Cody Christie

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.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]2703[/ATTACH] Back in the 1993 when the Twins drafted a high school outfielder from Arkansas, there was plenty of hope surrounding his future. The greatest player in franchise history, Kirby Puckett, was manning the outfield for the current team and this new athletic young man was in line to be his heir apparent. Puckett's career would be cut short in the coming years but Torii Hunter would lead a revitalization of the Twins franchise in the 2000s. Two decades after being drafted, Hunter has found the third team of his career. He left the Twins following the 2007 to continue his career with the Los Angeles Angels. The lore of a large contract and a bigger market was too much to turn down for Hunter at the time. As a 37-year old aging outfielder, he is still getting a big contract but this time he is searching for something more... to cement his legacy. Hunter has found his way back to the American League Central with the Detroit Tigers. He signed a 2-year, $26 million contract so he can try and win the championship that he has searched for his entire career. Like many players approaching the end of their careers, Hunter wants to go out on top. He is coming off of a rejuvenating season with the Angels and Detroit looks to be the place where he continues his title hunt. The Tigers are coming off of a berth in the World Series but their club was lacking some offensive punch down the stretch. Miguel Cabrera and Prince Fielder had very good years in the middle of Detroit's line-up and Austin Jackson has turned into a very good lead-off man. There were still plenty of other holes in the back-end of the line-up and Hunter helps to solidify one spot. He will most likely slide into the number two spot in the order behind Jackson and in front of Cabrera and Fielder. In 2012, Hunter put together one of his best offensive seasons. He finished with a batting average over .300 for the first time in his career and he still managed to put up decent power numbers in the middle of the Angels line-up. His offensive WAR was the highest of his career and he combined that with above average defense in a corner outfield spot. Hunter's career offensive numbers continue to pile up as he will be entering his 17th big league season next year. There are a few offensive milestones for Hunter to cross in a Tigers uniform. He is only three home runs away from 300 for his career and he is only 14 hits away from the 2,000 mark. It will be nice for Hunter to reach these milestones in 2013 but the true test of his legacy might be what he can do to add to these totals, as he gets closer to 40-years old. Defense will always be the trademark of Hunter's legacy in the major leagues. "Spider-Man" as he became known for his acrobatic feats will always be remembered by Twins fans for his ability to rob home runs over the blue plastic wall at the Metrodome. From 2001 to 2009, he won a Gold Glove and that number ranks seventh all-time among outfielders. His never-say-die attitude led to more than one injury when he was tracking down fly balls but his highlight reel catches far outweigh the times he ended up hurt. Like Puckett before him and other aging outfielders, Hunter has been shifted from centerfield to a corner outfield spot. His defensive skills might be a little slower but he has plenty of years experience to rely on at this point. He knows the routes to the ball off of the bat and he can still provide solid defense as he finishes out his career. For Twins fans, the charismatic Hunter will always hold a place in the heart of Twins Territory. Fans might find it a little more difficult to cheer for the outfielder now that he is on a rival AL Central team. He will be trolling the outfield on Opening Day at Target Field for the second year in a row but alas it won't be in a Twins uniform. His legacy with the Twins doesn't seem to be in jeopardy but a title with Detroit could be the icing on the cake for his overall legacy.

The Marlins continued their long history of selling away star players to meet their bottom line. In a blockbuster deal that was swirling around yesterday, Miami traded away a fifth of their 25-man roster from last Opening Day. The Blue Jays were the lucky recipients of the fire sale in Miami and it now looks like Toronto will be fighting for a spot at the top of the American League. Jose Reyes, Josh Johnson, and Mark Buehrle are the centerpieces of the trade. Miami did well to get some good pieces in return but most of the best pieces they got back aren't going to be MLB ready for next season. There are plenty of people mad at the ownership in Miami after opening a brand new stadium last season. New Marlins manager Mike Redmond has to be left shaking his head. As a fan of the Twins, it's hard not to wonder what could have been. There are plenty of holes on the Twins roster for next season and the front office could have filled most of them with a deal like the one Toronto just pulled off. Minnesota needs to add multiple starting pitchers and it would help to strengthen up the middle infield. It sounds like the Twins were in talks with the Marlins about multiple players but the details aren't exactly clear on who was involved or how deep talks got. There are obviously plenty of things that have to be considered when it comes to trade of this type. Maybe the Marlins didn't want anyone in the Twins system or the Twins might not have been offering some of their top prospects. We may not ever know what could have been... [ATTACH=CONFIG]2693[/ATTACH] Here's a look at what the Twins could have looked like next season if Reyes, Buehrle, and Johnson were brought into the fold. Obviously, not all of the names listed below might have survived the offseason on the Twins roster but it's still fun to dream. SP: Josh Johnson SP: Mark Buehrle SP: Scott Diamond SP: Liam Hendriks SP: Kyle Gibson C: Joe Mauer 1B: Justin Morneau 2B: Jamey Carroll 3B: Trevor Plouffe SS: Jose Reyes LF: Josh Willingham CF: Denard Span RF: Ben Revere DH: Ryan Doumit That looks like a roster that could contend in the AL Central in 2013 but that dream won't come to fruition. Instead, we wait for the Twins to make their first offseason move and we are left to contemplate over a lost opportunity.

