DocBauer

Late to the party. Rewinding a bit, why not Grossman leading off, Adrianza in the 2 spot with the suddenly hot Dozier 3rd, Escobar 4th, Giminez, Rosario, etc. Wouldn't that be a more balanced lineup that made more sense?

Some impressive performances to be sure. Really perplexed how some of these guys have been promoted to the next level yet, or even to the Twins in a couple of cases.

Colon is 44, not 24, doesn't light up the radar gun. But his stuff has movement, hits the spot most of the time, and he varies speed effectively. Were his last couple of performances about getting his arm up to speed? If so, shouldnt we be glad we have him, regardless of age and not being part of the long term?

Ditto on the young pitchers, both for the pen and the rotation. And it's not even about the young starters being ready at the beginning of 2018. It's more about challenging them and getting them ready for AAA and for when that ML opportunity arrives. If they can be ready sooner, then that is awesome. I also want to see Garver. All do respect to Giminez, we need to see what Garver can do going forward. And let's shoot for at least .500.

Really, really nice article. But going to offer a bit of a caveat. I remember when he was first signed. The mantra then was, a glove first SS with speed and hope the bat would come around. After his first couple of seasons it did come around. And while he would begin the year as a top of the order hitter, he was slid down to the 3 hole as his team's best overall hitter. I really hate to beat a dead horse who's carcass is long dead and dried out in the plains of "somewhere", but the previous administration really blew his development. His quality and "unexpected" quality defense at SS to begin this season points to such. Molitor even talked early on about his mis-handling. He is still very young, and as pointed out, has yet to play a full season in ML time. And yet, some want to dismiss him. This is so, so misguided. Can't we allow, just a smidge, of development time, much less the recent loss of his grandfather about midseason time that may have affected him? Why does everyone think and expect every talented prospect under the age of 25 to be the next Harper or Trout or they are trash? I'm sure Polanco needs to make adjustments. I'm sure he needs AB to make such. And maybe his best spot is 2B. Time will tell. And I've seen a few plays defensively that left me wondering. But at least 2-1, I've seen good-great defensive plays. Once again, can we just stop every 25 and under prospect/player being a bust because they aren't all stars?

I've advocated for that previously. I think his bat plays fine there, he has tons of experience on the right side, would seem to have the range, etc. The one objection I've heard is his lack of height as hes only 6'...maybe...and I suppose that could be a concern.

Yep. Would appear the depth is there to replace Dozier, even now. And as I've mentioned elsewhere, would really like to see a FA/trade to acquire a quality 1B to play with Mauer, alternate DH duty, and take over full time in 2019.

While I was in the neutral or small buy mode, considering where they were sitting, I like what they accomplished. Who knows how good any of these guys will turn out to be, but there is some potential there. Belisle and Giminez will probably be gone in August in small deals. By Santana is still quite good and helps this club next season. Right now, there just doesn't seem be be a good market for Dozier. I really like Garver and have hopes for him, but why trade Castro? Run with rookie Garver and nobody else? The fundamental player core for this team is here, with a couple solid pieces available at AAA and AA, and only going to get better. There are a few solid arms, with more on the way, and more needed. What this team needs is another quality SP and a couple nice bullpen arms to go with what is already here. They don't need a complete sell off and continued rebuild.

Absolutely! Some of Slegers numbers are pedestrian, some are solid. The run he is on the last 8 games should have people screaming for a chance...or two...or three...etc. he's still 24 for a month, in his first season of AAA ball and performing well. He is not a journeyman picked up on the waiver wire. (No offense to anyone). 12-4 at AAA with 85 SO in 118 IP. You have to take a look don't you?

After his outstanding start to the season, Santana ran in to some inconsistent performances. But over the course of most season's, most guys, even top pitchers/players, will some hiccups. Even while going through this inconsistent period, he threw a couple of gems he didn't get the win in. And now today. There is just nothing here to say he's done or that his arm is going to fall off. I sure hope there is no trade forthcoming and he's part of the rotation for 2018. He, Berrios and Mejia is a positive start. Add one more quality ML arm and you're looking at open auditions for the 5th spot. I'd be happy with that!

