mikelink45

The Lynx won the championship in 2011, 2013, 2015 and 2017 ... so, no, it hasn't been since 1991.

I really enjoyed this.  It is a very constructive way to look at the positions.  I hope you are able to get more up to date data because I think we will look even worse with more current information. 
I went to fangraphs and wRC -
1. Garver is #20 on the overall list - our highest twin 154 score.
It really hurts to see LaMonte Wade at #27!
Nelson Cruz is the only other Twin (ex) in the top 60.
2. Josh Donaldson #62 127
Then there is Akil Baddoo at number 82 - still higher that Twins OF
3.Polanco is #93 with a 118
There is Robbie Grossman and Jonathon Scoop before we get to 4.Arraez at #136 - 109
5. Sano at #169 is 104
And that completes our over league average group (average 100). 
Jeffers 97
Kepler 96
Astudillo 96
Kiriloff 94
Larnach 89
Simmons 61
Thanks to Garver these 11 average 104 for the team. 

If we attached these OPS+ to specific position averages, my guess is Sano falls to below average, but Jeffers and Astudillo rise to above average? It certainly seems like today's OPS averages are lower than 2006, which meets the eye test

I really enjoyed this.  It is a very constructive way to look at the positions.  I hope you are able to get more up to date data because I think we will look even worse with more current information. 
I went to fangraphs and wRC -
1. Garver is #20 on the overall list - our highest twin 154 score.
It really hurts to see LaMonte Wade at #27!
Nelson Cruz is the only other Twin (ex) in the top 60.
2. Josh Donaldson #62 127
Then there is Akil Baddoo at number 82 - still higher that Twins OF
3.Polanco is #93 with a 118
There is Robbie Grossman and Jonathon Scoop before we get to 4.Arraez at #136 - 109
5. Sano at #169 is 104
And that completes our over league average group (average 100). 
Jeffers 97
Kepler 96
Astudillo 96
Kiriloff 94
Larnach 89
Simmons 61
Thanks to Garver these 11 average 104 for the team. 

I really enjoyed this.  It is a very constructive way to look at the positions.  I hope you are able to get more up to date data because I think we will look even worse with more current information. 
I went to fangraphs and wRC -
1. Garver is #20 on the overall list - our highest twin 154 score.
It really hurts to see LaMonte Wade at #27!
Nelson Cruz is the only other Twin (ex) in the top 60.
2. Josh Donaldson #62 127
Then there is Akil Baddoo at number 82 - still higher that Twins OF
3.Polanco is #93 with a 118
There is Robbie Grossman and Jonathon Scoop before we get to 4.Arraez at #136 - 109
5. Sano at #169 is 104
And that completes our over league average group (average 100). 
Jeffers 97
Kepler 96
Astudillo 96
Kiriloff 94
Larnach 89
Simmons 61
Thanks to Garver these 11 average 104 for the team. 

Charlie Barnes is probably the next in line, but Josh Winder is likely the next one that will really be impactful (not to dismiss Barnes, I think he's probably a #4 guy for a good long while; Winder is a guy who I think could make us all quickly feel better about trading Berrios).

Jovani Moran and Josh Winder are definitely the closest to MLB ready, in my estimation, and also are pretty much the only two who are healthy at this point (sounds like Winder is going to be ok after taking a ball off the neck in his last start). I'm pretty high on both, but we probably won't see extended looks at either until next summer. 

I'm all for it. We’re going nowhere with Happ and possibly Pineda. I think you’re right in that we can’t know who the pitching equivalents of Larnach and Kirilloff are unless we give them a chance. Some really intriguing relievers too! 

I say the Twins take a chance and actually give us the ANSWER to this question.  Jettison/trade Pineda and Happ and put Barnes and Winder in the rotation with Berrios, Maeda and Ober. Dobnak and Thorpe are your AAA depth when they come back from injury. Move on from Robles (trade), Colome (trade or DFA) and Theilbar or Coloumbe (trade) and call up Hamilton, Vazquez and Cano. Pitch the starters every 5th day and use the relievers like real relievers in 6th and 7th inning situations. When inevitable 10 day IL stints occur, hope that one or more of the presently injured or AA guys like Sands, Duran, Caterino or Moran can fill in. Let's be Darwinian - may be the best guys win!
My guess is that Winder will show enough to be penciled into the 2022 rotation along with Ober, but Barnes will be more of a 6th starter/long man/ AAAA guy. In the bullpen, Hamilton and Cano will be middle relief arms next year and Vasquez will be another long man/AAAA guy. But what do I know? Let's settle this in the arena!  

While I'm not ready for a rebuild, these are the types of heavy returns which the Twins would need to have if they choose to start over. I'm also of the mind to push San Diego for C. J. Abrams. 

I would say no to either deal. I'm not in the total rebuild camp and thats what these trades are. Another 2-3 years of bad teams waiting for young pitchers to advance with no experienced #1 to show them the way sounds like long losing summers.

Harmon Killebrew. He was the everyday LF from’62-64. Played in 470 games as Twins starting LF. Allison started 472. Harmon averaged 47 hr’s as LF. Of those listed, only Rosario and Allison played more LF.

IMHO you cannot count minor leaguers who have not played in the majors as part of the "big 6". Remember Gonsalves? He was our next 20 game winner (top pitching prospect for 2 years running) yet has never had success. And don't count Simmons out. You have to have a keystone to your defense.

