move Sano to third the Twins outfield is one of the top outfields in MLB, Sano has improved defense at third base plus his offense has improved, The young outfield is now starting to hit on consistent basis with development of these young players. Infield has improved over last year and overall is hitting much better this year. But getting back to pitching The Twins will need to acquire some immediate pitching help for next year and year after before we see how this next wave of pitchers coming develop because we have seen just about everything they have in upper levels of twins minor leagues this year.

This has surprised me in that instead of folding up the tent they have bonded together are going to show everyone they are good club. Stats people can show you all sorts of stats why they should not win but they can't show you personal side of team. This group is learning how to win and they are putting more games together where they have figured how to win than when they loose which has been a lot of time very big. It also reflects on pitching staff that front couple of pitchers have pitched very well for starters and same was happening with relief staff they have had couple that have excelled at times this year. I also have to give credit to Paul Molitor he done good job of keeping this team together and playing. I have been critic of his but he's shown this year he can win if given few good player perfomances. I have stated all long when you have a team that is winning you do all you can as FO to keep it winning. The future is now because things may never click with group of players again because of thousand different circumstances. Also I believe every so often you have years like this when group of teams are all about the same and all have flaws that prevent them from taking command of playoff spot. I am thinking this years wild card teams in American league could get in with a low of 85 to 87 wins. I just look at the remaining schedule and you see how so many of the teams are playing each other and nobody has the look of dominating others so I got feeling this is how whole season plays out. Also I look at American league central this is by no means settled either. Cleveland is up 4 on the Twins in the loss column but the Twins should stay hot and gain a game or two and next week Twins sweep Cleveland you could see Minnesota tied with Cleveland with 40+ games to go. I know this may not happen but if this happens the Twins sure could have used their closer and another pitcher to add depth only saving factor will be that September is just two weeks away to get some call up to bolster the ranks. Also this may be another reason the Twins can make run for playoffs because this will bolster the bottom end of the rotation because they will have pitchers to piece games together to win a few more games. Baseball has changed which a number of the media and experts have not fully come to realize in that having the best team with best overall record means nothing today. Because if you win 100+ games or you squeak in with 86 wins to make the playoffs. Everyone is starting even and it comes down to winning on very short sample size so if team gets hot it could propel you all way to world series champs. Look how many wild card teams have been to world series in last 10 years and they have won it just as many times as teams with best record in baseball. To win World series even for wild card teams it takes 13 wins out of possible maximum of 22 games. Relative short season where who ever is hot and playing good baseball can become world series champ. In the past baseball was set up for teams who won most in regular season to make it the World Series. That has changed and has extended the interest of fans in many cities because of these chances to make the playoffs.

I agree with the above posts that this has something to do with loss Polanco is dealing with. Then add in pressure playing at major league level and being away from family and things can get away from somebody pretty quickly. This such mental game and if your not at top your game it will get better of you. I wonder if the Twins could give time off and here soon because he is not doing anybody any good the way it is now. I believe that also happened to Joe Mauer for couple years getting married and then having Twins it distracts from the players mental focus to where it effects there performance. We see it in all types of businesses why not in Baseball because these are still people who are effected by many things in their personal lives more than we know.

This years Twins were not given a chance when you look they did nothing for the bull pen especially when they lost May in spring training. It was biggest weakness this team had coming out spring training and especially with weak starting pitching staff. If they truly putting winning team on the field they would have looked for reliever back in May to early June after this team was showing it could win. Getting back to 1987 Twins over off season they acquired Jeff Reardon shut down closer did we see any move like that this year no and they signed Juan Berenguer in the off season 8 inning setup man. The Twins were needing pitching and they went traded for Joe Neikro in first few days of June not trading deadline but early enough to make a difference. Second yes there was only one play off series then but you also had to win your division and back then schedule was balanced you didn't play your division more than tougher eastern division and usually Eastern division opponent was loaded team because they had to be that way to compete in eastern division. But still came down to getting into the playoffs getting hot at the right time. Today its even more that way now because there are 3 more playoff openings and look in the last 10 years how many wild card teams have made world series while division winners with the big records get beaten out. Also today it much easier to close this distance in standings because your playing so many games in your division and if you can beat teams in your division because not all division are equal and look at AL central consider weaker division but teams have faired quite well in playoffs in last 10 years. Its not now who has best team for the long haul but who has team that is hot at the end of season and is playing good baseball. Cubs won last year being total team but prior to that the favorites in baseball have failed. Winning in baseball is funny thing you look at teams on paper who look to be winners and it doesn't happen and teams that thought to be not ready get there. The Twins of 10 years ago won and never had no success in playoffs so everyone thinks now we have to have this perfect team. What happen to those teams if you look is almost every time we got there we came in playoffs hurt with one or two of star players hurt and we were playing a deep playoff club. Also those teams had mental block in playing New York and one time they got Oakland was the hot team so you never know in playoffs because it who's hot for just few games. This is change in baseball where in past the team with best record in baseball was won that played in fall classic today its not that it may mean the team who played the best down the stretch last two months got into playoffs. Look at how many world series teams have been wild cards

