DocBauer

Methinks Burdi is a name we've all been obsessed with. And with good reason. Unless he loses his control again suddenly, as he did for a time last season, and I don't believe he will, he will make his appearance and mark on the 2016 season. But at this point, IMHO, I rank Chargois amongst the Twins top prospects. Despite his previous injuries and limited innings, I think he's shown an arm and do the stuff that can't be ignored. The crowd could push him to AA, where he finished 2015, but, despite being a reliever and not a starter or position player, I could easily rank him with Kepler and Berrios and Burdi as the top players in the system to make an appearance and impact on the upcoming season. I hope limited innings won't scare the Twins in holding him back. I have a feeling the guy has the IT factor.q

I'd be interested in your take, but two things come to my mind in regard the the Twins milb situation in regards to the catcher position the past couple of years: A} They have been aggressive in drafting and signing (or trading for) options at the position. B} Milb numbers of said prospects have been somewhat skewed as the Twins have also been a bit aggressive in level promotion of some of these prospects. Catcher is STILL a vital position of defense, game calling, staff control and leadership. Quality offense is still a bonus. I actually think the Twins have some nice future options available, but some are too focused on offensive numbers at this point.

Little surprised on Berrios and Burdi, but not shocked. There are still a lot of arms to sort through to make final determinations. Both these guys can be brought up at any time. Once you cut a guy, he's gone. Polanco does surprise me a bit. He's playing well, close, and it doesn't seem like there's a whole bunch of infielders in camp

Thanks Thrylos! Love the reports. Next best thing to being there.

To me, I am not going to state May is definitively better than so and so and is defiantly one of our top 5 starters. I'm not going to say that because NOW at least, I don't know that he's better than Hughes, Santana, Gibson, Duffey and Berrios. (Or Berrios soon) Do I think he's as good and potentially better? Yes. Probably better than Milone, who I admit to not giving enough credit to. And part of me gets having a lefty in the rotation. I really do. But until or unless a guy or two gets moved, SOMEONE has to go to the pen for now. That someone is May, though you could make an equally strong argument based on pitch selection and bullpen experience that Duffey is as good or better choice. What ticks me off is how well May was throwing as a starter when the move was made last year. But, as I said, SOMEONE has to move to the bullpen for now. It's May. For NOW I will be OK with the move, though disappointed. But I'd be disappointed if it were Duffey too. To make room for both of these guys, and Berrios, at some point, someone will need to be moved.

{Facial expression of feigned shock} Whhaaat?

Marty Cordova and Jason Kubel are two of the most disappointing Twins I've ever seen. I hope Arcia doesn't end up joining that duo. Now, Marty was principally an OF, but reading about Kubel reminded me of him. Now, I can't say either was a washout, both did well, though Kubel's career obviously was the longer one. And I'd never blame Kubel for the serious knee injury he endured. But man, didn't you just feel like both of these guys would be building blocks in the heart of the lineup for years to come? It's one thing to be frustrated or disappointed by someone who never makes it, despite maybe being a top prospect. But it's just so painful when he see what someone appears capable of doing...and somehow...it just slips away.

Youth. Absolutely. We are talking about 6th and 7th inning guys...for now...not the back end of the bullpen. It's a perfect opportunity to break in to the majors with less overall pressure. As previously stated, the overall numbers are such that the train can keep busy running from Minnesota to Rochester all season if guys need time or work.

Count me with the general universal of no on Suzuki. It's just not necessary. You should be able to re-sign him for $2 or less before next season. (Not necessarily a bad option for a backup catcher) However, while I respect and like Suzuki, if Turner or Garver or not yet ready, I still favor signing a solid backup who swings a decent LH bat. It just makes roster sense. Dozier? Sure...if this time you gain a couple FA years. Otherwise it's just not necessary.

