Shane Wahl

I am not sure why there is surprise that 8 of these guys could make the top 101. Have you not been paying attention to how good these players are?

Also, the historical connection between teaching originally being a "female profession" and low-pay should probably not be overlooked . . . just sayin'.

http://www.upworthy.com/5-myths-about-our-schools-that-fall-apart-when-you-look-closer-6?g=3 I recommend this to everyone.

I subbed for a time in Indiana. I believe I made about $55 a day after taxes.

I bet Berrios, Polanco, and Pinto.

I am continuing my countdown of the top 65 (now 66) prospects in the Twins system. Newly acquired Sean Gilmartin makes an appearance. This is not for effect, this really is where I think he belongs on the Twins prospect list. (new) 21. Sean Gilmartin, LHS, DOB: 5-8-90 2013 Rk/A/AAA (AAA statistics): 91 innings pitched, 5.74 ERA, 65 strikeouts/33 walks (7.0/2.3 career K/BB) Gilmartin was acquired in a trade for Ryan Doumit, and it is another successful move by Terry Ryan in this offseason. Gilmartin is a lefty who doesn't strike out a ton of guys but has fairly good control. He has been very successful in AA but struggled in AAA. There is zero reason to write him off as he turns 24 next May. Given the number of pitchers the Twins now have at the top of the system, I would expect him to start the season at AA for a bit. 20. Zach Jones, RHR, DOB: 12-4-90 2013 A+: 48.2, 1.85, 70/28 (13.6/5.1) Jones earned a trip to the Arizona Fall League, and--even though it was a mess--this shows how highly the Twins value him. Jones strikes out a ton but also walks an awful lot. This will have to be rectified in AA in 2014. 19. Dalton Hicks, 1B, LH, DOB: 4/2/90 2013 A-/A+ (combined stats): 576 plate appearances, .289/.358/.468 (.826) (.824 career), 39-0-17 doubles/triple/homers, 56-123 walks-strikeouts, 0-2 stolen bases-times caught stealing Hicks earned a promotion well into 2013 and did fairly well after the move. His 56 extra base hits are impressive and hopefully he can work on improving his BB/K rate with a return trip to Fort Myers to start 2014. I would expect Hicks to earn a promotion for the second year in a row at some point during the season. He is a solid all-around prospect who could soon make us forget about Chris Parmelee. 18. Michael Tonkin, RHR, DOB: 11/19/89 2013 AA/AAA/MIN (AA/AAA stats): 57, 3.47, 66/16 (9.2/2.4) Tonkin had some very limited time with the Twins this year and is definitely the frontrunner to join the Twins 'pen out of the gate next year in 2014. I would hope that the Twins try to trade off some relievers as soon as the market for them begins to sour in the offseason. Tonkin throws heat and could be an effective setup man. 17. Kennys Vargas, 1B, SH, DOB: 8/2/90 2013 A+: 520, .267/.344/.468 (.813) (.861), 33-1-19, 50-105, 0-0 Vargas felt the effects of fatigue in his first season with more than 191 plate appearances. The power is there but dropped off considerably in the second half of the season. This is really not something to be too concerned about. Miguel Sano and Eddie Rosario also left him for New Britain, so he lost some help in the lineup. He just turned 23, so the majority of his age-24 season will be in AA. 2014 might be telling for Vargas' future in the organization. 16. Danny Santana, SS/2B, SH, DOB: 11/7/90 2013 AA: 587, .297/.333/.386 (.719) (.712), 22/10/2, 24-94, 30-13 Santana is still mistake-prone at shortstop but the Twins seem set on keeping him there. He went through some natural growing pains in 2013, but had quite similar numbers to his 2012 season in Fort Myers. The power is not there, but the stolen base total is climbing. Santana should begin 2014 in AA, though with Eddie Rosario's status for the beginning of the year in doubt, Santana might find himself alongside James Beresford and Jason Bartlett in Rochester. 15. Lewis Thorpe, LHS, DOB: 11-23-95 2013 GCL: 44, 2.05, 64/6 (13.1/1.2) Dominating the GCL like this is nothing all that new, even for Twins pitching prospects. Thorpe, however, turned 18 last month. 2013's dominance came for him at age 17, which is a lot different than a pitcher putting up these numbers at age 19. It will be interesting to see what the do with Thorpe for the season, but I would imagine starting in EST and then spending the entire season building innings in Elizabethon. Thorpe could really push the envelope, but it is probably not realistic to expect any ETA before September 2017 at the earliest. 14. Jorge Felix, RHS, DOB: 1/2/94 2013 ELZ: 61, 2.95, 72/18 (9.9/2.9) The name is Jorge Felix, not vice versa, so we need to start getting that right. Felix has stormed his way through rookie ball and is set on getting 90 or so innings in A ball in 2014. He has great stuff and great pitches. A full season is the first real test for a pitching prospect, but I am pretty confident in Felix's ability to dominate. He will be 20 on opening day and good find himself starting 2015 in New Britain at age 21. 13. Adam Walker, RF, RH, DOB: 10/18/91 2013 A: 553, .278/.319/.526 (.844, .832), 31-7-27, 31-115, 10-0 It's embarrassing that Walker wasn't promoted to Fort Myers by mid-July in 2013. The Twins organization and plenty of people at Twins Daily get bent out of shape regarding strikeouts. The power is there and his defense is solid. Walker is also athletic enough to manage 7 triples and maintain his perfect SB%. There's an awful lot to like here and I would have really liked to have seen him get a taste of Fort Myers in 2013. Better pitching is going to force him to adjust and this can be dealt with in season. Anyway, 2014 is going to be vital for Walker to prove himself and move into the top 10 here. 12. Travis Harrison, 3B, RH, DOB: 10/17/92 2013 A: 537 plate appearances, .253/.366/.416 (.782/.802), 28 doubles, 0 triples, 15 homers, 68 walks, 125 strikeouts, 2 steals, 4 times caught stealing Harrison survived his first full season of professional ball and still maintained impressive offensive numbers. His defense is still very much a work in progress. His power seems to be starting to arrive and he can draw walks. The strikeouts really shouldn't be all that alarming for right now. Harrison at 3B, 1B, and corner OF is pretty much blocked, so the Twins may look to trade Harrison after another solid year, especially if he improves. 11. Trevor May, RHS, DOB: 9-23-89 2013 AA: 151.2, 4.51, 159/67 (10.7/4.6) May went to the Arizona Fall League to get more innings and build off a season of incremental improvement in his second year in the Eastern League. The ERA is still high as he cannot get his WHIP under control. That said, he did strike out a few more and walked a few less. Really, the Twins should be happy with this performance because at the least it looks like May will be consistent and maybe be able to provide some low-4.00 ERAs with some improvement. Getting a 4th starter out of the Revere deal is good, even if it took a bit to get there. I have to think that May starts 2014 in AAA and is going to be due for a 2014 arrival with the Twins at some point around mid-season. Things have changed somewhat with the signings of Nolasco and Hughes, as well as the idiotic re-signing of Mike Pelfrey, but May will get a look at some point in 2014. The next installment will countdown the top 10 prospects in the Twins system.