At the end of the day Polanco and Kepler didn’t sign outlandish contracts if they ended up as utility and 4th OF roles. Sano’s contract is turning out to be an issue. Especially if his career keeps trending to Chris Carter territory. 
 
Buxton and Berrios both signed significant signing bonuses as draft picks and both are confident in gambling on themselves. Berrios due to his durability so far won’t have an issue getting a long term contract in FA. Buxton will end up being the most complex FA negotiation, potentially ever. There hasn’t been a player entering FA with undeniable talent that’s missed 50+% of available games in their career. 

I strongly doubt the Twins extend either Berrios or Buxton. Berrios wants to see what he's worth in FA and if the Twins were going to extend him, that would've already happened. Buxton is expecting Betts/Lindor type money, and no way the Twins will pay that. I wouldn't touch extending him with a 20 foot pole with his injury history. Players with injury history in their 20's don't suddenly become healthy in their 30's. Aging is unavoidable, and since Buck relies so much on his speed as an asset, he will decline. I love Buck as much as anybody but you have to face the facts that he will not be a reliable CF. If he plays a corner spot he will be way overpaid especially when we have Larnach, Kiriloff, Wallner to fill those spots at a cheap price. 
 
Next 6: Arraez, Balazovic, Kiriloff, Larnach, Lewis, Duran.   

I find it interesting that Polanco/ Kepler/ Sano were the 3 to sign extensions early while Berrios and Buxton declined extension to get to free agency.  The 3 guys that signed after big years have struggled since, and the 2 guys to not sign have only helped their chances at a large contract.  
I wonder if those early contracts are really worth it unless you are locking up a top prospect really early. 
Next core is just starting to get its feet wet, Kiriloff and Larnach look like they will be big middle of the order bats.  Lewis will get here at some point, Duran looks legit, Donaldson/ Cruz money has to go somewhere which will be Buxton/ Berrios/ or free agency.

One of the most ridiculous articles I've ever read in sports.  Sano has been babied by  the Twins for way too long as it is.  Simply put he has been one of the least productive twins in a long time.  I don't think the writer watches him at all like the fans do.  Most of us cringe when he comes up.  It's strikeout time and rally killing time when he steps up to the plate.  It's long time to move on Sano.  

129 AB .. 58 SO .. .163 BA .. Average fielder and below average speed on the base paths..
I swear to god, if Sano shortened his swing and tried to hit line drives he would end up hitting 40 balls over the fence by accident and strike out significant less .. 

Most absurd article I have read in a long time!!
The guy has been given every chance in the world.  Every time he strikes out 5 times in a row people say: "Oh that's OK we can't trade him because he might be the next Big Papi"! How many years do we have to hear that? Time to move on!

I am sorry, but if management is overlooking him, the fans are not and we do not like what we see.  The win-loss records with and without him is a silly comparison - there are 10 players minimum in every game.  If one player made a real difference Mike Trout might get into a playoff game.  No - Sano is not delivering.  If he has a game winning home  run in three or four games it does not make up for his other deficiencies. 

"When I look at his OWar 9.7 and his DWar 2.1 they add up to 11.8 so someone will have to explain BR math to me."
I can try to explain it, but not defend it.
B-r.com includes a positional adjustment to both OWar and DWar. Right field isn't a prime skill position, so the adjustment is negative, a fraction of a win each year. But Kepler is a good right fielder*, so his defensive contribution is still positive. Adding OWar and DWar means the adjustment is there twice. War is accumulative, not a rate stat, so the positional adjustment grows as playing time does. Over the course of his career, that adjustment seems to be -1.4
While I think the idea of positional adjustment is sound, I wish they didn't do it this way.
 
* Yes Max plays CF some, and this is included in all the WAR numbers, but it's a small percentage of his playing time so the RF part of his contribution predominates..

My best guess on the next "Core 6": Byron Buxton, who I think we re-sign next offseason for 5 years, $100 million, Alex Kirilloff, Trevor Larnach, Royce Lewis, Jhoan Duran, and Jordan Balazovic. I also thought long and hard about putting Luis Arraez in here because of how much I love his bat at the top of the lineup. 
While re-signing Buxton presents a huge risk because of his injury history, his potential is too high for us to give up on; we play so much better when he is manning CF. Kirilloff looks like he'll be the Twins 1B for the next decade or so, with Larnach taking over RF. I am curious to see where Lewis ends up long term, is he an infielder or an outfielder? I'm extremely excited about this next phase of arms coming up through the system, Duran and Balazovic are the top two, but there is genuine depth within our organization's pitching depth with Canterino, Winder, Sands, Enlow, etc. 
I am sure that there will be a few surprises/breakouts, maybe someone like Sabato or Wallner will breakout in a big way. I still believe that this current version has enough talent to contend. Even after having watched these first two months of the season, if we could start the season over right now, I would still bet on the Twins making the playoffs. 
I'm curious to hear thoughts from the rest of you! Comments, critiques?

My question's are these - Who are the next 6 foundational players? All 6 of these were products of the Terry Ryan era. Does Falvey even have the next 6 in the system? Are any of the current 6 going to be a part of the next 6? I can't believe our window is already closed and we're talking about this. Dammit. I do still think Berrios and Buxton can and should be a part of the next 6. Can we sign them? Do we want to sign them? I have lots of questions. 

Huh? " ... and he is great at first base." No, he really isn't.

His ability to do what? Strikeout? He's hitting .163 and striking out about 50% of the time. If the guy could actually hit around .225 or so, things would be much different. Right now, he's nearly an automatic out with an occasional homerun.