DocBauer

I repeat what I said in another thread, I think Sano has "enough" speed and overall good athleticism along with a strong arm that he could probably learn to be a good OF. But how long are we talking? He's got it down by the end of the year to be at least OK? Two years? What about the state of the OF defense in the meantime? And what if Plouffe is let go two years from now when he is past team control? Who plays 3B then? I like Plouffe. I think it would be cool to see both he and Sano in the lineup together along with Park. I just don't know if it can really work properly.

I really don't want to combine threads, but Fien has been brought up here again. I would say, should we sign Rodney...and it doesn't have to be him, it could be a trade, and there are still other FA available...we would be looking at him, Jepsen, Fien, May OR Duffey, Tonkin and/or Pressly as candidates. That is 6 for 4-5 spots. Not exactly overload. Just because arbitration was offered, and Fien will probably be brought in, doesn't mean for certain he makes it. Pressly has an option, Tonkin does not. And, we are uncertain exactly how many RHRP will actually be kept. And what if the rotation is short enough to keep both Duffey and May in it? I don't think Fien is the solution. But I don't know that hes necessarily a negative tipping point either. Sipp, for example and rumor, and Rodney would cost roughly $11-12M. I think the Twins could easily afford that. Pelfrey Jepsen Rodney Fien Tonkin or Pressly Sipp Runzler or audition winner of Rogers, Darnell, Dean, O'Rourke and Thompson This doesn't even include May or Duffey and is a better bullpen than last season.

When we got Jepsen last year, I was one of those screaming out we needed another quality arm. But you mention a Plan A for this year. I believe plan A is to sign a solid, quality veteran, but on a short term deal, to bridge the gap until Burdi, Reed, etc, are ready. Now, should a trade, say a Plouffe trade, bring in a longer term, quality bullpen arm, I think that would plan 2A. But without a trade, I believe he signed veteran is the "A" plan for now.

Sipp at 2 for $12M I have no problem with! I would make that move all day long. If the Twins really and truly are going to keep Plouffe, I would think Rodney for 1 year at $5-6 would be very sound. No great expense for Rodney. He's only signed for 1 year. He has experience, proven production, and still has good velocity, which he seemed to show in 2014 and with the Cubs last year. And realistically, at some point in '16, possibly by mid-year, one of Burdi, Reed and others should be about ready.

I'm no expert on Rodney. Just never really paid much attention to him previously. But when I take a look at his career, there are a few things that jump out to me. 1* Too many blown saves to be considered elite. But then again, the Twins would be talking about the 7th and/or 8th innings, not closing. 2* His career ERA is higher than I like, or would expect for a closer. But then again, we know ERA isn't always the best way to rate a pitcher, and a relief pitcher's ERA is always prone disproportionate swings. BUT....fewer hits than IP for his career, a 2-1 SO/BB ratio, a career BA against in the .230's, an excellent SO per 9 IP number. If this was Hawkins still wanting to play another year, where there be as much angst? Just asking. He had a nice 2014, and after a poor first part of 2015, he rebounded well. I can't believe he'd cost much, and would obviously be on a 1 year deal. As there are no bad 1 year deals, and we don't want to go down the path of "hope and pray the prospects are ready by mid-season" again, it might not be a bad move.

You might be playing this partly tongue in cheek, but there's real value to what you said. The human mind is an interesting and complex place. Very often, regardless if you are a writer, an artists, a researcher or athlete, simply taking time to step back and remove yourself from the equation for a time brings a different freshness of thought and attitude the next time you address your profession/craft. I don't guarantee Buxton breaks with the club, or if he does that he's 75%, or 80% or 85% plus as to his ultimate potential. But I feel his work ethic, past proven abilities, and experiences of 2015 will allow him to enter ST with a new perspective to build on. And I believe there is still a very good chance to breaks with the club based on defense, potential, and initial contributions in the 9 spot, if nothing else. Of course....no backup option is a path we've been down before. And not a good one.

I still like the idea of moving Plouffe for a quality RP and probably a prospect. It provides a home for Sano that he is already familiar with and has the keys to. Secondly, I think the Twins should move to sign a quality corner OF with a live RH bat with some pop. Scanning available FA list, it seems there are a few of interest that could do the job. This allows him to platoon in and out of the lineup with Arcia and/or Rosario. (of course, Kepler is also LH) *Santana may also see time in either or both OF corners, and potentially could be a spark plug at the top or bottom of the order.

