DocBauer

This. Absolutely. And it's not far fetched at all. Hughes repeats, Nolasco rebounds and Gibson shows even slight improvement. What's dramatic about that? A LF who can contribute offensively and actually play decent defense goes a long way to overall improvement. Coupled with a CF audition of Hicks, Schaffer and ? with Santana as a fall back option or occasional fill in. Tweak the bullpen a little, and none of this is out of the question.

For what it's' worth, I'm against making any major trades this off season. I believe the Twins will be in a much stronger trade position next year after another year of prospect development, talent that arrives to push for, or actually take jobs, or getting close. I don't believe in spending merely to spend, or attempting to build a team strictly through FA. However, the Twins have money to spend. Right player, right contract, I could see a FA SP signing. Santana could be both. I think there's a major opportunity to improve the team offensively and defensively with a quality LF option, and I think there's going to be at least a few options available we could make a move on there. (And no top prospect immediately blocked either) A CF acquisition could be tough. You're not going to trade for a quality player there with Buxton on the way, and I'm not sure if Span or any other possible quality CF option will want to sign only to be bumped sometimes in the next year or so. There are a couple cheap options that might be solid options to bring in to compete with Hicks and Schafer for the spot, or a share of the spot. Losers go to AAA or 4th OF status.

Baseball is a beautiful game that suffers from very few flaws. And one of the best things about the sport as that while it may appear to the novice or uneducated viewer/new or casual fan that nothing has changed from one batter to another, or even one pitch to another, the educated fan knows that every single ball or strike in the count has a sudden change in the complexion of the AB or inning. College and NFL games last between 3 to 3 1/4 hours, occassionally longer, but not generally. About as long as the average ML game. Of course, in a nice pitching matchup, you might actually see a ML game played in about 21/2 hours. Like it or not, we are in an age of rapid fire, limited attention spans and video game action mentalities. Football games are far, far fewer than baseball games in number, so it's not a very fair comparison. But football has replaced baseball as the #1 sport in America, I believe, not just due to the importance and impact of a single game a week, but how the sport has been presented to the public over the years. Rivalries are stressed. Top players are publicized. Pre-game shows and highlight reals, expert opinions on what you should see and have seen, have kept the public galvanized. Baseball doesn't have to change the game, and they don't have to speed up the game in reference to shortening the game, but they need to speed up the game only in regard to the down time. Enforcing time spent between pitches, calling a more by-the-book strike zone creates a better flow and more "action" as something happens, whether it be an out or ball in play. And I don't know if the sport needs more splashy graphics and talking heads to get younger viewers involved, but it could hurt. The sport needs to do a better job of marketing itself and the action, the players and teams. They don't have to re-invent the sport, but they need to market the entire experience for a different generation of young fans and viewers.

I think the Twins have it just right. 18 and even 19 year olds are usually in the GCL, not the Appy league. And sure the Twins put some college age kids at E-Town, but those kids tend to be latter round picks, or, earlier picks who use that level as an entry level springboard before jumping to CR. I think the Twins do a pretty good job of advancing prospects to CR when ready as I don't see a lot of downward promotions when they get that upward call. I don't know that another affiliate, and then finding the players to successfully stock it, does anything but muddle the situation. You might end up with affiliates with poorer records, and more marginal prospects to track rather than concentrating efforts on stronger teams with real projectables.

Impressed with what Molitor and Bruno have brought to the team. I'd like to see them stick around regardless of who the manager might be. I'd be in favor of Cuellar as well. All stated before. I think Molitor would be a fine choice. My only reservation is the age factor. Not that he's old, but I like the idea of a younger choice who could be in it for the longer haul, similar to TK and Gardy. I don't feel the manager has to be Latin, but it wouldn't hurt. I also don't think he has to be fluent in Spanish, though it would help. I think the important thing is to have that Latin influence on the staff in at least one quality coach, if not two.

I certainly don't have all the answers. Only opinion. And whether Gardy becomes an unfortunate and unintentially sacrificial lamb is certainly open to debate. While I do believe a couple strong offseason moves and the impending arrival of some top prospects will propel the Twins forward, and Gardy could probably do a solid job leading that team, at some point, as an organization, you have to decide what you need to continue forward. Despite being a Gardenhire lover and supporter, I believe the Twins have reached a tipping point where you have to weigh the past with the future. And I believe the Twins have reached a point where they just need a different perspective, a different voice, to lead the rebuild forward.

