specialiststeve

Have said it all off season that we should get him signed. As Bobs said am sure he is looking for a major league deal. Pretty sure all the teams are asking him to take a minor league deal. Am guessing if we did a major league deal he would be signed tomorrow if the money was right. As far as the minor league deal we would need to have pretty good incentives in there to make him sign here.... I would be good with it as his upside is pretty high.

Didn't know that ... thanks.

Actually am pretty sure that they will add a pitcher for the last spot. Adding the pitcher allows the Twins especially early to mix and match guys to get through the early part of the season when pitchers tend to not go as long. I would actually see Nick Gordon to make a push for the 26 spot also as is 24 years old and we need to see if he is going to contributor or have him move on. Not going to light it up but may as well see if he got game as they say.

After playing 3rd he should be fine "picking" the ball on plays. The footwork at 1st is different but think he is more than capable of making the switch. Good insight into the "stretch" issue as he and the medical folks are going to have to keep working on his flexibility issues to make sure he stays healthy... See him beings the "other" Miggy and mirror the Detroit version... Lots of offense and okay defense.

Thanks for the great info!

He seems to fit our needs... am sure he is on the FO radar....

I had mentioned him several different times in the low risk - high reward category. I would say if he would accept a minor league deal do it today. Am guessing most of these guys that are in his category they are looking for major league deals so it may be a while before we sign the depth guy in this type of deal.

All the new metrics aside... quality infield defense is very helpful to a pitching staff as well as to improved chances of winning. The less outs you give up.. the less runs you likely will be giving up...... the less runs you give up the better chance you have to win. Old school metrics...

Trade targets will change by then... impossible to tell who will be available. Likely will be guys that are overpriced (not going to happen), guys that are on the last year of their deal (depending on what is wanted - possible) or teams looking to get a sweetheart deal for a prime guy (also not going to happen). I still think we sign a guy or two that are vets with no team... hopefully minor league deals so don't have to put on the 40 man roster. Lightning in a bottle as they say.

I like that they (the Twins) figured out that good arms should be used. If they can figure out a niche and is helping the team in a quality way... let him stay. Having a quality bullpen in this day and age is very important and having him at a cost effective way is even better.

I do believe that the FO is still probing for pitching. We have to understand that other than the big boys EVERYONE is looking for pitching. Most of the FA that are reliable are gone. Most of the options are guys that are looking to rebound. Other teams are not putting their pitching on the block as are in the same boat as we are.... Hold tight.. our studs are right around the corner.

Here is how I see this going.... Nelson Cruz was great last year and hopefully as good this year but his contract is up after this year. Hopefully he will have another great year and we sign him for another year... but if he ends up leaving ... Donaldson can take more time at DH to take several days off a week in years to come and likely the full time DH in years 3 and 4 if his defense goes down hill or if he is wearing down too much. Lewis should hopefully be ready in 21' and take over at SS.... Polanco can move over to 3rd. If he can play short he has enough arm to play 3rd. (I played SS and 3rd in college and 3rd takes less of an arm) Still have a quality lineup and defense would be better up the middle.. Hopefully Arraez has been taking 1000 ground balls over the winter and working on that body!

When you have great assets... OF right now you move a Rosario for what you need or a piece for your system to fill a possible future need. Having a balance on your major league club of young and vets is ideal. If an ace comes along and a quality position player is needed I am okay with it but NOT for a pitcher that is not a top end guy... value is not there. Position players are tough to come buy and while about 1 in 5 quality prospects actually work out... we need to keep the system full. If we have a ML lineup that is controllable and producing.. we are in an AWSOME place and we can call the shots better. Lots of low risk high reward guys out there that can bridge the gap until our pitching studs are ready... which is right around the corner....

Still need some low risk ... high reward type pitcher. Should be able to land one of ... Taijuan Walker would be my 1st choice... 2 year deal... or ....one of..... Jhoulys Chacin, Matt Harvey, Jeremy Hellickson, Shelby Miller, Andrew Cashner... 1 year deal.... if possible minor league deal.... Then I would sign Aaron Sanchez to a two year deal like Pineda... insurance... low risk ... high possible reward...