The front office waved the white flag when they traded Garcia. I think he was never intended as additional player he was chip to acquire the prospects from NY and he pitched so they could eat his salary. Look back at the Two world series team of Twins if front offices had raised white flag like these guys we would not have had two world series wins. 87 Twins numbers were very similar to these Twins and yet they put it together at end won world championship. For small market teams when your close to getting into the dance you try to stay competitive because you may not get another chance. I am almost 60 years old in my life time the Twins have had very few times when they could make the playoffs and even then most time they were flawed team. Only the 65 twins were what you call terrific team and yet they lost the world series. Everybody says were not ready but I tell you unless your major market team your never ready. What happens next year say Sano gets hit by pitch say like this year breaks couple of bones in his hand and he's gone for rest of season and Buxton slides into outfield fence hurts knee what happens to our chances of winning. We sure don't go out trade for big time bat like new York or Chicago does we have another poor season. I have seen this to many times in my lifetime when you think you have a team ready to win it all something happens to the plan. Baseball is not football to many think like that in Minnesota and even in the media they think in terms of front offices moves are similar well there not. I was hoping this front office was going to fix what I think has been longterm problem with the Twins in that we have had pitchers here and they go else where and they get fixed to where they become top pitcher. I am betting Kyle Gibson will be one of these pitchers. Also same thing with power hitters Ortiz for example and now Vargas. I guess I leveled enough complaints but I believe you don't give up at least not until September and even then if your close you need to press on. Also you don't do give half hearted attempt to just keep people coming to ball park.

I don't have a problem with play by play the problem is that it hard to put positive light on such a team of poorly played baseball. There job is not to say what is wrong with Twins and how it should be fixed and who needs to improve. They are hired by Twins ownership and management to just put as much a positive spin on Twins baseball as they can. When you have experienced 5 years like we have had it doesn't make them credible to the fan. I willing to bet that if you could get there real opinions on what needs to be fix and what individuals need to brought to task they could tell you. I am betting there being around team and traveling with the team they can see what's wrong and also talking to other media people about the Twins they may have more knowledge than anybody what's wrong with the Twins. I think ownership some times should talk to these people on qt. to find out going on with there teams as well as some of the other support people involved with the Twins. Like some have said I don't want whole bunch of statistics for play by play I like it to something that is fun to listen too and maybe has enough analysis of what team is doing. I think sometimes they could also take point of analysis of what other team may be trying to do counter what the Twins are doing or what the Twins are doing to counter what the other team is doing. I think that has been problem at least last couple years I don't think Twins have been following what they say are doing and how do you as play by play man point this out and keep your job if you are going against team or coaches get be able to get information they need to do there job. Also this is not football where you can be more critical because this where your with a team for 150 + games not just 16 and once a week.

Like any business there's risk in hiring a new manager and time will only tell how he does as manager for this organization. Contrary to what people think I believe there is a lot right about this organization and what I think is wrong with it is probably they have not hired enough people and created good communication system on player development and scouting. This means more people for analytical side, more scouts, and more people teaching down in the instructional leagues. Also whole new department of people for medical and physical training for players. I also think that coaching is behind to other baseball organizations in that analytics is part of the coaching young players today. I think were going to see how invested are Pohlads are when all this increases the cost of doing business. Also one thing I see with Cleveland is they have produced winning club this year but business side getting people to the ball park has not been good. This is going to be important in Minnesota because this was bottom line why Terry Ryan was fired cost were up and interest was going down. His successor will have some time but not the time that Terry had. This new head of baseball is going to need some luck in finding some pitching and better hope that some Terry Ryan past plan pans out in the future. Like Phil Hughes returning and being able to pitch like at least number 3 starter, Gibson developing into quality starter, Santanna continuing to pitch like he has, and for Berios to develop in quality starter, not to mention Mays, and Duffy. I think new Head can put together adequate bull pen by few signings and what is in the farm system. Offense is strong on this team and should continue improve with this young talent. Defense is another issue to many players above average offensively but are weak in the field. Also have some positions that are too deep at but hard to get value out them because of weakness on defense side or to expensive to keep around much longer and other teams know this. Team needs catcher and find shortstop that plays defense and supplies enough offense. I think this will be benefit of new blood or change we might find where some players are given chance at position and this brings me to having Molitor remain manager. I think he should be let go and let the new man choose his manager to fit how he wants to put this team together and style of ball he wants them to play. But getting back to all people wanting to blow up whole organization I think that would be big mistake and we would be looking at another 4 years of loosing baseball while rebuilding the team with new person and with possibilities that could altogether fail with that person. Then we would be looking at over decade of loosing baseball.

