mnfireman

I was using baseball-reference's payroll tool. It gives a rough estimate using 3 year averages. Going back and lookingnat the players, it will not be $20 M. Casilla and Duensing will get the biggest amounts, Burton will get a contract and Burroughs will be released. I will amend that to $5 M, putting payroll down around $76.5 M. I threw this together quickly last night and didn't check the actual arb. eiligible players. That being said, with this new $76.5 M number I think the team exercises Capps option because he's a guy who "battles his tail off", plus I missed Gray probably not getting offered arbitration. That puts total payroll around $82 M, leaving $18 M to get to $100 M. This assumes no qualifying offers to Pavano and Liriano, because that would screw things up if either accepted, and no trades this season. I apologize for not doing my full homework on this assignment.

There have been alot of posts on here about all the money coming off the books next year. Let's take a look at the real numbers, as I have done on a couple off occassions this year. The team currently has 8 players under contract for next year and they will earn $63.8 M The team team has 4 arbitration eligible players that are estimated to receive $20 M. We are at 12 players and $83.8 M. The team has 2 players, Matt Capps and Scott Baker, with team options totalling $15.25 M. The smart thing to do would be to decline these, meaning we need to fill 13 spots. Using players that are in the system at the pre-arbitration average we get $9.43 M. We are at 25 players and $93.2 M. The team loses Pavano, Liriano, Doumit & Marquis (already DFA'd). Declining the Capps and Baker options means the team needs 3 SP's, a closer, and a DH/C. Remember also that Blackburn receives (not earns) $5.5 M and Nishioka $3 M. Removing Burroughs, Thomas and Hughes frees up about $1.6 M, pushing payroll back to about $91.6 M. I can see the logic that people are using to dream about Greinke, Hamels, Sanchez, etc... but unless payroll goes up to $120 M - $125 M, I only see about $8.4 M to sign FA's. Beginning to look like they are "Target"ing 2014 when estimated payroll drops to about $75 M, but Morneau, Blackburn, Nishioka, Casilla and Carroll become free agents. EDIT: I used Baseball-Reference's payroll tool. It estimated the Twins arbitration total at $20 M using 3 year averages. However, Casilla, Duensing, Burton and Burroughs will not get $20 M, closer to $6M. Also I missed Gray being arb. eligible and he probably won't get an offer. These new numbers make me feel that the team picks up Capps $6 M option, putting payroll around $82 M, which leaves $18 M to get to $100 M. I apologize for not being thorough the first time through.

There have been alot of posts on here about all the money coming off the books next year. Let's take a look at the real numbers, as I have done on a couple off occassions this year. The team currently has 8 players under contract for next year and they will earn $63.8 M The team team has 4 arbitration eligible players that are estimated to receive $20 M. We are at 12 players and $83.8 M. The team has 2 players, Matt Capps and Scott Baker, with team options totalling $15.25 M. The smart thing to do would be to decline these, meaning we need to fill 13 spots. Using players that are in the system at the pre-arbitration average we get $9.43 M. We are at 25 players and $93.2 M. The team loses Pavano, Liriano, Doumit & Marquis (already DFA'd). Declining the Capps and Baker options means the team needs 3 SP's, a closer, and a DH/C. Remember also that Blackburn receives (not earns) $5.5 M and Nishioka $3 M. Removing Burroughs, Thomas and Hughes frees up about $1.6 M, pushing payroll back to about $91.6 M. I can see the logic that people are using to dream about Greinke, Hamels, Sanchez, etc... but unless payroll goes up to $120 M - $125 M, I only see about $8.4 M to sign FA's. Beginning to look like they are "Target"ing 2014 when estimated payroll drops to about $75 M, but Morneau, Blackburn, Nishioka, Casilla and Carroll become free agents. EDIT: I used Baseball-Reference's payroll tool. It estimated the Twins arbitration total at $20 M using 3 year averages. However, Casilla, Duensing, Burton and Burroughs will not get $20 M, closer to $6M. Also I missed Gray being arb. eligible and he probably won't get an offer. These new numbers make me feel that the team picks up Capps $6 M option, putting payroll around $82 M, which leaves $18 M to get to $100 M. I apologize for not being thorough the first time through.

And we'll "casilla" at second!

And "plouffe" it was gone. LOL you sillies!

These all suck...even if just for fun. Just sayin'!

The team has 8 signed players, 2 players with options, 4 arbitration eligible players & 3 free agents. Barring any trades this season, declining the 2 options (Baker & Capps), and offering arbitration to the 4 eligibles, they have 12 players at roughly $83M. If they fill with pre-arb players from the system, they are sitting at roughly $92.5M. The point of this is that payroll needs to go up or we watch Losing v.3.0, only without Pavano, Capps, Doumit, & Liriano

Perk doesn't look very good tonight.

Don't miss any of the bases Doumit!! Nice HR.

To paraphrase Denny Green - "He is who we thought he was!"

So, do we think we believe he's turned it around or do we believe we think he's turned it around? It was a great start, no doubt, but was it a start to be great?

