Cody Christie

[ATTACH=CONFIG]2795[/ATTACH] One of the fallouts from the Denard Span trade last week is the promotion of Ben Revere to leadoff hitter and starting center fielder. Revere has served in this capacity at various times over the last couple of season when Span was dealing with a variety of injury issues. His defense has been exciting to watch and he has shown tremendous speed on the base paths but will Revere be able to handle the hitting approach it takes to be a lead-off hitter for a big league club? Revere has played in parts of three seasons with the Twins but the bulk of his playing time has come in the last two years. He has hit .278/.319/.323 with not much power but that follows his minor league track record. During last season, Revere made some solid jumps by boosting his batting line to .294/.333/.342 with a little bit more power and consistent base stealing ability. These were steps in the right direction for Mr. Revere but his light hitting approach might make it hard to be consistent at the top of the order. Scouting reports have made it easier for defenses to move in their defenses when Revere steps into the box. Looking at the spray chart shown below from Texas Leaguers, Revere seems to be able to find hits to all over the field but there isn’t a lot of damage done in the deep outfield. Opposing players are able to move their defense in considerably with Revere to try and take away some of his short hits. The Twins are relying on him continuing to improve his on-base skills and his ability to hit at a consistent level. [ATTACH=CONFIG]2796[/ATTACH] Revere has one of the highest groundball percentages in the major leagues and this can be an offensive flaw if he isn’t hitting the ball to the right spots. His speed helps him to beat out a few base hits and he is always a threat to steal when he reaches first base. Speed is a handy attribute to have and Revere needs to continue to use this skill to his advantage. The Twins might be looking to him to get more bunt base hits to start an inning and he will have to continue to improve on his skills in this department. One skill important for leadoff hitters is the ability to work counts from the top spot in the order. Out of his 553 plate appearances in 2012, he reached a three-ball count 93 times. It will be even more important to work ahead in the count as the first batter of the game. Last season he was ahead in the count more than he was behind and the Twins will want him to continue this trend as he settles into the full-time leadoff role. During six seasons in the minor leagues, Revere showed the ability to get on base at a very good rate (.383). Most of this was driven by a very high batting average of .326, which is a number that he most likely won't be able to duplicate at the big league level. His batting average went up this year in his second full season and that average was higher than all but one full season from Denard Span. If Revere can continue to stay close to the .300 mark and make slight improvements to his OBP, the Twins will be happy with his results at the plate. With other outfielder like Aaron Hicks and Oswaldo Arcia waiting in the wings, the Twins needed to trade Denard Span. Revere might not offer the power of Span but his speedy style is something fans already love. He is the latest man to follow the lineage from Kirby Puckett to Torii Hunter to Denard Span and Twins fans hope he is ready for the job.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]2790[/ATTACH] At the beginning of last week, the ballot for the Minnesota Twins Hall of Fame was released. This year's ballot includes 18 former players including players from five decades of Twins baseball. Since the original class of six was selected in 2000, the Twins have regularly inducted one to two former players or other important people in the club's history. Last season, former pitcher Camilo Pascual was inducted and this followed pitcher Jim Perry and shortstop Greg Gagne in the two previous seasons. There are a wide variety of players on this year's ballot. Early members of the Twins like Dave Boswell, Mudcat Grant, and Cesar Tovar helped the franchise to their first World Series birth. Plenty of players are on the list from the Twins World Series runs in 1987 and 1991. There are even players from the rebirth of Twins baseball in the early 2000s. Here is a look at the top five players on the ballot according to their Wins Above Replacement with the Twins. When it comes to picking out members of the Twins HOF, there is more that goes into it than just their numbers on the field but it is a good starting point. [ATTACH=CONFIG]2791[/ATTACH] If a person looks at the list above, it seems obvious that Knoblach should be elected to the club's HOF. His offensive numbers with the team put him near the top of a variety of offensive categories so it seems likely that he should be elected at some point in the future. He didn't exactly leave the team on good terms and many people might remember the ugly day when fans started throwing hot dogs at him when he was playing in the Metrodome outfield. In recent years, the push has been for players from the early years of the Twins. This could bode well for a player like Cesar Tovar and Dave Goltz. Tovar played parts of eight seasons with the Twins as an outfielder. For his career with the Twins, he hit .281/.337/.377 with a little bit of power. Goltz was a pitcher for the Twins in the 1970's that amassed a 96-79 record with a 3.48 ERA. He won 20 games in 1977 and finished sixth in the Cy Young voting that season. It could be time for the Twins to look to a player from more recent years with a little more fan appeal. Roy Smalley sees a lot of time during the FSN broadcasts and this has allowed fans to get to know him better in the last few seasons. Corey Koskie was always an appreciated player and the third baseman has stayed close with the organization since his departure. One of these players might have the upper hand in this year's voting. This season doesn't seem like the right time for Knoblach to get the nod in the election process. There just hasn't been enough time since his falling out with the club. He should get in at some point but the timing definitely needs to be right. I would love to see Corey Koskie get recognized for his time with the Twins. He was under-appreciated during his time in a Twins uniform and I think that has become more noticeable in recent years as the Twins struggle to find a reliable man at third base. As a Twins fan from the new generation of Twins baseball, Koskie is the man I would like to see elected.