I think Berrios problem is reason the Twins are having so much trouble developing pitching. The problem is Twins have not put the resources of coaching and people aiding coaching staff pick up on tipping pitching or its mechanical problems its been being missed until they reach majors and then they are to well develop to make these changes and we are running into why the Twins are behind other teams in pitching development. I also think it goes into their scouting people to know what they are looking at. This is important to the Twins future as is anything they need people who are on top of this from the beginning with their players. I also think they people checking on the people doing instructing to see that they are not missing something. Because a problem at this level is not easily correctable if its not caught until major league level or triple A. I am willing to bet ST. Louis has system that is good because look at the arms they have produced over last 10 years. Also the mets over my lifetime the number of number one pitchers they have developed is amazing. I Think the new head of baseball organization this will be as important to the team as how they structure the Twins baseball clube will be next two years because if they don't correct this the Twins will never be able to compete with other teams.

I have thought along the Twins should be trading Dozier and it certainly he is at high point in value. The only problem I have with that is I don't have a lot of trust in Twins making a good deal to get some young arms. I look at when they Traded Span and Revere for pitching and so far only pitcher of value has been May and I think the Twins have maybe screwed him up now I am wondering if he will develop into the pitcher he looked like he could become. If the Twins could get young pitcher nearly MLB ready and couple low minor high upside pitchers thrown into the deal I think they should. I Think that Polanco could fill in adequately for Dozier and I just don't think the Twins will be ready to win before they have to make a decision on Doziers. What ever MN does in picking pitchers has not been what you call stellar for the organization. I can't remember when the Twins have had high upside pitcher they drafted and made major leagues and stayed up and was successful my guess it would be Radke. If the Twins wanted improve the organization they need to figure out what they do as organization and why they are not coming up with more pitching talent. A new GM should address this problem right away and start making changes to correct this problem. A major league club if its going to win needs to develop pitching on their own if they want to be contenders. I wonder what changes would need to be made to improve this. I think its not getting rid of people but adding people who's only job is acquire and find good pitching prospects. I think their people finding position players are above average and should continue in their jobs in player development. I look at their drafting position players and acquiring position players they have been very successful. Now they need to find people that are as good at that in finding pitching.

The Twins are always looking for the flashy glove at ss instead of just finding a shortstop that can make the routine plays and has little pop in his bat. They had in Hardy but he was to slow, not enough range etc. and since we gone through another couple of SS. I think Escobar could be good average short stop but twins are still looking for hall fame short stop. Polanco is second baseman or 3 baseman and the Twins are just wasting at bats on Plouffe they are not going to trade him for much and sure not going to sign him next year for 10 million. They already have log jam at infield Escobar, Polanco, Sano, and Santanna all much cheaper options much longer control than Plouffe. In my opinion they are just wasting at bats and taking away development of younger players. The Twins just have hard time turning page on their number 1 draft picks when they don't pan out. I also believe the Twins will need to trade Dozier for pitching soon if they are going to make run by 2018. He could bring several top quality pitching prospects to Twins that would be ready to pitch at big league level. They have Polanco that could be above average at second and they Gordon kid coming up fast in minors also will need a position.

He needs to shorten the swing up and try to make some contact. All these kids are being told by their agents that they go to hit for power to get the big bucks. Also they get this mind set of what other prospects have been doing and if they are hitting for power and getting on they try to force it too. Major league pitching will just take advantage of this and pretty soon they got these kids all mixed up. Also I think they the coaching doesn't understand them and pretty soon you got player all mixed up. I just wish these kids could quit worry about there contracts and just play the game. Same thing for Sano he playing all right but if he would start working to reach next level he could be super star. I think the Twins need veteran super star that can relate to these kids and get them to next level. Joe Mauer is veteran but according reports he's not that out going player these kids nee. I think that was what Tori Hunter brought to the Twins. He was somebody that had gone through what these kids are now experiencing and he could communicate with them, Some of these kids will just play themselves out major league baseball with the talent to become super star.

Looks to be a fair trade for the Twins. Hope he keeps himself clean and not caught again for drugs. It opens up infield for Escobar to get playing time and I wouldn't be surprised if Dozier might be traded opening the way for some Twins prospects to come up later this year. Still expect Twins to trade reliever yet for fair prospect. I hope they can trade Nolasco and Milone for something. Nolasco future is in the national league. Milone would fit with a lot of teams he can make a fifth starter to eat innings or he can be used in long relief. I still wonder how much trading is going to happen before the trade deadline. Its good start for the Twins but I still think they have work cut out for them in moving some players yet.