Seth, I think you've assembled a very smart and likely list that to me, offers a lot of impressive possibilities. I have absolutely no problem if the Twins stay internal. People can complain and moan all they want with reference to the "Twins Way" of doing things. But the Twins Way of playing baseball is the right way. It means defense, pitching, situational baseball, balance, playing hard, running hard to first, no big prima donnas, just doing the right things. And it meant a lot when TK managed. And it meant a lot in the Gardenhire era as well. You can argue the organization has gotten away from this valued approach, but I would argue it comes down to talent, a balanced roster, frustration, and perhaps a message and messenger that grew stale over time. From what we read and hear, it seems Mauer and Mientkiewicz are good communicators and good baseball minds who "get it". They are Twins men, but also young and aggressive and I believe they could each be quality choices, especially if there is a good veteran bench coach available for them to lean on. I worry somewhat about their lack of experience, especially at a high level. No offense to Glynn, but at this point in his life and career, is he a long term possibility? I think I could see Molitor or even Steinbach as the manager in a shorter time span with Mauer and/or Dougie M as coaches before taking over possibly. I really like that Molitor, Mauer and Mientkiewicz have first hand knowledge of the young talent arriving. Push come to shove, I guess I'd vote for Molitor as bench coach to one of the younger guys. Outside the organization, from all the good things I've read, I guess I'd vote for Dave Martinez. I love his being Maddon's bench coach, learning from one of the best.

I'm very sad. And I'm also content, happy and excited. I'm a big Gardy fan and supporter. I think he's a good guy, a good baseball man, and has done a great job for the Twins organization. I will miss him being the team leader, wish him the very best in whatever he chooses to do, and hope that if/when he is done managing he will take up a position with the organization. Personally, I think he could also could be entertaining on broadcasts as well. Forget the last 4 years, time and reflection will show it wasn't all his fault, and he did a great job in his career. I'm also excited because I think a page is being turned, and it's time to move on and forward. I didn't see the pressed, but hats off to all involved from what I have read. Sounds like more class from a classy organization. As to the coaches, my understanding is they were all on 1 year deals. So it's not so much they are fired, but are not being brought back with Gardy's dismissal. Which leaves them to be brought on board by the new skipper, seek other jobs, and possibly resigned within the organization. I bet a couple are back. I don't think staying internal is a bad thing at all! There's been much speculation as to Mauer and Mientkiewicz as possibles. Especially with a quality bench coach to offer advice, call me intrigued. They are Twins organization guys, but also young enough for different ideas and perspectives. As a bonus, both are familiar with most, if not all, the Twins young upcoming talent. I don't think that is a little thing. TK was in the same position. So was Gardenhire. I think there's something to be said for being familiar with these kids as they arrive. Outside the organization, I confess I don't know a lot about Dave Martinez other than as a solid ballplayer. But I've heard a lot of good reports in him as a coach and future manager candidate. And I have to say, I like that he's been Maddon's right hand man with the Rays.

Prayers and best wishes for TK and his family. A good baseball man and a good man. Well loved and appreciated not only by the entire Twins family, but by MLB and baseball fans everywhere. All the best TK!

In regard to the actual question being posed by the thread; "should the Twins emulate the Royals?" my answer is a resounding NO. Not at this time. The Royals made their moves for certain reasons, as I and everyone else have stated in opinion, but the situations between franchises are different. In my mind, were the Twins to make a big trade move such as KC did, I'd be trading for said stud pitcher that is 30 or younger, preferably younger. Someone you can trade quality value to aquire quality value that you should be able to count on for several seasons, not a couple. I know said stud, frontline SP would help the team overall. But in addition to the prospect cost paid, for a rebuilding team like the Twins to give up, and other top prospects arrived and arriving, how soon could you expect all the other pieces to be in place to supplement the entire roster enough for that 1 SP to make enough of a difference to put the team over the top? I'm fully in favor of a FA signing like E Santana this offseason on a 3 year, maybe 4 year deal. He would be a high quality addition without compromising payroll for the next few years to make other moves, or to resign Hughes. And it wouldn't cost us prospects. But if the Twins were to make a major trade move, I believe they'd be in much better position to do so a year from now. A year from now, think how much stronger the Twins dealing hand could and should be? May, Meyer, Berrios and a couple other solid arms, including some top RP prospects should either be in Minnesota, or on the cusp. Position player wise Sano, Buxton, Rosario and Polanco would be a couple kids up, or nearly ready, or getting cups of coffee at least. Then you look at other options on the current roster that may have value as well, possibly being pushed aside, and the Twins, again, are much deeper and flush with talent to make a big move. So no, don't follow the Royals. Not now. Follow the path we are now clearly on. Our 1st round pick is protected next year. Be willing to sacrifice the 2nd rounder this year for the one quality FA we need, possibly that one quality SP, and give the team, the minors and the prospects, this one more season to shine and make contributions. The entire perspective could change by that time. But we'd be in a much better strength of position at that time to move if need be.

