Shane Wahl

This is a fantastic article. That was a solid discussion with insight and depth.

Also, can the Twins just hire Parker to provide these kinds of analyses on a weekly basis for them? It's amazingly stellar.

Also, Chris Parmelee should have smacked the bejesus out of that ball . . .

One thing to keep in mind, and maybe I am peculiarly aware of this since I had Phil on my fantasy team back in his early days (thinking I was all smart in grabbing him early in drafts), is that Hughes was touted as being the kind of pitcher we saw in 2014 back 8 years ago. Things went astray and sometimes the talent just is really there but doesn't translate to the field for whatever reason (I maintain that he was never a guy to succeed in New York, in general). That changes all talk of "regression" somewhat.

I am really waiting on my own. I want to start fresh instead of sorta starting from my last list and looking for up/down and additions/subtractions. Minier and Diaz are certainly now top 20 material for me, especially since other contenders for 15-20 all end up now being either relievers or guys like Travis Harrison, who is fading. Jorge Fernandez is near the top of my to-watch list for prospects this year. You are already calling it, essentially.

Another reason why keeping Duensing around doesn't make any sense. Speaking of LOOGYs and as an aside, I really think that if Johan Santana wants to properly come back to MLB, he should consider such a bullpen role. The changeup can still matter as a secondary pitch in shorter appearances after your velocity on the fastball goes. That said, the velocity of the fastball might return if he sticks to the bullpen.

Pretty original list with lots of love for the players coming through the DSL. I also think it is time to move Polanco ahead of most of these top pitchers.

Don't see what the problem is here at all. Baerga clearly made a serious mistake. Vargas wasn't alone in his criticism. It sounds like he wants to play because he is the best option for his team. Why get bothered by that??

Oh, I wouldn't use a strict platoon there. Hicks should get the majority of plate appearances. Also, Joe Mauer is nearly a perfect 2-spot batter, 2014 season aside. I still contend that they should stick a power guy in the 3-spot behind him, whether that is Dozier or Arcia or even Vargas (eventually Sano).

Shane Robinson has a career .612 OPS in 452 big league plate appearances. His OPS is also actually higher against righties. He doesn't belong anywhere near the big leagues. So it's Hicks and Schafer.

There is no way I would extend Plouffe. Dozier should be under consideration for one only after this season.

Unlike any year in recent memory, I believe at this point in mid-December, the Twins likely are done with any meaningful acquistions that could contend for the 25 man roster. I just don't see the gaping roster hole that would make for a constant concern in the coming months. Sure, the Twins could sign another pitcher, another OF, and another catcher, but none of these potential signings seem vital to the health of the team. The starting rotation is finally in a position of surplus with an actual mix of pitchers vying for the 5th spot in the rotation who all have upside. This hasn't been the case for a very long time for this team. The bullpen is deeply crowded, especially with potential overflow from those starting contenders. The OF is going to consist of Torii Hunter, Oswaldo Arcia, Aaron Hicks, Jordan Schafer, Chris Herrmann, Daniel Ortiz, and Danny Santana as a backup to that as the starting shortstop (with Eduardo Nunez in the mix too). As far as catching goes, the Twins bought into Kurt Suzuki and have Josmil Pinto to be a backup for the time being. Eric Fryer manages to maintain his presence. Herrmann adds depth there if they just give him the chance. And Stuart Turner is waiting in the wings (Sept. callup perhaps). So the Twins are looking at something like: Santana, SS Mauer, 1B Hunter, LF (still believing in this move to LF) Vargas, DH Dozier, 2B Arcia, RF Plouffe, 3B Suzuki/Pinto, C Hicks, CF With some combination of Suzuki/Pinto, Escobar, Schafer/Herrmann/Ortiz, Nunez/Romero/Beresford also serving as bench players. The pitchers: Hughes Santana Gibson Nolasco Milone/Meyer/May Milone/Meyer/May Darnell/Thielbar Tonkin Achter/Oliveros Duensing (apparently) Fien Perkins

I wrote: Sign Ervin Santana for a 5 year, $85 million deal. Sign Phil Hughes to a 3 year, $39 million deal. I really believed this to be a great idea. And many of you did too. While there is some cherry-picking of that blueprint and what the Twins have done, clearly, I have to admit that with regard to the pitching rotation, the Twins have done very well. Better than me, with regard to free agents. I just wrote that last sentence. And meant it.

