mikelink45

No matter what the cause, Gonzalez has just this year left on his contract and his career with the Twins. We have Lewis, Gordon, Blankenship coming up and utility is a good place for at least one of them. With Donaldson we now have all the positions plugged in and there is less need for Gonzalez to force his way into the lineup.

Duran is relatively new to me and his record has not jumped out, but if he can be a starter along with Balazovic and Graterol in a year or two I will be happy.

I hope they gone beyond these two. I wanted Graterol, but that isn't going to happen. However, I am all for pushing prospects and would love to see Balazovic in the ST mix. Are we done with Littell as a starter? I am not a believer in Smeltzer and like him better in the BP. Duran?

I hope that Balazovic rises quickly - I have more hope for him than for Hill for the last half season

I love this essay. The FO is doing some good things, but at one point the national reporters loved what TR did. He was a model and the "Twins Way" was commended. Times change and in our current atmosphere the old way diminishes, but it is good to remember that It wasn't always a laughable comment. Check out this Reusse column. http://www.startribune.com/the-twins-way-laugh-now-but-it-wasn-t-a-punch-line-until-this-decade/413938713/

I also believe that Romero's problems came before the current coaching was in place. I have more faith now than I did in the Molitor period.

I have felt and commented on the change the Twins wanted in making Romero a RP. I think he has always had the mindset of a SP and when the change was made his performance went down. I am all for him as a starter. I think his situation is very different from Graterol. Graterol is in the MLB and he is happy to be on the roster, not down in the minors learning to relieve. I would hope that the team moves Graterol up like they did both Liriano and Santana.

These are fun, but of course they mean nothing. I look forward to seeing what really happens

The big questions are SS and CF. No matter the metrics or the shifts, these remain the most important positions on the field.

Romero is someone I really believed in a few years ago, but I felt that the coaching he got at that time actually set him back. I don't necessarily believe in him now, but I would love to see him get it together.

Those of us in Minnesota don't get what the FO is doing either, until something happens. TD is the most valuable source for the nuances of the off season.

Until the Sano to 1B move becomes real and we see how he handles Polanco's erratic throws we cannot truly judge this. Since the infield is where the gain is made that is an important aspect. At this point we also have to look at Pineda and Hill's absence for a large segment of time so their WAR figures have to adjust to how much time they will really be with the team. It will be a good year, but I cannot accept this as a measurement.

Both teams did well, but neither achieved the big step of a quality SP. I like Kuechel better than our injured for at least the first half Hill and Bailey.

I am sorry Graterol is going to be BP and I hope he will be given a few spot starts, but otherwise you are right - the starting three until Pineda comes back is not comforting. On the other hand if you had Thorpe, Dobnak, and Smeltzer on this list where would they rank? I hope at the top, but I do not know and that is the frightening aspect. And finally this makes me ask you or Seth - is there any chance that Balazovic is given a chance this year?

I have enjoyed Eddie and figure that if there was trade demand he would go, like any player, if the offer is good enough. But if the theories about Eddie being gone in a year or two are correct than I say replace Cave with the player we think will take that spot. Put Larnach or Kiriloff in the 4th OF spot. Season them in MLB, let them step in for rest or injury. Having Cave play when we do not see him as the final solution makes no sense to me.

Nice article and a perplexing problem. I do not see an adequate SS solution and I find it fascinating that Gordon's name has stopped appearing in articles and comments. I think Arraez is more likely to be a better 2B than Polanco is a better SS. At this point as we look at Donaldson to help solve the range problem how do you feel about Sano catching those erratic throws at 1B?

Interesting article and the comp of Johann Santana starting in the pen is a good one. I would still like to see him get a few starts or be a Hader BP pitcher - throwing more than one inning and gaining some of that important development towards being a starter.

Not interested in these. Price has been a disappointment in Boston and I think he would be here too. I do not have a target pitcher. I do not see Cleveland trading in the Central division. Cueto is too injury prone. Freeland? Does he improve us over what we have?

I was curious about great 3B players so I went to check on a few to see how they aged and whether the four year contract for Josh Donaldson was really a good deal for both team and player. What are the potentials for regret? I cannot predict injuries or aging, but this list makes me feel better and optimistic. Mike Schmidt ages 34 - 37 hit HRs to almost match his age 36,33,37,35 and then he was really done dropping off to 12 and 6. His WAR was 7,.5, 6.2, 6.1,and then 1.8, -0.4 Another great 3B and my favorite was Eddie Mathews. A wonderful HOF player. He hit 32 at age 33 and then dropped to 16, 32, 3. His career was over by age 38. Ken Boyer, a near HOF peaked at age 32 and never had another power year. Scott Rolen, being debated for HOF and getting lots of credit as a 3B candidate hit 22, 20, 5 and 8 and then was done at 38 George Brett was not a HR hitter, but in his age 34 - 37 seasons his WAR was 2.7, 4.1 and then he finished out his last three years with WARS of less that 0,5. Baseball Reference in it list of comparable players at age 33 listed only one 3B - Dave Hollins who dropped out at age 33 with BA, HR and all other stats. Not a good one there, although he had been good. Those are my best comparable players. The biggest thing I saw in this exercise really demonstrated that the Twins might have grabbed the best four years and would be wise not to extend it further.