Shane Wahl

(Doing this for 2014 makes me so much happier than for 2013, because Nick Blackburn won't be involved) Ryan Dempster (in last year/option year of deal signed this offseason) Kyle Gibson Liam Hendriks Scott Diamond Bromberg/Wimmers/Hermsen Andrew Albers, Lester Oliveros, Deolis Guerra, Brian Duensing, Matthew Hauser, Carlos Gutierrez, Glen Perkins (closer) (sub in Tyler Robertson, Kyle Waldrop and maybe a few others here for a few of these maybe) Sano and Rosario are not going to be on the opening day roster in 2014. June 2014 is the earliest. Anyway: 1. Denard Span, LF 2. Joe Mauer, C/1B/DH 3. Josh Willingham/Oswaldo Arcia DH (I don't mean a platoon) 4. Joe Benson, CF 5. Aaron Hicks, RF (though he could bat second) 6. Chris Parmelee 1B 7. Trevor Plouffe 3B/some FA RH signing 3B 8. Brian Dozier SS/2B 9. Danny Santana SS/2B or Pedro Florimon SS/2B Bench: Chris Herrmann (actually gets a lot of starts), Santana/Florimon, 4th/5th OF a la Repko-Mastro or some third catcher like Lehmann, someone else like Colabello (!) or Romero (!) or hopefully a FA signing a la Thome. Likely trading Morneau at the deadline in 2013, Revere at the deadline in 2013, and Willingham before 2014 starts or at the 2013 deadline. I don't remember seeing Arcia in anyone's plans above. He is getting to the majors before Sano and Rosario, period. Could be trade-bait too. Also could merely be a DH platoon with a Plouffe type at RF/DH if he can't hit lefties. I am guessing Angel Morales is the OF prospect to go, but hopefully after he starts playing better. 2012 pitcher taken at #2 will be in a position to help at some point in 2014, but not out of ST.

Ditto, and you aren't even mentioning the criticism of Bartlett. I didn't mind the trade at the time, except for the Brendan Harris part of it. Or if he had to be involved, it would have been nice to get some low-level prospect as well. Young should have played RF. But at the same time, maybe the Twins should not have traded for someone over-rushed through the minors.

Correa outgrowing SS for 3B isn't really too much of a negative. Sano is not going to be there.

Please name those 6 catchers. But I am likely to go back to ignoring the overpaid-Mauer crowd.

There's 2.67 years and $18 million on it right now!

Hopefully a number of decent-good ones who are young and are pitchers? The point is that teams will take those three and they aren't going to take Willingham this year.

I agree about Bedard and Jackson. Maholm is overachieving.

God, that Souhan article is trash as usual. Mauer's projected $ value right now, according to Fan Graphs is $20 million. FYI. Maybe morons like Souhan aren't aware that 20 and 23 are close numbers?

If that was a one-year deal, maybe. But again, multi-year deals are unattractive.

With Burroughs and Valencia hitting, Plouffe's days of starting are numbered. It would be nice for him to be the RH bench bat, but instead of homers I imagine it would be strike out after strike out for the most part.

I refuse to pay ESPN. Baseball Prospectus is great and worth it.

Those three pitchers will all be sent packing. Doumit probably will too, though I don't think I would like that move either. Willingham does not have a $7 million contract. How often does it ever happen that a player with two+ years left on a contract get traded in-season to a contender for prospects????? There is a clear reason why Willingham is not listed. Morneau is pretty doubtful as well. Maybe next year for both of them.

Exactly. So true. It almost could have been written by Souhan.

Willingham is not going to be traded this year given that he has two more years on his contract. Sheesh.

Exactly! Great article.

I have never liked the return to the TC as opposed to the M. The TC looks cooler on the caps, but it's the MINNESOTA Twins, right? The TC is already repped in the "Twins" name. But I lived in northern MN, so what do I know . . . OBP still matters a whole bunch. It isn't the end-all, be-all of baseball, but it matters a lot and that is why Joe Mauer needs more respect. He understands that while many, many Twins fans apparently don't.

I'm telling you, watch him on his pitches and when he is effective and not. It is ALL about repeatable mechanics with him. Full stop. He was more consistent today than at any point earlier in the season as a starter.

Velocity is important. Topping out someone like Hermsen is Brad Radke, but it could end in Nick Blackburn. Pat Dean might be another Scott Diamond, which is fine, but it just points to DRAFTING college top notch pitchers instead of Buxton and co. and SIGNING one top FA pitcher in the offseason (like Dempster). But oh well . .

Most of that is due to drafting. I like these guys, but I am worried about Hermsen and Dean making it to MLB.

I guess Boston could be the one spot where a 2.5 year deal would be acceptable . . . but still doubtful. Trading for players with 1+ plus is rare, so thinking about trading for 2+ years is pretty stupid. Willingham is here into 2013 at the least.

Purdue: Kevin Plawecki Cameron Perkins Nick Wittgren Eric Charles Barrett Serrato Blake Mascarello

Purdue: Kevin Plawecki Cameron Perkins Nick Wittgren Eric Charles Barrett Serrato Blake Mascarello

He's signed for three-year deal. He isn't going anywhere. And he shouldn't. I don't give up on seasons like everyone else does, but even given my stupidity . . . he has a multi-year contract . . . no one with one is going to be traded. Full stop.

This was probably the craziest day of the season throughout the system. Poor Shibuya.

Yeah, that's what I meant above somewhere. I was shocked about that. 10 mph to a fastball? 60 pounds just with offseason use? Generally all-around improved performance? I mean, that IS what I thought steroids did originally. Then I think there was a pretty good effort of changing that perception to "healing better" or "prolonging careers."