Maybe I'm just a fan of his and want him to succeed, but I have such a good feeling for Kepler. I really think he's close to reaching the league and staying, even though he's still developing his power. I see him as the Twins next #3 hitter. It might sound odd, but I'm thinking a poor man's Mauer hitting wise, but with more power and speed. Talent, a little ML exposure last season, and a quality last couple of weeks makes me think Buxton is ready to begin the season in the majors. I believe it could a couple years yet until he becomes the offensive player we hope and expect, but that doesn't mean he can't still perform solidly and contribute. I wasn't a big fan of Gordon at the time of the draft. All the scorecards I read had his skills rated 45-55, and that just didn't sound like a top 5 pick to me. But I've become a convert. I believe he will be hitting at the top of the order with Buxton in a couple of years. Call me crazy, but I just can't shake this notion of an infield of Dozier, Gordon, Polanco and Sano, with an OF of Rosario, Buxton and Kepler.

I really liked the Jay pick when it happened. As I recollect the last draft, there were a couple "top" prospects and then various question marks up and down the line, high school and college alike. IMHO, he offers the best of both strategies:1] he's a quality arm with nice upside, though there is risk involved, 2] he's ALSO a very safe pick as it would almost seem a certainty that at worst he becomes a top LH set up man. And even if that becomes his destiny, a high quality, LHSU guy is not easy to find, and highly valuable. Just examine all the tremendous consternation and hand wringing taking place on the forums for the Twins not signing Sipp or Bastardo to finish off the bullpen. Again, Jay being that guy is probably a worst case scenario. Drafting a high quality ML end of the bullpen reliever is the floor of your draft pick? Hey....I'll take that.

This. Sano may not be the next Gatti or Koski...each a stiff defender early on who turned out excellent...but he may be even better offensively. Both of these guys probably could have been fine at 1B or the OF. Maybe even excellent. But their ability to play 3B and be big offensive producers, made them even more valuable as it allowed other quality players to assume the 1B and OF spots. So while Sano focusing on the OF at this point is probably smart, I sure hope this doesn't turn out to be permanent.

I know I'm guilty of wanting Stewart to be that #1 type, high draft choice, SO, dominating front of the line pitcher so badly that I lose some perspective. It now seems to me that he was/is just more raw than we knew or imagined. 40 innings as a high school senior is crazy. But his velocity, his age, the vast number of ground balls and the almost utter lack of HR allowed has me encouraged again. He should absolutely begin the season back in high A.

Plouffe: like him, but thought he'd be gone. Not so sure he shouldn't be, for the best deal available and let the incumbent,Sano, take the job and find someone else to play RF or platoon RF. Actually, that would be the Twins way. But keeping Plouffe for now, while jamming up the works a bit, because he's insurance over unknowns just doesn't get me badly worked up. Moves vs non moves: I don't think the team is complacent either, just risk adverse and a bit conservative in nature. Some of that isn't just Ryan, but years of actually being the little team that could playing in the dome. While the Twins will never have the finances of a NY, Boston, LA, Chicago, etc, they are no longer the sisters of the poor either. The checkbook is bigger now. But I think they are still learning how to spend their new wealth. Nolasco was a solid signing. I can't play revisionist history now. But it didn't work, the Twins still lost, and maybe better moves with Hughes and Santana. If only you could go back in time! The rebuild isn't totally done yet, but there have been trades, FA signings and promotions. I think we're close. And I think you will see more moves made to suplement. But I do feel as though they don't know yet exactly HOW to spend.

While you make a very sound arguement, and the KBO is clearly not MLB, the Twins have been scouting Park for some time. They seem pretty convinced. Further, reports I've read, and a couple videos I've seen, seem to show a pretty decent swing. I've read that KBO batters are encouraged to swing. I hope this is true, and a habit than ParK can break, rather than just having poor contact skills. It's going to be fun. It's going to be interesting. But I think Park will win the job. That being said, I believe if he gets regular playing time, not just a couple AB a week, that Arcia will surprise and contribute. I also believe Vargas is in for a big year at Rochester, and will have all of us wondering how to fit him in to the lineup at some point.