Ryan may be stating that he is not trading Plouffe, but I am betting there will be several conversations had concerning him at the meetings. Why do the Angels just seem to make so much sense to me? Whether the moves take place at the meetings, or the meetings simply provide a jumping off point and premise to negotiate from, this team needs to come up with a quality reliever from both sides of the hill. If Plouffe were to be moved, I would disagree on the type of OF needed. With Rosario, Kepler and Arcia all batting from the left side, I'd say a corner OF who hits from the right would be the better fit. Someone with at least a little bit of pop.

Solid bullpen to be sure, AS THE ROSTER SITS NOW. And I just have to believe there is going to be at least one more move coming, if not two. (boy I sure hope so) But I will have to disagree (minor disagreement) on a point or two. I believe Meyer will be, and should be, in Rochester to begin the season. I believe the Twins will look at him starting again, and they should. You don't just give up on the idea of Meyer starting after one poor year. And in his place, I lean toward Rogers. There are a couple other options such as Dean and O'Rourke possibly, but I think Rogers is the smart choice. Betting Pressly begins at Rochester to make room for Fien.

I have stated before, I really think Ryan took a more conservative approach than he should have...possibly more than he really wanted...last year in regard to the pen because he just KNEW that Tonkin and Pressly and Burdi and Reed and Jones and others were going to be ready at some point. You simply can't afford to make a mistake like that again, not with a team that actually appears to have a winners chance! Fien provides, healthy again, a solid 6th and 7th inning option behind your top 4-ish relievers. He is insurance, and a stop-gap, for when the younger kids are up and ready. It may seem like a "meh" signing, but it's a relatively inexpensive and solid option. As long as they don't stop with him,

I agree with this. Healthy...which he has been pretty much every year except since the Twins signed him...he has been a solid, dependable, though unspectacular SP. If the Twins didn't ask for a lot back, and if the Twins paid for part of the salary, I absolutely think someone would take him off the Twins hands to deepen a rotation. There are teams out there, like the Padres who he has previously been linked to, that appear to be short, especially if they can pull of a Shields trade.

So are we starting a pool for the first time Pelfrey has a 3 or 4 game stretch of competent starts where someone complains we shouldn't have let him walk?

Thank goodness!! I was so tired holding my breath. Thought I was going to pass out!

I am, at this point, not saying anything "yea" or "nay" to the prospect of Sano moving to the OF. But, just for the sake of argument, (since it's been mentioned a time or two here and there), those of us a bit older may remember the likes of Danny Tartabull and Gary Sheffield. Tartabull was a HS SS I do believe, who moved to 2B fairly quickly, and then the OF, while Sheffield was also a SS who moved to 3B and then the OF. Both moved very successfully overall, offensively and defensively. More recently, Alex Gordon was drafted and initially developed as a 3B before being moved to the OF. Just a few examples to toss out there of top picks, top prospects, top bats who transitioned from the infield to the OF.

Not too early at all, IMPO. But I would bump Dozier and his mix of OB, power and speed up to 5 or 6. Regardless of a 5-6 of Plouffe/Dozier or Dozier/Plouffe, I'd put Rosario and his mixed bag of excitement and left handed bat in the 7 hole...Escobar 8th...Zuke and the killer 9th. As stated, at least until Kepler is ready. (or Plouffe is traded-making way for Arcia?)

Not to upset with the Fien offering, even though I'm not a big fan either. As stated, to me, it's more about the roster spot than anything. The cost isn't great. Healthy again, I think he could be solid in a 6th-7th inning role. I think of him as insurance in case of injury, or just poor performance from Tonkin and/or Pressly. (not that I expect it) As long a this doesn't preclude the team from still making a signing or trade move, I'm OK with it. I am not in favor of the offer, and then standing pat simply waiting for Burdi or Reed or others to be ready. We've done too much of that the past couple of years in CF and the bullpen previously.