Once again, forget your frustration with the past 4 seasons for a moment. It's been what, 29 years since the Royals reached the post season? So since the Royals, and their fans, last tasted a morsel of post season dessert, the Twins have won two World Series and have had how many division winners and wild card teams? I think each franchise is and has approached their rebuild in different ways, and with a different sense of urgency. For the Royals, and their fans, it was time to do something more drastic. And to at least some degree, it has worked. At least in the short term. Can the Twins just sit back with lethargy and simply wait for prospects to arrive? They could, but it would not only be unwise, but would seem to be opposite of the aggressive nature they've shown the last year or so with the signings of Hughes, Nolasco, even Pelfrey, Suzuki and the trial of Morales. We also took a real shot at Garza and at least a trial shot at Santana. Now, if we had done what I advised and hoped and gone hard after Kazmir, we might be in a little different situation now. (Guess my assistant GM application got lost in the mail somewhere) I think for the Royals, a "go for it now and see what happens" mode is easier to understand and say yes to.

This. We have to put frustration aside at times and take an objective look at the full context of the past 4 seasons. Not excuses for anything or anyone involved, but true context. After the success of 2010, I doubt there was anybody in the media, in baseball, or in fandom that didn't feel the Twins would rebound in 2011 for a winning season, probably playoffs. 2012 could be described as naive, I suppose. The Twins certainly made a few moves, tweaked the roster, counted on better health, and a return to better relevance. Was this denial? I think it's hard to really hard to say. If you had the core of a team coming off a just awful and unpredictable season one year removed from a 94 win season and division championship, would you be quick to dismantle and begin an immediate rebuild? Now, I think 2013 was either a heads in the sand season, or the FO simply not wanting to admit they had no quick fix answers, and few prospects ready. So they tried to patchwork and sell a second-rate season with false hope based on a ton of "what if". We did see a few kids get their first real shot over the past couple of seasons. The May and Meyer trades were probably the first salvos fired in the "rebuild mode" battle. In reality, the Twins have only been in rebuild mode for a season to season and a half, arguably two.

To completely contradict myself, color me both disappointed AND optimistic. I felt this team overcame a lot the first half of the season to generally remain competitive, even when they had to piecemeal the OF and the INF at times with a dual rash if injuries. The team flirted with .500 at times despite lacking some obvious talent in certain areas, despite the mentioned rash of injuries, a hurt and in effective Nolasco, a mostly ineffective Mauer, and no RH veteran thumper in Willingham. I truly felt this team, with guys getting healthy, could contend for around a .500 finish. A little luck, a hot streak or two, a couple kids moving up to make contributions, like Vargas, they might have a small shot at 83-85 wins. When the All Star break came, it seemed like the team was gaining some momentum. Post break, it seemed like the wheels came off the wagon for a few weeks, for whatever reason, and any hope for .500 faded quickly away. I'm optimistic due to Arcia, Santana, Dozier, Escobar, Plouffe, Vargas, Hughes, Gibson, a healthy Nolasco, the progress of May and Meyer and a few other youngsters coming on strong. This year has been a lot more fun to watch overall for two reasons; one being the affor mentioned players, two being a team that might have lost far more games than wanted, but wasn't blown out of games like the past few seasons. Last year, and the years before, I could tune to a game and find the Twins down 5 nil in the 3rd with no hope. Even with disappointing losses, and a run of poor performances by the bullpen earlier this month, the team was in those games with chances to win. There is such thing as they "eye test". And whether it be a player, a team, or a season, this team advances over the last three years with that eye test. I'm also optimistic that despite the development, arrival, and impending arrival of even more talented youngsters, I believe the owner and FO are ready, willing and able to make some additional additions to next year's club. Exactly who to acquire, and for how much, remains something for us to watch, wait and see. But I believe moves will be made.

