DocBauer

Nailed it!! Absolutely no reason financially, and nobody being blocked, for this team to add an infielder, a quality 4th OF, and a bounce back (possibly flip-able) closer option to help secure what games we have a chance to win while auditioning various young RP like Chargois. Even then, I could still see a bench spot for Grossman as a 5th OF, solid PH/DH bat unless we keep 3 1B/DH options, which is possible.

You know, I could almost go for this. And it almost makes tons of sense. But my problem is I'm not really sure what you are getting in Profar at this point. I get it, trading Santana for a couple quality prospects doesn't guarantee you anything either! But doesn't it feel like Profar might be more of a lottery ticket at this point???

No closer would give us that many wins, obviously. But there is such a thing as learning to win, IMO. And a stronger bullpen can help out a poor to mediocre rotation, just as a poor pen can lose games and overshadow a quality rotation. I'm not saying don't pitch the prospects, I'm saying hold on to leads and potential wins for this young team that is rebuilding. Let guys like Chargois and Pressly set up and slide in to the role. Make the bullpen as strong as you can, maybe flip said closer. If it's someone still relatively young ands Neftali is, perhaps you even consider re-signing him. 20 wins won't happen by a veteran, quality closer, but it's a cumulative affect that can lead to more wins.

Yes, as of right now, this is pretty much the roster as I'd see it now. Of course, it's almost 100% sure to change with another FA or two and a probable trade or two forthcoming. I'd say DanSan has the weakest hold on a roster spot despite his athleticism. I so badly want him to develop in to a solid, useful and even exciting and sometimes dangerous role player. I just don't think it's going to happen any longer. Not sure Hughes will be ready to open the season. I'd really have a hard time holding Berrios out of the rotation, even with some ups and downs, just because of talent, potential, and the need to pitch.

Seth, I'm curious as to his solid college season and his size...not to mention his performance at Elizabethtown...and wonder why he lasted until the 15th round? He would seem to be "projectable". Despite his size, is he just not a very hard thrower?

Feliz. He's only 28, our new GM is already familiar with him as well. He could be flipped at the deadline, or, considering his age even be re-signed. You never know if a guy can thrive as a closer until he gets his shot, but someone like Feliz means you don't have to press Chargois or Pressly or anyone else in to the role. They can set up, audition here and there, then take over. Nothing wrong with a strong pen to hold any leads our young team will have, and said strong pen can help balance a weak rotation.

Look, at the end if the day, this is ALL speculation at this point, even with informed sources and a fit for both clubs. But since we ARE talking speculation and theory here...along with quality information from various sources...then let's put it all together and say JDL and Alvarez are indeed the focal point. If the Dodgers would include Stewart or Buehler or whoever as a 3rd piece if the Twins would take McCarthy if their hands then this would be a MUST for the Twins. The payroll should be under 109M fir the next couple of seasons yes? Even with signing Castro Plouffe and Suzuki are gone. Santiago COULD be released if necessary but figures to be fine by '18. Santana could yet be moved, Perkins is off the books after this year, and Mayer after '18. There is a lot if payroll if the books and still to fall away. The rebuilding Twins could absolutely afford to eat a 20M deal to net them the prospects they want/need.

De Leon and Alvarez, one more solid arm with potential, with a reported throw in, would get it done for me.

A really interesting read. Thanks Seth. But despite being over a 10 year span, I would have to argue the list is incomplete since, as pointed out, some really good young players from the more recent drafts have just arrived or are about to. Of course, this goes for all other teams as well. Could the argument be made that this upcoming draft is one of the most important in team history? Top pick, a supplemental pick, and I'm not certain about our 2nd rounder. Did we lose that with the Castro signing or is it protected? Regardless, 5 90+ loss seasons in 6, young talent available and arriving, a completely new OF, shuffling and additions to departments, I think this draft is huge.

He would be intriguing absolutely and a potential steal. But I agree he is a real question mark. He is a buy low or at best/worst a buy average player. I feel Santana is best dealt fir a couple quality prospects. But if the Rangers need another quality pitcher, I could see something like this happening. But otherwise, I'd pass and look to FA for another useful infielder for depth/ options.

Agreed that experience vs talent determines how truly effective this lineup will be. But...and I hate to say this but it's mostly true...with the exception of Mauer the pieces are there and in the mostly right places. Mauer dies provide some value if used properly, though I think we're all crossing our fingers and hoping for more and more Park and Vargas. I really like the potential of this lineup overall. I just hope potential reaches production levels sooner rather than later.