Gotta disagree... Comparing the Twin's to the Yankees is just silly. They have the resources to just buy there way out of mistakes and their minor leaguers unless top notch are just trade add ins. We don't have that luxury. We are more on pace with the TB's of the world. We need to continue to grow from within... trading a Rosario for quality pitching would be smart right now even if it is a Liberatore type guy who is a bit away. We are NEVER going to sign an ace so we need to develop. As far as having many quality guys at the same position it is a great problem to have as about 20% of hot minor league prospects ever pan out.... 5 good prospects = 1 good major league player.... as a rule. We are better of doing what we are doing now in getting guys for 2 year or 1 year deals ... keep developing and as last year the young guys start contributing... and keep the costs down....

As much as I love the guys that we have coming up I would hope that we could still sign a vet that would another low cost bridge that could swing to the pen if needed. Guys that are still out there that may fit the bill of guys that could be bridge guys. Minor league deals that can convert to major league if make the team out of spring training... Matt Harvey.... Jhoulys Chacin.... Shelby Miller.... Or my favorite.. 2 year deal like Pineda Taijuan Walker I think we could live with on of those as our # 4 until Pineda gets back and if would be pitching well would give our youngsters time to fill in here and there. God knows we will have injuries and they will all likely get their opportunity.

I think either would be a very good get but I disagree that they would not cost a ton. It would take some high quality prospects to get either of these guys.

May want to try to keep up Ted... we are signing Donaldson... our defense improved with a swipe of a pen. Still not going to be like the good old days of great defensive Twins teams of the past but this may be the best offensive lineup in the history of the Twins if we can stay healthy. We are good.... really we are good.

Minor league deal fine... otherwise ... pass....

Good day for the Twins! Have a feeling they are not done yet... likely a trade but think they will try to get a young pitcher that has big upside.... and ready now.... just a feeling.

? How would the rotation be worse... we have top 3 back .. Gibson and Perez were Okay before the all star break and AWFUL after. Bailey and Hill are "at least" their equal and with Dobnak showing he belongs we are clearly better... not as good as the big boys but better than last year. As far as the lineup Cron was pretty good I admit but still have time to hopefully sign Donaldson which imporves our lineup. Shoop barely played after Arraez signed. Arraez will only get better ..... Love the top ten assessment! Please bring on the spring soon!!

Was blessed to be able to play some college baseball and was that "utility guy" until I was a senior. Played C, 3B, SS, 2B, 1B and OF.... Of these I thought Left field was the easiest but in the IF - 1B was clearly the easiest. Basically short area to cover.... very little throws that have to be made and basically just need a good skillset to catch the ball. Mind you it may be the easiest but a great 1B (Kent Hrbek) can save your IF and make an ordinary IF look pretty darn good. That said like Castellanos bat but just don't think it would be wise to sign him for that spot.

Preferably 1B ....

I am on board with Gonzalez playing third if we don't get Donaldson. Playing the utility roll and not knowing where or if you are playing any particular day is not conducive to getting any flow at the dish. I think he would likely put up 25 HR and hit 250 which would be respectable.... given the other choices I think he would be fine there.

As much as I like Bryant I would think with his contract issues we would need to pass... Having only 2 year of control and maybe 1 would to me mean if we were going to trade for him we trade Rosario and a lower level guy... would be fine with... as both are 2 years out. Like most would like Donaldson if he ever makes up his mind... nice that we are still in the running but that has not gone great this off-season. But getting one stud each year is/would be a good offseason. Otherwise some trade targets I would look at....that may cost less..... or more.... Jake Lamb (Ariz).... often injured but last healthy was in the discussion for an MVP... likely would be pretty cheap.... Kevin Cron (Ariz) has LIT up AAA but has been blocked and likely would again be fairly reasonable. Also would be under control. He would play 1st... Sano stays at 3B. Xander Bogarts (With David Price) Would likely cost us Lewis, one of our top OF prospects and a P prospect but... Bogarts is a top glove/bat combo that is signed for the next 7 years... Have to eat Price's contract but he would be a nice addition to our rotation. Polanco to 2nd - Arraez to 3rd and our offense is still very good and our defense is light years better. Highly unlikely but I like! Matt Chapman... Would take a Bagart type deal but would again take our defense up a big notch and offense would be quality also... would get for next 3 years.... Jed Lowrie... 10 mil for 2 years... would need to come with either Matz (2 years of use or Stroman who will be a FA after this year. Mets would like to move him... Or last ...but very possible they put Gonzalez at 3rd who is solid there... Sano over to 1st and Bring up either Gordon or Blankenhorn to take Gonzalez utility position... Actually if we don't land Donaldson I really see this happening.