The offseason was supposed to mark the happy reunion between the rehabbing starting pitcher and the only team he has ever known. But when Scott Baker reached the free agent market, there was plenty of interest in the right-handed hurler. The Cubs inked Baker to a one-year deal worth a base salary of $5.5 million with some incentives built into the back end. If Baker is healthy and can pitch effectively for the Cubs, it will be a steal of a deal. A few weeks ago, the thought of Baker leaving the Twins seemed to be far from everyone's mind. In interviews, Terry Ryan sounded confident about the possibility of bringing back Baker. From the sounds of reports out of the Twin Cities, Baker's deal with the Twins fell through because Minnesota wanted an option year for 2014. It sounds like Baker and his agent wanted the pitcher to hit the open market again after what they hope will be a positive year for him in Chicago. There is a chance for the Twins to sign Baker in the next offseason but that's a long ways away. For now, it looks like the end of his Minnesota career. Here's a look back at the top 5 games from his time with the Twins: [ATTACH=CONFIG]2677[/ATTACH] 1. Baker tosses one-hitter, after losing perfecto Date: 8-31-07 Location: HHH Metrodome Opponent: Kansas City Royals Stat Summary: 9 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 9 SO, 1 BB Baseball Reference Box Score Following the birth of his son earlier in the week, Baker found himself on the brink of history. He had a perfect game into the ninth inning before surrendering a walk and hit. John Buck ended the perfect game by drawing a five pitch walk to start the ninth. Mike Sweeney, a pinch hitter that was activated off the DL prior to the game, would step to the plate and crack the only hit of the game. The pitch jammed Sweeney but he got enough of it to keep Baker from the history books. It was still his most masterful performance in a Twins uniform and it came in his first full season at the big league level. 2. Baker throws second career shutout Date: 8-14-09 Location: HHH Metrodome Opponent: Cleveland Indians Stat Summary: 9 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 5 SO, 0 BB Baseball Reference Box Score Almost two years after he flirted with perfection, Baker notched his second and his final complete game shutout for the Twins. There wasn't as much drama in this game as Baker hit the first batter of the game so there was no threat of a perfect game. The first hit of the game came in the fourth inning when Asdrubal Cabrera smacked a double to deep left-center field. He would be the only man to get into scoring position for the Indians. The only other man to reach base would be Jhonny Peralta on a single in the seventh. It turned out to be a blowout win for the Twins but it still doesn't take anything away from this masterful performance by Baker. 3. Baker strikes out career high 12 batters Date: 6-16-10 Location: Target Field Opponent: Colorado Rockies Stat Summary: 7 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 12 SO, 1 BB Baseball Reference Box Score In the first of a couple interleague games to make this top 5 list, Baker wasted little time attacking the hitters for the Rockies. He had five strikeouts by the end of the third inning and then he struck out the side in the top of the fourth. This included Colorado's three, four, and five hitters. At one point, he struck out five batters in a row and it looked like nothing could stop him on this night. Even though the Rockies hitters couldn't touch him, Baker's pitch count was over 100 at the end of the seventh. Since it was a close game, Twins manager Ron Gardenhire turned to the bullpen to finish off the Rockies but it's still the most strikeouts Baker has collected in his MLB career. 4. Baker throws 115 pitches, strikes out 10 Date: 6-18-11 Location: Target Field Opponent: San Diego Padres Stat Summary: 8 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 10 SO, 1 BB Baseball Reference Box Score Over the course of less than two and a half hours, Baker would do his best to keep the Padres off of the board. Chris Denorfia, the first batter of the game, cracked a triple on a 0-2 count to get San Diego started off on the right foot. He would be left at third after Baker struck out the next two batters and got a fly ball to end the frame. Baker would avoid trouble in the second by striking out the side. Two men reached against Baker in the top of the fifth but he coaxed a couple of deep fly balls to right field and left them were they were. With his pitch count already over 100, the Twins let Baker head out for the eighth. The first batter reached on a single but the next three men grounded out and Baker had completed a solid eight innings. 