PS...the phone I am currently using has the absolute WORST auto correct EVER

Risario is very talented in all phases of the game and has flashed what he is capable of. He only has something like 770 ML AB. You just don't give up on a talented player like that so soon. Let him build on what he's done thus far, work with the new coach, and give him at least half of 2017 before you decide he'll never be "enough" in an/any area to move on from or turn in to a potential 4th OF.

No to a vet DH. The Twins owe it to themselves to see what they have in Park and Vargas. Grossman can also figure in here. Yes to a quality 4th OF who hits RE: Davis or Austin Jackson. Love Stephen Drew for utility and possible SO challenger, would be OK with Aybar. Neftali Perez as an only 28yo bounce back closer to be flipped or even re-signed. Some variation of these 3 spots being addressed improves the roster and blocks nobody. Tyson Ross? A gamble to be sure. But if the medical reports sound encouraging, this is EXACTLY the kind of move the Twins should be looking at. A 1 year or 2 with affordable base and quality incentives. Can you imagine the sudden...potential...depth and uptick in quality if he, or Hughes, or both come back, along with a Dozier trade, along with what we have and what us coming up? Forward thinking Twins...forward thinking!

With any kind of rebound and playing to his potential, I'd have Risario in the 7 spot and Castro plus his platoon mate at 8. Otherwise, we are in agreement. I do sometimes wonder though about Polanci leading off and Buxton hitting second. Winder what the lineup would be like if Mayer suffers another injury and Park and Vargas were both in the lineup?

1* Bounce back closer option. Perez makes the most sense 2* LHRP low cost signing 3* utility infielder 4* legit 4th OF 5* AAA OF and a couple AAA INF for Rochester depth Of course, this is aftEr the Dozier deal and probable Santana trade

In what hopefully and surely will be a somewhat re-worked pen next season...I still advocate a bounceback closer signing to possibly flip...there is clearly room for a second LA. Based on his overall mlb track record and flashes he's shown with the Twins, I wouldn't rule out O'Rourke as a helpful piece if used properly. When healthy, Boshers was also solid. As to any comments O'Rourke made, they just seem rather obvious to me from a team frustrated and losing a lot. I wouldn't be too down on him for saying what he said.

Read this but late to post. Such a tragedy when anyone, especially someone so young, passes away. Especially in such a tragic way. Heartfelt condolences to his family, and the entire Twins family.

Dogs. Absolutely on the dog side. Even have a small herd of them. Lol

Good blueprint overall. Changes I'd see/make: No problem keeping Santana but I think we're better in the long run trading him this offseason for a couple really nice prospects. May slides in to the rotation where he needs to be based on ability, team need and physical need. I like Davis as a FA and have for some time. In my blueprint I leaned somewhat to Austin Jackson. Not sure if he's still available or not.

Why not just one of the "other" solid pitchers we've been hearing about and speculating on and just drop the 4th player? Quality over quantity and get it done before it spins out of control.

I'm almost positive Guardado does not speak Spanish, though he could know bits and pieces simply being from California. I just really think the Twins are missing out on a golden opportunity here. Teaching Spanish to personnel is a good move. But more roving instructors who can communicate with Latin ballplayers, and maybe a Latin coach at each level, (not that I want them around only because of such), could go a long way toward assisting the Twins Latin prospects in not only their development, (communication), but might also assist in feeling less isolated in the culture in which they find themselves. And what about young Central American FA? How much better would they feel about signing with the Twins if they see it as a progressive organization taking positive steps to welcome them, assimilate and coach them?

Just speculating on Twins needs, Dodgers depth and needs, the kind of prospect trades we've already seen go down the past few days, my guess would be De Leon and Alvarez are the top 2 pieces. The debate would center on the quality of the 3rd person and any possible 4th. Twins get 4, then the value of #3 drops. Twins are willing to take 3, then the value of that guy goes up. Just my 2 cents and pretty much echoes a lot of what's already been said here.

