Shane Wahl

That these sham debates actually influence opinion is a stain on democracy. These uncommitted voters have to be marginally insane.

This concludes my 2013 blueprint. So far it has involved adding Edwin Jackson and Shaun Marcum as the two new additions to the team. It also would mean a return of Scott Baker on an incentive-laded deal, giving Anthony Slama a chance, and a wait-and-see approach with Kyle Gibson. In terms of position players, instead of worrying about who to trade, I have argued that having a good PH option for every game is actually a good idea, whether it be (by rotation) Parmelee, Morneau, Mauer, Doumit, Willingham, Span, or Revere. Finally, I have claimed that Chris Herrmann should be with the Twins next season since his ceiling is not as a starting catcher and it doesn't matter anyway with Mauer and Doumit. The Twins might as well just use him now to maximize their roster (his case is different than Hicks and Arcia). Now, what matters most is the future of the organization, not just what happens in 2013. I do believe that Hicks and Arcia are truly legitimate MLB-soon-to-be-ready players. I also believe that Joe Benson could easily have a bounce-back season at AAA and that means that 3 OF are suddenly big-league ready. So, trading Span in the offseason is not the end of the world. If that were to happen, Aaron Hicks can be the replacement. Trading Ben Revere, to me, is the best option as I would like to see an OF of Span-Benson-Hicks in the future. That would also mean trading Josh Willingham, which I would not like to see at all until the 2013 trade deadline at the very earliest. The Twins have a RH power hitter . . . . that is something that cannot be ignored in its utter strangeness. That said, I would probably prefer that Willingham moves to DH after the Morneau era. With regard to Morneau, there is no way I would bring him back after the 2013 season. Trading him would have been good already, but there is certainly no way he should be around after this coming season. And that does not have to do simply with Parmelee, but also with Miguel Sano. I believe that the best place for Sano, eventually, is first base. And Sano's development is likely to continue steadily, so that by September 2014, it would make sense to call him up anyway. With regard to pitching. Marcum and Jackson would be signed for three year deals and would thus be certainly involved with the Twins return to success by 2014 and certainly by 2015. There are no real alternatives over the next few years as the Twins wait for Berrios, Boyd, Salcedo, Summers, and so forth. The Twins system is now above average again and will only be propelled higher by the 2013 draft and 3 top 70ish picks. I do have optimism about the franchise and see this time as a good recalibration. Rantz is gone. Plenty of average to incompetent coaches are gone or shifted around. Gardenhire and Anderson are on their last life. The system is being rebuilt and Joe Mauer is still great. 2011 was an injury disaster. 2012 was a starting rotation disaster. 2013 could bring another disaster, but I do doubt it. The future looks bright, especially if, you know, this blueprint is the actual plan . . .

This concludes my 2013 blueprint. So far it has involved adding Edwin Jackson and Shaun Marcum as the two new additions to the team. It also would mean a return of Scott Baker on an incentive-laded deal, giving Anthony Slama a chance, and a wait-and-see approach with Kyle Gibson. In terms of position players, instead of worrying about who to trade, I have argued that having a good PH option for every game is actually a good idea, whether it be (by rotation) Parmelee, Morneau, Mauer, Doumit, Willingham, Span, or Revere. Finally, I have claimed that Chris Herrmann should be with the Twins next season since his ceiling is not as a starting catcher and it doesn't matter anyway with Mauer and Doumit. The Twins might as well just use him now to maximize their roster (his case is different than Hicks and Arcia). Now, what matters most is the future of the organization, not just what happens in 2013. I do believe that Hicks and Arcia are truly legitimate MLB-soon-to-be-ready players. I also believe that Joe Benson could easily have a bounce-back season at AAA and that means that 3 OF are suddenly big-league ready. So, trading Span in the offseason is not the end of the world. If that were to happen, Aaron Hicks can be the replacement. Trading Ben Revere, to me, is the best option as I would like to see an OF of Span-Benson-Hicks in the future. That would also mean trading Josh Willingham, which I would not like to see at all until the 2013 trade deadline at the very earliest. The Twins have a RH power hitter . . . . that is something that cannot be ignored in its utter strangeness. That said, I would probably prefer that Willingham moves to DH after the Morneau era. With regard to Morneau, there is no way I would bring him back after the 2013 season. Trading him would have been good already, but there is certainly no way he should be around after this coming season. And that does not have to do simply with Parmelee, but also with Miguel Sano. I believe that the best place for Sano, eventually, is first base. And Sano's development is likely to continue steadily, so that by September 2014, it would make sense to call him up anyway. With regard to pitching. Marcum and Jackson would be signed for three year deals and would thus be certainly involved with the Twins return to success by 2014 and certainly by 2015. There are no real alternatives over the next few years as the Twins wait for Berrios, Boyd, Salcedo, Summers, and so forth. The Twins system is now above average again and will only be propelled higher by the 2013 draft and 3 top 70ish picks. I do have optimism about the franchise and see this time as a good recalibration. Rantz is gone. Plenty of average to incompetent coaches are gone or shifted around. Gardenhire and Anderson are on their last life. The system is being rebuilt and Joe Mauer is still great. 2011 was an injury disaster. 2012 was a starting rotation disaster. 2013 could bring another disaster, but I do doubt it. The future looks bright, especially if, you know, this blueprint is the actual plan . . .