Can definitely agree with most of what you have listed. Nunez is kept because he's useful and Sano isn't ready. Replace Meyer in the pen with one of Tonkin, Oliveros, Pressly or Achter. I'd like to see the payroll around $100M, or a little above, to sign a quality FA if we can. Hicks, Schafer and Parmelee fight for CF/CF platoon/4th OF. I think the pen isn't necessarily in a bad situation, but is still very much a TBD situation. Pelfrey, for instance, could be released. He might also pitch long relief. Or perhaps he could suddenly find himself sharing setup duties with Fien. So he's a real wild card. (I'd still love a vet FA setup guy brought it) And with the other kids I mentioned above from the right side, Darnell could be another factor from the port side.

This is fact. Fact. It could still change, which is fine if Hughes changes his mind. How did the Twins become the bad guy in this whole deal? Hughes has barely removed the ice pack from his arm, and the Twins are nefarious thieves in the night because they did what? They plotted and planned all season long to deprive him a 1/3 IP here and there just to plan a long rain delay in Hughe's final start of the season that would deprive him of that magical 1/3 of an inning to keep him away from earning a third bonus on top of the millions of dollars the Twins have already seen fit to pay him? I had no clue the Twins had the ability to control Mother Nature. In that case, the hell with the old AC blowing in and out at various key times in the old Metrodome, we need to get Mother Nature to control the winds at TF for when the Twins alternate between batting and pitching. Seriously, what gives? He's been offered a chance to pitch, but declined. And the Twins have made no official announcement as to whether they will pay, not pay, do a donation, or anything else. If you think that little of the Twins, there are a lot of other teams who need pessimistic fans/bloggers. Was that mean?

OK now, don't everyone all jump on me at once with your rebuttals of being overly optimistic, drinking Twins-flavored Kool-Aid, (whatever that would taste like, I'd hope a nice lager), or just being out of my proposed medication...but you know who Santana reminds me of? He reminds me of Puckett. Now, the reason I say this, and I'm sure Parker could offer an accurate analysis or call the men in straight jackets for me, is that Santana doesn't seem to have a hole in his swing. His bat is very quick. He shows a real knack for fighting off pitches. And he seems to just hit line drive after line drive with no fear or intimidation at the plate. I know his BABIP seems unusually high, probably too high. And thus far, his walks are lower than preferred of course. But he just keeps working the pitcher and hitting line drives. Am I completely nuts here?

No Lester? Is this list just for this season? Guessing it must be. In a dream world, if the Twins broke the bank and DID make that HUGE SP move, left handed, 31 next season, he'd be my first choice. Scherzer #2, (30) followed by Shields probably (33). If KC would let Shields leave, he's the biggest risk, but also probably requires the least investment. But unless the market cools down, big salary teams just saying enough already, won't Lester and Scherzer demand 6-7 years at over $20M per?

I'm with you on this. I don't have anything against Ozzie. And baseball wise, he was a quality player defensively and offensively. He's shown some nice ability as a manager, and has shown an aggressive approach. My problem is that he's a little too fiery for me. And as you said, often likes to be the story himself. I get the impression a lot of people like him simply because he has an affinity for the Twins. If the Twins do make the move at manager, I have pretty good feelings about Mauer and Dougie M both. A pair of young guys who both seem to have good baseball minds, appear to have good communication skills, will carry on the Twins Way while bringing a younger and fresher approach, and have first hand knowledge/experience with most of all the young prospects arrived or on their way. Something Kelly and Gardenhire each had with the previous "new waves" that have come and gone. I don't think that should be dismissed. But I'd like to see a veteran baseball guy to be the new manager's right hand/bench coach. Ozzie could be great for that. But has he mellowed enough now to be content in that role? If not, would Charlie Manuel be willing to come down from the Phillies FO to assume this sort of "mentoring" role? I'd keep Bruno. I'd keep Cuellar. I'd keep Molitor and Steinbach as well. While I have tremendous respect for both Vavra and Ullger, I'd find other roles in the organization for them and bring on a quality Latin coach like say...Julio Franco maybe? He had a long and successful career, played the infield, was a quality hitter, and has a tremendous passion for the game. That would leave one coaching position for, I don't know, maybe Watkins?

