South Dakota Tom

Three things I believe. 1. We will see a better Ricky Nolasco this season. 2. The Twins will release or put him in the BP him if he isn't good. 3. Mauer is the hub of the wheel for this team, offensively, and I don't mean that he propels them. If he is hitting, he's the 1B, and everything revolves around that (Plouffe, Sano, Park, Arcia, the Hicks trade, Kepler, ABW). If he isn't, he has to move down in the order; he has to move away from 1B, letting Sano play there (or Park with Sano at DH), and opening up the OF for the three best two-way players (probably Buxton, Rosario, and Kepler). It doesn't leave any room for Joe. But I completely agree that you can't just plug him in to that spot in the order and in the defense with the current (and future) alignment of the team.

I don't expect us to get the best buy-low candidate of the offseason (Cervelli). I think we got a fair return for what we gave up. I am in the minority on this position (given the OP) but I think there are a lot of reasons to love this deal. First, we have outfield depth, and it would have been difficult to find a place for Hicks on a long-term basis - not enough power for a corner, and two outfield spots covered with a logjam behind that is intriguing. But to me more important is the sense of being a pro ballplayer in your prime. JR Murphy has got to be absolutely jacked right now. He is going to play at least half the time, knowing that the Twins want to limit Suzuki's AB's, and he is solid defensively. He isn't crowded by a high-dollar veteran ahead of him and a top prospect behind him. Hicks is headed to crazy town with a ton of pressure and has not handled failure well in his history. I think this board is going to love our new catcher (for the next 7-8 years!), and realize shortly into the season that there was no place for Hicks on this team. And then again, i could be completely wrong.

I'm not so sure. Yes they could have signed someone, I agree with that. But who? Yesterday was the first day that this San Diego glut appeared, and everyone seemed very underwhelmed by the FA catchers out there who already signed for cheap. Maybe I should edit and add "or instead of Murphy, they had only signed a middling backup FA to address this glaring need"

Can you imagine how much everyone on this board would be freaking out if we hadn't done anything about catcher as of this date and the end of the winter meetings?

From a "did something happen today" standpoint, yes, I'm disappointed. But from the perspective of guessing what deals may have been offered and whether or not TR should have bitten on any of them (or created ones of his own that have been turned down), I'm less concerned. The trade candidates on this team are (according to many) Trevor Plouffe and Ricky Nolasco. Offers for Plouffe are probably underwhelming because teams still think we won't roll with Sano in the outfield. Offers for Nolasco are probably underwhelming. In both instances, it is a completely reasonable baseball decision to wait. Therefore, the reasonable course of action is to wait, other than straight up trades that you like, or free agents you have targeted. I'm not convinced that the winter meetings are the time to do either one of those - it all feels like an auction gone wild right now in the FA RP market. I know it is frustrating, but it isn't bad baseball.

I had the same starting 9 (right now) but like your idea of Benson over Nunez, and adding Arcia to the bench. However, given the question you posed, I say the answer is no. I believe there is one more move in which players are traded for pitching, though it could come from prospects being traded instead of regulars. I also flip your lineup and put Buxton on top (probably not from day one) followed by Mauer, Dozier, Sano, Park, Plouffe, Rosario, Murphy, and Escobar (or Escobar then Murphy). I do like that lineup - starting to feel like the FO enjoys writing it down over and over again as well.....

No, we have an unthreatening staff as well.

The casualties of signing Byung-ho Park don't necessarily have to be Rosario and/or Hicks. As posters have noted, there is a clear scenario where Plouffe stays at 3B, Rosario, Hicks, and potentially Sano play the OF, and Park is the regular DH. I don't disagree with those who point out that potential crunches occur early in the season if Buxton or Kepler are raking in AAA. I don't disagree with those who feel that Plouffe being traded (while not a necessity) does clear the logjam better than other scenarios. We keep the potential for Rosario, Buxton, and Hicks in the OF, with Kepler in the mix as a 4th starter (not declaring any of them to be a "4th OF"). Sano goes to 3B, but our outfield defense is solid, and between Mauer, Dozier, Escobar and Sano, our infield defense is solid as well (I'm in that group that doesn't feel like the dropoff from Plouffe to Sano will be that great). The real casualties in this scenario are Arcia, Vargas, and ABW. Assuming, as most do, that anyone who leaves the 25-man or 40-man is going to be replaced by a catching upgrade, relief pitching, or a potential front-line starter (and we can talk about the relative logjams in the rotation as well, but we've got a whole winter to do that), we are almost out of space on the big-league club. Starting 9 as above, with catcher/Suzuki, 4th OF, Nunez or Santana or whoever covers the utility role, and a potential bat on the bench. That's one spot for Vargas or Arcia or ABW. If any moves will be made, beyond trading someone on the 25-man for someone else on the 25-man (Plouffe for catcher, dumping Nolasco and adding a pitcher), I think it will be of the Herrman variety where we trade Arcia or Vargas or ABW for someone who doesn't need to be added to the 40-man right away.