I never gave up on Hicks and kept him near the top of my prospect list after the 2011 season. His defense alone makes him a starter. He looks to be a Hunter-Span hybrid. And that is damn good.

So part of the root cause of the Twins' problems is thankfully gone. A few more remain... Good to see a young 30 something replacing Rantz. At least he grew up with computers Haha. Yeah, I am glad that he retired as well.

Dinkelman is not worth resigning, but I would resign Romero. And Pinto should be added to the 40-man. There is zero reason to not drop Butera from the 40-man roster and add a catcher who might have potential. No team in their right mind would claim Butera so he can go to Rochester.

That we expect ownership to want to win at least as much as we do? That we expect them to make a $130m-ish contribution to Target Field, like they promised, rather than take their contribution out of revenues and, in fact, contribute NOTHING out of pocket towards their new stadium? That we expect them to at least honor their oft-stated "52% of revenues to payroll" promise, which doesn't even factor in the fact there is no reason that percentage should have to stay as low as 52% with the move to TF, since other expenses didn't jump proportionately? That simple math tells us $112M in 2011 barely--at best--constitutes the promised 52%, yet is referred to by this writer as "beyond their comfort level" and everyone seems to buy that? Is that what it tells you about "some fans?" Nice. I agree. There is ESPECIALLY an issue in 2013 (and there WAS this issue in 2012 as well) given that the future would indicate a roster dominated by team-controlled players like Hicks, Arcia, Sano, Rosario, Gibson, Hendriks, et all. Payroll is going to naturally go down in the future when the youth movement moves to the majors. So why not spend more EVEN IF ONLY to trade the players later?

The Twins could compete for the division next year at slightly under $100 million. If they wanted to find a way to buy a SS, that might push it to $103-105 or so. I sometimes think the people forget just how much money was wasted in 2012 on Pavano, Baker, Liriano, Blackburn, Capps, Marquis, and Nishioka. About $25 million or so spent plus arbitration increases and the Twins are back at the original 2012 payroll. That money could be spent on Edwin Jackson and Shaun Marcum, Marcum, Blanton, and Saunders, or Marcum, Blanton, and X shortstop, etc. To ignore how much any of those options would improve the team is rather preposterous. Add a few million guaranteed to Baker and hope that he earns another $4 or 5 in incentives and this team really could win the division. AGAIN, for the millionth time, the lineup at 100% was pretty good even with a bad starting rotation.

Maybe he can start the season in the bullpen in Rochester? Or as a starter going 2-3 innings (and have an Andrew Albers or someone take over in long relief for each start?). That way he stays as 30 or so innings through May (imagine what Washington could have done in the playoffs if they had managed Strassburg appropriately). A strict 5 inning limit through August would push it to 100 at the most. Then turn him loose in September. Now, of course, we all know that the Twins will be playing deep into October so . . . . there's not that.

That's strange, because he was back at the end of the year and was good again. That would be a BIG improvement if it was a one-year deal.

I like the depth that you go to, Riverbrian. Pretty good. What would you think about $22-25 million for two pitchers instead? Greinke is the one potential $20 million guy and if so, there is no doubt that it would be 5/100. That's a dumb amount. And there is certainly no near-guarantee that Greinke is going to be better than either/both Edwin Jackson and Shaun Marcum at 3 years/60-75 million combined.

Both Edwin Jackson and Shaun Marcum are affordable, if affordable means keeping with 2012 payroll.

Which numbers are you looking at? Edwin Jackson - career ERA 4.40 Shaun Marcum - 3.76 I'll take Marcum everytime if he's healthy. His health concerns do level the playing field though. I was referring to more recent numbers. He was brought up to the big leagues way too early and struggled mightily for the first 300 innings he pitched. After that, the ERA numbers are more similar, as are the K/BB numbers.

