DocBauer

Ideally, IMO, is to move him any way possible. Cash, prospect, whatever to get something of at least some value back, move on, live and let live...peace out. But if he does stick around, the Nolasco we saw last season looked as though he was still effective on a limited basis, including some SO ability. He would be overpaid for the role, but he may be able to re-invent himself.

Start him. Start him. Start him. Look, the Twins see and work with these guys daily. They see things and have knowledge way beyond us. But I am flabbergasted that a top SP talent like Meyer...right on the cusp in 2014, and arguably deserving of a September promotion...has a poor year/start to the year, and with a snap of the fingers is now a reliever. Weren't we told last year that the bullpen move was temporary? A chance to work on repeating his delivery over fewer pitches and innings to get in a rhythm? Kepler is a top 10/100 prospect coming off his breakout season and on the cusp of making it. If he has injuries or struggles this year at Rochester, does he suddenly become a 4th OF?

I didn't read the article, but I did read Nick's. I agree the job should be Perk's, and with good, proven, reason. He's 33 now, and his head and body are used to a certain type of usage. I think he can still be very successful for a few more years. But much like Dozier perhaps being overused and needing a couple days off the first half of the year, there is one reason Jepsen can't come in to face a RH 9th inning lineup when Perk has pitched two days in a row, or 2 out of 3, etc. While Nick isn't going in depth on the bullpen here, focusing more on the closers role itself, is it just me, or does it seem kind of ridiculous that a month before pitchers and catchers report we are STILL concerned with the bullpen? Come on Terry...forget the prospects of talented prospects for a moment and make a move. There are still some decent, functional FA available. Build the strength. Giggity.

Actually, I was trying to help make your point. Lol

With all due respect to Milone, the Twins rotation rates even stronger with Berrios...and May, to be frank. Yes it's nice to have a lefty. And Milone was very solid in 2015, and indeed has been solid most of his career, save his first go round with the Twins in '14. I get a little frustrated at times when opinions, pro and fan, blast Hughes and Santana. Hughes may not be as good as 2014 again, but he very easily could be. He might even be a little better. While he lacked consistency in his career, and really hasn't quite lived up to his talent, he has shown flashes besides '14. He's not some journeyman who is a 1 season wonder. Ando Santana has had a very nice and consistent career to this point while being occasionally dominant. Gibson is talent, stillmk,proving, and I don't believe we've seen the best of him yet. Composure, decent fastball and an amazing curve, a little more experience and polish from Duffy could make him really tough. You can claim SSS, and you'd have an arguement. But then agaim, his milb track record is good, seemed to get better yearly as he advanced, and his SSS in '14 was a full third of the season. Now mix in Berrios and you have a very nice group, especially if the bullpen can support them. Something that is still a question mark. There is no ONE WAY to win. Teams do/have/will win via rorations, bullpens, defense and offense, and various combinations. A strong 1-5 rotation with bullpen to back them up is arguably as successful...if not moreso...than a really strong 1-3 with bad back end and average-mediocre bullpen. Just look at the Tigers from the past few seasons for example.

A few thoughts...perhaps a question or two... Harrison and Michael are both higher than I would rate them. Both still posses potential, neither are that old, but I'm not sure we've really seen anything from them, particularly Harrison, that says they are on track. I hope you are right about Harrison battling injury last season and other pitchers making adjustments. His OB is impressive, and it's certainly easier to teach someone to be aggressive vs being patient, still, he looks more Jorgensen or Moses right now than Plouffe or Sano. I haven't given up on Michael yet and agree he may have a future. And he has shown flashes the last couple of seasons. (But he has to stay on the field) But I'm curious as to your statement that he ML ready now with other the bat and glove. Could you please elaborate? He hasn't played above AA yet, and while he hits LH pitching well, it wou,do seem he has a ways to go to hit righties. Whenever I read lists like this, one thing that always jumps out to me is how many young Latin arms there are with potential in the system. Almost too many to keep track of. Of course, they are mostly all A ball or lower, but there is a ton of potential there.

If Nunez could hit well and field well, he'd be a starter, not a reserve. But that's true of just about any reserve isn't it? And while Nunez's career numbers might "X", his Twins career "Y" has been solid thus far. Could Polanco be a better and more explosive option with even more ability and potential? Yes. And assuming he is not traded, that may be his future. At least in the short term. But he is still rather young, has roughly half a season of AAA if I recall, and I could see the Twins wanting him to play daily right now. I have to say, IMHO, Nunez is a solid option for now. He can hit and has some XB power, runs OK, and is not a complete butcher in the field. He's also inexpensive.