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]2778[/ATTACH] On Thursday afternoon, it was announced that the Twins had traded Denard Span to the Washington Nationals for Alex Meyer, a 2011 first round draft pick. Span had been rumored in deals to the Nats for multiple seasons and the Twins were finally able to work out a deal to their liking. It will be tough to see Span leave but there was a logjam in the Twins outfield and he was one of their most valuable trade chips. Meyers has plenty of potential as a starting pitcher with a fastball that can hit the upper 90's and a very good slider. If I was placing him in my top prospect list from earlier this offseason, he would most certainly crack the top 10 and he will likely fall in the top 5 before all things are said and done. When Scott Baker signed with the Cubs earlier this offseason, I put together a list of his top five games in a Twins uniform. It seems fitting to do the same for Mr. Span since he was a fan favorite during his time in the Twin Cities. Good luck to Span with his new team and this gives fans another reason to cheer for the Nationals. 5. Five hit performance helps Twins in blowout win Stat Summary: 5-5, 2B, 3 R, RBI Game Summary: Twins win 11-0 vs Tigers at Comerica Park (8-8-2009) The Twins wouldn't need all of Span's five hits in this game but it was the most hits he ever accumulated in one contest for the Twins. He would match this mark in other games but this was the one time he was a perfect five for five. His three runs in the game would be the most on the team and his double to start the game would set the tone. Joe Mauer hit a home run later that inning and the best part about this blowout win was that Justin Verlander was on the mound. 4. Span's perfect day at the plate helps Twins win in extras Stat Summary: 4-4, 3B, 2 R, RBI Game Summary: Twins win 7-6 vs Tigers at Comerica Park (7-10-2008) In this back and forth game between the Twins and the Tigers, Span tried to prove he belonged permanently at the big league level. His triple in the top of the third would give the Twins their first run of the game and he would score later in the inning. Span would be involved in the comeback for the Twins as he cracked a single in the top of the ninth. A run was scored on the play after an error by the right fielder and Span would score the tying run in his next at-bat. In the tenth inning, Span helped to keep the rally going with a single that pushed the winning run to third base. Span was proving his value to the Twins and it didn't look like he would be heading back to the minor leagues anytime soon. 3. Rookie Span helps Twins sneak past the White Sox Stat Summary: 3-4, 3B, 2B, R, 3 RBI Game Summary: Twins win 7-6 vs White Sox at Metrodome (9-25-2008) The Twins had to play catch-up after the White Sox put six runs on the board in the top of the fourth inning. Span would help the Twins on their bid to make a comeback. His single in the first inning would put Minnesota in place to score their first run of the game on a Mauer ground rule double. In the fourth inning, Span would cut the Chicago lead to one with a run scoring double but the Twins still had some work to do. After a Carlos Gomez triple, Span was asked to lay down a suicide squeeze and it worked as the Twins cut the lead to two. The biggest hit for Span would come in the bottom of the eighth against Bobby Jenks, the closer for Chicago. His triple would tie the game and put the Twins in position to win in extra-innings. 2. Career high 6 RBI helps Span lead Twins past Royals Stat Summary: 4-5, 3B, R, 6 RBI Game Summary: Twins win 11-6 vs Royals at Kauffman Stadium (9-26-2009) The Royals took the lead in the bottom of the second inning and it took awhile for the Twins to wake up their bats against Lenny DiNardo. In the top of the fourth inning, the Twins finally started to make their move. Span would have one of the biggest at-bats with the score tied and the bases load. He knocked a triple to deep center field to clear the bases. Minnesota would be in control of the game from that point forward and Span would help the club to add to their lead with some well timed hits in the late innings. RBI totals are all about having the opportunity and Span made the most of his opportunities in this game. 1. Span ties team record with three triples Stat Summary: 4-4, 3 3B, 2 R, 5 RBI Game Summary: Twins win 11-4 vs Tigers at Target Field (6-29-2010) Span started this game with a triple and he never looked back. By the end of the contest, he would tie the team record for triples in a game and he would also drive in five runs in the process. His triple in the bottom of the fourth inning can be seen as the turning point in the game. Until that point, it had been a back and forth game with the Tigers leading after the top of the fourth. Span cracked a triple with two men on base to tie the game. The Twins never trail from that point forward and Span helped them to add to their lead later in the game. One triple is hard enough to get in a game and three triples is something special that doesn't happen very often. There you go with some of the best performances from Span during his Twins career. Apparently he was a Tiger killer during his career in the AL Central. What was your favorite Span moment and what will you miss most about the center fielder?

