Loosey

Palka is a guy I would like to see as a September call up. Hopefully he can mash in September and become a valuable trade chip for this team. There are so many players just like him already in this organization and on the Twins. Corner OF/1B, High Strikeout, High Power. We received him for Hermann, so if Palka can be flipped for a position of need next year this would be a VERY successful trade.

I agree. In fact I think if the front office and Molitor can get on the same page and make the correct decisions on players this year, I think they could be a very fun to watch 2nd half team. I'm not saying they are even going to sniff the playoffs, but .500 baseball from July-September would be pretty fun if the right guys are contributing to that. That could lead into next year being a big upswing year.

Buxton has been pretty great in AAA from what I have seen. Outside of the Saturday double header where I think he went hitless in both games, he has had at least a hit in every game. He has had at least 2 hits in 7 of his last 10 games with 3 doubles and 3 home runs. Best of all his K/BB ratio is 6/5. .455 OBP. I hope they keep him down there until June still to let him really get this confidence engrained in his mind and let the adjustments sink in. If he can do anything close to this at the MLB level I think everyone in Minnesota will collectively breathe a sigh of relief.

Absolutely agree. As a financial analyst by trade, I sometimes wonder if the team has an FPA function within the organization. I assume they have accountants on staff, but it seems they do not have anyone who thinks of the players as more of an investment in the business. Your example of cutting a $14M pitcher is a perfect example. Right now that is what the team has and essentially is a sunk cost. As the roster is currently constructed the team will bring in on average say 15,000 fans per game at $50 per ticket (assumptions). Add in another $25 per person in concession costs and that is $1.125M in revenue per game * 60 remaining home games = $67,500,000 ( again this is just assumptions and most likely very low assumption). Now lets say you trade said pitcher and have to eat his entire contract but get a AA prospect. In turn New shiny rookie pitching prospect who costs $500k is now in his spot. However, as you mentioned it shows the fan base that you are actively trying to improve the team and setting up the future. Now by doing this there are factors that can affect this analysis but lets say new rookie pitcher is exciting and lights out. The team starts to win a few games here and there and now butts are in the seats to see the future. Now you average 20,000 fans per game. You just upped your projected revenue from $67,500,000 to $90,000,000 ($22.5M) by increasing your attendance 5000 fans per game. And all it cost you was $500K roster spot. I assume the Twins have an FPA group that does this but is it used by by the baseball operations guys to make roster decisions that may help boost revenue and performance on the field.

Not to nitpick, but how is Abad an A-? He has given up 1 earned run all year in 14 innings. That's A+ in my book. The peripherals aren't perfect, but he basically has been.

You call that complaining. You must not be married . . . .

Nevermind, it's working now.

Through Directv as your provider?

Is anyone else getting told by the Fox Sports Go app the game is not available?

Can he bat 2nd and 3rd as well? MLB allows ghost runners right?

Or if your speaking about Rosario or Escobar - 10 walks is about 1000% increase. I guess it depends on how you look at it.

Getting off that ominous number now. Ideally on Offense they could add by trading away an area of surplus (Plouffe). But Plouffe is good enough and one of the few guys who can be a leader that giving him away would not be a great deal in my opinion. So In my hypothetical world again, I am going to assume Plouffe cannot return fair value and he stays: 1) Move Sano to 3rd base 2) I am going catch a lot of flack on this one, but move Plouffe back to SS for this season. 3) Dozier gets traded 4) Polanco to 2nd base 5) Gibson and JRM traded for Swihart - (See first post) 6) Kepler Called up to Play LF 7) Arcia is everyday RF 8) Santana in CF until July 1, then Buxton back 9) Mauer and Park continue in their roles as 1B/DH Basically as I write this I have determined 2 things: 1) Being a GM is hard 2) Being a GM who put himself in a terrible position with un-tradeable contracts and duplicate players is even harder July 1 Lineup Polanco Mauer Sano Park Arcia Plouffe Swihart Kepler Buxton Bench Escobar Santana Rosario Suzuki - I lost Nunez in the shuffle somehow Rotation Berrios Duffey Santana May Meyer Pen Jepsen Hughes +5 others Post 667!

