goulik

What we truly want at every position is players that can play both halves of a baseball game, offense and defense (except DH and Pitcher in the AL) If a prospect is not going to play both halves, they need to be moved. Management isn't the only part of the organization to complain about his mitt. (See Glen Perkins) Sometimes fans spend too much time looking at offense and then wonder why the pitching staff isn't better... Good defense lowers ERA's. To the point, if Pinto is not going to be an MLB level defensive catcher he needs to be at a different position or traded for best value.

On that, we agree! With the addition of Wild card teams, above average teams can make the playoffs and be in contention for the playoffs without being true contenders.

Make that 30 names, I entered Pedro Hernandez twice and no one called me on it...

I looked at Nolascos Fangraphs page incorrectly, I apologize. My numbers were way off. My point with the numbers remain the same though they are just guesses based on past performance. The more past, the more likelihood of guessing close to correctly. So Nolasco is less than league average. My original point remains the same and is what I am defending, I do not think we are too far away and if everything fell into place, we could contend for a playoff spot. I'm betting on 2016 though, not 2015. There is honestly no way to know next years ERA+ and that was what I am trying to say to Oxtung and other readers.This is a rebuild and we have to ride these guys out and see what we have. I get your point. I am confident Meyer will be one of those elite pitchers. Nolasco had a 124 ERA+ one year. Often, that is what carries that World Series team, a career year from a few different players. Often the World Series champs have those breakout seasons, career years, good breaks and relatively good health. With all these untested, unproven young players, no one really knows what to expect next year. I just feel there is reason to hope based on the plethora of changes in the last 14 months and the much greater talent than the past few years.

Last Fall, when the season was over, I began a series of three blogs saying there was no more room in the Inn as players were getting jettisoned and prospects were pushing out the AAA filler in Rochester and at the MLB level. As this year enters the last couple of weeks for the minors and approaches the waiver deadline, it is amazing to consider the sheer volume of names no longer with the Twins or Red Wings. SO, Looking back in retrospect over this past year, here are names no longer with the organisation: Starting Pitchers: Cole DeVries Andrew Albers Vance Worley Liam Hendricks Scott Diamond Pedro Hernandez Kevin Correia PJ Walters Nick Blackburn Pedro Hernandez Brooks Raley Relievers: Matt Guerrier Infielders: Jeff Clement Ray Olmedo Mark Sobolewski Kendrys Morales Jason Bartlett Catchers: Ryan Doumit Drew Butera Danny Lehman Outfielders: Darin Mastroianni Clete Thomas Alex Presley Josh Willingham Antoan Richardson Brian Dinkelman Jermaine Mitchell Evan Bigley Kenny Wilson Jason Kubel Sam Fuld This list intentionally omitted players that never reached Rochester. I also know this list is probably incomplete and encourage additions in the comments. 31 names... That's quite a long list.

We are talking about next year right? In that case some of your numbers are meaningless; Milone 42= SSS, Career is close to 100. Nolasco's last three years until this injury shortened SSS year was three straight right around 100. May =SSS with no MLB large sample to project from as well as Meyer who has 0 MLB experience. Gibson is in his first full year so one could hope the 96 improves but I will go with your number on him and Hughes, so; Based on career, next years potential ERA + Meyer 133 (based on Minor league ERA's some years much higher, some not as much) Nolasco 101 (last 3 years when not hurt) Hughes 105 (outside Yankee stadium) Milone 98 (Last 4 years) Gibson 96 (in first full season will probably be higher) May 100 (approx based on minor league career... Just throwing out a "league average" on this one w/out data...) Wow, those numbers look a lot better when you throw out SSS...

So if Meyer turns into the Ace we want, Hughes is a 2-3, Gibson is a 3-4, Milone is a 4 and Nolasco a 4-5 you have a true rotation. Elite? No. Average rotation, yes. That does not take into account May panning out as a starter either. I didn't say elite, I said rebuilt and I did not say its done, I said close to rebuilt. Yes, one of the worst starting rotations when you look at the whole year but only two of those have been part of the whole year. When looking at just the six pitchers being discussed and the current playoff system, your a good offense (not even necessarily great) away from the playoffs. Keep in mind, Neither Minnesota World Series was won with an elite rotation.

This is my point in conversations often and in a few of my posts. This looks like the Rebuild is close to fruition at least in the Rotation. Now for the hitters(see Buxton and Sano)

DISAGREE!! Hoping for prospects to develop and the lineup to sort out to this batting order:Buxton CF Mauer 1B Dozier 2B Sano 3B Vargas DH Santana SS Arcia RF Hicks LF Pinto C This is hoping they reach requisite professional skills to make this happen (Mauer is high OBP guy, Dozier keeps up 20 HR/yr avg, etc)