[ATTACH=CONFIG]2767[/ATTACH] Here are a few of the offseason stories swirling as the Winter Meetings approach. Get yourself caught up on all the happenings from the rumor mill. Step up to the table because there are plenty of Twins tidbits to go around. Starting the countdown at number 8: 8. Pat Neshek avoids arbitration with Oakland, signs a one-year deal Neshek has always been a fan favorite in Minnesota and he had a rebirth with the resurgent A's in 2012. He had plenty to deal with in the past year with the tragedy that struck his family. It is good that he has something positive happen to him and he can hope to improve himself for next season. He is an easy person to root for and I hope he finds continued success in Oakland. 7. Carl Pavano might be looking to return to the Marlins Pavano pitched in Florida before signing his big deal with the Yankees and reports are that he wouldn't mind a Miami reunion. He has plenty to prove after a rough year in 2012. The big ballpark in Miami might help him to have another productive season but his results from last year make it seem like he is on the downward slide. 6. Denard Span doesn't look like he will be going to Atlanta The Braves signed BJ Upton to a 5-year, $75 million contract to fill-up one of their outfield spots. Reports say the Braves were discussing signing Upton and trading for Denard Span. Unfortunately, trade talks have stalled with the Twins. It would have been nice for Minnesota to get a pitcher or two back from the Braves but it doesn't sound like it will happen at this point. He could still be on the move to another team during the Winter Meetings. 5. Twins haven't approached Justin Morneau about a contract extension Morneau's deal is up at the end of the coming season and the club hasn't sat down to discuss the possibility of an extension with their Canadian slugger. There could be a chance the club is looking to deal him this winter and that might be one of the reasons these talks haven't taken place. He made it clear that he loves playing in Minnesota but he knows his recent injury history will play a role in getting a deal done. 4. Francisco Liriano could be back in Minnesota Sources from the Twins have told the Star Tribune that the left-handed pitcher and his representation have been in contact with the Twins. There are plenty of openings in Minnesota's starting rotation so a player like Liriano might be necessary. It can be assumed that he is looking for a mulit-year contract and that might not be something the Twins are willing to do. Never say never though.... 3. Could Joe Mauer be traded to Boston? The Red Sox dumped a lot of salary at the end of last year and they could be looking to add some pieces this offseason. One of those pieces could be Joe Mauer but as their first baseman since the team is going hard after Mike Napoli. This is complete speculation at this point since there probably isn't much of a chance of the Twins dealing the face of their franchise. If Boston came calling with a good deal, it might be hard for the Twins to ignore. Clearing all of that salary space would be nice for the future. 2. Danny Valencia on the move again The Red Sox sold Valencia to the Orioles for cash considerations on Wednesday. The 28-year old infielder seemed to be locked in for the Twins at third base after a good rookie season. His bat never looked the same after his first year and the Twins parted ways with him after the emergence of Trevor Plouffe. Maybe Valencia and former infielder Alexi Casilla can start a reunion tour in Baltimore's infield. 1. Friday is deadline day for Duensing, Burton, and Butera Minnesota has three players eligible for arbitration this year and the deadline to tender them a contract is Friday. Most likely the Twins will certainly want to keep Duensing and Burton around for next year so the only question mark could be Butera. If the Twins want a spot open on the 40-man roster for the Rule 5 Draft, Butera might be the odd man out.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]2755[/ATTACH] The Rule 5 Draft can be an interesting test of an organization because of all of the rules and regulations involved in selecting a player. To understand the Twins mindset for the draft, it is important to know the rules involved in selecting a player and the purpose of the Rule 5 Draft. All of these things can go a long way into a team's decision to pick a player or to let their pick go to the wayside. When MLB instituted the Rule 5 Draft, the purpose was to keep teams from stockpiling MLB ready talent in their organization. This draft gives players that are ready the opportunity to sink or swim at the big league level. If a player has been with a team for an allotted amount of time and hasn't been added to the 40-man roster, he is exposed to the Rule 5 Draft. Rule 5 players must stay with their new big league club or be offered back to their old team. This means a club can’t pick up a Rule 5 player and stash him away in the minor leagues. The order of the draft is based on the win-loss record of the team's from the previous season. For the Twins, this means the club has the fourth pick after having the second pick last season. Here is a look at the Twins last five Rule 5 drafts: [ATTACH=CONFIG]2754[/ATTACH] None of the above listed Rule 5 picks were strong enough to stay on the 25-man roster for the entire season. Scott