Via trade or FA, I'd really like to see a solid, quality 1B brought in to platoon with Mauer, DH most other days, and be the full time successor come 2019. FWIW...IMO...a 60 RBI 1B like Mauer, with gold glove defense, is fine when positioned in the lineup properly. At least, if your OF and 2B provide the power and power potential available.

OK, I know you DFA players and not managers. But there has been so much trade talk and DFA talk lately, it seemed an appropriate title. There was a recent poll on the "Trib" that had voters overwhelmingly, about 2-1, saying Molitor should keep his job for 2018. There was an interesting and I think fair article on the Pioneer Press today regarding Molitor and his job. (Note: Don't know how to include the link) Molitor was a tremendous player and HOF time performer, despite injuries that robbed him at times. When he joined the Twins family as an instructor, there were many positive reports of his workings with young talent on the farm, and his evaluations. In 2015, his rookie year as a ML manager, the Twins seemed to overachieve. And were it not for some questionable moves...May to the pen over Pelfrey...and some late and not enough bullpen moves...that team may have made the playoffs, at least. Molitor was the man at the helm for that season. He was also the man in charge, on the field at least, for the abysmal 2016 season. Then, even now in retrospect, many questions arise as to how that team was handled. To this day, I'm not sure any of us know how much blame should be laid at the feet of Molitor, or Ryan, or just bad luck. Molitor himself, at times, has referenced comments as to mistakes made in 2016. Personal blame or a shot to the then FO? The one condition given to Falvey and Levine when they took over for 2017 was that Molitor must be kept on as manager. Despite a limited roster, though it also included a ton of young talent, the Twins have surprised in 2017 right up until, and just past, the all star game. Tough competition, a string of losses, and now the acceptance of not making the layoffs and subsequent trades, has left our beloved Twins, and their manager, in an interesting, intriguing and frustrating position. There is something to play for still, a .500 record, building for 2018 and beyond, and further auditions for young talent. But Molitor is now denied his closer, and a nice rotation piece who was here for all of one game. I don't envy the position Molitor is in, and has been since the season began. There is a lot of talent and potential to like here. Some of it has developed as hoped, some is coming on, some hasn't met hope or expectation. At least not yet. One could argue he has embraced analytics, worked towards matchups, and experimented with his lineups to find options that work. One could also question such constantly juggling, falling in love with performing relievers and over using them, and putting on plays that seem questionable. But, with a young and developing lineup, and serious questions as to his pitching staff, we have to ask ourselves as to how much Molitor may lay at the foundation of blame vs working with what he has at the moment. So I have to ask, and put it to all of you for your input, is Molitor a guy stuck in the middle the past 2+ season's trying to make a difference the best he can? 2015 and the first half of 2017 suggest his may be the case. Or is he to, at least partially, blame for 2016 and some questionable play and options in 2017? Is it time to DFA Molitor? Or, betw÷n 2015 and the first half of this season, do we see a guy who can do things right, with some additions and help, that can keep this team moving forward in 2018?

Agreed. Not opposed to bringing Kintzler back in a role. I seriously doubt he gets a big money offer. If he does, bless him and move on. And I argued just recently Garcia could pitch well for 2 months, enjoy his stay here, and be offered to re-sign. And it could still happen. But the fact is, both guys were going to be FA. Murphy didn't fit in with the Twins, and things simply didn't work out for him here. Hey...it happens. Any future success he may have shouldn't indict the Twins going forward. But we moved a pair of impending FA, one a possible/probable rental player and a guy we picked up on the scrap heap for nothing, (No disrespect, just truth, I like Kintzler), and a catcher who just couldn't find it with the Twins and didn't seem to fit for: 1] A smallish LH pitcher with some nice secondary stuff dominating AA and could be an interesting bullpen piece, maybe soon. 2] A tall, strapping LHSP who is only 20 in A ball, hits low 90's, gets SO, decent control and has projectability. 3] A RHSP with a 4 pitch mix who did well in A+ ball before moving to AA where he has been even better with higher SO numbers. 4] A 26yo LHSP, who missed a season due to TJ surgery if no have my facts straight, who is performing quite well at AAA who offers, at least, depth and maybe a quality pen arm. I want to hate these moves because our surprising Twins didn't have enough pieces, or added pieces, to keep alive a wild card dream. But when I step back and look at reality, and see these moves in full context, I can't hate them, and even like them. Hopefully, Belisle and Giminez can be moved for a couple solid A prospects, one of which I hope will be a catcher.