Disagree 100%! This proposed appearance is classy in the Twins part. The Twins are being the good guys by giving Hughes what should be a pretty easy shot at getting the one key, final out. Hughes gets his money, he earns it on the field, despite the obvious set-up, and nobody can say otherwise. Everyone wins, and you don't set some future precedent where just coming close gets you a reward. I'm hoping for the charitable donation idea at this point. Honestly, I'd be surprised if something like that doesn't happen. As far as Hughes is concerned, I think he's simply saying he's had a great year, got well paid, earned additional bonuses, and doesn't want to earn it outside of the regular boundaries of being a starter. That's how I read it. It can be argued the Twins have at times in their history been anywhere from downright cheap, to frugal, to financially smart. But I have NEVER heard of a player or another organization ever stating the Twins were classless.

Some great questions. I've never been an Anderson supporter or hater, though I have been defensive of him at times. I also don't know exactly what makes a great pitching coach. I know the Twins, until recently, won a lot of games with Anderson as pitching coach. And there have been some SP staffs he had that simply shouldn't have won as many games as they did. And I don't know how much credit you want to give him or not, but historically, the Twins have done a great job of assembling bullpens. During the winning years, the Twins team ERA's have been solid, and have pretty much ranked 1st or 2nd in the league in fewest walks allowed. I struggle with comments such as many pitchers having failed with the Twins and then having success elsewhere. Who? There have been pitchers who have pitched well for the Twins and then continued to pitch well elsewhere, lost via trade or FA, but other than Lohse, who has actually, really and truly, pitched better since leaving the Twins? And Lohse? He wobbled for a couple years after leaving the Twins for a couple different clubs before seeming to find himself. I'm just saying, the vitriol towards Anderson, to me, is difficult to understand. I don't know that he's an answer, but I don't know that he's the problem either. Like Gardenhire as the man in charge, it might simply be time for another voice, a new direction as it were. I just don't know that Anderson has really been the problem.

I'm very sorry SD, but I'm afraid we think along almost the exact same lines! Lol NOT tooting my own horn, but I've been calling for a quality Latin/Latino (whichever) coach added to the staff since the last "shakeup". With the preponderance of young Latin players on the roster, rising quickly through the system, it not only makes sense, it's becoming a MUST. The Twins seem to go through great pains to assist the young prospects with Latin coaches/influence/mentors in academies and the lower minors, why not at the ML level? I am a big Gardy fan, and agree he's not the reason for 4 losing seasons. There are SO many factors. And the truth is, he could probably be kept around longer, and with proposed moves made, and more and more talented youngsters moving up, could help usher in a new Twins winning era. It's also true he could probably get hired by another team, possibly with a more veteran team, and prove to everyone he's still got what it takes to be a quality ML manager. But I think we've reached a tipping point where that new voice, that new perspective leader is needed...not as a fault against Gardy...but to build and maintain the next wave for some time. Patience is a virtue, but a hard one to maintain in this case. But it has to be maintained to some degree. I sometimes wonder if 2012 and 2013 had Ryan thinking to himself: "no matter what I do, I just can't do enough to fix this right now. Not until a couple of these kids reach or get close. For now, I'll just patchwork where I can, but I just won't publicly admit where we are." The Twins absolutely have the finances to make a couple solid to strong moves. And they have an owner willing to do so. And in regard to LF, possible RP and possible temp CF, I could see any or all happening. It's the BIG TIME SP that I am conflicted about. No question that would do the most to potentially springboard the team back to relevance. But unless can weave a solid trade who's cost is fair, but doesn't hurt, I have a hard time trading away top prospect talent for a rebuilding team. But history has also shown that the big contracts, dollars and years, to sign a top FA SP pays off in the first years but proves to be sunk cost later on. Not saying the young Twins couldn't afford to do so, but would it end up hurting efforts to re-sign Hughes, or make another move to supplement the roster two or three years from now when all the young talent is in place? A great article, and well thought out! Thank you!