Growing up during the 70's into the early 80's I did not pay attention to baseball. I knew Minnesota had a team called the Twins but I grew up a 6 hour drive from the stadium. I grew up in Hockey territory in a basketball crazy town and my favorite sport was football. My home town didn't even have baseball past 8th grade so there was not much to inspire me. I turned 11 in 1980 so the Twins were not inspiring this young man in any way during my early years either. To give an example of my 1975, 6 year old baseball knowledge, I knew the LA Lakers were originally from Minneapolis and had moved. I liked the Lakers, so I rooted for the Other Minnesota baseball team (I couldn't have told you a single players name) the LA Dodgers not realizing the Lakers had left Minnesota. By 1980 I knew LA was in California, but if you asked me my favorite team I still said "the Dodgers" (though still unable to name a single player) One year at Flaming Pines Youth Camp (The pine trees looked like they were on fire surrounded by the Maple trees every fall) a friend of mine started talking to me about this young baseball player named Kirby Puckett and he caught my interest. In '86 I became a true fan of the game and learned other names like Timmy Laudner and our own Kent Hrbek. Hrbek was the home town hero to go with our superstar. He made what I considered great plays at first base and hit enough long balls that I rooted for him to get gold gloves and all star nods. Despite his less than athletic looking build, he put up numbers that led to him being OUR all star and my standard of what I want to see from first basemen (though those Yankee biased national media types always overlooked him and Hyped East or West coast players) Hrbek will never be in THE Hall of Fame in Cooperstown but he will always be in OUR HoF here in Minnesota. Kent Hrbek is the standard that Minnesota Twins first basemen will be held up to. 28 years later Joe Mauer has taken over Hrbek's position as home town hero at first base. Joe is the second coming of the hometown guy. Unlike Hrbek, he sat behind the dish, made a superstar name for himself with the national media, and received the awards and praise denied his predecessor. Batting championships, gold gloves, MVP, and regular All Star appearances are all Joe's yet criticism for not being the inspirational leader of the team has dogged him the whole way. Now Joe has moved to First Base, Hrbek's place. So how can Joe Mauer get past all this negativity? My suggestion is to be Like Hrbek! First, Joe needs to get Healthy and stay on the field. He could accomplish this by spending more time fishing and less time working out. Go on an outdoors show with a local hero and boom, health. Second, he needs to loosen up! Hrbek was known to enjoy some beer, for getting loud and boisterous at times, and for his jovial laughter in the club house after a win or a prank to loosen up the team. Joe is known for being clean cut, quiet, and soft spoken(NO PRANKS). Maybe Joe could finally be the player we all wanted if he had a few before every game. This might loosen him up in the club house, loosen his lips in an interview, and well, no, probably still no pranks but the fans might warm back up to him and become more accepting of his aging body and declining numbers. In fact I think he should gain 50 pounds of fat so he could look more like Hrbek while he's at it.

Am I remembering wrong or wasn't Sulbaran a ptbnl? In any case, I would like to publicly thank Correia for being a dependable innings eating professional pitcher. You walked out to the mound and put up MLB numbers consistently and anchored a really bad pitching staff with a needed veteran presence. You suffered through multiple 90 loss seasons with bad defense behind you and bad bats supporting you. When all around you others spent weeks, months and entire seasons on the disabled lists, you strapped them on and marched out there for unappreciative fans. Thank You for putting up with us. God Bless!

Hughes, Gibson, May, Millone. I like the rotation through the first 4 so far! Heck, in '87 I only liked the first two names in our rotation at the end of that season!

Not to nit pick but looking again at your list, you have 14 bats and 12 pitchers (counting the x pitcher) so I think subliminally you already knew you'd have to cut Colabello...

I think Colabello is done now that he was sent back down. I REALLY rooted for the guy and hoped he'd be that guy that made it late and became an every day player, but at this point I do not expect him to wear the Twins Uniform again.

I believe the likelihood of Actually ever appearing in a Twins Uniform should influence the ranking more than potential. That might lead to adjusting Burdi, Gilmartin, and Vargas upward and with all that has happened to Eddie Rosario, maybe lowering his rank...

Is that distribution center in Rochster New York or Rochester Minnesota? I literally laughed out loud reading this sitting alone at home today.

Touché

Geez people, you have all watched the minors and MLB team this year. I have read 20 complaints about "shouldn't we try something better" without an in house suggestion of what is better. Rosario, in house suspension; Hicks, not ready (we tried that). Parmalee was in center, Parma freaking lee!! Quantify the harm or lay off please.

This fits exactly what I talked about in a different thread...Bench guys are not supposed to have all the numbers to be starters; They are supposed to complement the starters. A defensive 4th outfielder with pinch running/ base stealing ability seems to fit well with our current outfield. If his offense eventually comes around that would be a bonus but we don't need a bunch of bench guys that look exactly like the starters. There's too much of that on this team already.

Vargas, Millone, Fuld moves hint to me there is another trade or two in the offing...

I would trade any of the lefty relievers and keep what the other teams don't want whether its Duensing, Thompson, Ibarra, Johnson, Darnell, or even Thielbar. We cannot keep half of them so trade what you can and bring up prospects. That said, I'd rather keep Duensing and Thielbar and convince the other teams to take the others in trades. We can afford their low cost and they are already doing the job. (And Thielbar is a local)

The only stat on Molina that stands out to me is the two triples. What do you know/see in Molina that stacks him up with the other 5?

Hughes is someone we could have WITH Meyer, May, and Gibson on the next World Series team...with them you could be throwing Nolasco out there as the fifth man with his eternal contract

I started watching baseball the second half of 86 because of one Kirby Puckett. He was infectious from the beginning and I was very saddened to see him leave the game so early. He is still my all time favorite and probably always will be. When Brad Radke began pitching on the team, I made sure I saw every 5th game and if at the dome, I tried to plan around the five man rotation to see him put up a W. During some really bad seasons, I enjoyed seeing him stop the bleeding every fifth day. Johan Santana replaced Radke as #1 in my heart with all those K's. In his prime, he was the best Twins pitcher I ever remember (no offense to Viola, Blyleven, Morris, etc...) Then he broke my heart (actually management did) and he became a Met. I love Joe Mauer but he has not created excitement in me. Currently, Oswaldo Arcia is stealing my heart with his passion and fun loving enjoyment of this wonderful game. I was on tv clapping in the stands behind him while team mates gave him high fives after his first major league home run last year (my wife took a picture and sent it to me) and I hope to watch many more over the next 15 years. (If he can hold off Sano and Buxton as my favorite)

None of the losses were part of a future and our present day is an experiment to find the future. We can find more guys like them in the future. I am not concerned that Alex Pressly, Darin Masroianni and Brooks Raley are gone. If I told my wife and friends their responses would be all the same. Who are they? Exactly!