Duensing can make his trade value much higher by the deadline, that is for certain. At that point, I would like a Butera/Doumit scenario return.

I will just hope here. I will just hope. I don't know, man.

At this point, Parmelee also needs to be able to play left field. I know somewhere Gardenhire or Ryan made some claim about Parmelee not being able to do so. But, good grief, they put him in center when they needed to do so. With Mauer's move to first, the signing of Kubel, the development of Arcia (I will be angry if they keep him in AAA for any amount of time), and the insistence of keeping Willingham . . .

Parmelee was never going to be starter on a good team, but that doesn't mean he doesn't have value for the Twins. That Willingham is still on this team is a ridiculous mystery, so Parmelee is going to have some trouble getting playing time to establish trade value for other teams.

This has to be good for Deibinson Romero's chances at getting a serious look for a bench spot. And I would take Romero over Colabello.

Presley-Hicks-Arcia/Kubel in the OF with Kubel/Arcia at DH for many games against righties (Willingham is in many of those games too), and Willingham-Hicks-Plouffe (post Sano arrival) against lefties doesn't seem too crazy.

Doumit not catching would basically limit him to the AL. No way he would want to resign himself to that.

I don't know what to make of the framing issue, but it is a damn game of inches. I mean that cliché is pretty relevant here. It's frightening to think of, but it's relevant.

Aaron Gleeman passed up. Once again . . .

During the past season when I looked for trade partners for players like Morneau, Willingham, Doumit, and Plouffe, Gilmartin was exactly the kind of guy I thought the Twins could get. A fringe top 20 prospect in the Twins organization. Certainly a worthwhile find, especially at age 23.5.

Good job getting this done quickly! And you and I agree on his placement on the Twins prospect list.

Yes, exactly. And this has to be known as a pretty solid Terry Ryan offseason so far. Other than Pelfrey, this has all been good.

The shakedown as I would do it: Duensing might bring Doumitesque value back, so I would look to trade him. Logan Darnell could be a perfect add-in to such a trade. The Twins, for some reason, through money at Pelfrey. He is not good. It's an abomination. Anyway, the options really seem to hinge around Gibson, Diamond, Worley, and Deduno for the fifth starter and hopefully the long relief role (move Swarzak to middle relief, please). I would bet that Gibson starts in AAA, Diamond is the fifth starter, and Worley begins in long relief, with Deduno placed on the DL somehow. I think all four are likely better than Pelfrey in 2014, but oh well. If the Twins can try to trade from the bullpen, Diamond or Worley might find MR spots (trade Duensing, Fien, and Burton). The rotation could be: Nolasco Correia Hughes Pelfrey Gibson and the bullpen: Diamond Worley Swarzak Thielbar Tonkin Fien/Burton (whichever one doesn't get traded) Perkins

That's a great return unless the Royals platoon him. Then it might work out for them.

I like the trade quite a bit. There was no point in having Doumit around, and the Twins got someone of value, who won't be 24 until May.

Stewart and Gonsalves are great picks. Beyond that, I am surprised that this draft is getting such acclaim.

Pelfrey's remaining upside is replacement level pitcher. Those can be had for 500K.

Before I get criticized for being negative, I will say that Kubel was a good signing. This however, is atrociously terrible. I do not understand any defense of signing Mike Pelfrey to a two-year deal. And for those who say that he was the best Twins starter in 2013 . . . . Correia and Deduno were the two best. Case closed.

Whoa, a reference to a fantastic philosophy book (mainstreamish, but that is what it essentially is) and to Aristotle, John? You had me at hello . . .