Muy buena, es verdad! Good numbers, Madre Dos! Hope your house keeps churning out 20% of our top prospects for a long, long time.

I don't believe this is the "great leap backward" defensively that others do. Yes, catcher may be the only defensive upgrade (though a full year of Escobar's steadiness as SS, Buxton in center and Hicks in RF is an upgrade over the early-season roster from last year). Other positions remain the same. Plouffe has a great arm, and is better-framed to make the move to a corner outfield position. Sano just needs to be in the lineup everyday. Every member of that team can grow into those positions, and while Rosario didn't play a lot of 2B lately, he has played the position extensively in his career and is an acceptable defensive player. Another poster wondered about who the targets might be, and while I'm not as well-versed on minor league talent as several others on this site, I look at players like Kyle Zimmer from KC as a AA (just starting AA) pitcher with potential, and either a Gary Sanchez from the Yankees or Andrew Susac from the Giants or, yes, Jonathan Lucroy (who isn't really young, but is a strong defender and hitter who's cost-controlled through 2017) as a catching upgrade. Don't know how to make all the parts fit, but I'm sticking with my plan...

How do we keep Trevor and Miguel in the lineup together? How do we find the right catcher? How do we shore up the bullpen? Should Torii Hunter have a role? Do we need another starter, or just swap out some that we have? Can we afford an ace? How do we do all this under a scenario that the F.O. might actually consider, from an economic perspective? I think it can all be done, by next spring, with relatively few moves. But two of them are big. We would trade Brian Dozier and Kyle Gibson. We would not resign Cotts, Boyer, Hunter, Pelfrey, Robinson, or Nunez. We would sign two free agent relief pitchers. The idea is that the combination of Gibson/Dozier brings a cost-controlled young defensive catcher with offensive upside and front-line pitching prospect, perhaps a year away from the bigs. The holes get plugged in a different way than I've seen, as well. It's not Polanco to 2nd, but Rosario. The defensive arrangement would be young stud/Suzuki at catcher (keeping Kurt below his vesting option), Mauer, Rosario, Escobar, and Sano around the infield. Outfield would be Plouffe in left, Buxton in center, and Hicks in right. We would move Hunter to a coaching role. Customary DH is a combination of Arcia/ABWIII/Vargas. Bench is Suzuki, ABW, Santana, and Vargas. We have some pop in our pinch hitters for a change. Rosario/ABW/Arcia would be Plouffe's backup in left, Hicks would be depth in center, Arcia and ABW would be behind Hicks in right. Plouffe, Escobar and Santana would back up third, Santana would back up SS and 2nd, and Plouffe, Vargas, Sano would back up 1B. Max Kepler would start at AAA. Starters would be Hughes, Santana, Nolasco, Duffy, and May with Berrios, Milone, Meyer and the prospect received for Dozier/Gibson in the wings. Bullpen would be Jepson, Perkins, Duensing, Neftali Feliz, Tommy Hunter (both F.A. acquisitions), and some combination of existing relief and starters (thinking right now Milone and Meyer). "A" lineup is Hicks, Mauer, Sano, Arcia (putting a lot of stock in this guy's rebound, no doubt), Plouffe, Rosario, Escobar, catcher, Buxton. But the big keys to this transformation are moving Rosario to second base and Plouffe to left field (and given Plouffe's ability to play SS and 3B, I think he can be an effective LF, though not trying to clone the Alex Gordon experiment and expect the same results). This allows us to trade Dozier, keep Rosario in the lineup at a position where his OBP doesn't hurt you, keep Plouffe and still play Sano, and beefs up the three biggest holes - catcher, potential frontline starter, and relief, all while being cost-controlled and maintaining budget. And the trades are not that substantial - some combination of Gibson and Dozier for a great catcher and starting pitcher prospect. Or it could be simplified, depending on how you want to approach it, and Dozier is traded for a catcher, and Gibson remains. I just feel both are sell-high candidates right now, and this team has not sold high on anyone in a long time - they've looked for other team's castoffs and low-dollar free agents, but this gives them trade chips that will bring back quality in return. How would you shape the roster for next year?