Diamond has been the only player in the last half decade to make an impact on the Twins from their Rule 5 selections. Even he had to be sent to the minors for a little more seasonin, which meant the Twins needed to work out a trade with his previous team, that Atlanta Braves. The Rule 5 Draft can be full of disappointments but there can be some "Diamonds" in the rough. One of the sticking points for the Twins at this point is they have no space available on their 40-man roster. For the team to use their fourth pick in the Rule 5 Draft, they would need to clear room on the roster. The organization just added eight players to the 40-man so there is a chance the team might not be looking to making any additions at this point. There are a few names left off of other team's 40-man rosters and this could be good news for the Twins. The club is in desperate need of adding some pitching and the Rule 5 Draft could help in this search. Below you will find three names of pitchers that could be available for the Twins to select with their fourth pick but they still need to make room on the 40-man roster. Josh Fields, RHP, Red Sox (Age 27) Fields is a former first round pick that has spent the last two seasons bouncing between Double-A and Triple-A with the Red Sox and the Mariners. He has been used entirely as a relief pitcher but he has posted good ERA marks on his way up the ladder. He can strike batters out with a SO/9 of 12 last year and he doesn't walk a lot of batters. Fields is a flyball pitcher but he does a good job of keeping the ball in the park and this would suit him well at Target Field. His fastball sits in the mid-90s and he has a very good curveball. Fields seems like a player that could slide into a bullpen role with the Twins next year. Kyle Kaminska, RHP, Pirates (Age 24) The Twins love control pitchers and Kaminska might fit their profile. He worked his way up to Triple-A last season in a primary relief role. His low walk rate of 1.2 BB/9 sure sounds like it is right up the Twins alley. His fastball sits right around 90 mph and his breaking pitch isn't anything to write home about. Kaminska could fit into the middle of a bullpen and eat up some innings for a club. The Twins seem to need starting pitching at this point so Kaminska might be overlooked for a pitcher with more experience in that role. JC Sulbaran, RHP, Royals (Age 23) Sulbaran is a new member of the Royals organization as he was just traded to the team last season. This still didn't mean they wanted to protect him on their 40-man roster. At 23 years old, he is still young and there is plenty of potential in his right arm. His control has been an issue during his time in the minors and this might make the Twins look the other direction. He averaged 5.2 BB/9 last year but he had 9.3 SO/9. Sulbaran has a low-90s fastball and a decent breaking pitch that could make him useful in the future. If the Twins want to take a flyer on a player, he could turn into a back of the rotation starter.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]2739[/ATTACH] It has been a continuous quest for the Twins to solidify their options up the middle. In recent seasons, it has seemed like a revolving door at some key positions on the field and this hasn't been beneficial to the club. One of the most problematic areas for the Twins in recent memory has been their search for a shortstop that could fit into their long-term plans. This search continues and it's hard to see an end in sight. In the last decade, the Twins have used eight different Opening Day starters at shortstop. The only men to make the list twice in the last decade were Cristian Guzman and Jason Bartlett. Otherwise, it has been a continuous revolving door. In four of the last five seasons, the man to earn the job for Opening Day has failed to start the most games at shortstop over the course of the season. [ATTACH=CONFIG]2738[/ATTACH] When the Twins traded away Jason Bartlett and Matt Garza to get Delmon Young and Brendan Harris, it ended a nice run of consistency at shortstop. For the early part of the 2000s, the Twins had Cristian Guzman consistently leading the team at the shortstop position. Bartlett was there to take over after the team parted ways with Guzman. Since that point, it has been a hodgepodge of players at one of the most important positions on the field. The only year in recent memory with a semblance of consistency at shortstop was in 2010 after the Twins traded for JJ Hardy. He was the Opening Day starter and he led the team in games played at the position. There were still injury concerns with Hardy as he only played in 101 games but it was still more consistent than the last two years. In 2011, the Twins put a lot of stock into Tsuyoshi Nishioka and this plan failed miserably. He didn't work out at second base and he was even more of a disaster when they moved him to shortstop. After spending almost all of last season being less than mediocre at Triple-A, he went back to Japan. One of the biggest regrets besides Nishioka being horrible might be the fact that the team parted ways with Hardy to make room for their Japanese import. Last season, the Twins started the year with newly signed free agent Jamey Carroll at shortstop. Brian Dozier was coming off a very good season in the minor leagues after being named the team's minor league player of the year. Carroll didn't