Initially, when the Twins organization blew up the front office and went an exciting and entirely different direction with Falvey and Levine being named the new front men for our beloved Twins, there was much debate and speculation about who they were, where they came from, what their philosophies might be in regard to everything from scouting and drafting to milb development to building a larger and better sabermetrics division to management of the ML roster. There was even debate and angst over Molitor and his coaching staff in regard to changes or wholesale blow up of said. And we are so fixated now by 40 man rosters and rule 5 selections, (which seldom amount to much in the grand scheme of things, history has taught us this) ànd any potential Dozier or E Santana trades, and any additional FA signings, that I feel we are losing touch with what may be most important to the rebirth and redirection and rebuild of the Twins franchise. What takes place off the field of play. It would appear, from where they came from and what they did in their previous organizations, as well as comments they have made concerning growth within the Twins franchise, to a few coaching changes, (pending to a degree), and some early changes and announcements, that this new FO tandem embraces change and forward thinking. But there is one very crucial area I have not heard nary a whisper about for some time. And it was an issue that we here at TD discussed at some length two years ago when Molitor replaced Gardenhire. And it's a key topic, IMO, that needs to be addressed going forward. When you are a smaller to mid market sports entity...I don't care if it's building a college football or basketball team or rebuilding a MLB team...you can be a follower, or you can be an aggressive trendsetter. But being a forward thinking trendsetter almost always gives you an edge. And there is an area of opportunity that the Twins have absolutely missed out on the past few years that simply must be addressed going forward...as a trendsetter franchise. The Twins need to learn to speak Spanish. Back in the day, the Twins had some Cuban and Central and South American talent and influence. (Think Oliva, Carew and others) In more recent history, with other franchises already heavily established in the Dominican Republic, the Twins branched out in the more virgin territory of Venezuela, with scouting, signings, and academies. They also have a strong presence in Puerto Rico the past several years. And we've heard some pretty positive things about the scouting, coaching, relationships and facilities the Twins have built up in these areas. And the Twins organization has an amazing facility in Ft Myers that seems to match just about any organization in baseball. And I think we should be proud of that. It is a state of the art facility, beautiful in appearance and opportunity, for Twins milb players to enjoy, live and work. And we've heard the Twins spend a good deal of time and effort working with Latin players there learning English and basic American culture. But is that it? Is that where it ends? For an organization who's recent milb talent has included...(SSS only)...the likes of Rosario, Sano, Polanco, Berrios, Vargas and many others...that's it? You give lessons in English and teach teenagers how to order a fast food meal? Come on! When Molitor was named manager two years ýears ago, we all practically demanded at least one Latin coach on staff. What did we get? ONE guy, Glynn I believe, who could speak Spanish. Forget special ST invites, who was the last actual ML Twins coach of any sort from a Latin background? Am I missing someone when I say Tony Oliva from the early 80's? Because I don't think I am. Reviewing milb coaching staffs for the Twins various affiliates in 2016 I find: AAA Rochester: Not one Latin coach. AA Chattanooga: Ivan Artesia, pitching coach. A+ Ft Myers: Henry Bonilla, pitching coach. A Cedar Rapids: JP Martinez, pitching coach. He is actually from Louisiana. Elizabethtown: Luis Ramirez, pitching coach. GCL Twins: Virgil Vasquez, pitching coach, from Santa Barbara, CA and Javier Valentine, hitting coach. So from the ML level on down...even the given of short staffs at the milb level compared to the ML level...the Twins has exactly ZERO Latin coaches at the ML level and AAA Rochester, and 1 at AA, A+, and at each rookie level. Credit where it is due, at least 3 of the Latin coaches were pitching coaches. Maybe, even as a rabid Twins fan, I've fallen out of touch the last year or two, but I used to know all the Twins milb roving instructors. Memory does fail, but not sure I can name a single one the past few years but Rasmussen as roving pitching coach. Not a knock on him, but where is this organization ultimately headed? Is there some restriction on instructors and milb roving instructors that I am not aware of? (Not full time milb staff) If not, then why not duplicate instructors? Why can't the Twins be pro-active and have dual milb instructors for pitching, hitting, infield, outfield, catching, and be a step ahead in player relations and development? Why can't the FO be aggressive in these choices as well as the final piece to Molitor's "rebuilt" staff for 2017? The Twins, for several years now, have been trying to scout, sign and develop players globally. But players from Europe and Australia, for the most part, share common language and similar cultures. But as an organization, if the Twins really want to be smart and forward thinking, they need to concentrate so much harder on the Latin influence they have been bringing in to the organization. They need to learn Spanish.

Ideal trade? Dozier for Urias and one of Alvarez, Sheffield, etc. (We'very all read the names) Personally, I don't think that's an unfair trade by any stretch. More realistic trade? Dozier for De Leon, another of the top young Dodger SP already named and maybe Van Slyke as a throw in to give the Twins a quality RH hitting 4th OF. Too little you think? Then add a second SP from the Dodgers to make it a 4 for 2 deal and the Twins also include one of our top RP or a AA SP. Dodgers get Dozier and a solid pitching prospect, we get a top young arms, two lower level arms with nice upside, and a veteran 4th OF to make the roster and OF better and more balanced.