Reider

This sums it up perfectly. Dozier is the type of player the Twins need. If the Twins trade every player that turns out to be as good as Dozier, they'll never be good and will just be a farm system for the rest of the league. I agree that there are players in the bullpen that need to go ASAP and I do think there are players on the team that are much better trade bait options than Dozier. I don't think the Twins should trade Dozier unless they replace him with someone better or the compensation they receive is too good to refuse. The prime example is what the Jays did this year. They traded Brett Lawrie away and replaced him with Josh Donaldson. They traded away Jose Reyes and replaced him with Troy Tulowitzki. Now the Blue Jays essentially have the best SS and 3rd base tandem in the league. There's nothing wrong with that! Who can go: As far as I am concerned (as of right now), Mauer (I'm fully aware of his no trade clause), Hunter, Suzuki, Herrmann, Fryer, Nunez, Escobar, Robinson, Boyer, Duensing, Graham, Fien, Pelfrey, and possibly even Plouffe, Perkins, and Arcia are players I'd have no problem using as trade bait. The price would have to be right on the last three aforementioned players for sure though. Who can stay: Dozier, Sano, Buxton, Rosario (and probably the likes of Polanco, Kepler etc..) are the types of players I'd keep around unless the offer is just too good to refuse. Most of the starting pitchers (and probably Jepsen / Perkins) can stay unless the Twins replace them with better pitchers or receive exceptional compensation in return. Mauer can stay, but he needs to hit better. Hunter can stay if he wants to be a player / coach next year or if he decides to retire and work in the front office. I'm a huge fan of both of these players.

Yeah, I know the A's snapped him up quickly, but I didn't know they had an opportunity to claim him before the Twins, so thanks for pointing that part out. Also, I wasn't aware that he was not liked in the Twins clubhouse. That also changes things and that's really too bad if true. I just can't help but think, when Robinson, Fryer etc.. step up to the plate vs. the Blue Jays how nice it would be to have a guy like Valencia up there instead. Someone who has some MLB experience, is a former Twin, has a respectable batting average, and has the ability to hit it over the fence. Based on Valencia's posts on twitter, it seemed like he was quite upset about getting cut from a playoff contender. I couldn't help but think of how cool it would have been for him to wake up the next morning, drive to the Rogers center, put on a Twins jersey again, and help the Twins battle for a playoff spot. Oh well, it wasn't meant to be, it's not the end of the world.

The Blue Jays dumped Danny Valencia after all of their trade deadline acquisitions and the Athletics quickly claimed him. He's hitting .296 avg this year (.279 vs righties .316 vs lefties). He is also batting .500 with the bases loaded this year. He wasn't just a back up at 3rd base, he was playing the outfield and filling in at other infield positions. I'm not upset that the Twins didn't claim him. In fact, I'm not even suggesting that the Twins should have seriously considered claiming him. That's none of my business. However, how cool would it have been if Valencia gets cut Sunday night, wakes up Monday morning, drives to the Rogers center, puts on a Twins Jersey (again) and proceeds to take out his frustrations on David Price? Not sayin', just sayin'.

I don't know what's next for sure, but based on the way the Twins have been playing since the all-star break, the Twins will be losing their wild card spot to the Jays real soon (if not tomorrow, then by the end of this 4 game set). Aside from a few players, they just don't look like the same team anymore. e.g. Pitchers have been throwing meatballs on 3-0 counts, Perkins has done next to nothing since the all-star break, hitters are swinging at balls out of the strike zone. There are 2 or 3 guys in the bullpen that just don't belong at the MLB level etc. It's not all that bad. I was expecting the Twins to be in or near the basement again this year, so to see them play meaningful games in August, is great. They just need to get back to playing fundamental baseball. They need to make smart decisions on the mound and at the plate. Hopefully this is just a slump that they will eventually bounce out of before it's too late instead of a sign of things to come for the rest of the season. As a side note, in the game against the Blue Jays today, it looked like Nunez was safe at first base, when they showed the replay. However, Molitor was told not to challenge the play by another coach on the phone. I really wish they would have challenged that play.