Tremendous write up Seth! Couldn't agree more! Not only did Park sign the deal that he and his agent worked out, but there isn't exactly a precedent set for how well Korean talent will translate to MLB. Park is what, the second guy ever? So while I am very surprised and think the Twins may have gotten a deal here, it's still a lot of money. Also, if I'm not mistaken, doesn't he have another $1M per based on 400 AB's? There is nothing wrong with keeping Plouffe at this time. I think a lot of us have said that. But the fact is, without Sano moving to the OF...or someone...there is a logjam at 1B/3B/DH unless someone is injured. My problem with moving Sano to the OF isn't that he couldn't learn to do it, maybe even learn to do it well...but...how exactly does him learning to play OF actually help the OF defensively? Further, let's say it takes a season, (at least), and probably two before he gets really comfortable and looks really good out there. Let's say he looks really, really good even. What happens in two more years when Plouffe is a FA? Does he bolt? Does he fade? Do we sign in him an extension before that? And what about Kepler and Walker, along with Buxton and Rosario? Does the OF get too crowded in a year or so? I'm not saying we have to trade Plouffe, or that we should trade him. But I am saying there may be a decent return for him, we may break up a bit of a logjam personnel wise, and we aren't putting square pegs in to round holes yet again.

No matter how long I've been watching baseball, and no matter how smart I may think I am...I'm sure Klaw knows a hell of a lot more than I do about these things. But still..... 1* Love the love for Kepler. 2* Like what he said about the 20 year old Stewart. I think we're all frustrated because we want him to be a teenage/early 20's phenom, but there are just so few of those that come along. I think we owe it to him, the Twins, and ourselves as fans to give him a couple more years before tossing him under the bus. 3* I see his point about Berrios, but not sure I can fully agree at this point. His drive, work ethic, stuff, success to this point all seem to point to a top of the line starter. Not saying true ACE necessarily, but top of the line starter. Again, I keep flashing to Pedro Martinez.

There really is no good reason for Arcia not to get a shot. There is just way, way too much talent and potential in that young man to dump him or ignore him. However, I state again, with Arcia and Rosario both LH, I feel the Twins would be very smart to pick up a solid, quality RH hitting corner OF to supplement and flesh out the roster. And there are definitely some options out there. And as I stated in the blog version of this, I wouldn't have a problem with Kepler as the "4th OF" in the listed scenario, because, really, he would be more of a regular/semi-regular/platoon type and not a traditional, occasional playing 4th OF. Otherwise, he needs to play daily at Rochester.

Going to have to disagree. A lot of teams, including the Twins over time, employ a pair of utility/role players. Under most roster constructs I come up with, there should be room for both Santana and Nunez. And that's not a bad thing. He's got a solid bat with a little pop and speed off the bench and can fill in at a few spots.

As Stringer said, he is a near certainty to make the roster to begin 2016. I think it would take a tragic hunting accident with TC Bear to not make the club, IMO. But I really like the way Ashburyjohn stated his role. Was 2014 a signal of his potential overall, and was he freed up to perform as such playing OF primarily? Was the 2015 collapse a result of pressure and a screwed up stance? (As previously suggested) I suspect some renewed confidence, a return/change in stance could do a lot. I think he's a great fit as a multi purpose utility player. I keep thinking he's an unfinished, unpolished product that you stick with, and in a couple years, regardless of utility or fixed spot, he clicks as a dynamic performer.

How about trading Plouffe for a top bullpen arm, let Sano play his natural and more valuable position of 3B, and sign a solid RH hitting OF to play with Arcia and Rosario in the corners until Kepler is ready? Benson will almost undoubtedly be in AAA to begin the season.

This. Saying you have a plan to use your best players, at once, in the best way that you can...RIGHT NOW...is one thing. "Here is how we can get all our best players on the field based on the current roster construction..." Doesn't mean it will stay that way. As a fan of both Plouffe and Sano, I don't like the move at all. I understand that as we sit here today, there are questions about the construction of the OF. Right now, Rosario is the only certainty of starting. There is a question about Buxton being in AAA to begin the season. Hunter is gone. We're not sure if we have anything in Arcia or not. Kepler, probably, isn't ready yet. Walker needs more time. So how exactly does moving a guy who's never played the OF before do anything to "fix" the OF situation? I'm not saying he couldn't develop in to a decent to good OF, but it would take time. And by that time, wouldn't Kepler and Buxton and maybe Walker be up? And by that time, wouldn't/couldn't Plouffe maybe be gone, creating a hole at 3B? Not saying Sano will be a certain HOF 3B...but...if you had a young Mike Schmidt-like slugger who could play a decent to good 3B, would you toss him to the OF? Or would you keep in at 3B and use other options for the OF that you A) already have in your system, or can acquire through trade and FA easier than you can a top power, run producing power bat at 3B.