I'm excited about several of them, at varying degrees of distance from the bigs. All the names mentioned are exciting (I'm most high on Gordon right now), even without pretty solid glove/bat combos like Beresford and others also available. I could see Escobar at SS and Polanco at 2B next year, with Santana as a utility player. It would be a big gamble to lose Dozier and Plouffe and make room for Sano at 3B. I think our defense would be fine (and the enhanced outfield D means we are better overall than what we've trotted out for years) but unless that package accomplishes multiple things, I'm worried to lose that much mid-veteran leadership and middle-of-the-order talent. We would have to get back a young front-line starter, the removal of the remainder of Nolasco's contract, AND a young catcher (not Wieters) under team control for several years who is a madman defensively. That would be the future - young catcher, Mauer, Polanco, Escobar, Sano, Rosario, Buxton, Hicks, and a DH combo package of two of Vargas/Arcia/ABW, with Santana, Suzuki, and Kepler getting regular turns. Santana, Duffey, Hughes, Gibson, Berrios, new guy, and Milone, and a solid bullpen that wouldn't take much overhauling depending on what happens with May and Pelfrey (who, as many have suggested, probably won't sign a reliever's contract). That team is fast, young, strong-armed, powerful, and many of them have already played together for years, and very successfully. It would be a big risk going that young that fast, but we'd open up a pretty huge window for success with lots of money available over time to solidify whatever wasn't working. At the risk (already taken) of veering well off-topic, losing the contracts of Hunter, Nolasco, Pelfrey, Nunez, plus what Plouffe and Dozier would make next year is pushing $40M.

There's no (or very little) technical reason a team hits worse, and loses far more, on the road....the home-field advantage is slight in terms of players being selected for the type of field you play on, or last bats. The rest of it is mental, and no different from the difference you feel when you're on a hot streak versus a cold one, in golf or bowling or sporting clays. That difference to me is enhanced ten-fold by the teammates around you. I think it is every sports fan parent's hope that their child gets to experience that at least once in his or her life, and you can see it in the team this year versus prior years (even in April, when this team's record was no better than prior year's).

We have a rotation, today, of Santana, Gibson, Pelfrey, Milone, and Duffy. Let's say, theoretically, that we arrive at game 162 and need a game 163, or, better yet, a one-game playoff against the Yankees or Blue Jays (no other scenario seems very plausible right now, at least not one involving the Twins). Santana could pitch a game 163, though I'm not certain I'd want him to unless he starts picking it up a notch or two. I'm assuming Phil Hughes will be ready by then, but not certain I want him pitching in Yankee Stadium or against Toronto with his fly-ball tendencies and the way those lineups are constructed. What's your post-season rotation right now? The more I thought about it, looking at a rotation of Gibson, Milone, Duffy and Hughes, putting Pelfrey into the bullpen, still leaves me wanting. The person in my opinion that I'd most like to see starting a game 163 or Wild Card road game on the East Coast is sitting in AAA right now, and won't be on our playoff roster unless we bring him up before September (something that seems the club has not discussed publicly as being even a possibility). I realize there are other lineup issues to resolve if October baseball is a possibility, and feel free to discuss them all. But specifically, who is your game 163 starter or Wild Card starter, and (assuming for fun we win that or those) your ALDS rotation?

They are at least 9 deep this year - with Hughes, Nolasco, Meyer, and May not starting. No one would have predicted Gibson, Santana, Pelfrey, Duffy, and Milone as of mid-August. They will want 9 next year as well. So if you are casting off Pelfrey and finding someone to take Nolasco's contract (good luck with that) and keeping May in the bullpen and Meyer not dependable or ready, we have 5 starters (Hughes, Santana, Gibson, Milone and Duffy) plus Berrios. Who are #7, #8 and #9? (well, technically, since Meyer didn't really pitch, we're 8 deep, but the point remains the same)....

My favorite baseball card of the grey-bordered Topps 1969 series. George Mitterwald.

I like the look of Vance's lineup, with a couple of possible alterations. 1. I keep both Vargas and Arcia and do not resign Torii - they are the DH. 2. I like keeping all four outfielders and rotating them - Rosario, Hicks, Buxton, and Kepler. 3. DH spot moves to 5 hole; Mauer to 6. 4. Bench is Escobar (versatility), Suzuki, 2nd DH, and 4th OF. The other consideration is how to fill the C and SS holes. I like Polanco's potential, don't know how much we could fetch for Danny Santana right now (so let him play everyday SS in AAA), but consider another option. Trevor has improved his first step and always has had a great arm. He could be a rock at SS at this point in his career - more like a JJ Hardy shortstop than a highlight reel, but I am convinced he would now make the plays there, and lets Sano take over 3b. With Pelfrey and Torii's money gone, that could put us in the market for a C without trading substantial future assets. Then the lineup looks like this (for today, I'm assuming Eddie R doesn't start): 1. Buxton 2. Hicks 3. Dozier 4. Sano 5. Plouffe 6. Arcia/Vargas 7. Mauer 8. Kepler 9. Catcher Young and fast and powerful. Set for several years. In 3 years, Sano moves to 1b, Plouffe back to 3b, and future SS (Nick Gordon) is ready. Bench is Escobar, Rosario, Suzuki, and Arcia/Vargas. I have seen the names of potential catching prospects, but wonder if there aren't other position players in the organization who could be moved for that catcher, or one found on the open market or through off-season trade to fill the 9-hole with a youngish, defense-first catcher with some upside.