Is the system broke? No. Not remotely, but it is undergoing a renovation at the moment, and the final results are not yet known. I will not give credit to Ryan for everything...for one thing he wasn't here for all the moves...but the Twins have one of the top 3 milb systems around by all experts, and have had for a coupke of years now. We've seen a ML graduation for several talented youngsters, graduation with regression but still upside for a few others, and several just as talented youngsters about ready to make the move. And the overall depth in the system is still very good. Is Ryan responsible for all these moves/choices/selections? Of course not. But his people, his administration has been in charge for a lot of it. Someone mentioned Ryan and the Twins coming to the decision to acquire power arms late. But then again, this change has occurred with Ryan at the helm. And while I don't have the numbers available to me right now, there were some eye opening stats given during a Twins radio broadcast last season that had virtually each and every Twins milb affiliate in the top 5 of their level in ERA, SO's and CG. I want to say they were similarly ranked in quality starts as well. The whole point being, there has been a major shift the past few years in pitching drafting, acquisition and develolment. On top of these organizational changes, there have been several manager and coaching changes the past couple of milb seasons, as well as a significant changes to the Twins manager and coaching staffs. Thus, a desire to be non-complacent. I'm not going to argue McPhail vs Ryan as they are somewhat different eras, and the economics of the game have changed. But in the past couple of seasons, there has been a dramatic shift in the Twins spending for FA. But like a new toy or gadget, I think Ryan and the Twins are still learning what to do with this new toy. Overspend here, underspend there, they are learning. You can make the arguement that franchise success in best or only defined by WS victories. It's similar to the NFL arguement that an all time great QB is lesser or greater based upon Super Bowl victories. I just don't subscribe to theories of this nature. While winning it all is great, in any sport, there are 30+ teams every single year with the same goal. Finances make things easier, but there is no single, sure-fire way to insure success every season. At the end of the day, all you can do is build the best, most competitive team you can that can win, and have a shot at the grand prize on a yearly basis. Hail the Royals. Hail the up and coming Astros and Cubs. But how many down and out of contention years have franchises like these endured? And the Twins had 4 lousy years before a fun, interesting and competitive season? No, the system is not broken. It's under renovation. There may be some more tweaks needed. But right now, it doesn't look broken at all.

Man...how can you not like this! There's even a reasonable chance, IMO, that the next Twins SS, 2B AND 3B are in this group. (Assuming Sano as an OF or 1B)

Outstanding article! Really, one of the best I think I've read on TD. Even if someone should not agree, and I happen to, the logic to your stance is pretty foolproof. It's easy sometimes to say "SPEND!" But it is far more difficult to say on who and what and why. The truth is the Twins spent when they thought they had a team that could win. (Not arguing spending MORE at that time to help win-just stating the fact that they DID SPEND) Now, I'm not sure I can refute the option of the Twins spending to KEEP that team intact, though it could be debatable as to whether spending the money to keep 30-somethings like Cuddy error and Kubel and others at that point was the right idea. But the truth is seemingly everyone got hurt, Mauer got hurt again, Morneau nevèr recovered until gone, Kubel and Cuddy left, and Valencia seemed to be a 1 year wonder. At that point, honestly, I'm not sure what you could spend, or on who, to recover. In a change of organizational philosophy, the Twins have begun spending on FA, and not just the journeyman type. Now, I could go on about CF and the bullpen the past couple of years, and I have before, and I could probably name some names. But i agree with a strong point made in the article which is to avoid getting caught in a financial trap. To a degree, this has happened with Nolasco. If you could look in a crystall ball or hop in a time machine, you'd save the $12M and possibly use it on a $20M man. The Twins have never mentioned a rebuild, but come on, we all know that's what's been going on. And it's continuing this season as well. The Twins made some smart moves, got nice contributions, and won/challenged in 2015, probably a year sooner than expected.