Some comments: 1. Please let it be true. This would be a key signing, in my view. 2. Seth's point is likely spot on about the Rule 5. 3. The Twins don't actually make many offers, Winston. When they do, they seem to go big enough (except in the past with their own guys!) 4. No actual "ace" is signing for 4 years. This is the second tier and I would be really happy. 5. I think that Ryan and Molitor might like the idea of Meyer in the pen and May starting in AAA, or both in the pen. 6. Kyle Gibson suddenly becomes potential trade bait in the season, esp. if Nolasco doesn't suck.

Schafer and Robinson instead of Hicks? No way. Robinson is not a good player, and Schafer is likely to turn into a pumpkin any time. Pinto isn't going to be traded and the Twins aren't signing Masterson, unfortunately.

I know someone who is a prominent-ish writer for SABR, Pete Bjarkman (Cuba expert, Oliva bio . . . Anthony Bourdain's Cuba show, etc.!).

I think I am going to get involved!

Hicks does not belong in AAA. It's past time for that. He should have spent all of 2013 there, but alas. It's now his time to put it all together. His on base skills are very good. He needs to slug and improve defensively.

Santana, Mauer, Hunter, Vargas, Dozier, Arcia, Plouffe, Suzuki, Hicks with Pinto, Schafer, Escobar, Herrmann would appear to be the position players. Hughes, Gibson, Nolaso, Millone, May with Darnell, Oliveros, Thielbar, Meyer, Duensing, Fien, Perkins Keeping Duensing is ridiculous. But it might very well happen.

I was lazy. And just wanted to throw an idea out there. I, for one, am just not going to pay attention to claims made about OF positioning, in general, in December. I am not that bothered by Hunter-Hicks-Arcia right now. I do worry about the potential effect on Vargas and Pinto as DH options in the lineup though. I get worried about Schafer starting a bunch of games in LF.

Note: I really don't expect Santana or Vargas to suffer a sophomore regression by all that much. Clearly, if they do . . . this lineup is totally . . . . (insert any bad word you may want).

1. Santana, SS 2. Mauer, 1B 3. Hunter, LEFT FIELD please 4. Vargas, DH 5. Dozier, 2B 6. Arcia, RF 7. Plouffe, 3B 8. Suzuki, C 9. Hicks, CF The Hunter addition, if he can maintain his bat even from last year, makes the lineup interestingly balanced with the movement of a slugging Dozier down behind Vargas. Any talk of Arcia starting in AAA makes me queasy. There is zero need for that. And the same goes for Pinto. Now I don't want to derail this, but wouldn't it be interesting to consider an honest move of Joe Mauer to LF (for now) some of the time, with Vargas getting more 1B time, and Hunter DHing?

Not really too bothered by this. Certainly this should end the Parmelee era and the Nunez era. And Torii might be having his cake and eating it too. He likes coming "home" and doesn't have to immediately join a mere potential contender. Instead he can enjoy his time back and wait for a real contender who might need his bat for the playoffs.

Nunez is basically only a backup 3B. There is so little value there. Duensing making 2+ million bucks more than his replacement does actually matter to the Twins. A few million dollars a year means a different tier of free agent signing! I don't understand any defense for keeping Duensing around. He isn't even very good in the first place. Starting Darnell in Rochester is almost completely useless. First, they have plenty of starting pitchers between AA and AAA. Also, he isn't going to be a starter. His role is to try to survive as a LOOGY or long relief guy. That said, the potential upside is higher than whatever Duensing is right now. And it's for 1/5 or 1/6 the cost!

Uh, trading away Span and Revere in the same offseason was pretty bold. The Twins don't need to do *anything* bold . . . except for finally roll out the youth movement. Rosario-Hicks-Arcia OF, Vargas DH, Pinto C/PH/DH, May in the rotation, Meyer initially in the bullpen, etc. Sano soonish. Even Buxton and Berrios eventually. Zach Jones and Nick Burdi for sure with a taste this year.