Amidst the gloom of the Twins having another poor and disappointing season in 2014, Danny was a bright spot to be sure. He was a shiny new toy that you weren't expecting Christmas morning. He hit...kept hitting...never stopped hitting, and provided some pop and speed and OK defense in the OF, (SS?) and a spark plug for the team. We heard, and were shown, over and over again, the quick hands that allowed him to perform the way he did. (Though that BBIP Avg was unsustainable to be sure) Everytime someone doubted him, he just kept performing. He was a winner in a losing season. I was very impressed with the STILL ONLY 23 year old. Unfortunately, for Santana, not the rest of the franchise, 2014 eventually had to come to an end. Over the previous years, Santana had never been included in any list of Twins top prospects, but he was always mentioned as an intriguing athlete with tons of talent and potential who could surprise. So while it was a surprise at how well he played in 2014, it wasn't a complete shock. He had shown/proven so much to me, that coming in to 2015, he was one of the Twins I worried least about. Oh, I expected the Avg to drop for sure. And with it, the OB might drop a little as well. But the BB would surely rise a bit. XB hits and SB would also rise a bit, no doubt, due to his immense talent and a year's experience. PLUS, he was moving back to his original, more natural position of SS. And then we actually played the 2015 season. And while it was a mostly resounding success for the Twins and for us the fans, it was a huge disappointment for Santana. He didn't field particularly well. He didn't hit or get on base at all. About the only thing he did was provide a nice breeze on hot days while at the plate. Was 2014 simply an illusion? Was there too much pressure to repeat while playing SS? Was it the poor stance and weird hitch in his swing that was pointed out in a wonderful article here on TD a couple months ago? Regardless, it will soon be (can't wait) a new season again. Santana figures to get a long look as a utility player, infield and OF, and perhaps even a guaranteed spot. At least initially. But what...or perhaps who...can we expect? A quick rewind. Santana debuted in the states with the GCL Twins in 2009 as an 18 year old. He split his second season as a 19 yo between Elizabethton and then Beloit in low A. And while he certainly performed better at the rookie level, he wasn't completely embarrassed at Beloit, and it was impressive and daunting to see someone so young there I'm sure. 2011 was spent in Beloit and his numbers were very so-so. There was some pop and speed, and an OB 50 points above his BA, but the BA and OPS were nothing to write home about. But something began to click for Santana in 2012 and 2013, which he spent at Ft. Meyers and New Britain respectively. He had over 500 AB in each season, .286 and .297 BA's, a .329 and .333 OB, and a nice pair of OPS of .739 and .719. He began 2014 in Rochester for his first taste of AAA ball. In 24 games, he didn't stink, was so-so, and then got the unexpected call to the Twin Cities and his big year. Despite the huge disappointment of the 2015 season at the ML level, in 35 games and 152 AB in his second, go around in AAA he pretty much raked. (Though his OB vs BA wasn't very impressive) So what should we expect of the just recently turned 25 yo, super talented but enigmatic Santana in 2016? He's not the hitter he was in 2014, but most guys aren't. But I don't believe he's the player we saw last season either. His milb progression was solid and steady. He never spent more than a year and a half at any one level, and was generally a level at a time progression. His career milb quad slash line is .276/ .319/ .399/ .717 with 124 SB vs 56 CS. There is the belief he is capable of more, and clearly showed flashes with the Twins in '14. You just don't do what he did with nothing but smoke and mirrors. And while he needs to somehow, someway, show more patience, he has, thus far, maintained approximately a 45 point plus differential OB% above BA. So with all of this rewind...going forward now...what do we expect? He isn't a finished product, to be sure. Does he bloom this year? When? Does he remain a backup, role player? Could he end up being a top of the order Tony Phillips utility player? What say all of you? Who and what is Danny Santana?

Wow! Thought for sure we were talking about $5M, which could also be considered a steal. And the investment isn't great enough to handcuff the Twins if it blows up for any reason. Let the Plouffe speculation begin again!