Both articles and both view points are correct. It's a matter of which perspective makes the most sense to you. Nobody has done the 3 years at $18 yet. Unless someone panics...always a possibility...no one is going to. 3 for $12 ish I would jump on. $15M? Maybe. I would prefer 2 years at $5-6 and a 3rd year performance option. The walks don't scare me much due to his SO rate, unless there is an abnormal number of HR as well. He really helps fill end back of the bullpen. And as you pointed out, that depth creates better depth at the front end as well. Go a strong 2 year with the performance option.

Sorry but....huh? Nolasco is owed $12M this season whether he is on the Twins or not, starting or in the pen. All other bullpen options, other than Perkins, are making far less. And in most cases, Tonkin, Pressly, etc, the cost is right around league minimum.

I feel Molitor will be more aggressive than Gardy ever was...as he was with Rosario last year. And yet, I feel like the couple weeks Kepler spent with the parent club to close the year he was treated with kid gloves. Was this accidental or a reflection of his long season? Perhaps. If Molly has the same "feel" he had for Rosario last season, then I'd bet the over. And I SOOO want the over! I'm sorry, but even though I think Sano could be the next Dave Parker or Darryl Strawberry...big men who play the OF...I remain unconvinced this is his future. He will play 3B, possibly/eventually 1B, instead of the OF, eventually if not sooner, based on experienxe, skill set, long term viability, as well as depth available. IMO

Despite financial obligations, I would feel awful if Nolasco got a starting job over Duffy for any reason other than injury or implosion. Bullpen? He could maybe help. But $12M for a middle veteran reliever over 30 when there are other younger, cheaper options available who may be as good with some top options on the way? Once again, simply better off trading him and money for whatever you can and everyone moves on. I think Runtzler is intriguing. Rogers could be very good in the pen. Outstanding if he can figure out how to figure out RH hitters better. Is it really possible Melotakis could be ready April or May? Hmmm...options...but I won't be surprised if the Twins still come up with another, more proven option for the pen before pitchers and catchers report. Don't forget Kepler in the depth column.

Is it too late in the game to say I'm still not 100% sold on the "Sano is moving to the OF company line?

Good post. And you're right that the bullpen issue began last season. (Once again, I think TR was banking on a bit of luck as well as prospects arriving more quickly). And while I am by no means satisfied at the moment, and still want May back to the rotation, I am not angry or borderline despondent as I was last year. And the reasons are Jepsen, May, (for now), Melotakis, the AFL results and a better "quantity" level of options than last season. I'm not sure I se any value in someone like Storen, unless the trade cost is cheap and it's to put May Beck in the rotation. But there are still a handful of FA out there, and we should have signed one yesterday. There is still time and opportunity for the team to make a medium sized but hugely important move.

Of course, as we all well know, this is still purely speculation. Dozier could continue being a quality defensive 2B with big production for several years. However, should his career path resemble "Uggla, the sequal", the Twins will be replacing a lot of his power and production with the addition of Park, the promotion of Kepler, and the continued development of Rosario, Sano and Buxton. (There are other possible as well). The concern, IMHO, would be WHEN said sequal would take place. Polanco would not be the same player as Dozier, but everything about him seems to state that he would be quality defensively, that he would hit and have at least a decent OB%, that he should provide quality gap power with some HR capability and good speed. But would he still be with the Twins when this proposed slide of Dozier's take place?

Think the most recent projection I read was approximately $108M, so a little higher, but your point is accurate nontheless. Not being an apologist, but I really don't think this is truly about money and the 2016 budget. I honestly believe the Twins could "afford" $115M to maybe even #120M if it made enough sense. Right or wrong, I believe TR and the front office in general, are looking at the rebuild, (arguably not complet yet-but close), looking at the roster overall, and the kids close, and honestly don't feel comfortable signing or acquiring a longer term deal. I think they would love Bastardo on a 1 year deal, if possible. But to use Nolasco as an example...and truly not to pick on him...but if you could know then what you do now, you wouldn't make the signing. So they look at what they have, will soon have, and just don't want to commit long term. Now, the counterpoint, of course, is the ability to trade anyone they acquire. But what if you sign Bastardo to 3 years, then he has a bad year, and guys like Rogers and Melotakis are ready, you suddenly have a Nolasco situation again. And I think that is where we are right now.

I almost hate to say it, but I am changing my opinion on the current bullpen situation. Considering the volatile nature of relievers, what the Twins currently project to have in place as well as what/who should/could be ready soon, I'm not as inclined to spend big on a RP. (Not that I would object!) I feel good about Jensen and May from the right side, even though I want May in the rotation. A healthy Fiennes has been solid ever since the Twins got him. Tonkin and Pressly are not perfect or fully proven yet, but both looked as good or better than ever before in '15. Based on talent, the last of '15 and the AFL, it would seem Burdi and Reed are very close. With Rogers, Melotakis reports and the "quantity" factor from the left side that could/should/will provide at least one solid surprise/option, we might be OK. While I'd be tickled with a Bastardo signing, I can see the reluctance. However, there remains a handful of pretty decent LH options still on the market that would be much less expensive, on the short term commitment wise, and would provide a much greater feeling of security going in to spring training.