Still believe Belisle and Giminez will be August waiver trades, bringing back SOMETHING at least. Garver will be up soon. You will see more now of Hildenberger and Busentiz, which is a good thing going forward. August will bring some promotions and demotion, much like the balance of the season, to roll guys through for opportunity. This includes Curtiss, could include Slegers. September will include several promotions for the rotation and pen to get guys feet wet. Really doubting Colon makes it to September. At this point, audition, audition, audition like a Broadway musical! Let's get guys experience to help build 2018!

I absolutely agree on auditioning the young guys now! Hildenberger, Busentiz and even Curtiss. It may be the minors, but they have closed before. (This is where I tend to agree with a committee approach possibly). I know I'll get a lot of cross-eyed looks here, but what about Pressly? I know he's had a bit of a nightmare season but the arm is there. He can get SO. Used like Kintzler was, starting an inning, could he find his confidence and a role with an opportunity? Just a thought. And I see the way you just looked at me! Lol

Love this post! Am I a bit disappointed in some moves the FO didn't make before the season began? Absolutely! Did I think the Twins were really as bad as 103 losses last season? No. Did I predict a legitimate shot at .500 before the season began? Absolutely. But for a second, put yourself in the shoes of Falvey and Levine. You are put in charge of a team that DID lose 103 games the previous season, wasn't expected to contend in 2017, and you have to begin evaluations of EVERYONE and EVERYTHING on the scene and behind the scenes. And you have about 3 months to begin this process before ST begins. So 2017 looks like a real surprise! But you are STILL in this evaluation from the top down. You kick a few guys to the curb, you promote a few guys and play with the roster here and there. But do you really want to trade prospects you aren't totally familiar with to augment this team when you are still beginning your top down process? But you try a few things. The end of July comes, and while you have a fun and competitive team, there just isn't enough there to make a run. And you don't want to sell of potential assets that you are just getting to really know. So what do you do? You make moves to deepen your system and your options going forward. You have time and money to make moves in the off season, FA or trade, and have collected more milb talent for trades, or to offset prospects you include in trades. I want the Twins to win and build this organization to maintain winning in the worst way. But i just cant dislike flipping FA for some solid prospects that seem to be on the rise. And for me, whats really important, is we kept Santana to fill a SP slot for 2018. One big move, Berrios, Santana and Mejia is a solid start. Now I get the next 2 months to continue various auditions in the rotation and pen while looking at 2018. Am I 100% sold on everything done and not done since this new tandem took over? No. Am I disappointed the team has begun to fade somewhat and simply looks like it couldn't maintain contention status to some degree? Absolutely. But I see something building here. I see a method to the madness here. I can absolutely see promotions/auditions, a couple smart FA signings and/or trades making this team a contender for 2018.

I believe Kintzler is probably traded. I also believe he could end up being the classic "re-sign with previous team" type of FA rental. Santana brings real value to the 2018 Twins. He is traded only when the Astros, or a similar team, decide their window of opportunity is too great to ignore, so they look at said opportunity, and their system, and push some of their chip pile in to "go for it" and decide to part with a pair of quality top 20 system prospects. Giminez and Belisle go in smaller deals, possibly/probably after the deadline. Brings back SOMETHING and opens a spot for Garver and another prospect to come up. I just don't know that I see a team "needing" Dozier until the off season when they evaluate their rosters.