If we were to actually add one of the "top" SP's, plus a quality RP, and a quality LF with at least a decent CF option, which would be very cool, it could conceivably push payroll to the 110M+ mark. Can the Twins afford that? I don't doubt it a bit, especially if it gets the public excited and the turnstiles spinning for a potentially winning club mixed with a lot of exciting youngsters as well. That kind of payroll would put the Twins in the upper third, and in think that's more than OK, especially with the aggressiveness they showed last offseason on signings, and guys they tried to add, even the Morales look-see. And I think Pohlad is ready to spend more. Now, whether everyone is ready to move that far that fast may be a different story.

I've been thinking about this since Gibson won his 13th the other night and after Hughes impressive win today. What is the value in a W-L record? We all want our team to win, and we conversely want our pitchers, especially starters, to have said wins. But I have read various opinions previously, including right here on TD that Wins aren't really an accurate measurement of a pitchers ability or effectiveness. The same argument has been made before in reference to RBI as well. To which I would claim RBI may or may not always be indicative of total production, but if driving in runs wasn't important, you might as well draw names out of a hat to set up a lineup. Certainly a W-L record may not completely reflect a pitchers ability, production or full value. We all remember King Felix's amazing 2010 season in which he only won 13 total games, vs 12 losses, but won the Cy Young for a poor and losing team with absolutely dominating numbers that screamed out loud he had the finest season for a SP in the AL that season. But someone has to actually "win" a game, don't they? And hopefully, it's your team, our team, and hopefully the SP has pitched well enough to earn that win. After all, that shows a stronger overall team doesn't it? Hughes has had the kind of year I hoped he would, and thought he was capable of. To me, the only disappointment is that he only won 16 games as I feel he pitched well enough to have another 1-3 wins in that total. While not a true ACE pitcher, he's often pitched like a #1 starter much of the season. (There is a difference, subtle, but a difference) His BA against might be rather ordinary, and his 3.52 ERA, while very good, doesn't necessarily speak of dominance, but 200+ IP 186-16 SO to BB ratio and1.13 Whip are pretty outstanding. For a team that is better, somewhat, finally moving in the right direction, but still going to probably lose 90 games again, it makes his work this year all the more impressive. What about Gibson? There is no question he has suffered from real bouts of inconsistency this season. A bit maddening at times, truth be told. But also not unexpected for a young SP in his very first full ML season with only 10 starts and 51 IP at the ML level coming in to the season. He was basically a rookie in every way but technically. His bouts of poor performance and 4.50 ERA are disappointing, and his SO totals leave something to be desired. Still, he's made 30 starts, has pitched a 172 innings with one more start left, has only allowed 2 more hits than IP, has an almost exact 2-1 SO-BB ratio, and BA against slightly lower than Hughes, a decent 1.33 Whip and 13 wins. I hate to put the cart before the horse, but if he can pitch decently in his final start, say 6 innings and gain a final win, he'd be pushing 180 IP and 14 wins for his "rookie" season. Impressive? It is to me, especially for a losing record team. Maybe wins aren't everything when measuring a pitcher's total performance, but you have to pitch well enough to be in position for those wins, especially on a losing team, and pitching well enough to keep getting your turn in the rotation as well. Yes? So I guess what I'm asking is how valuable are wins? And how good do you feel about both Hughes and Gibson filling 2 of the 5 SP spots heading in to next season?

My initial reaction is to just pay the bonus. After some thought, that sets a dangerous precedent. Where do you draw the line next time? I also like the idea of a charitable donation very much. My only problem with the situation is that Hughes didn't get the opportunity for that magical last out due to the rain. Maybe he gets one out, maybe he gets the complete game, maybe he gets hammered by the first two hitters and gets pulled. Even then, the opportunity would have been made available to him. I dont think it would be such a bad idea, might even shine a qualitylight on the organization, to give him one more inning, or one more batter in the final games so everyone can claim he earned it on the field.