exactly hit the cover off the ball so the Twins handed the reigns to Dozier. It wasn't pretty for Dozier either and he ended the year in the minor leagues. The future of the shortstop position doesn't look to be getting any better in Minnesota. Pedro Florimon looks to have the upper hand at the Opening Day start in 2013 but there is still plenty of time before the Twins face the Tigers. Carroll, Dozier, and others might be in the mix for the starting role but the long-term solution doesn't seem like it will be in camp when the Twins head to Fort Myers. As far as prospects go, Daniel Santana looks like the next best potential shortstop in the organization. He spent all of last season at High-A with the Fort Myers Miracle. He put together the best season of his professional career by batting .286/.329/.410 with 38 extra-base hits. Levi Michael, the 2011 First Round Draft pick, split time at both middle infield positions for Fort Myers. Baseball America also named him the best defensive infielder in the Twins system. If Santana or Michael is the long-term solution at shortstop, they are still multiple levels away from cracking into the line-up for the Twins. There is always a chance the Twins could get a shortstop back in a trade this offseason but starting pitching is most likely the priority. At this point, the hope of 2013 looks to be a little bleak. The revolving door at shortstop needs to stop or the rest of Twins Territory is going to continue to have a sick feeling in their stomach.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]2735[/ATTACH] Following the 2009 season, Joe Mauer was sitting pretty when it came to his contract negotiations with the Minnesota Twins. He was coming off the best season of his career and he was only one full season away from hitting the free agent market. The Baseball Writers Association named him the American League Most Valuable Player and it looked like Mauer could ask for any amount of money that he wanted from his hometown team. Flash-forward a couple of seasons and a similar situation is beginning to play itself out in San Francisco. A young catcher is coming off of a MVP season and Buster Posey could be looking to cash-in with a long-term deal. Lucky enough for the Giants, Posey will be under their control from 2013-2016 but this could come at a steep cost. It might be a better deal for the club to work on a contract extension this offseason before Posey's value goes any higher. Will the Giants wait to see what Posey can do for an encore? The Twins were in a tough spot when Mauer was a year away from free agency. If the team didn't get something done before the start of 2010, they risked the chance of losing him as a free agent. For a team starting their first year in a new multi-million dollar stadium, it wouldn't have been good press to let their hometown star test the free agent waters. The Giants have the opportunity to wait and see if Posey will be able to match his numbers in 2013. He will get a raise as part of the arbitration process but he will still be relatively cheap compared to his value on the field. If the team goes year to year with Posey, there is a chance he will make close to $20 million for the 2016 campaign. Should Posey get more money than Mauer? When Mauer signed his deal, he would be turning 27 before the start of the next season. This meant his 8-year, $184 million contract would keep him in a Twins uniform through the 2018 season. He will be 35-years old by the end of the deal and he should be on the downside of his career. Mauer's deal ranks him as the highest paid catcher in history but Posey might be in position to break that mark. Unlike Mauer, Posey went to college before starting his pro career. This put him in a little bit of a hole when getting going in the big leagues. He is now 25-years old and the team can control his rights until he is 29-years old. If the Giants want to avoid some of the costs of the arbitration process, they could look to ink Posey to a deal but it's hard to imagine him getting more than Mauer at this point. One more MVP like season and this could be a different story. [ATTACH=CONFIG]2736[/ATTACH] Does less time catching mean less value? As Twins fans saw in 2012, the team was going to try their best to keep Mauer on the field. This meant less time at the catching position after a dreadful 2011 season where he played less than 100 games for the first time since his rookie season. The Twins want to keep Mauer's bat in the line-up on a regular basis and it looks like he will be playing less time at catcher as his career progresses. Posey also missed a chunk of time in 2011 due to injury after a gruesome collision at home plate broke his leg. This past season he still started over 110 games behind the plate but he did start to rack up some innings at first base. Without a DH in the National League, it looks like the Giants will be forced to continue to use Posey as their primary backstop. This can only help his value when it comes to contract negotiation time. In the end, Mauer is on pace to be one of the best hitting catchers of all-time. It looks like Posey will be following in Mauer's footsteps as their careers progress. For Posey, he might want to get the type of contract Mauer got from the Twins but he is already beating Mauer in the most important category of all... he has two championship rings.

