Mike Sixel

Biggy 12:51 Is that Minnesota prospect, Brent Rooker, gonna sniff the majors this year? Kiley McDaniel 12:51 He'll have to go nuts but yeah maybe

Except you can score from third in a fly ball or grounds out.... So I would argue there are times to steal third. Unless I misread you post, which is possible.

There are clearly issues that need to be worked out. From the draft and international free agency, to paying minor league players, to how to pay major league players. I can see small changes, and huge changes, as possibilities. But, every league is struggling with how to pay players. In the NFL, middle tier players are not paid well. In the NBA, the number of awful contracts and tanking teams is too high. I am not sure what the answers are, but a salary floor is not one of them, imo. Why should a team be forced to sign mediocre players? And if you increase pay for existing players, how do you have money for free agency the next year, if you want to jump in?

I do think this is a tough decision. But, I think he will be good for three more years, so if they can agree on that length, I do it. Even with the MI depth. Unless they are going to spend that in big time pitching, I don't know where else the money will even go.

I just read he was sent home...

Dozier is hitting free agency because he finally can, not because of this FO. Probably.

I think it depends more on Hughes.....

Tony left off the part where he's just not good at his job.... How is it tanking? If you are a bad team, and you can't make the playoffs, how is it not just smart business not to sign mediocre players with little upside? If only the local team had realized this, and acted differently..... A floor helps no one. Raising the minimum does. Paying minor league players does. But a floor does nothing.

Fangraphs wrote an article last year pointing out these deals are dead for elite players. Buxton would be bucking the trend at this point. If he turns out to be great, he's losing tens of millions.

He would be insane to take that tiny amount.

They are really competing for 1 spot....as NYY/BOS/TOR will claim 2 spots between them. That leaves the loser of that, Tampa, MN, SEA, LAA, TEX and a bunch of not ver likely teams.

You don't need a great 2b or superstar CF either. But it sure helps to have great players..... I'm not sure how this is controversial

About fifty fifty they are in contention. So about fifty fifty he is traded.

That money is spent if he is in Minnesota or not. For a million more, they can have guys with options on the roster.. .

Eric L posts a decent amount of video on Twitter. And thanks to Bob go doing so here.

Dang, maybe I should not have tossed it when we moved!

You need to choose a .5 number... But I will take the under.

Three years of being terrible...I can't imagine I would have liked the timing ever. One year? Sure.

Rodney 9:06 How long do you think I can keep my job! Jeff Sullivan 9:07 My hunch is that Rodney keeps the job all season, with maybe a week or two spent "figuring it out" in a low-leverage role. To Rodney's credit, he still throws super hard, and although he's wild he's never been easy to hit I hate the experience of watching Fernando Rodney close, but the results aren't so bad from a distance! Jeff Sullivan FanGraphs Chat -- 3/2/18 powered by JotCast Jeff Sullivan 9:04 Hello friends 9:05 Welcome to Friday baseball chat Dan 9:05 Do you see new signee Danny Valencia getting playing time in Baltimore? Jeff Sullivan 9:05 Surprisingly yes. Wouldn't be shocked to see him open as a platoon partner for Colby Rasmus In the outfield In the major leagues F. Rodney 9:06 How long do you think I can keep my job! Jeff Sullivan 9:07 My hunch is that Rodney keeps the job all season, with maybe a week or two spent "figuring it out" in a low-leverage role. To Rodney's credit, he still throws super hard, and although he's wild he's never been easy to hit I hate the experience of watching Fernando Rodney close, but the results aren't so bad from a distance! Jimmy 9:08 How about those Blue Jays? Jeff Sullivan 9:08 Is this a reference to spring training standings Is this a reference to spring training standings after seven games A big dumb idiot 9:08 Like you, I was a curious how the horrible AL Central would impact the Twins projection. So, using depth charts projections and accounting for strength of schedule (weighted records of all opponents) here are the projected win totals for AL WC contenders: Jays: 86.2 Twins: 83.8 Angels: 82.2 Jeff Sullivan 9:09 Feels about right. As soon as we launch our 2018 playoff-odds page, I'll have a post up that uses our own schedule-adjustment math GP 9:11 On EW the other day you mentioned that Byron Buxton had started to figure things out over the second half but didn't seem that impressed with Jorge Polanco. Looking at his splits, he had virtually the same wRC+ (1st half, 2nd half and overall) as Buxton but with better plate discipline. He was also batting third pretty consistently in the second half. Should we be talking about Polanco more as a breakout candidate, at least offensively? Jeff Sullivan 9:12 Sorry for that delay. Allow me to share with you an incredible split 9:13 Polanco, first three months: .280 wOBA Polanco, last three months: .339 wOBA Polanco, first three months: .276 expected wOBA Polanco, last three months: .279 expected wOBA 9:14 I don't mean to suggest we should always get all tied up in xwOBA over all else, but I don't actually see meaningful evidence of improvement in here 9:15 For the sake of comparison, over the same time spans, Byron Buxton went from .254 to .300

I had a Willie Banks autographed baseball. I was sure it would be worth a ton of money....

What's iTunes?

After signing Morrison it looks like Vargas is on his way out in MN. Does he have any trade value? Keith Law 2:46 Don't think so. Up and down guy at best. Tye 2:49 Why are you so low on Gonsalves? Is his ceiling more of a 4/5? Will he be better than replacement level? Keith Law 2:50 How am I low on him? He's a lefty with no average breaking ball and fringe-average velocity. I don't think he's more than a 4. Smith 2:59 What do you expect from Brent Rooker this season? What level should he begin at, how soon do you think he will be in Minneapolis? Keith Law 2:59 Start in high-A, and bump him to double-A if he rakes there again. Older guy so get him moving. So far, very good with him.

Dubya 2:12 What are your thoughts on the Twins signing Logan Morrison instead of another starting pitcher? Keith Law 2:12 Solid value for them, gives them OBP they could use. Not sure it's "instead" given the cost.

Good stuff, sir. I doubt most teams expect him to be that good, or he'd have gone for a lot more. Let's hope they are all wrong.

He's a good player, imo, and fans probably don't appreciate him enough yet.