5. Baker scatters five hits over nine innings Date: 6-11-11 Location: Target Field Opponent: Texas Rangers Stat Summary: 9 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 7 SO, 0 BB Baseball Reference Box Score A week before the game listed above, Baker had another very strong outing against the eventual American League Champions. No player for the Rangers had more than one hit and the lone extra-base hit came off of the bat of Adrian Beltre. By the time Texas got close to scoring, the Twins and Baker were already cruising. A single by Mike Napoli with two outs in the eighth got the Rangers going. Napoli would advance to second on fielder's indifference and he would score on a single by David Murphy. Ian Kinsler and Josh Hamilton would reach base in the top of the ninth but a timely double play would end the inning and the game. So what was your favorite Scott Baker moment during his tenure with the Twins? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]2650[/ATTACH] It's no secret that the Twins are looking for starting pitching this offseason. The free agent market looks like it is filled with plenty of intriguing arms but there could be other ways of acquiring hurlers. Another way of accomplishing this task could be to trade away current MLB players or minor league prospects for the services of a starting pitcher. There have been rumors of the Twins inquiring about a couple of different starting pitchers but a new name has emerged on the market. Word leaked out earlier this week about the Arizona Diamondbacks possibly being ready to shop top pitching prospect Trevor Bauer. It sounds like there is a division between Bauer and the D-Backs over his future with the club. Of course, it would take a lot to acquire a 21-year old pitcher with a ton of upside. If they are truly willing to shop Bauer, there will be plenty of interest from multiple clubs. Bauer was the third pick of the 2011 amateur draft out of UCLA. During this past season, he made his debut with Arizona and he got roughed up in his four appearances before being sent back to Triple-A. His numbers in the higher levels of the minor leagues have very good as he has a low 2.42 ERA and 157 strikeouts in 130 innings pitched. Bauer made it to the big leagues in less than a year and he still has plenty of potential. The one downside to Bauer looks like his command of the strike zone because he gave up 61 walks over his 130 minor league innings. During his small sample size in the major leagues, he averaged almost a walk an inning. This doesn't sound like the type of pitcher Terry Ryan and the Twins would target. It doesn't fit the mold of soft throwing strike throwers but it could be time for Minnesota to go in a different direction. For Minnesota and Arizona, finding trade pieces could be tough for a couple of different reasons. The one area of surplus for the Twins is in the outfield and Arizona has so many outfielder that they are trying to trade away Justin Upton after already parting ways with Chris Young. This means the Twins could save their surplus in the outfield for a different trade but it also means the Twins would have to part with some of their top prospects. The results were not so good the last time the Twins traded a top prospect for pitching. Wilson Ramos looked to be ready to break-out at the major league level but the Twins sent him to Washington for Matt Capps. A trade with the D-Backs would take on a different light because Minnesota would be trading for a rising star in the pitching ranks and not a closer with mediocre stuff. This still leaves questions about what the Twins could send away from their prospect ranks. In my preliminary Twins prospect list for this offseason, there are some very good players at the top of the list. Would the Twins be willing to part with a couple of their top 10 prospects to get Bauer? How about a couple of players in the top 5? Which players would you say are untouchable? 1. Miguel Sano, 3B (Age 19) 2. Byron Buxton, OF (Age 18) 3. Aaron Hicks, OF (Age 23) 4. Oswaldo Arcia, OF (Age 21) 5. Eddie Rosario, OF/2B (Age 21) 6. Kyle Gibson, RHP (Age 25) 7. Jose Berrios, RHP (Age 18) 8. Travis Harrison, 3B (Age 20) 9. Max Kepler, OF (Age 19) 10. Joe Benson, OF (Age 24) It could take quite the haul to bring in Bauer so it doesn't seem likely for the Twins to empty out their farm system for the chance to acquire a young starting pitcher. The upside of Bauer is enough to get fans excited about the chance of him joining their organization this offseason. A deal might not be likely at this point but the right combination of prospects could make this trade a reality. If you were in Terry Ryan's GM chair, what would you offer? And would it be enough? Leave a COMMENT

Pitching, Pitching, Pitching... Every club needs it and every club searches to add more pitching in the offseason. For the Twins, it will be a challenging offseason. The club needs to fill four starting spots in the rotation and the front office would also like to add some bullpen depth. This can come out of the free agent pool or by trading another player but the Twins have holes they need to fill before the start of next year. Yesterday, I looked at the former Twins position players filling the free agent market and today I turn my attention to the former Twins pitchers. There are nine former pitchers on the market and five of them were on the team last season. Since pitching is a big area of need, there's a chance a couple of these men could be back in Twins uniforms before the start of next year. [ATTACH=CONFIG]2646[/ATTACH] Scott