I've been kicking this around for a few days. We have no idea, as I write this, whether Dozier will or won't be moved at this time. We also don't know if he may yet be moved in the off season. What we DO KNOW is that BD is still a quality baseball player, not that old, is performing well but down from last season's career numbers, and is not signed beyond next season. And while we really don't know his market value, the FO is at least, apparently, listening to various offers and looking to possibly add more young talent. With no disrespect to Dozier in the slightest, I, and others, have stated for some time that he is easily the most "replaceable " lineup regular. This is made true by the presence of various other infielders available, both on the club, and possibly nearing the ML level. A quick review: Polanco: Let me be clear right up front that I am a fan and believer, and I have followed his milb career with a great deal of interest. He is only 24 with still limited ML time, overall. He was originally signed as a defense first player who developed offensively, in fact, in most of of his milb season's, he began the year as a 1-2 spot hitter before moving to the 3 hole as one of his team's best overall hitters. He hit in 2016 at the ML level but defense was the question mark. For the first couple of months this season, bith the offense and defense were good to surprisingly good. No question he has hit a major speed bump if not a wall. Is thus due to youth, sophomore slump, his grandfather's death or a combination? We just don't know. But there is an awful lot of talent and potential there, whether at 2B or SS. Escobar: I love this guy, personally, find him to be of immense value, and hope he sticks around, I find his defense good to excellent, overall, though opinions vary. If you ignore his 2016 stats, and many Twins players would probably like you to ignore the 2016 season all together, he has been quite productive as a utility/quasi-regular with a .268BA/ .315OB/ .428SLG/ .743OPS. He is a nice bench/role player who can fill in for stretches. Adrianza: He came to the Twins this season as a glove first player with some speed who couldn't hit, though in fairness, his ML time was somewhat sporadic. Whether a flash in the pan, or a still somewhat player in the right time and place, he hit in the spring. He hit during his injury rehab, and he has hit with the Twins while playing quality defense and stealing a few bases as well. To be fair, if you examine his milb production, he didn't perform badly as a hitter. Vielma: It always starts with the leather for Vielma. And we've all read various glowing reports about his defensive ability, proficiency and potential. Someone posted, within the last month or so though I can't find it, a report from a scout/expert, comparing Vielma to a young Omar Vizquel. To paraphrase, magician with the glove who would struggle to break the Mendoza line, at least early in his career. Again, to be fair, despite an anemic bat for Rochester this season he hit well at AA to begin the season, and in 2016. At least for his position. And he has hit decently before that, again, for his position. He has flashed some speed, some contact and OB ability previously. Again, at least for his position. With Buxton's ability and continued development/improvement, could the Twins live with Vielma in the 9 spot and his defense? Gordon: We all know so much about his prospect status, ranking and potential that I'm not going to delve in to it. But suffice it to say his bat looks real and appears projectable. One thing I have learned in all my years of watching baseball, and following milb baseball, is not to get too caught up in errors for young infielders, especially young SS. Even cursory research in to error numbers for "great" defensive infielders will show various guys of errors as they developed and gained experience. I think losing Dozier AND Gordon, however, could be painful in any combination of moves. Goodrum: This 25yo is a dark horse. He was drafted, what seems like forever ago, as a tools SS with tons of potential. Injury and inconsistency slowed his early development before seeming to find himself in 2016 with a quality half season in Chattanooga. (Not that he was horrible previously, just not very good). In an aggressive and surprising move, the Twins saw enough in his half season of AA to promote him to AAA this year, where he has remained. His numbers of .253AVG/ .302OB/ .412SLG/ .714OPS may not seem overly impressive, he is athletic, only 25 and in his first year of AAA ball, and despite being a "natural SS" when drafted and through the bulk of his career, I believe, he can, reportedly, fill in, at least decently, at 7 positions. Ultimately, he is probably "only" a versatile multi-utility player. But when examing the best roster at the ML level, i believe a useful utility player shouldnt be ignored in this possible configuration. And maybe the Twins will surprise us with an extension for Dozier, whether to remain at 2B, or move to 1B, DH, or become a sort of "new age" veteran utility player who could see action at all 3 spots, conjecture would seem to have him traded or moving after 2018. With a TON of infield talent in the low levels of the Twins system still a good 2-3 years away, these would be the options for the next few season's, as of now, at the ML level. How would you handle this and see it play out?