There are a lot of considerations that I imagine factor into FA decision-making. In the case of Willingham and Doumit, both have now wanted extensions. There are some players that will take equal or maybe less money to NOT be in NY, Boston, L.A., Chicago, etc. I am sure Jamey Carroll would like an extension too, but . . . Last year I thought Carroll was going to get less and Willingham and Doumit more than they did. By the way, it isn't as though they signed Willingham to a 5-year deal. 2 years left for $14 million with even 80% of 2012 production over those two years is a GREAT contract.

It looks fantastic. I already ordered, of course, and now I have to sit here and look at the sample while these stupid Yankees, Tigers, and Cardinals (go Giants!) play long ass games and long ass series . . . Free agent pitching contract estimates take on new importance. Jackson at 3/$33 million is in line with my blueprint.

Yes, as indicated in my blueprint, I think he would be worth good money. The range for he and Marcum was 3/$30, with Marcum probably being a bit cheaper than that and Jackson a bit more expensive (age difference). The two are VERY similar pitchers in terms of numbers.

With regard to Parmelee, even if everyone is healthy, there can still be a rotation with Doumit, Mauer, Morneau, Willingham, Span, and Revere. They have 7 guys for 6 spots this way. Maybe Parmelee doesn't start in the first week, but would thereafter. I realize that this rotation is not very lefty/righty friendly though. Herrmann had better be done with AA. If they send him back there again, they are nuts. Anyway, it isn't clear to me that he has to have that kind of playing time if his major league playing time is going to be limited no matter what given the existence of Joe Mauer, Ryan Doumit, and Josh Willingham. Herrmann is not going to be a starter in the league for awhile. This is a different scenario than Revere and Parmelee when we all talked about how they have to be up and playing every day or down and playing every day. And there is no real other option as a third catcher. Giving 150-200 at bats to Butera is a total waste. He is just a terrible offensive player and his defensive ability is often overblown. He is good at working with pitchers, though, so hence the whole AAA career I have planned for him . . . Now if the alternative would be to not carry a third catcher and have someone like Escobar up with the team, that would be ok.

Great news all-around!

As is clear in my blueprint, they should roll out with significantly better pitching with two FA acquisitions, a deeper bench, and then see what happens. If it doesn't work out and the A+/AA/AAA players develop properly, then sell off at the deadline (Span and Morneau would headline that). The point is that the Twins should try to compete and win the division every year, but that also selling at the deadline does not mean giving up on the following season. There is no necessary either/or with regard to 2013 and 2014.

They should sign Butera to a five-year deal to be the catcher at Rochester and mentor of upcoming pitching prospects! Here Drew, here's a $2 million/5 year deal. We won't pretend you are MLB-caliber anymore . . .

Also, not that it matters since Minnesotans don't really care about accolades, but I REALLY want to know if there are such sites elsewhere for other teams in MLB that compare to this. Really. I have never bothered to check that out at all. Has anyone else?

A huge second of this! And it was such a surprise at the time! It coincided perfectly with my growing obsession and I am quite glad that, for once, centralization has actually worked quite well. This has easily been the most informative and interesting year in my Twins fandom. And that's saying a lot given how much of a debacle this season was once again.