Baker, RHP Last season: Baker was supposed to be an integral part of the Twins starting rotation. An injury in spring training kept this idea from becoming a reality. He is working his way back from Tommy John surgery but his last season with the club had a very good first half of the year. If the Twins could get that version of Baker, they wouldn't hesitate to bring him back to Minnesota. Odds of returning: The Twins have made no secret about their intention to try and bring back Baker. Terry Ryan has referred to him as "one of our guys" and it sounded like Baker wouldn't mind staying with the Twins at the end of last season. There seem to be other teams interested in his services but he seems to have the best odds of returning out of the men listed below. Matt Capps, RHP Last season: It was a nightmare season for Capps in 2012 and the Twins just recently turned down his multi-million dollar option for next year. This means Capps will be on the free agent market for the second year in a row. Injuries have been part of the problem for Capps in the last two years so it's hard to know if a healthier version of this pitcher could have been more effective. Odds of returning: The Twins have talked about adding more depth to an already strong bullpen but it doesn't seem like Capps will be part of that equation. There could be quite the uproar from the fans if he was brought back for another campaign. It just seems like it is time for this player and this club to go their separate ways. Brian Fuentes, LHP Last season: Fuentes put together his worst big league season last year in time with Oakland and St. Louis. Even though the A's gave him an opportunity as their closer, his ERA and WHIP went through the roof. He has spent most of the last six seasons in the American League with mixed results along the way. At 36-years old, he is aging and it could be tough for him to find a big league role. Odds of returning: It would be nice to have some more depth in the bullpen and he is a left-handed pitcher so that always helps. Since he is coming off a bad season, the Twins might be able to get him on an affordable contract. Out of the relief arms on this list, he might be the one I would most like to end up in Minnesota again. LaTroy Hawkins, RHP Last season: He made a return trip the American League last season after putting together some decent numbers in the playoff bound Brewers from 2011. Hawkins will turn 40 before the start of next season but he continues to find a role with different teams. If he can stay healthy, there doesn't seem to be much that could stop him from pitching again. Odds of returning: The upside of signing Hawkins seems limited at best because of his age and the risk of injury. His last couple of trips through the American League hasn’t been as good as his time in the National League. While the addition of another bullpen arm would be a positive for the Twins, it seems more likely for the team to go in a different direction. Francisco Liriano, LHP Last season: Liriano spent time in Minnesota and Chicago last season and he will reach the free agent market for the first time this offseason. In the last two seasons, his ERA has been north of 5.00 and he has double digits losses in both of those years. His only good season since returning from Tommy John surgery was back in 2010 and it has been one headache after another since then. Odds of Returning: Liriano has been frustrating Twins fans for multiple seasons so it seems like a reunion might be out of the question. The front office wants to bolster the starting rotation but the Twins know Liriano better than anyone. He will most likely get a multi-year contract and the Twins should avoid tying themselves into a long-term deal with Mr. Liriano. Kyle Lohse, RHP Last season: Following a career year as a staple in the starting rotation for the Cardinals, Lohse could be set to make some big money. He set a career high with 16 wins and his ERA was under 3.00 for the first time in his career. Lohse just turned 34 in October so this could be one of his last chances to strike it rich on the free agent market. Odds of returning: Since the last time he was in town he went after Ron Gardenhire's door with a bat, I doubt he will be back in the Twins clubhouse. The front office wants to add multiple starting pitchers but it's hard to think Lohse would be on the list. Some team will give him the money he is looking for but it won't be the team from Minneapolis. Jason Marquis, RHP Last season: His year got off to a horrible start with the Twins after his daughter was in a scary accident. He would pull himself together after joining the Padres and posting some decent numbers. Besides his brief taste of the American League, Marquis has been a lifelong player in the National League. It might be easier for him to find success in the league he knows the best. Odds of returning: The Twins took a chance on him before the start of last season and it didn't work out. This most likely means that he won't get another shot with the club. It's not like he is probably banging down the door to try and get back with the Twins. He can latch on to some NL team and try to rack