It can be argued that the Twins slightly over-paid for Jepsen, but given the circumstances, I think it was a good idea for TR to trade for a set up man in the bullpen. The Wild Card is slowly slipping away from the Twins as the bullpen has been faltering, the Jays have been making moves of their own, and are right on the Twins' heels. Given the circumstances, I"m glad TR made an attempt at preserving a possible playoff berth, even if the perceived price was a bit steep. Of course, if the Twins were 10+ games out this trade never would have happened as it never would have made sense. TR made this trade because it makes sense to him at the moment.

Sometimes you have to stand up for yourself and Torii Hunter did that tonight. I have no problem with that as it was clearly an outside ball. Also, it was good to see Molitor share his thoughts with the umpire as well. He needs to have his players' backs and he had Hunters' tonight.

Do I really have to be the first one to come out and say that I believe in the Twins? Or that that this team is actually pretty good? I've never been a "homer" type of fan, i've always been a "tell it like it is" kind of person, so that's what I'm going to do. This team is actually pretty good. Bringing in / (promoting) Paul Molitor, Torii Hunter, as well as the new coaches is making a difference. Our starting pitchers are pitching better than in the past and I believe Neil Allan has a lot to do with that (e.g. adding pitches). Glen Perkins is leading the league in saves. The team is playing with confidence and swagger. They are having fun and I think Torii Hunter has helped with that. So what if this team doesn't have any big "stars?" This team has a lot of good players and they are playing as a team. That's why they've been winning baseball games. Offensively, never mind this year, remember last year? They were the highest scoring team in August. They can score runs. Defensively, they look good right now. Dozier is absolutely fantastic at second base. Plouffe has improved so much, it's unbelievable. Santana might need to work on his mental game a bit, but he has a good tool set (good range, strong arm). And Mauer is Mauer. He's a big target at first base and not too shabby for the short amount of time he's been playing the position full time. In the outfield we have Rosario, Hicks and Hunter. Together they cover a lot of ground, quickly. Eventually people are going to have to realize that some of these Twins players are for real. Dozier is fantastic in the field and is dangerous with his bat. The same can be said about Plouffe, although he's not as flashy as Dozier with his glove. Hunter has been one of the most consistent / clutch players in the MLB over the last 15 years. Is anyone really surprised that he came through for the Twins last game with the game winning 2 run RBI double over the head of Chris Colabello? Is anyone really surprised that he has helped play a role in this team having fun and gelling? I don't know what's going to happen in the future, but I know one thing is for sure, win or lose, this team is going to continue playing with a purpose. This is a good team that plays as a team. And a team that plays as a team is a dangerous team. As far as I am concerned the Twins have earned their current first place position.

This is just an observation so feel free to disagree with me, but I think Duensing is pitching scared. He's trying to nibble at corners, but he's missing by 6 inches or more. It's almost like he has lost all confidence in himself. As a result, he has lost the confidence of some fans too, as evidenced by the comments in this thread. He needs to go after hitters!

Torii Hunter has been one of the most, if not the most, consistent hitters in the MLB over the last 15 years. He's been clutch. Yes, he's slowed down and yes he's almost 40, but of all MLB players, in my opinion he's the least likeliest of guys that's just going to burn out all of a sudden. If anything he'll fizzle out slowly. It's quite obvious that he's a real professional and takes his job very seriously. The guy isn't perfect (nobody is), but in my opinion he epitomizes what an MLB baseball player looks like or should be. There are a lot of great players out there, but what separates MLB players from non-MLB players is consistency. When I think of a true MLB player, I think of Torii Hunter. I don't know how much time Torii has left in the MLB or what his numbers will looks like by seasons end, but what is very obvious to me is that he's acting like a true professional by working his hardest to earn his pay check. Like him or not, believe in him or not, one has to respect his work ethic and how serious he is taking his role this year.

