DocBauer

Seth, it's on ST for everyone! You'll catch the next one. But laptop and beer should be preserved at all costs! Lol No hyperbole, the picture of Audra is amazing! (And not just because it's her). That should be framed, printed, sold, auctioned, etc! ST or not, the hidden ball trick just shouldn't happen. Shame on Adrianza! (But it was "smirk" worthy). ST or not, Gibson knuckled down! It's part of the new mental perspective he developed in 2017. There is no SSS as to the new and improved Gibson. He is a legit #3 who throws like a #2 some days. He needs to be extended. Then we need one more guy to add to he and Berrios. Just wish we had that guy now.

A few thoughts, rather than a bunch of quoting: 1] Agree with Thrylos in regard to Badoo and Keirsey. Not sure about Kerrigan. 2] Really thought/hoped/predicted English was going to surpass Granite last season. Then they both had bad years. I think English still has potential, but he needs a healthy and productive 2019 or he will not only be passed, but probably gone. 3] While a bit of a question mark, especially after battling injuries in 2018, I wouldn't fall asleep on Aaron Whitefield. If we are talking talent and potential, this kid has to be included. 4] I don't buy Lewis in CF, though I'm sure he could do very well there. I just don't see why he can't stick at SS with time and ironing out a few things. Further, even if the very talented Javier were to be the better option, Lewis could potentially move to 3B rather than the OF, (as could Javier potentially in a reverse scenario). Potentially, either of them could make for an outstanding overall 3B with defense and offense rather than a move to the OF where it seems the Twins have a lot of nice options. Lastly, Buxton himself. Despite potential, will he ever achieve the potential he has, and others have speculated he has? Maybe. Maybe not. Maybe his close to 2017 was merely an illusion. But please don't let "potential" and a horrible and cluster-filled 2018 season cloud real possibility. Hunter wasn't Hunter for a couple of seasons. Painful reminder or not, examine Aaron Hicks, as was brought up, and what he has done, or Gomez, also rushed, and then moved on before a series of some nice seasons elsewhere. Muscled up now or not, Buxton had pretty good power beforehand. He has game changing speed and defense. Touched on, but i will expand, if he only hits .250-.260 and isn't a SO windmill, be can be an All Star and game changer. Hitting .270-.280 he can be elite. I think his anger and disappointment has transformed to determination. Knock on wood for good luck/karma that weird and nagging injuries are mostly behind him, I think he's poised for a very nice season...even if his touching his ceiling is still a year or two away.

I confess, I don't recall ever hearing about Rosario previously. But taking any sort of flier on a former top prospect who maybe needed to mature, adapt, grow and learn or just have a change of scenery is very smart. So far, Perez, for example, is looking a heck of a lot smarter signing than I ever believed he might be. These kind of signings don't always work, as we well know. Motter, for example, last season, was one of these. To a degree, Cave, Austin and Austudillo or similar. NOT a clue if Rosario will pay off or not, but I'd rather have him as a potential #4 catcher at this point than others who have cycled through Rochester.

Interesting about Michael Davis, who may have been a bit of a steal. Forward thinking says the Twins are looking at athletic players who may be able to adapt to various positions. Guys who may not have the perfect skill set or potential to necessarily be a full time ML starter at a set position, but can hit and play various positions. I think Brian summed it up when he referenced creating your own "Marwin Gonzalez" types. I like the idea very much.

Mild surprise on Vasquez, but the numbers are what they are, and his AAA time is small. Wouldn't be surprised if he's a factor before the year is done.

I dont recall seeing that. But I would be interested! I wouldn't mind either one of them, but I just have a weird feeling about Keuchel that he is due for regression. And call me crazy, but I kinda like our rotation, though I remain skeptical in regard to Perez. Maybe I'm too much of an optimist, but I like the potential of the pen with a return to form by Reed. However, he has not looked good thus far. Kimbrel, 90% of his usual self, really moves the needle for me.