up some innings at the backend of a rotation. Carl Pavano, RHP Last season: For the first time since joining the Twins on a full time basis, Pavano failed to reach the 220 innings pitched mark. He saw a decrease in velocity and a variety of injuries were to blame. It also didn't help that the Twins medical staff misdiagnosed his ailments. Before the start of next season, Pavano will turn 37 and his best years might be behind him. His shoulder issues and declining velocity don't make him a very attractive option. Odds of returning: During the first couple years of his Twins tenure, it seemed like Pavano and the club had a good relationship. The handling of his injuries last season might have created a rift between him and the organization. His injury problems last season don't really put him in place to ask for a long-term deal but it would be nice for the Twins to look elsewhere. Jon Rauch, RHP Last season: He spent the year in the Mets bullpen and he improved in a few areas. His WHIP was under 1.00 for the first time in his career and his ERA dropped from the year before. Rauch also did a better job of keeping the ball in the park and it probably helped to have half of his games at Citi Field. His ERA ballooned at the end of the year when he seemed to be tiring. He gave up six runs in his last four innings pitched and that didn't help his final numbers. Odds of returning: Twins fans are well aware of the ups-and-downs Rauch can bring to the mound. The club didn't have enough confidence in him as closer back in 2010 so they traded away one of their best prospects for Matt Capps. He was part of the last two Twins teams to make the postseason so maybe he can be the missing link. Do any of these pitchers have a shot of making a return trip to Minnesota? Who has the best chance of putting on a Twins uniform in 2013? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion.

There are plenty of players looking for big free agent money and a half dozen position players on the market have spent time playing for the Minnesota Twins. There are some key pieces to former teams and some other role players mixed in the bunch. A couple of these players are coming off one of their best seasons as a professional but it looks like age might be a factor. The Twins have a variety of needs this offseason, such as starting pitching and middle infield depth. With those being the main areas of concern, these players aren't exactly high on the club's want list. Some fans might be excited about the possibility of Torii Hunter or Jim Thome coming back to the Twin Cities to finish their careers. There are also some players on this list that shouldn't even get close to signing with the Twins for next year. [ATTACH=CONFIG]2629[/ATTACH] Here is a look back at how each of these former Twins fared in 2012 along with their odds of returning to the franchise they once called home. Henry Blanco, C Last season: The 40-year old catcher struggled during limited playing time as a back up to Miguel Montero in Arizona. He has only made appearances in 58 games over the course of the last two seasons. Blanco hasn't played in the American League since 2004 so it seems more likely for him to stay in the National League if he signs with a club. Odds of Returning: The last time he played in over 100 games in a season was back with the Twins in 2004. He struggled to make consistent contact with the club and that was eight seasons ago. The Twins seem to be set in the catching department with Joe Mauer and Ryan Doumit getting the majority of the starts behind the plate. Drew Butera and Chris Herrmann are available to fill a third catcher spot if needed. Orlando Hudson, IF Last season: He struggled in time split between the Padres and the White Sox. As a 34-year old middle infielder with little offensive ability, it could be tough for him to find a job in 2013. Hudson got paid over $5 million last season to be a below average player. It was also the first time since his rookie year that he didn't appear in over 100 games. Odds of Returning: His loud mouth and clubhouse presence got him booted out of town last time. He does fit one of the areas of need for the Twins so there is always a chance if he signed a very club friendly deal. Overall, the odds are not very likely and he could be forced to retire. Torii Hunter, OF Last season: At age 36, Hunter just had the best batting average of his career and he can still play decent in a corner outfield spot. He's on the downside of his career and it looks like the Angels want to get younger in the outfield. During his time in Los Angeles, he put together some decent offensive numbers that will be attractive to multiple teams. Odds of Returning: The fans love him but he turned his back on the franchise when he went searching for a bigger contract in a bigger market. The Twins have too many outfielders at this point so adding an aging star on a multi-year contract doesn't seem likely. Most of the rumors have him heading to a big market club like New York or Boston so this could put the Twins out of the running. A.J. Pierzynski, C Last season: He knocked a career high 27 home runs and he helped to keep