At this point, I believe you will see a lot of roster shuffling and open auditions over August and September. And not just the obvious names like Garver, Granitem Hildenberger and Busentiz sticking around. You coukd see Vielma, Reed, Curtiss and others. Might even see some of the AA staff get some innings in. Turley in a RP role wouldn't shock me. Pressly in Kintzler's role, if traded, would give me palpitations but not an aneurysm. (As bad as his season has been why not use him the same way in the 9th for a game or two to see how he responds)? The whole point is, the season long trial and error and evaluation period kicks up a notch to gain ML experience, challenge and evaluate a few guys for next season 40 man spots, and so the FO can have a more perspective for off season moves.

My opinion only, I'm guessing Santana is still a Twin come next season. Despite being inconsistent since his bug start to the season, he's still been productive and has pitched some of his best games of Kate with zero support. He provides a solid, experienced arm and leadership for this team/staff as well. I firmly believe this FO to make an addition of a quality veteran starter in the off season. Will that be via FA or trade I just don't know. But if it's by trade, acquiring additional talent like these recent moves makes it more palatable to lose quality prospects as you haven't necessarily depleted your milb system. 2018 Rotation: New Guy Berrios Santana Mejia 1 of potentially, Slegers, Gonsalves, Romero, Jorge, Enns and possibly May.

Of course, I know nothing about either of these guys or their potential/ceilings or potential timetable. But in paper it seems like we just did a flip and an upgrade in a week's time. Yes? No?

Going to politely disagree, though your point is well taken. Busentiz has looked good, needs time, and could be a quality piece, perhaps. Pressly has, frankly, been pretty awful. But the arm and potential us there and we've seen results before. Hate to completely give up on him. Like to see someone better than Boshers, but, the guy keeps doing recently when called on.

In theory, Mauer is gone after 2018, Santana and Hughes are gone after 2019, though Hughes could end up retiring still and insurance would kick in to help mitigate his contract early. Santiago, Gibson and Perkins could and should all be gone after this season. (Slight chance Gibson would be retained). Guys like Giminez and Belisle don't earn a ton, but could also be gone, freeing up at least a little more payroll. My entire point being this team has, and will have soon, quite a bit of free payroll to allow them to; A] Sign at least one quality FA SP. Possibly re-sign Garcia, should he look good. And still have the funds to add a quality RP or two. B] Still have the finances to hold on to current young players as they begin to, eventually, reach the arbitration years of their careers. The team could afford to trade Dozier, player replacement wise, if there turns out to be a solid offer for him. Just really not sure what kind of offer Kintzler could bring, but I would consider trading him, but would be happy to bring him back. Keep Santana. We already need more pitching, not less, and we're not getting SP NOW for Santana. Santana regressed to a #3 In 2018? And? I'd still be more than happy with that. Bring up Garver. Keep Santana. Put out feelers for the others and see. Sign the best FA SP next off season. Maybe keep Garcia. Sign a quality RP or 2. Keep working in the young RP. Strongly consider a 1B/DH to work with Mauer and strengthen the lineup.

Absolutely! This is a tantalizing and fun new team to watch. There is so much to like here. But the rebuild is not yet complete. Did anyone truly expect a new FO to come in and suddenly turn this team in to a WS contender overnight? This season has ALWAYS been about evaluation from the top down, behind the scenes and out in front. The fact that we've contended this long, and could still I suppose, is not the point. We are talking about the future. And this season does nothing but speak about the future and what it could bring. IMHO. This team is spoo close to being really good. But despite some very hopeful FA additions in the off season, what this team really needs right now is not a buy or sell mentality, but the ejection of what doesn't fit long term, and some legitimate look sees and auditions of what they have to build for in 2018. Get the guys performing in the mound at AA up to Rochester. Rid yourself of Chaffee and build the new 40 man. Get Garver up. Look long and hard at the young BP arms. Then you will have a more clear picture for 2018.

Old joke: "You know what burns my ass?" "No. What?" "A flame about 3 feet high!" Kind of how I feel as I realized my big post/rant here is almost the same one I made in a similar post on this subject. Lol But my opinion remains the same darnit.