Beezer

I agree with you Seth that the last couple years have been difficult to watch frequently because of the Twins inability to get those 3rd base runners across the plate. One former Twin who I always thought excelled in that area was Gary Gaetti. It seemed like he always had track power to get that sacrifice fly and get the run home. I don't know what his success race was or if that stat was even tracked but just from watching the games I always thought he was one of the best ever at it as a Twin. Hope Walker can continue to improve and make progress up the ladder. Making better contact is probably the area most likely to be his greatest impediment.

I think Dozier is hitting better than his average indicates. I have not looked at any charts or stats but from the eyeball test seems like he is making good contact and having bad luck with his in the park contact happening to be right at someone. I would expect that bad luck to even out a bit over the year and for him to get his average up around .270 or better. If he does hit .270 he might be better off hitting 3rd with the power he is showing and keeping Mauer in the #2 hole. Seems like his OPS is likely to be higher than Mauer's and that might better serve the Twins for him to hit 3rd. I have never liked Joe's lack of power in the 3rd spot and think he is almost ideal as a #2 hitter. It would be great if Hicks could get his average up but he is taking better at bats this year and does not look quite as lost so I think he can get into the .250 range with his batting average and perhaps .350 for onbase. Not wonderful for a leadoff guy but not bad and with his speed it would be nice to see him at the top. For now I think he needs to be at #8 or better yet #9 and develop some confidence. With the production we are getting from the rest of the lineup keeping Hicks and Florimon in the field is a luxury we can afford for the time being and being strong up the middle is important for our pitchers and even the fans as watching bad defense can be even more frustrating than watching strikeouts.

Favorite Twin (All-Time): Michael Cuddyer - a hero and role model to my son Favorite Twin (Current): Chris Colabello - Not another better story in baseball right now. Favorite Pizza: Pepperoni/Mushroom

Word was that the Twins wanted Parmelee to be more aggressive early in the count in his at bats. Anybody know if that is happening yet in this small sample?

I think he would look good as a right hand platoon with Kubel in the corner and put Willingham at DH. I like Hammer but he just is not capable of playing in the field anymore. Kubel is no gold glover but certainly leaps and bounds ahead of Hammer at this stage. I know he hasn't liked DH but it really is the only spot for him any more. Perhaps it would even help him stay healthier and make it possible for better production. This would give us a much better option to fill in for Hicks in CF if he needs a day off or we pinch hit for him late. I like the idea of picking up Taylor. I think he might be able to hit .250 with some occasional pop if he got a chance. Trouble is I don't think the Twins want to give up Bartlett. He seems to be on the team on the basis of attitude rather than tangible. Tough to change the FO / Manager opinion if that is what they want.

I have always been connected to the Twins from back in the day when my Great Aunt and Great Uncle had a $1 bet on every game and she always took the Twins and Killebrew. Even when I moved away from MN I still followed the Twins. But I really became a fan because of my son. Cuddyer had tried to play 3rd base with only marginal success and was on the Twins Caravan that winter. The Caravan stopped at the Rotary club and Dan Gladden at the end said anybody who knew how many HR's Cuddyer hit that year would get an autographed baseball and I knew it was 12 so I got the ball and brought it home to my 8 year old son. He TREASURED that baseball. We HAD to watch the Twins every time they played. That summer he had to have the same number as Michael Cuddyer. He had to play right field because that was where Michael Cuddyer was playing that year. I finally had to sit him down and have a talk with him because his coach wanted him playing 2nd base and he was arguing that he wanted to play right field just like Michael. I was so glad that Cuddyer turned into such a good player and such a positive playing baseball role model. My son and I to this day are still connected to the Twins and it has more to do with the autographed Michael Cuddyer baseball than it does with the time he spent playing baseball. He doesn't play baseball anymore because his talents took him a different direction but we still watch and talk Twins baseball and I am far bigger fan now than I ever was before "The Autograph".

When it comes to developing talent for the future that talent needs to play. Having youth on your bench makes very little sense if you actually want it to get better and contribute in the future. I am disappointed that Bartlett is currently viewed as our best option and I am disappointed about keeping Kubel over Parmelee but when it comes to a youth movement it either starts at the MLB level or it starts at AAA. It does not sit on your bench. I am concerned about Pinto sitting on the bench but if they actually play him 2 or 3 times a week as they say then it will work out. I actually don't expect Bartlett to come in except as a defensive replacement after someone else pinch hits or perhaps as a pinch runner. Makes no sense to have some young gun on the bench to do that. Hope Parmelee and Diamond both accept AAA and light it up and make the trip up by May and contribute. I think Parmelee would be a massive upgrade defensively in LF over Willingham who clearly can no longer play in the outfield.

Willingham looks so bad in the field that Parmelee is almost a necessary option as Kubel is not much of an option in the field anymore but probably still better than Willingham and Colabello is not as good as Parm. In a pinch Parm can play center and also plays 1b so he fills that "interchangeable parts" mantra mentioned by Gardy. I have not been at all impressed with Presley's play in the field either so Presley might actually be the odd man out. Not at all something I expected to say at the start of Spring Training.

I still think that Target Field plays better for the home team with an emphasis on speed and defense. Get on base and steal bases. Old School. It is not a hitters park. Trying to go with boomers is like putting square pegs in round holes. You might be able to pound it in a couple times but doesn't fit very well.

Could not agree more. I want to enjoy watching a Twins game again. Too many times over the last three years the Twins have been unwatchable due to extremely poor fundamentals. I can live with losses if the game is played right and with passion. Winning is great but at least play the game right. Make it watchable again.

I think that Target Field makes a late 80's Cardinals type team a better option. Guys with high onbase % and steals may play better than long ball and it can still translate to other ballparks. With the crackdown on PED's the long ball is becoming less a part of the game and small ball is coming back. Speed guys in Buxton, Rosario, Hicks, Polanco, with possible bombers Sano and Arcia might turn out allright.

I just don't think there is a FA out there right now that would be worth the money. I think the Twins would be better off holding onto that cash for next year to fill some holes rather than trying to get it all done in one year and settling for someone who they may not be happy with a year from now.