the White Sox in contention for most of the year. There are a lot of catching miles on his legs at this point. Since 2002, he has caught over 1000 innings in every season so it's hard to imagine that he has much left in his knees. His attitude has also caused some problems in the past. Odds of Returning: He hasn't exactly been known as a great member of any clubhouse and the Twins got him out of town when they could. It also helped to have Mauer waiting to take over. It would be nice to have some more catching depth but Mauer and Doumit should have things under control for next year. In other words, not very good odds for a return trip to Minnesota. Jim Thome, DH Last season: There were pleny of injuries for Thome last year and his number of plate appearances dropped to the lowest point since the early years of his career. He made it back to the playoffs with the Orioles but they couldn't get him a ring. It was the first time since 2005 that he failed to reach the double-digit mark in home runs. Odds of Returning: Thome wants a championship and it doesn't seem like the Twins will be fighting for the top spot next year. His relationship with the club and the manager were strong points when he was here. This could mean that he wants one last run through the American League and he did have his last great season in a TC uniform. Delmon Young, OF/DH Last season: He was the same old Delmon during the regular season but he turned in a monster postseason to help him during his first trip through free agency. Sporadic power and horrendous defense are his trademarks. His defense could continue to be a liability so he might need more time at DH in the future. Odds of Returning: There are more than enough outfielders currently on the roster. Young is the youngest names on this list so there could still be hope for him to turn it around. That still doesn't seem extremely likely after what he has shown over the course of his career. He also will need plenty of time at DH and the Twins already have Mauer, Doumit, and others to fill that spot. Most of these men are on the downside of their career or they are close to retiring. It might be nice to see some of them in a Twins uniform again but it would be tough to swallow if some of these other players made it back to Minnesota. Tomorrow I will look at the former Twins pitchers on the free agent market. Until then, do you think any of these position players will end up back in Minnesota? Who has the best chance of putting on a Twins uniform in 2013?

[ATTACH=CONFIG]2621[/ATTACH] It's Election Day across our great country and this means people should be getting out and casting their votes. Be informed about the choices you are making and help to decide the future of our country. One of the best parts about today is there won't be any more political ads on TV or the radio. Thank the heavens. If you are reading this post, it doesn't matter if you are a Republican or a Democrat because you are most likely a fan of the Twins. Going to watch a baseball game and going to the polls to vote are two of the most American things someone can do. Only one of those All-American tasks can be accomplished today but that doesn't mean there aren't other decisions the Twins are weighing this offseason. Every front office has to look at their roster as a ballot and put their confidence behind a group of players. Luckily, most of the terms won't be for four years or more but some decisions still need to be made. Here are some of the areas the front office will be making decisions on before the start of next year. There are some easy votes and some tough votes but all of these decisions will impact the Twins future. 2013 Minnesota Twins Ballot Catcher: The incumbent is leading in the polls but could another candidate sneak in and steal this election. Mauer had a bounce back year but Doumit had one of the best seasons of his career. Butera has been around the team for multiple seasons but he doesn't have much of a shot as a third party candidate. Joe Mauer: The Incumbent Ryan Doumit: The Challenger Drew Butera: The Third Party Candidate _________________________ Write-In Candidate First baseman: Morneau showed he was over most of his concussion problems during the last campaign. He is aging and some other candidates could sneak in and take this spot. Parmelee deserves a chance to start and first base might be his best spot. There is a chance for Morneau to get elected to start for another team in the form of a trade. Justin Morneau: The Incumbent Chris Parmelee: The Challenger Joe Mauer: The Other Challenger _________________________ Write-In Candidate Second baseman: The middle infield could be a wide open race to the finish. Alexi Casilla removed himself from contention when the Orioles claimed him in the last week. This still leaves multiple players and no clear leader as of Election Day. Jamey Carroll Brian Dozier Eduardo Escobar _________________________ Write-In Candidate Third baseman: For the fans, Plouffe might be the clear choice for this spot. The front office contends that they will bring in challengers to push Plouffe. Carroll showed his ability to handle multiple infield