Great post! I would disagree with Pineda not being considered part of the future when the future of 2020 is so fluid. Fluid will also describe the Twins pitching in 2019, IMO. Romero and Mejia are young, live but unpolished arms. They are amongst the best 12 arms available and they will use them, take advantage of them, but not pigeonhole them as RP only. That just may be their role for now. Everything from ability, previous results, limited potential (call it better consistency), need and financials tells me 2 of Gibson, Odorizzi and Pineda will be brought back for 2020. I leave Perez out because to me he is still a long shot flier that I just cant buy in to. Baldelli comes from a forward thinking organization and the FO comprises a pair of forward thinking execs. Johnson seems to be a forward thinking coach. "Out-getters" is outstanding! However you build and use your staff, is a collection of arms getting outs what you are really looking for? How many teams have we seen with great starting staffs but a lousy pen who couldn't get it done? (Think Detroit several years and the Twins to a lesser degree last year). Or the Royals who made back to back WS appearances with a solid rotation and great pen. Barring more consistency from Magill, a return from Reed, and a surprise...Perez???...I still feel the staff is at LEAST 1 arm short. But if Johnson really is as innovative as he appears. If Johnson and Baldelli are really progressive in putting together the best 12 "out-getters" they can, I actually feel rather optimistic about the staff. There are question marks to be sure. But there are some really nice arms, overall, to like in the building of a staff. Forget defined roles. Just 1-12...nothing perfect, no embarrassment of ritches...but there are a lot of arms to actually like here.

I'd be fine on the 1yr. I'd be OK with the 2yr. I'd be OK with 2yrs and a team option 3rd yr with a couple $M buyout. I'm always OK with improving the talent on the team, though I dislike losing the draft choice. He is no #1 but he's solid and mostly dependable. More than likely shores up the pen some as well. So why not signed yet by anyone, much less the Twins? Assuming he's healthy, most teams just have to be wondering about/expecting a tick or two drop in velocity the next year or two and he's done. Is that fair?

I've been a follower, fan and believer in Polanco for some time now. He's been handled very oddly going back to the previous administration. Not sure how much blame Molitor gets for that. He burned options while barely playing, then was placed as the starting SS despite being moved off the position a good 50%+ off the spot. But between his uneven 2017...no need to cover the death of his grandfather again...and his suspension to open 2018, we've seen the potential of the bat. For haters of his defense, we've also seen solid play. Young, talented, athletic, couldn't he prove in 2019, a full season, that he's at least average at the spot? I agree he's the best option to bat lead off, though I actually like him more in the 2 and 3 holes where Molitor usually had him. I find it interesting that Rocco has been putting Adrianza and Kepler in the #1 spot most games thus far. Do I have to extol the virtues and values of Lewis here? I think not. I wouldn't be a bit surprised if Javier does a "Kirilloff" and vault to the top off of various prospect lists this season. This is a very nice problem to have! Such a good problem, that even if Gordon adds a few pounds for thunder and endurance, the former top prospect could end up as trade potential or a very nice utility player.

A few comments: 1] I get the disappointment and frustration. But some seem to feel there is a conspiracy going on. Sano, by all reports, worked very hard this offseason to get ready. None of these reports speak of malpractice or malfeasance in any way. Our TD medical expert/poster has even spoken about the situation. Bad luck, bad news, but let it go and hope for the best. 2] This makes Marwin's signing all that much better and important. But were it me, I would not pencil him in at 3B. I'd keep him in the role he was brought in for and be thinking about Astudillo as the primary 3B for now. SSS or not, I liked what I saw from him last season. I like and believe in his consistent milb career and this past winter as well. Just how good he could be we dont know. But I'd be thinking about him as the primary 3B with Gonzalez and Adrianza playing their roles. 3] I dont understand the hate for Rod Stewart. LOL Love the guy and think he's a deserved legend!

