Cody Christie

[ATTACH=CONFIG]2815[/ATTACH] There have been plenty of rumors surrounding the Twins over the last couple of days at the Winter Meetings. The team still has plenty of holes to fill in their starting rotation and there is talk of adding a third baseman to challenge Trevor Plouffe for the starting role. It would be nice to see the team add some middle infield depth since there are plenty of question marks at those spots. Even with all of this talk, there hasn’t been much action on the home front. By the time the offseason is over, the Twins will likely sign more than one free agent starting pitcher but there are other ways to go about adding talent. There have been rumors swirling about the Twins shopping a couple of their regular players from last year, Justin Morneau and Ben Revere. As I wrote about in my post on Tuesday, Revere is set to take over center field and to be the leadoff man. Morneau has dealt with a plethora of injuries during the last few seasons and it’s hard to know what the market would be like for him. If the Twins trade either one of these players, there are multiple ramifications for next season. Let’s take a look at each option and see what would happen to the roster. Option 1: Trade Ben Revere The Twins already sent one center fielder to another team this offseason when they traded Denard Span to the Washington Nationals for pitching prospect Alex Meyer. It seems odd that a team would also trade his replacement within a couple of weeks. Revere is under team control for multiple seasons and he should be making a relatively small amount through the arbitration process. This kind of team control can be valuable to clubs looking for a deal. With Revere gone, the Twins would have an interesting situation playing out for next year’s roster. Who would step in to play center field? Joe Benson has some brief experience at this spot but he is coming off of a terrible 2012 season that was filled with injuries and poor play. Aaron Hicks would also be an option but he hasn’t seen any major league playing time. Last season was a breakout year for Hicks so the Twins might think that now is the time for him to shine. Here’s what the starting nine might look like with Revere gone: [ATTACH=CONFIG]2814[/ATTACH] This option would put a lot of pressure on a young rookie to take over the starting role in center field. Two other defenders that aren’t the fastest on their feet would also surround him. It would be hard to know if the Twins would throw Hicks into the leadoff spot as well or if they would let someone else take that role. It seems like the Twins would need to get overwhelmed by a trade for Revere before he would be sent packing. The Twins are lined up to rely a lot on him next season. Option 2: Trade Justin Morneau Chris Parmelee seemed like he was ready to take over a starting role at the beginning of last season but that didn't go exactly according to plan. He spent time back and forth between the minor leagues and the big league squad without really settling on a position. He has spent more of his minor league career as a first baseman so it might be better for the team if he were to play that position. The only problem is that Justin Morneau is standing in his way. It's the last year of Morneau's deal and reports from a couple weeks ago said that the club had yet to approach him about a contract extension. This could mean that the club is ready to move in a different direction. If Morneau isn't traded before the start of this season, there is a good chance that he could be dealt at some point before the trade deadline. A contending team might be willing to give the Twins a nice package for a left-handed slugger like Morneau especially if he has been productive though the first half of the year. Here's what the starting nine might look like with Morneau gone: [ATTACH=CONFIG]2813[/ATTACH] The Twins could have an open competition among some of the young players in the minor leagues for the final spot in the outfield. This would mean Arcia, Benson, or Hicks would be lined up for a starting job on Opening Day. If the Twins bring in another third base candidate, the team could move Plouffe to a corner outfield role. Between Revere and Morneau, it seems more likely that Morneau would end up traded before the start of 2013. This doesn't mean that the Twins won't be open to listening to offers from other clubs. Revere is a dynamic player and Morneau has shown leadership skills. The Twins might be getting offers that are hard to refuse and that could lead to a very different line-up by the start of next season.

You can view the page at http://twinsdaily.com/content.php?1227-If-2013-isn-t-realistic-Twins-focus-turns-to-2014

In an interview with reporters on Monday night at the Winter Meetings, Twins General Manager Terry Ryan wanted to make sure to tame expectations. When asked if the Twins will be competitive in 2013, he said, "We will try to have that happen... We have to be realistic on all fronts." This most likely means that the Twins won't be handing out buckets of cash to front-line starting pitching but that could be expected from the start of the offseason. There could be some other deeper meanings that are going to transpire in the rest of this offseason or before the end of the year. If the Twins aren't planning on being competitive in 2013, what else should the club accomplish before the start of next season? [ATTACH=CONFIG]2806[/ATTACH] Is it time to dump Justin Morneau and/or Josh Willingham? From the sounds of reports, neither one of these men will be changing jerseys before the start of the year. Morneau will be entering the last year of his contract and he is due a $14 million. Willingham only joined the club last season but his value might be the highest it can be after a career year in 2012. If the Twins were able to trade both of these players for talent that would be ready in the next couple of seasons, it could be a step in the right direction. Morneau's money will also be off the books for 2014 so this could help if the Twins need to add some depth at other positions. Will the outfield of the future be able to breakout by 2014? Oswaldo Arcia and Aaron Hicks each had fantastic seasons in 2012 but this came at the Double-A level. Both players will likely start at Triple-A in 2013, which could mean their debuts at some point next season. An outfield with Arcia, Hicks and Ben Revere seems like it could be in place for multiple seasons if all of these players can stay healthy and productive. The jump from Double-A all the way to the big leagues can come with some bumps and bruises so the Twins might have to continue to be patient with their rising prospects. Could the rotation be stronger by the start of next season? Entering next season, the Twins have plenty of question marks in the rotation. By the start of next season, some of those question marks might be dissolved. Kyle Gibson will most certainly be on an innings limit in 2013 after coming back from Tommy John surgery and he might not even start the year in the rotation. In 2014, he should be able to pitch a full season and he should be in the starting rotation from the start of the year. Newly acquired Alex Meyer will most likely start next year in Double-A, which could mean he debuts with the Twins by the end of 2013. If Gibson and Meyer can put together positive seasons, these two pitchers along with Scott Diamond could make up three-fifths of the rotation in 2014. The hope of 2014 might mean that a lot of things have to go right in 2013. The Twins need Arcia and Hicks to continue to progress and the health of the three pitchers mentioned above needs to be good. When relying on younger players, there can be a learning curve and that might be why the Twins would want to trade other player this offseason. By giving some of these younger players time to iron out the kinks, the team could be better set up for success in the future. Most fans know the Twins aren't going to be on pace to win 100 games next year. It would be nice to see the Twins be competitive in what has been a very winnable division during the last few seasons. The time doesn't feel right for the Twins to charge back in the Central so it might be more important to focus on the future and make moves that will help the Twins to succeed in the long run.

[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.

You can view the page at http://twinsdaily.com/content.php?1203-Rule-5-Draft-Preview-Diamond-Hunting

[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.

You can view the page at http://twinsdaily.com/content.php?1198-Twins-must-end-revolving-door-at-shortstop

[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.

I don't see the Reds going for this deal unless they think they have to win the World Series next season. Adding Carroll and Willingham isn't exactly planning for the future.

I could see Morneau getting two years and close to $20 million on the open market.

Can't say I would be excited by Myers signing with the Twins but it seems like the kind of move they would make. I wonder if there are more teams interested in him now that this story was widely reported??