It's the day before Thanksgiving and the beginning of next baseball season still seems far away. The offseason hasn't really gotten off to a thrilling start for the Twins. This means that fans will continue to wait for the club to make some kind of move to improve this team. When families gather around their table tomorrow, some will spend time discussing the things they are thankful for in the past year. This could include being thankful for good health, a new baby, or a marriage in the past year. You get the idea. If the Twins were gathering around a table at Target Field, here are some of the things they might say they are thankful for. [ATTACH=CONFIG]2726[/ATTACH] 1. Target Field: It's one of the finest facilities in baseball to watch a game. Also, the overall experience of going to a game at Target Field is amazing. There are so many different food choices, there are beautiful views of downtown Minneapolis, and there is so much to do besides watching a game. It truly is one of the best sporting experiences for Minnesota fans. The product on the field hasn't been the greatest the last two seasons but there were still other reasons to head to Target Field. Anyone that has taken the opportunity to go on a tour of Target Field knows what a first class facility the Twins have. After years of watching baseball under the Teflon roof of the Metrodome, it was nice to back to where baseball should be played under the bright blue sky. 2. Joe Mauer: He got some criticism when he missed a big chunk of the 2011 season with multiple injuries. This didn't stop Mauer from having a bounce-back year in 2012. His batting average was back over .300 and he led the American League in on-base percentage. He was forced to spend less time behind the plate but this could be better for the longevity of his career. Mauer has proven that he is one of the best hitters of this generation and he is in the discussion for best hitting catcher of all-time. He has three batting titles to his name, an MVP award, and he still hasn't turned 30-years old. Twins fans have been lucky to have some great players in the past but they are lucky enough to watch something special every night with Mauer on the field. 3. Rising prospects: While the current roster of Twins has fallen on hard times, there is plenty to be thankful for in the minor league system. The top prospects are all coming off of very good seasons and a couple look ready to break into the major leagues in the near future. This influx of young talent could help to put the franchise back on the winning path. Aaron Hicks and Oswaldo Arcia put together very strong seasons at the Double-A level and this should have them ready to emerge for Rochester. The lower levels of the system are also rich with talent like Miguel Sano, Eddie Rosario, and Byron Buxton. Obviously, not all of these prospects might succeed but there is a strong chance for a few of these players to be making an impact on the Twins in the next couple of years. 4. Terry Ryan: His approach to rebuilding a team helped to get the Twins to the top of the ladder in the AL Central for most of the 2000's. He might not want to spend a ton of money on the open market but this isn't always a bad thing. Bad, long-term contracts can haunt a team just as much as not signing players. Free agents Josh Willingham, Ryan Doumit, and Jamey Carroll all played significant roles on the 2012 version of the Twins. Willingham had a career year at the plate and Doumit turned his one-year deal into a multi-year contract with the club. There are going to be some hiccups like Joel Zumaya and Jason Marquis but it's important to take some chances. Restoring this team to it's former glory is his job and most fans are comfortable with him at the helm. 5. Hope for the future: After watching team's like the Baltimore Orioles and Oakland Athletics shock the baseball world, it's hard not to think that the Twins can do the same. They aren't that far removed from being at the top of the division and it seems like there are only a couple of pieces missing. All of these pieces are in the starting rotation but those are still holes that can be filled in one offseason. With the rising prospects talked about above and some of the current roster pieces, it can be hard not to have hope for the team to turn it around. There are new voices in the clubhouse and this might be the perfect time to make some noise again in the AL Central. Have a Happy Thanksgiving everybody! Travel Safe!