MLB, and milb as a partner in this, should be included in any future equation. The problem is, the MLB union has little to no interest in helping the milb players since...well, simply...they aren't MLB players yet. They have a "you aren't here yet so who cares" attitude. MLB owners, including the Twins, spend millions of dollars on milb salaries, agreements, academies, infrastructure, etc. Strictly from a bonus signing platform and salary, etc, if they were just being businessmen, would you want to spend more than you have to? Now, were I a MLB owner, not only would I be investing all I can in scouting and facilities, but I'd be willing to spend more on salaries, a mere pittance in the scheme of things, to bring the best available talent to my milb clubs...which I would also love to own or have controlling interest in if I didn't own them outright. I have thought about MLB following a model close to the NFL to achieve greater stability. But is it practical? I don't know. The NFL'S minor system is college and the draft, for the most part. Very different from MLB. Can a luxury tax and minimum payroll work in the current structure?

Liked your post and sort of agree with you. I think Gibson will be back barring something unusual. That makes two. Between Thorpe, Romero and Gonsalves, (and re-discovering his velocity), I think we could have three. But unless Graterol flies up the ladder, I'm stopping there. Romero could, possibly, stay in the pen. Mejia wasn't drafted by the Twins, though he is being developed by the Twins, same with Littell. Jury is still way out on Stewart, IMO. I am betting on Pineda or Odorizzi being retained and someone not yet with us, be it a trade or FA signing.

Once again I tell you that this series has been outstanding! (Even though I spent more time enjoying the read, memories, and names I remembered, forgot, or didn't know vs actually commenting). I think my biggest surprise, in retrospect, was how many guys, really good guys, filled the OF spots. For example, Allison was before my time, but I'm familiar with him. But I didn't realize how much he moved around. I always thought he was the RF before Oliva. I forgot how much Brunansky moved around, having remem9him only as a RF. Other examples, of course, but attempting to be brief. One position that really struck me was 3B when comparing Gaetti and Koskie. I loved both players and remember them well. Yet, if I recall your WAR rankings correctly, (And I'm not a big WAR person), Koskie was higher than Gaetti there. For fun, since I held back so much until the end of your posts, I'd like to offer up my humble opinions. 1B] Hrbek...(LOVE Morneau, but injuries are a reality that suck) 2B] Carew SS] Smalley (Gagne a STRONG 2nd place!) 3B] Gaetti or Koskie, sue me for not being able to choose. LF] Mack...(actually forgot how good he was) CF] Puckett...duh! RF] Oliva C ] Mauer DH] Killibrew...HOF at 3 spots. Just put him at DH and play wherever! Utility] Knoblauch and Allison. Want to debate these two? Dare anyone!

Agreed! Three options: 1] It's still very early and they are looking at a lot of guys right now. 2] They are being short-sighted, which seems strange for this FO and Rocco's approach coming over from a forward thinking organization. 3] They have drilled Austin in the OF and don't like what they see, which sounds a bit strange considering he was originally an OF in the minors, and have already made a conclusion. Sure hope it's #1.

Completely respect your opinion while also hoping as well that you are, indeed, proved wrong, lol. I think one thing we all have to do is just forget about Morrisson. They may both be power 1B who each played for the Rays, but comparisons should stop there. They are different players, at different points in their careers. Cron has been solid, but bounced in and out of lineups behind other guys, putting up decent but spectacular numbers, never having more than 400 AB until his breakout in 2018. He finally played daily and got 500AB. He reportedly made some adjustments to his approach. You would think Rocco is at least familiar with him also coming over from TB and having some input on his signing. He could, more or less, duplicate his 2018 season. He could regress some and still be a decent hitter with 20+HR power and still be an asset. I doubt he's any sort of long term solution, but he could prove to be a solid short term option until Rooker, Kirilloff, etc, is ready.

Well thought out, well written. In brief, I am going to disagree with your grade. I am calling it a solid B to B+ grade. Selfishly, I won't go in to specifics as I have a long explanation why that I any be doing as a post so I can get a lot of people to disagree with me. Lol

"A person close to the situation said this has the potential to be Your Dad’s greatest Twins-related befuddlement since the Mike Pagliarulo Incident of 1991." Lest we forget the horrifying "Doug Mintcabbage" incident that began in 1998!