Agree Vargas is getting the short end here. But for most of 2015 he flat out didn't perform. The Twins did the right thing in getting Park, despite any potential road blocks. It is NEVER a bad thing to have too much talent,or too much depth. (What you do, or don't do, with that depth is anot entirely different issue) I do not think Vargas is done by any means. Unless there is an injury or big disappointment/surprise yet to come, I see him getting a full year at AAA and putting up the best season in his career. It will be a good thing if come the last half of the season we are trying to figure out how to get him in to the lineup with Mauer, Park, Sano, Plouffe, Arcia and probably Kepler.

While it may sound surprising...and I like the above list...I am going with Kennys Vargas. I believe he is still only 25 until August. He is a BIG man, but his bat has always seemed solid, not just all or nothing. All reports have always indicated he is a hard worker, and from what I have seen, his 1B defense isn't really all that bad. Despite all his rep for power and comparisons to his mentor Big Papi, he has yet to crack the 20 HR mark. Unless the unexpected happens, he will not begin the season in the bigs. That might relieve some pressure, and just let him play. Unless circumstances propel him to the SHOW, we could/should see 45-50 XB hits for Rochester with an impressive AVG and OB. As stated elsewhere, I believe there will be a point where we are discussing how to make room for him.

FWIW, I have a good feeling about Vargas. The odds are stacked against him to begin the season, but I predict by mid season there will be chatter about how to find room on the ML roster for him.

The best thing to happen to Arcia in 2015 was to see it end. There is no question the team really needs him. And there is no question he is way too young and way too talented to consider not having around. But opportunity is a 2-way street. Aria needs to work hard in all phases, keep his head in the game, and stop swinging for China with ever swing. He has more than enough natural power that he can stop the windmill imitation. On the Twins side of things, they have to let him play consistently, not ride the bench for days and then expect him to perform. They also have to live with some bad days; he is the type who will go 0-4 with 3 strikeouts one day, and hit 2 HR and drive in 5 the next. They also need to play him in RF, not LF, when he plays the field. He is much more comfortable there and has the arm for it. (For goodness sake, just play him back a step or step and a half)

No question 2015 was a lot of fun and these guys were a big reason for it. The only disappointing thins being a poor SSS for Meyer and lack of AB's for Kepler. I wouldn't count out D Santana just yet, or Vargas, despite disappointing sophomore seasons. Santana will evolve, IMO, as a fun and dangerous utility player. Vargas? I actually think he's a little better around 1B than we were lead to believe. Previously, we've heard of a good attitude and work ethic. A big switch hitter with power...all he has to do is hit in the .260 - ish range with an OB above .300 to be valuable with his power. It's a long season, I bet he helps.

Very interesting article and projections. My only quibble would simply be, Mauer must continue to produce to the point you have listed. (If not improve) Could he? Yep. Will he? Now that is the question. Speaking of questions, I have one for you. In your scenario, what about batting Mauer in the 5 spot ahead of Plouffe, who would be ahead of Rosario? This would break up the RH hitting a bit, still provide runners on base, and should help set up Plouffe and Rosario in the 6 & 7 spots.

Yeah, I have to agree with this. While I really like Gibson, and am not calling for him to be traded at this time, I do get the idea behind it and can't say the idea is a bad one. He's very solid, occasionally excellent, and there appears to still be room to improve. And, of course, he's cost controlled. The reason I could go along with a trade now, or the near future, is the presence of Berrios. And after Berrios, hopefully, Gonsalves in the next season or so. With these guys and May and Duffey already on board, I could see the Twins actually trading viable starting pitching for once.

All healthy, no moving someone to the bullpen, just the best starting 5 to open the year? Hughes Santana Gibson May Duffey Berrios at some point.

Not going to get in a contest here. But I was very clear that I was NOT picking on any individual person or post. That is NOT me, or my style. I was using an example only to make a generalized point. Again, I thought I was clear with my NOT comment. If you felt otherwise, then I apologize if I was not clear or obvious in the direction of my commentary, which, in truth, was a bit tongue in cheek. Excuse me if my tired, late evening vernacular slipped in to mundane verbiage mode in regard to the "moron" usage. Once again, I was only making a generalized point, rather tongue in cheek, and to my immediate recollection, I have never used the word before, so I'm not sure chastising me for repeatedly saying something I've only said this one time before is accurate, or necessary. But I'm stepping aside at this point. I've supported Ryan, and I've chastised Ryan. Just today in fact. But debating how we debate, or a tongue planted in cheek vs being stuck out is not my agenda. So with apologies, I'll just exit stage left and drop this thread.