Will Gardy be dismissed? Will he be kept for the final year on his contract? Will the Twins FO let him keep his staff intact if he stays? i.e. the much debated Anderson. Jim Pohland seems committed to moving forward and doing what it takes to do so. Reference the opening comments to this thread. Also reference the Twins blowing up their past frugal and overly conservative nature to sign Hughes, Nolasco, Pelfrey back again, (group Ugh), still make a move for Garza, and then bring in K Morales for an attempt to spark things. At the end of the day, it comes down to players. It comes down to the system. It comes down to what you have, what you need, what's coming up, and what you are prepared to do. Despite the incredible facility of Target Field the Twins finally got built, despite their own contributions, despite the fact it might be the best facility in all the ML's, despite huge investments in the minor leagues, and possibly the best facility in all the minors in the newly improved and open Ft Meyer complex, it still comes to financial investment. Hopefully, that financial investment is spent wisely. With all the, dare I say "amazing", moves the Twins have made, at some point, finances DO have an impact on the final product. The Twins have, I believe, spent very wisely in many areas. I truly believe we follow and love a franchise that has been a bit conservative in the past, but has also taken tremendous steps forward from international scouting, to foreign academies, to attempting to build a mild system, as a whole, that can be the envy of all of baseball. But it still comes down to wins and losses on the field, after all, and the finances that take place. I am not being long winded. I am making a point. Despite an on the field product that is headed toward a 4th possible 90 loss season, the Twins haven't exactly been stuck in neutral. However, barring a HUGE change in the economics of baseball, the Twins will never have the finances of a NY or LA or Chicago or Boston, to name a few of the top revenue areas. But they are no longer the little brothers of the poor, especially if the turnstiles keep turning. Beginning 2014 season payroll pegged the Twins in 24th place amongst all ML teams at $85,776,500. Some might scoff at the Twins ranking 24th, but considering their transitory status, I actually find that somewhat encouraging. The Twins were willing to spend more, but were rebuffed by Garza, and did add to the payroll for at least a portion of the season with the Morales signing. But for this article, we're talking about begining payroll. For perspective, the Dodgers began the season with a high of a little over $235M, and Houston brought up the rear at around $45.5M. In the AL Central, the Twins began the season in 4th place behind Detroit at just shy of $163M, the KC Royals at just over $92M, the ChiSox at a close barely over $91M, and ahead of Cleveland's $82.5M in 5th place. Without boring to tears, removing Hammer, Correia, Burton, Kubel, Diamond, Deduno, Florimon and probably Colabello, the Twins enter the offseason at a payroll of just shy of $66M. If Duensing is not brought back, the number drops to about $64M. Add in Suzuki's signing and we are between 67 and 69M committed. Toss in...say...a max of $4M in raises and the Twins payroll ends up between $71-73M before any moves take place. That would place them in 28th place for 2014 payroll, for comparison, just below the Rays. Where does this leave us? Obviously with money to spend, hopefully wisely. Let us take the fan base of TD, mostly intelligent and educated, (come on...smile), and agree the Twins need to make at least one big OF signing. That player could be a $5M make good or last looks player, or as much as an $8-12M player. We'll play the average and say $10M. I believe there is also a general consensus for a quality RHRP to be signed. Shall we say $4M as a good, average, predictable salary? So that's a total of $14M added to payroll brining us to $87M, good for the same 24th place on the ML payroll ladder to begin the 2014 season. There is a large movement to also sign a temp CF option to avoid another Hicks opening day assignment. I'm not here to argue, just spout numbers for numbers and perspective sake. Buxton is kinda, sorta a sure thing. But he's not here yet. But he very much could be at some point in 2015. I've heard mention of Span returning to the Twins, and I'd absolutely love to see that happen. But he's having one of his very best seasons for the Nats, and they can pick him up for $9M. I have a hard time believing they won't either pick him up, or, work out a smaller deal over longer time. I'm not sure exactly who else would be left. So for now, I'm leaving this alone and will come back later. Some have clamored for a Shields, Scherzer, Lester signing to give the team a #1 SP though it might be beyond a 4 year contract. Fair enough. NOT arguing merits, just facts. That has to be $18-22M per. Splitting the medium, that's $20M per however long. That would put the Twins at $107M before signing a FA CF who could fill in at least on a temp basis. This puts the Twins around 15 in total ML payroll when considering 2014 numbers, without signing a CF option, even a temporary one. Point is? None really. Just an excrescences to everyone where payroll was, will be, and could be depending on how it's spent. The rest is up to you to digest.