Fun discussion with a potential empty premise. But I can't argue with your choices, Tom. Duda seems to be a perfect candidate to show everyone there is gas in the tank still. But I'm split on Collins and Morin. Both could bounce back, and I'm not so sure the Twins won't go north with a trio of LH in the pen. But could Collins rebound enough to pass Moya and Vasquez? I am really hoping for Wade, to show he will be ready at some point, and either Reed or Eades. Reed should have received a shot last year. I had written off Eades until he adapted so well to the pen last season and his various roles. I like Magill's FB and slider if he could just find some damned consistency. I'm not one who believes he's secure at all.

I think John's headline pretty much says it all. You simply don't know who, when, if someone gets hurt or just has a poor season or stretch. Gonzalez is a great answer for that, as well as being a great fill-in all over the place if and when the roster is healthy. It's also possible we are already seeing an example of this. I don't have any new information, but it was reported/conjectured elsewhere that Adrianza could be an early season DL candidate due to still recovering from the injury to his left shoulder and being limited to swinging from only one side.

I liked this post and pretty much agree 100%. But I do have a bit of an objection in regard to Astudillo. And yes, I am absolutely a fan, but I'm also a believer. I think the bat is for real, though not to the degree we saw last season. It also seems to me the budding power he showed last season may be for real. While C and 3B may be his best spots, he could be a very valuable bat to have around. I think the biggest question is how well or adequately he plays another position or two or three. ST, for him, may be more of an audition defensively than offensively. FWIW, with options remaining, I think he begins the season at Rochester. But injuries happen, and opportunity arises. Someone like Austin or Duda could force the Twins to take them north, at least initially, to see how things play out. Having too many guys you want to keep is a good problem to have. I feel pretty good about our position player depth at this point.

In my head, and my personal rankings, I am excluding Harmon for one of the reasons he was so great: he could literally be named the best at 3 different spots. In my head, the HOFer almost needs to be removed from the conversation. Hence, my choice for Mack as best LF.

Sorry, I haven't clicked the Magill link as of yet. But from my eye, just way too inconsistent and way too many HR balls. That being said, there were a lot of times I watched him and his mid 90's heat and slider were good to nasty. Can he be taught more consistency at this point? I'm not convinced, even with a 7 man pen, that. 3rd LH won't be kept instead of someone like Magill or Hildenberger.

Yes, I absolutely hope we have another pen addition before much longer. But this is smart! I've been strongly advocating a move like this for weeks, just never thought it would be Marwin. I would much rather have a FO, manager and coaching staff trying to figure out how to keep 16 position players they like and want when there is only room for 13, rather than trying to find 13 and praying nobody gets hurt or performs poorly. This same time last year nobody could know or predict the seasons/injuries/suspensions of Sano, Buxton, Polanco and Castro.[not to mention Dozier finally admitting to playing hurt all season]. I feel so much better about roster depth and flexibility now.

Schoop had an amazing 2017. Everyone wants to talk about that vs his "collapse" in 2018 due to all the things mentioned above. But his 2 previous seasons to 2017 were really good. I expect a big bounce back season. My only problem is, do we find a way to keep him beyond this season. Gordon has real talent and potential. He's just not fast tracking the way we all hoped. If he needs a full season of AAA, or close to it, should we just dismiss him because he isn't the stud we hoped a 1st round pick should be? Isnt the payoff more important than the original investment?

Liking this post or not...and I do/did...i have NEVER liked the "insanity is doing the same thing over again and expecting different results" comment. That is NOT the definition of insanity, though poignant. Is that comment truly from Einstein? I consider myself to be a pretty smart and intelligent individual, but always wondered where that comment came from. NOT absolving Molitor for limited arms on hand, nor blaming him or injuries, but there were times when you just had to let a game go, or toss someone to the mound and hope for the best, instead of abusing and over using the trusted arms you had. I agree with the recent article by Tom, the bullpen has a low floor but a pretty high ceiling. I still would rather have Romero and Mejia starting, maybe even piggybacking one another, even alternating for the 5th rotation spot. But what do I know? Maybe Romero is destined to be the next great Twins closer. Is that a bad thing? I keep hearing Odorizzi had his worst year. But I also read he was among the top X SP in many categories. Pineda, healthy, could be very good. I hate that there are so many questions. But I'm also excited about so much potential.