Out of the group, I think Shields, Price, and Moore will cost too much. I think Hellickson would be a nice target for the Twins.

It would be nice to be in the position of the Rays during this offseason. They seem to be in the opposite boat of the Twins in the fact that they have seven potential starting pitchers and only five available rotation spots. The Twins have one starter penciled in for the spring, Scott Diamond, and a whole lot of question marks for spots two through five. This inequality in resources seems to make the Twins and the Rays likely trade partners before the offseason is complete. There are three big names in the rotation for the Rays and it would take a lot to get one of those arms. Some of the other outlying men are still attractive for the Twins since they have so little when it comes to starting pitching. Plenty of other teams will be calling the Rays about their stockpile of arms so it's up to Terry Ryan and the Twins to make a deal that works out for both clubs. [ATTACH=CONFIG]2719[/ATTACH] Here is a look at the seven potential starters from Tampa Bay: James Shields: W-L (15-10), 3.52 ERA, 227.2 IP, 223 SO, 58 BB, 1.168 WHIP His club options over the next two seasons will only call for him to make a total of $24 million. That's a steal considering how much he could make on the free agent market. He has been a workhorse over the last six seasons by tossing over 215 innings and he has averaged 238 innings pitched in the last two years. Shields has held up so far but he will be 31-years old for all of next season and it's tough not to wonder if he will break down at some point in the near future. David Price: W-L (20-5), 2.56 ERA, 211 IP, 205 SO, 59 BB, 1.100 WHIP He is entering his first year of arbitration so he is under team control for multiple seasons and that will be a bonus to potential trade partners. It also helps that Price has been one of the top pitchers in the American League since he broke into the league a few seasons ago. Since he is four years younger than Shields, there is less wear and tear on his arm but that means it will cost more to get him. He will most likely cost more than the Twins are willing to pay with all the holes they have to fill. Matt Moore: W-L (11-11), 3.81 ERA, 177.1 IP, 175 SO, 81 BB, 1.348 WHIP Moore was supposed to be lined up for an outstanding rookie season after the way he pitched in the 2011 postseason. He wasn't terrible but the numbers don't exactly jump off the page at a person. Moore signed a team friendly deal to buy out his arbitration years so he can be under team control until 2019. This makes Moore one of the more attractive arms for the Rays but there's a good chance they hold on to him this offseason. He will only cost the team a total of $5 million for the next three seasons and there is plenty of potential is his left arm. Jeremy Hellickson: W-L (10-11), 3.10 ERA, 177 IP, 124 SO, 59 BB, 1.254 WHIP The 2011 American League Rookie of the Year put together similar numbers in 2012. He hasn't been signed to a long-term deal like Moore but he hasn't even hit his arbitration years. The earliest he could reach free agency is 2017 and this is something other teams will take into consideration. Hellickson isn't going to blow people away but he saw an increase in his strikeouts and a decrease in his walks last season. He hasn't pitched over 200 innings in a season but he is only 25. Alex Cobb: W-L (11-9), 4.03 ERA, 136.1 IP, 106 SO, 40 BB, 1.247 WHIP Cobb didn't start the year in the big leagues but he made a surprise impact on a team pushing for a playoff spot. There were some rough outings along the way but he was a very good pitcher from the end of July to the beginning of October. He is still pre-arbitration eligible so this adds to his value on the trade market and he could be a target for multiple teams. Jeff Niemann: W-L (2-3), 3.08 ERA, 38 IP, 34 SO, 12 BB, 1.105 WHIP After Niemann took a line drive off of his leg, he missed most of last season recovering from the injury. The 29-year old pitcher is entering his first year of arbitration so the earliest he can be a free agent is in 2015. In the two seasons before last year, he had an ERA of over 4.00 with other lackluster numbers. He would be fine as a back of the rotation guy and the Twins will take almost anyone at this point. Chris Archer: W-L (1-3), 4.60 ERA, 29.1 IP, 36 SO, 13 BB, 1.227 WHIP He was one of the players received by the Rays in the deal that sent Matt Garza to the Cubs. Archer made his MLB debut last season after spending the last two seasons in the upper levels of the Rays minor league system. He is the youngest pitcher in this group besides Moore and he showed some positive signs in the lower levels of the minor leagues. With BJ Upton most likely leaving in free agency, the Rays could be looking for add some depth in the outfield. This is one area the Twins have a surplus so it might make sense for the team's to swap a starting pitcher for a starting outfielder. Denard Span is under control for the next three seasons in a very team friendly deal and he could fit in nicely at the top of the order for the Rays. There are also a couple of younger outfielders in the Twins system ready to breakout at the big league level. If the Twins feel like they have a big enough need in the pitching department, they could trade Aaron Hicks or Oswaldo Arcia to try and land one of the more prominent names on this list. A deal between the Rays and the Twins seems like it would make sense but there is still plenty of offseason left for the right deal to get done.