positions last year and he could get elected to start at third base. Fans have talked about Mauer making a move to this position and it could happen in this election. Trevor Plouffe: The Incumbent Jamey Carroll Joe Mauer _________________________ Write-In Candidate Shortstop: Much like the election at second base, there are plenty of candidates for this role but the polls continue to be tight. Dozier didn't do too well on the campaign trail in the last year. Florimon showed some great skills on the defensive side of the ball. Will this be enough to give him the election? Pedro Florimon Brian Dozier Jamey Carroll _________________________ Write-In Candidate Outfield: For this office, there must be THREE names voted for in order for your ballot to be counted. There seem to be plenty of options in the outfield for the Twins and not all of these players might make it to Opening Day. Who are the best candidates to lead the team into the future? Denard Span Josh Willingham Ben Revere Chris Parmelee Ryan Doumit Aaron Hicks Oswaldo Arcia _________________________ Write-In Candidate _________________________ Write-In Candidate Designated Hitter: With so many tight battles in the other elections, the DH battle might be open for another candidate to sneak into the line-up. Ryan Doumit Justin Morneau Joe Mauer Josh Willingham Chris Parmelee _________________________ Write-In Candidate So what would your ballot look like in this election? Who did you elect to start for the Twins in 2013? Leave a COMMENT and tell the world how you voted today (well at least for this election).

[ATTACH=CONFIG]2612[/ATTACH] At the end of the 2011 season, Joe Benson had to be flying high. He just completed one of the best seasons of his professional career and he was rewarded by getting a call-up to make his major league debut. There was talk of him fighting for a more permanent role with the club in the future. It looked like the sky was the limit for young Mr. Benson. For how great the 2011 season ended, it was hard to imagine how far Benson fell during 2012 campaign. He started the year at the Triple-A level and it seemed like one major injury to an outfielder on the big league club would result in him making a return trip to Minnesota. This was far from the case as he fought through major injuries and poor play for most of the year. The struggles of Benson meant he ended the year back in New Britain. In 65 games between Double-A and Triple-A, he hit under .200 and the power promise shown in 2011 was almost completely absent. The front office for the Twins and fans following the minor leagues had to be left shaking their heads. This wasn't the way to follow a breakout season in the higher levels of a farm system. Injuries were one of the biggest contributors to his lousy season. He missed time in the middle of the year with a broken hamate bone. Near the end of August an injury to Benson's knee would mean the end of his nightmare season. He would undergo surgery on his knee after going 1-35 at the plate in his last nine games with no extra base hits and 17 strikeouts. Something was clearly wrong with Benson and it was time to shut him down. Baseball America has ranked Benson on the very edge of their top 100 prospects in each of the last two years. Prior to the 2012 season, he came in at number 99 and the previous year he sat at number 100. These rankings came after two very good seasons as he worked his way to the major leagues. After last season, there isn't much of a chance for him to finish in the top 100 before next season so he will have plenty to prove to himself and to the organization. Preliminary Twins prospect lists for the current offseason have Benson ranked right on the edge of the top 10. Seth Stohs of Twins Daily and myself have Benson ranked at number 10 in both of our lists. John Sickels of Minor League Ball has Benson down to number 12 on his list. To those ranking prospects, Benson's tools continue to stand out; he is a strong defender, he has speed, and he has shown power in the past. Those tools haven't gone away and the hope is for Benson to reemerge next season. One of the toughest things for Benson might be the crop of outfielders waiting in the wings for the Twins organization. Aaron Hicks and Oswaldo Arcia compiled great numbers last year at Double-A so they should both be waiting in the wings at Rochester in 2013. At this point, each of these players might offer more upside than Benson but Benson has already made his debut and he is older than the other two rising stars. It could be imperative for Benson to get off to a strong start or these other two men could pass him by on the way to the big leagues. It's easy to look at Benson's 2012 season and brush off his poor play because of his multiple injuries. A healthy version of Benson could never look as horrible as the player that was on the field last year. He should be able to rebound in 2013 if the injury bug doesn't bite again. He needs to get back on track as soon as possible or Hicks and Arcia could start to take away from his major league playing time. Look for Benson to be on the comeback trail in 2013 but will it be too little, too late?