What a surprise! A young 20 something athlete being asked to move to an entirely different position...one considered "easier" to play overall...but having difficulty because it is new and not as much fun. This NOT a blast at Sano. In fact, we have heard nothing in the past to suggest anything but a dedicated worker. In fact, perhaps this was just a bad day. It could be. And I can't see any way to blast the Park signing...but...it still begs the question, doesn't it, as to why the Twins are even messing with one of the top young talents in all of baseball?

I agree on W-L. But I'm trying to play along with the numbers game. Lol

Twins, I agree on Sano and Buxton. You could convince me on Santana. How about this one? Gibson continues to improve, wins 15-17 with 200 IP. Ditto,for Hughes who rebounds to look like his 2014 self. With Santana, the Twins front 3 starters all win 15 games plus with 200 IP. We may not have a true #1, gut we have 3 #2's

Tip of the cap to former Husker and I believe still Omaha native Duensing. I followed his career with interest since was a freshman at UNL. Classy guy on the field and off. I wish him the very best and am sorry to see him go...even if it was probably time.

Always a fan. Always hopeful of a resurgence. And always a defender of his value at 1B, and in the lineup, as a non traditional producer. It is my hope, and a possibility, that so far removed from his concussions, with sunglasses and eye therapy, he will find himself again. Even diminishing returns giving him a .290-ish/ ,360-370-ish OB with 35 doubles and 12 HR could make him valuable at a couple spots in the order. However, years behind the plate, past 30, the concussions, two poor seasons of diminishing returns, Mauer's recent confessions and questions about his current state and therapy leave me pessimistic.

Almost as important is this team being more than capable of 300 doubles, and possibly 350. When you break everything down, the projections of 200 HR, or close to it, seems to make logical sense. However, practicality would seem to state that too much has to go according to plan for that to happen. I absolutely believe Sano can jack 30+ and probably even 35. I absolutely believe on his frame, production in Korea, previous scouting reports, and recent reports from Ft Meyers that Park has legitimate ML 30 HR power. I just don't expect it his first year. Just too much everything everywhere to adjust to to expect that. Dozier and Plouffe SHOULD each have 20+. I believe Rosario capable of 20, at some point anyway, but believe he's more of a consistent 15-18 HR guy. Mauer and Arcia are each capable but also big question marks as well. I soooo badly want to argue Escobar just can't be expected to jack 15. And then I look at what he's done the last two seasons...not even getting to be the starter from day one...and I soooo badly want to believe he could do it. But really, at the end of the day, I think this is a legitimate 175-180 HR ball club. And with the amount of doubles they are capable of producing, and any kind of OB% improvement so that runners are on board, I'm really, really happy with that number.

One thing that strikes me is the overall depth of middle infield talent in the system. Now, if there was a comprehensive list only of keystone men in milb systems across baseball, I don't know if the Twins would rank first or last. But I do know that in a few shorts years we've gone from virtually nothing to some nice talent. Dozier is an all star. Escobar has had a pair of really nice years, might actually be improving still, and gives a sense of peace about the SS position we haven't felt in some time. OK, so Santana can't play SS on a daily basis it appears; he can still play it, along with 2B, maybe 3B and the OF, and he still has offensive upside. (Don't let one down year totally replace the good year and the offering of potential) Is Polanco going to settle down enough defensively to play ML SS? Strange question considering he was signed as a glove man with a questionable bat? Should he replace Dozier, (trade), if he can't play SS? Could he be valuable as trade material himself? Could be be anice outstanding utility player? Can Michael play SS? At least well enough to be a quality utility type. Or, as some believe, (Thrylos), should he be the Dozier challenger? We keep expecting Gordon to be the next Twins SS, and very possibly a very good one...but...with any kind of decent bat and some muscle on his bones, is Vielma a stud in the making? Palacios and Javier? We've barely met the one and haven't been formally introduced to the other, and yet, both could be better than anyone mentioned to this point. And just a couple seasons ago we were hoping Florimon could hit enough to keep his job we were so desperate for a solution.