The Toronto Blue Jays should be on this list. John Gibbons is brutal.

It's definitely too early to say, but I wouldn't doubt that there might be a little "rust" factoring into the equation. Santana obviously has all of the tools, but after playing in the out field last season, he just needs to get the reps in and try and get into a groove. It may take a couple of months or it may take a couple of years or it may not happen at all. I think the most important thing is to just give him time and a lot of reps and see how things go for him this year. Playing SS is a mental challenge just as much as it is a physical/skill/ability factor. Considering he seems to miss "easy" ones once in a while, he may be battling some mental demons out there. I really hope the coaches and his teammates are talking to him about the mental aspect. It's huge.

I believe the first Twins game I went to was Aug 21st, 1992 vs the Toronto Blue Jays (5-1 Twins win). I was 9 years old and it was awesome being in the Metrodome for the first time. The stadium was huge, the energy in the building was fun (e.g. when the announcers introduced Kirby Puckett), and considering I was a huge Jays fan at the time and slowly becoming a Twins fan, it was awesome to watch all of the great players on the field from both teams (Alomar, Carter, White, Winfield, Olerud, Morris, Puckett, Knoblauch, Hrbek, Gagne, Erickson etc). My family watched the entire Jays series and part of or most of the series against Detroit. I remember during warm ups vs. Detroit we were sitting near field level down the 3rd base line, out near the warning track and one of the Tigers players tossed a baseball to my younger brother (age 6 at the time). It was just a really cool experience and quite unlike watching the game on TV. My first time watching the Twins @ Target Field was in August of 2010. It is a fantastic stadium and a great place to watch baseball.

In order for the Twins to win half of their games, I think the pitching is going to have to come through. I am confident in the potential of the starting pitching, it's the bullpen that has a lot of question marks. Defensively, the Twins will be quite solid in the infield. Suzuki is a veteran behind the plate, Joe Mauer showed improvement in the second half of the season last year, Plouffe has established himself defensively, Dozier has the ability and often does make spectacular plays. He's fantastic to watch. And Santana has a good tool set. Good range and a strong arm. If he can make the routine plays, he should be fine. It's mainly the corner outfielders that are a question mark for me, defensively. Schafer has some wheels and can cover ground. Hopefully Arcia and Hunter can make good decisions to make up for their lack of ability to cover ground quickly. One thing that people don't seem to be talking about a whole lot is the Twins' offensive abilities. Power was specifically mentioned, which was great, but I think in general this team has the potential to score a lot of runs and will in the future as well. Does anyone recall last year when the Twins scored 42 runs (iirc) against Detroit later in the season, during a 3 or 4 game set? This was the set that made Torii Hunter into a believer. I believe the Twins' scoring ability will only improve if / when guys like Arcia, Vargas, Sano, and Buxton etc.. continue to improve and establish themselves at the MLB level. I'm not sure how well the Twins will do this year because there are so many variables, but I am definitely feeling optimistic about the future.

That can be said about any starting player. They are the guy until they are no longer the guy. I just like Santana as a baseball player. He's pretty good. I hope we have good young prospects that can win jobs over our current starters because losing is never as fun as winning. I'm all for improving the team.

Considering Span and Revere got traded and Torii Hunter isn't 25 anymore, it's safe to say that center field is a work in progress. I think the Twins are hoping that one of their young guys will step up and take the job, eventually. Don't panic. Nunez is okay, but I am not a very big fan of his. I hope he plays awesome when he gets the opportunity and makes me into a believer. Santana is a stud @ SS and Escobar is a good player in his own right. On one hand, I understand Pelfrey's point of view. If he believes he earned a spot in the starting rotation by out-pitching the competition, then he has a right to be disappointed and I have no problem with that. On the other hand life must be really tough for him, living the dream pitching in the MLB and having to worry about how he's going to spend all of that $. All he has to do is keep working hard, pitch to the best of his ability, and everything will work out in the end. For the ones wondering how Hunter is going to mentor the young guys, while being many miles away, the easy answer is that he is not. However, he just spent a month with them in spring training and some of the young guys will be up at some point this year. Also, I imagine that Hunter will likely stay in contact with some of them (or vice versa) throughout the season.