Continuing the Chamberlain reference, older brother of a player, Bobby, (who was a long-time pitching coach, right?) who was a Mallard, Mike Cuellar.

With the roster shuffling that's already occurred, I find this list less daunting than I'd feared. There will always be guys you want to add to the roster but also enough wiggle room to make trades or off-season acquisitions. Thanks for the link to your previous post (for some reason it didn't appear when I plugged "40 man" into the search tool).... There have been so many theoretical trade threads lately that I thought this list would be a good sideboard to those options. At least it doesn't appear that any top prospects would be exposed by a too-full cupboard. In an unrelated note, anyone know why all the posts show up in Greenwich Mean Time? This post, for instance, said it was done at 5:40 a.m. when it is 11:40 p.m. CDT.

As we approach the non-waiver trade deadline, many commenters have discussed the logjam that we are facing in the roster decisions that will need to be made this off-season. While we search for potential catchers, relief pitchers, and other assorted pieces of the puzzle (both this year and next), it would help me greatly if someone could list the names of those we need to add to the roster this offseason or risk losing to Rule 5 or minor league free agency. Whether this is in the form of a proposed trade, or just informational, I would love to see a list of those who need to be added, as well as suggestions of those who will need to be removed in some form or fashion to make room for these prospects. Assuming no major trades (or that a trade only swaps an equivalent number of rostered players for new players) how many need to be added - and trimmed - in the next six months? Who would you add? Who would you remove? Here is a link to the existing 40-man (plus Nolasco makes 41). http://minnesota.twins.mlb.com/team/roster_40man.jsp?c_id=min

Catcher for the Chamberlain Mallards, college football player and catcher for the Mets - John Stearns. I was a batboy for the Mallards in my youth....

And Jason Repko is playing for your Sioux Falls Canaries!

This may also be the front office acknowledging that they have not been successful in finding a trade partner for a league-ready catcher. I will say I admire the spirit of at least trying changes to shake things up. We stood pat way too long and way too often over the past seasons. I like the defensive upgrade, and I trust Molly to understand what he's aiming for and who can best help him gel this lineup.

With Tonkin being optioned back to the minor leagues, the Twins have created a hole in the lineup in advance of a 10-game road trip, with the first six of those games in National League ballparks. Some people have suggested that Oswaldo Arcia could return, or a utility player such as Doug Bernier. However, it has appeared to me that the Twins have tried to introduce new prospects during road series, in order to avoid the double-edged nerve-sword of a simultaneous major league and home debut. This would apply to three of the names being bandied about as potential replacements, and a case can be made for each one. Alex Meyer - since his switch to relief, he has been very strong, and he only faced a couple of batters last night. Fans are anxious to see what this now-25 year old prospect will bring to the table. He is clearly an upgrade to the bullpen in terms of strikeout ability, though fears of his release point, consistency, and walks remain. On the other hand, Molitor has spoken frequently of wanting an extra bat for the lineup during NL games, and expressed confidence in the starters' ability to go deep into games. Since we were sporting 13 pitchers prior to Tonkin's departure, that would suggest that the 25th man will be someone who is both on the 40-man roster (saving that 40th spot for Santana a week from Sunday) and can contribute in some fashion to the big club. Two prominent names vying for that spot are Miguel Sano and Max Kepler, both in Chattanooga and both all-stars in the league. Kepler has been white hot lately, and plays multiple positions in the outfield and first base. Sano is a bigger household name, and while he is a big swing-and-miss candidate, contact equates to something special for fans to see. However, he plays third base and has not had significant time in any other position and it seems less likely that the Twins would remove Trevor Plouffe from the lineup. That would mean that Sano plays only as a pinch-hitter or Plouffe plays at first base for a game or two giving Joe Mauer a day off. There are some day games after night games coming up, so that possibility should not be entirely discounted . Do you expect a major league debut tomorrow night in Milwaukee? If so, who do you expect to see?

I like the fact that Nolasco's spot and Berrios's spot in the rotation line up (you know, just in case....)