I don't think a drastic overhaul is necessary. Have a sit down at the end of the year and get everyone on board with the direction the team needs to go. I believe Pavano & Liriano are off the books after this season, Baker and Capps are team options, Blackburn is owed $5.5M and Perkins $2.5M. The rest of the staff are still arbitration or pre-arb eligible. Mauer, Morneau, Willingham, Span, Carroll & Nishioka are under contract, Doumit is a free agent and the rest are arbitration or pre-arb eligible. Looking at the list of free agents, I wouldn't think alot of them would want to come here, wanting instead to play for a "contender". However, if the team makes realistic offers to Greinke, Jackson, Hamels, Sanchez, and/or Dempster to show that they are serious about turning things around.... Hey it worked for the Marlins. Granted MSP is no South Beach, but why not throw some money out there and see who wants it.

Figured I would update the slash lines I started last week so as to get a picture of where our 2012 Minnesota Twins are sitting compared to the rest of the American League. Interesting to note with all the different line-ups that certain positions in the field and certain spots in line-up perform the same, good or bad, no matter who is in there. Anyway, here are this weeks updated slash lines: C - .284/.371/.358 .729 (6) 1B - .206/.286/.352 .638 (11) 2B - .231/.280/.288 .568 (12) 3B - .207/.254/.299 .553 (12) SS - .230/.291/.303 .594 (10) LF - .281/.385/.519 .904 (2) CF - .274/.332/.347 .679 (9) RF - .185/.263/.309 .571 (14) DH - .291/.392/.595 .987 (1) PH - .286/.385/.476 .861 (2) Overall - .244/.319/.372 .691 (11) 1 - .283/.340/.361 .701 (6) 2 - .204/.284/.282 .565 (12) 3 - .292/.402/.405 .807 (6) 4 - .224/.332/.418 .750 (8) 5 - .304/.396/.652 1.048 (1) 6 - .201/.247/.293 .540 (14) 7 - .217/.281/.335 .616 (12) 8 - .214/.272/.289 .561 (11) 9 - .253/.304/.331 .635 (6) SP - 1.57 WHIP (14) 1.94 K/BB (10) 5.16 K/9 (14) .912 OPS (14) 10-25 6.49 ERA (14) RP - 1.16 WHIP (4) 2.47 K/BB (8) 6.45 K/9 (14) .663 OPS (6) 5-5 3.95 ERA (10) Overall - 1.41 WHIP (12) 2.15 K/BB (9) 5.67 K/9 (14) .818 OPS (14) 15-30 5.49 ERA (14) Any and all comments appreciated. Thank you in advance.

Figured I would update the slash lines I started last week so as to get a picture of where our 2012 Minnesota Twins are sitting compared to the rest of the American League. Interesting to note with all the different line-ups that certain positions in the field and certain spots in line-up perform the same, good or bad, no matter who is in there. Anyway, here are this weeks updated slash lines: C - .284/.371/.358 .729 (6) 1B - .206/.286/.352 .638 (11) 2B - .231/.280/.288 .568 (12) 3B - .207/.254/.299 .553 (12) SS - .230/.291/.303 .594 (10) LF - .281/.385/.519 .904 (2) CF - .274/.332/.347 .679 (9) RF - .185/.263/.309 .571 (14) DH - .291/.392/.595 .987 (1) PH - .286/.385/.476 .861 (2) Overall - .244/.319/.372 .691 (11) 1 - .283/.340/.361 .701 (6) 2 - .204/.284/.282 .565 (12) 3 - .292/.402/.405 .807 (6) 4 - .224/.332/.418 .750 (8) 5 - .304/.396/.652 1.048 (1) 6 - .201/.247/.293 .540 (14) 7 - .217/.281/.335 .616 (12) 8 - .214/.272/.289 .561 (11) 9 - .253/.304/.331 .635 (6) SP - 1.57 WHIP (14) 1.94 K/BB (10) 5.16 K/9 (14) .912 OPS (14) 10-25 6.49 ERA (14) RP - 1.16 WHIP (4) 2.47 K/BB (8) 6.45 K/9 (14) .663 OPS (6) 5-5 3.95 ERA (10) Overall - 1.41 WHIP (12) 2.15 K/BB (9) 5.67 K/9 (14) .818 OPS (14) 15-30 5.49 ERA (14) Any and all comments appreciated. Thank you in advance.

What does the "AFW" on the back of the mound stand for? Not important, just wondering.

Texas appears interested with Perez's elbow problems.

And don't forget the 0.00 ERA!!

You realize that moving Mauer to 3B means a steady diet of Butera. Just sayin....

Its too bad with everything he has gone through this spring. Maybe going to Rochester to get his head on straight and being able to be near his family will do him some good. Or maybe he'll ride off into the sunset. Good luck to him whatever his choice.

Pretty impressive that our staff is supposedly throwing at hitters. Must have felt the batters were a little too comfortable (as the score indicates). Keep up the good work, maybe some of that type mentality will rub off on a few more players.

Day off tomorrow, all hands on deck.

Didn't see the typo and I would think yes! LOL

Wrong again!

Guessing Mauer gets the whole game off!

Willie Mays Hayes lives!