Brian Dozier earned the $ and the contract extension, so good for him and the Twins as they both benefit from this deal. When I first saw Dozier play a few years ago, I really wasn't sold on him. However, it has been obvious to me that he is a very hard worker and has shown steady improvement over the last couple of years. The effort he gives on and off of the field, day in and day out, shows in his play. He makes spectacular plays on defense, can change the momentum of a game with his bat, and is a solid base runner. I'm sure he is a good person in the clubhouse as well. I don't want to necessarily compare him to Dustin Pedroia because there is only one Pedroia, but the way Dozier plays the game reminds me of Pedrioa. They are both "gamers." As long as Dozier continues to play the game full throttle and with as much effort and passion as he does, he is the kind of guy you want on your team. I know some players' level of play falls off after they sign a big contract, but in my opinion, I would be fine with Dozier being a long-term Twin as long as he continues to approach and play the game the way he has over the last couple of years. He's been a lot of fun to watch and I have no doubt in my mind that he has the ability to be an important piece of the puzzle over the next few years.

Chris Hermann is well rounded, but he needs to bring his level of play and consistency up if he wants to be an every day MLB player.

Yes, he should absolutely be in the conversation for the starting CF position. I liked what Sam Fuld brought to the outfield defensively and I like Schafer a bit more than Fuld.

I can see it playing out as a very positive thing as long as he is equally as good at communicating these things to the players. Paul Molitor is a detail guy. Rickey Henderson is a detail guy. You don't achieve that level of success without being a detailed individual. The more Molitor works with the players, the better the team will be in the long term. However, good teachers can only get so much out of a player, so it is important that the Twins continue to draft and develop good players. And of course there is the unknown. How much will he really rely on statistics? How will he write his line ups? How will he handle the pitchers? etc.. We know he is a self-motivated person, but will he be able to motivate his players? I believe people respect his career as a baseball player. I also believe people respect him as a person and as a coach. As long as the players respect and believe in him as a manager, I have no doubt that he will be able to educate and motivate the players. It wouldn't surprise me in the very least if we see a lot of exciting Twins baseball ahead, win or lose.

Terry Ryan identified pitching as an area that needed to be upgraded so he went out and signed a guy that he tried to sign last year. I have no issue with this. Rest assured, this will not cripple the organization financially.

I am indifferent on signing Ervin Santana. I really couldn't care less whether the Twins sign him or not. However, I can't get my head around the sentiment of one being worried about a pitcher "blocking" another pitcher. In the entire history of the Minnesota Twins, when have we ever thought to ourselves, oh no, we have too many good pitchers, what are we going to do now? Never. If the Twins truly had too many good pitchers, there would be no shortage of trading partners. The Twins need to improve their pitching. If Terry Ryan feels he can improve the pitching staff, he should consider all of his options in order to do so. Money is not an issue, contracts expire, players get injured, players under-perform, players get traded, players get demoted, and there's lots of room in the bullpen. At the end of the day, I believe that if Terry Ryan can improve the pitching staff, the last thing he should be worried about is a pitcher with a good track record "blocking" unproven minor league pitchers. There's plenty of options and plenty of room for good pitchers on the Minnesota Twins.

I watched the entire press conference and I felt embarrassed for Torii Hunter and the Minnesota Twins.

Welcome back Torii! I never wanted him to leave in the first place and I wanted him to come back sooner. I was indifferent on whether he came back at this point as the Twins are rebuilding, but it'll be good to see him in the line up again. He has been a consistent hitter throughout his career and I hope he can continue hitting around .300 and be clutch for the Twins like he has been throughout his career.

Dozier isn't going anywhere.

He definitely played a great game tonight! I'm not sure what happens from here on out. Let him play and see how he does the rest of the season.