In Part Two of the 2013 blueprint, I discussed the pitching staff. Now . . . that problem has . . . .clearly been solved. So something much easier is in store. This is the lineup/bench I propose for the 2013 Twins Span CF Revere LF Mauer C Willingham RF Morneau 1B Plouffe 3B Doumit DH Dozier 2B Florimon Parmelee Carroll Mastroianni Herrmann The bench is meant to be a return to the "Thome bench." This means that the Twins would have either a good replacement already up with the team in case of injury or one good-great bat on the bench for every single game (pinch hitting for Florimon, Dozier, or possibly Revere. As it turns out, Chris Parmelee appears to be the odd man out for the first several games of the season, but he can be worked into the rotation to give optimal rest for six other guys, especially Mauer, Morneau, Doumit, and Willingham. I still prefer a Willingham-Revere positional flip, but this would still work even if they stayed where they are right now. Jamey Carroll might end up being the starter somewhere (I would say SS), but if not that just means he is a late-inning replacement and a backup at 3B, SS, and 2B, and thus getting plenty of at bats. I realize that putting Chris Herrmann on this roster flies in the face with what I have said about AA and AAA, but I also think that Herrmann's value for 2013 is with the Twins has Doumit-lite, certainly getting a chance to take over Doumit's role as Mauer's catching partner in the future. Butera can be given a nice little salary to be the AAA catcher, working with pitchers as they come up through the system. Maybe he can be called up if there is an injury and certainly in September. But there is no reason to have him on the Twins roster. Herrmann, in my view, belonged in AAA by mid-season 2012 at the latest anyway. He also adds LF depth (and likely can adapt to RF and even 1B). Mastroianni would return in his role as a backup for all three OF positions and a speedster on the bases. It might not be a bad idea to also get him 2B time in emergency situations (basically if Jamey Carroll becomes injured in a game). Aaron Hicks, Oswaldo Arcia, Joe Benson, Rene Tosoni, and Evan Bigley would be the Rochester OF/DH, with perhaps Tosoni or Bigley trying out at 1B. Eduardo Escobar and Chris Colabello would be the other players at Rochester who could factor into the 2013 Twins roster. People have generally overlooked how successful the Twins were with this intact lineup during the middle of the year. This was essentially a .490 ballclub with the continuing pitching problems of relying on AAA pitchers. Adding Parmelee in a real sense does a number of things. It provides the Twins with a bench threat for every single game. It also provides rest for players so that they stay fresh. Mauer, Willingham, Morneau, and Doumit all fall into this category. Herrmann just needs to play with the Twins and provides insurance in the OF if the Twins start trading players from their starting OF. So we have the Twins 25-man roster? We are all set, right? Not really at all, and the final segment of this blueprint will address the future of the Twins, the 40-man roster, and some other comments on how I would act as a GM of this team.

In Part Two of the 2013 blueprint, I discussed the pitching staff. Now . . . that problem has . . . .clearly been solved. So something much easier is in store. This is the lineup/bench I propose for the 2013 Twins Span CF Revere LF Mauer C Willingham RF Morneau 1B Plouffe 3B Doumit DH Dozier 2B Florimon Parmelee Carroll Mastroianni Herrmann The bench is meant to be a return to the "Thome bench." This means that the Twins would have either a good replacement already up with the team in case of injury or one good-great bat on the bench for every single game (pinch hitting for Florimon, Dozier, or possibly Revere. As it turns out, Chris Parmelee appears to be the odd man out for the first several games of the season, but he can be worked into the rotation to give optimal rest for six other guys, especially Mauer, Morneau, Doumit, and Willingham. I still prefer a Willingham-Revere positional flip, but this would still work even if they stayed where they are right now. Jamey Carroll might end up being the starter somewhere (I would say SS), but if not that just means he is a late-inning replacement and a backup at 3B, SS, and 2B, and thus getting plenty of at bats. I realize that putting Chris Herrmann on this roster flies in the face with what I have said about AA and AAA, but I also think that Herrmann's value for 2013 is with the Twins has Doumit-lite, certainly getting a chance to take over Doumit's role as Mauer's catching partner in the future. Butera can be given a nice little salary to be the AAA catcher, working with pitchers as they come up through the system. Maybe he can be called up if there is an injury and certainly in September. But there is no reason to have him on the Twins roster. Herrmann, in my view, belonged in AAA by mid-season 2012 at the latest anyway. He also adds LF depth (and likely can adapt to RF and even 1B). Mastroianni would return in his role as a backup for all three OF positions and a speedster on the bases. It might not be a bad idea to also get him 2B time in emergency situations (basically if Jamey Carroll becomes injured in a game). Aaron Hicks, Oswaldo Arcia, Joe Benson, Rene Tosoni, and Evan Bigley would be the Rochester OF/DH, with perhaps Tosoni or Bigley trying out at 1B. Eduardo Escobar and Chris Colabello would be the other players at Rochester who could factor into the 2013 Twins roster. People have generally overlooked how successful the Twins were with this intact lineup during the middle of the year. This was essentially a .490 ballclub with the continuing pitching problems of relying on AAA pitchers. Adding Parmelee in a real sense does a number of things. It provides the Twins with a bench threat for every single game. It also provides rest for players so that they stay fresh. Mauer, Willingham, Morneau, and Doumit all fall into this category. Herrmann just needs to play with the Twins and provides insurance in the OF if the Twins start trading players from their starting OF. So we have the Twins 25-man roster? We are all set, right? Not really at all, and the final segment of this blueprint will address the future of the Twins, the 40-man roster, and some other comments on how I would act as a GM of this team.

These pitchers are all terrible aside from Hernandez, and who knows how he will be in the future. If the Twins sign Bartolo Colon, I will stop being a Twins fan.