Over the weekend, seven members of the Twins farm system were part of a championship in the Arizona Fall League. Their team, the Peoria Javelinas, took the title in a championship contest that saw no runs scored in the final six innings. By the end of the game, the Javelinas were able to celebrate on the field and prospects for the Twins were right in the middle of all of the excitement. The only member of the Twins to start in the game was Nate Roberts, the 2012 AFL batting champion. He was penciled into the number two spot and he served as the designated hitter. Roberts would finish the game by going 3-for-4 with a run scored which raised his average to .446 in the fall league. Evan Bigley would be the only other Twins player to make an appearance in the game. He entered the contest after star Reds prospect Billy Hamilton crashed into the outfield wall during the bottom of the eighth inning. Since Hamilton was the last out in the top of the frame, Bigley wouldn't record an at-bat in the contest. [ATTACH=CONFIG]2714[/ATTACH] During the multiple week season of the AFL, there were some good performances from this batch of future Twins. Here is look at the ranking of the top 2012 AFL performances from the Twins: 1. Nate Roberts, OF: In the course of his 19 games with Peoria, Roberts seemed like he could do no wrong at the plate. He batted almost .500 and his on-base percentage was creeping closer to .600. He hit three home runs in the AFL after only hitting four during the regular season. The AFL is considered a hitter’s league so it's a good thing anytime a prospect from your favorite organization can finish at the top of the batting leader board. 2. Logan Darnell, LHP: After being a starter for the entire year with the Rock Cats, Darnell split time between the starting rotation and the bullpen in the AFL. Out of the two games he started, he only allowed one earned run and he struck out seven. In fact, he never surrendered more than one run in appearance. He pitched less innings than Kyle Gibson but put together a very good 2.45 ERA. This has to be a confidence boost for Darnell as he looks towards next season with Rochester. 3. Kyle Gibson, RHP: Gibson started off on a tear in the AFL but he was tamed in his last handful of outings. In his first three trips to the mound, Gibson would pick up the win for Peoria. His first two outings were very strong as he pitched five innings in each outing and struck out eight batters per start. He would surrender 13 runs over 10.1 innings in his last three starts. He was even selected to start the AFL Rising Stars Game. Overall, the Twins were happy with his results and he made it healthy through the AFL. 4. Michael Tonkin, RHP: Tonkin had never pitched over the High-A level in the Twins system so there could have been some difficulties with the jump to the AFL. This wasn't the case as Tonkin was able to hold his own as a relief arm. Through his first eight appearances, he didn't give up a run. In his second to last outing, he gave up a home run and then his last appearance he gave up three runs. He still didn't give up more than one hit in any of his trips to the mound. 5. Evan Bigley, OF: Bigley was up and down during his time in the AFL. He hit a couple triples and four doubles but he wasn't able to get a home run. Unfortunately, he struck out at a rate of almost once a game but he did manage to knock in nine runs. Down the stretch, he put together a three game span where he went 7-for-15 with two triples, four runs scored, and four RBI. 6. Dan Rohlfing, C: Rohfling was sent to the AFL after Chris Herrmann was injured earlier in the fall season. This meant Rohlfing didn't get the entire AFL experience but he was still able to make his presence felt. He appeared in five games and hit .333 with five RBI and he started the AFL with a four game hit streak. He didn't rack up any extra-base hits but it was a small sample size and he really isn't known for his power stroke. 7. Caleb Thielbar, LHP: Thielbar was coming off quite the season where he pitched at three different levels in the Twins system. He finished the year in Rochester before being asked to head to the AFL. It was a rough time for Thielbar in Arizona. He pitched in 11 games and surrendered multiple runs in five of those appearances. His walk rate went up a little but he did strikeout batters at close to the same rate as the regular season. The AFL is supposed to be a tough environment for pitchers and this idea held true for Thielbar.