This entire season is a mess and the team is in disarray. If there ever was a time to adjust (ie correct) poor offseason decisions the time is now. Here is what I would do if I were in charge: (I have used that same statement at home but my wife always reminds me I am not in charge she is, so as per usual, this is hypothetical). #1) Stretch May out and move him back to rotation #2) Move Phil Hughes to bullpen for now #3) Begin shopping Nolasco - Accept most anything in return #4) Promote Meyer and give him run as a starter even if he fails first few starts #5) Keep Duffey in Rotation #6) Test the Kyle Gibson Market - If Swihart can be had for him, do it. #7) If #6 doesn't happen run with a 6 man rotation for a few cycles - Odd man out goes back to bullpen of Meyer/Duffey/May - Or two of them and Hughes gets back in rotation New Rotation: Santana Berrios May Duffey Meyer Gibson Next Phase is Offense: But I have to run to a meeting so will update upon return.

I am in same camp as Vanimal. I think the Sox would target Berrios. I wouldn't give him up for Swihart though. However, the next most valuable Major League ready pitcher that has trade value in my opinion is Kyle Gibson. I still think he is a borderline #2 starter when healthy and Swihart is not proven. So I would be on board fro Gibson for Swihart. I think it's fair because the Sox know what they are getting in Gibson and the Twins are potentially getting a young up and coming catcher who could become good.

Or the Twins called down there and told Rochester they don't think they have messed with Meyer's head enough yet and said let's pull him from his start, stick him in the bullpen then not pitch him and tell him he he is going to start again a day before he his next start.

Here is what I hope is actually happening behind the scenes: Pohlad to Ryan: Hey Terry, check the paper this morning. Publicly I have given you the benefit of the doubt and am not putting blame on you hoping you can fix what I called a Total System Failure. BUT, between you and me, you need to fix this thing or we are going to have to find a new place for you in the organization. Ryan to Pohlad: Will calling up Mastroianni and Centeno help? Pohlad: Who? Ryan: I'll just DFA someone Pohlad: D. F. A.? Ryan: Ummmmmmmm. Pohlad: Fix it.

Does he? The Twins scouts are very good at identifying talent and then give Ryan the keys to them to sign. I say fire Ryan or keep him on as the Director of Scout Recruiting since he can hire good scouts. After that, meh.

Joe Mauer. End Topic.

He also has multi-hit games in 5 of his last 9. So hopefully turning a corner and regaining some confidence. Another month of this and maybe we will see a different looking Buxton in a Twins uniform by mid-June.

If anyone else already mentioned this, sorry for repeating. But it's beginning to be pretty telling of the Major League Management and coaching that an organization that has many players who are top prospects and minor league teams who are winning championships with a core group of guys all are rather mediocre, or below average upon arrival to Minnesota. The Twins are ruining their young players by messing with their heads, and jerking them around. Alex Meyer should have been given every chance to get out of that inning yesterday. He was not pitching well, Milone didn't exactly stop the bleeding. Alex Meyer was pitching fantastic as a starter in AAA. Then they called him up the day before his scheduled start, let him sit on the bench for 5 days, tell him he's starting the following Tuesday, and then randomly give him an inning of relief on Friday. Way to keep him in his routine. If you did that with a Major League starter he would complain and most likely struggle. I like Paul Molitor as a baseball player, and he might be a good manager to at team of veterans. But he is not, in my opinion, the right guy to manage a team of young players still learning MLB. - Rant Over.

No, way. Let them shift all they want. The only rule (which I'm sure already is one) would be the pitcher pitches from the rubber and catcher behind home plate. Other than that, let them put 7 guys on 3rd base if they think it will help defensively. Hitters need to adapt. Personally I would think the shift would make hitting easier. Say you are a right handed hitter and they shift to the left side of the field, leaving the whole right side open. That should essentially tell the hitter he is going to be pitched inner half of the plate that at bat. If the pitcher makes a small mistake and leaves a pitcher down the middle or outside, the batter just needs to hit a roller to where the 2nd baseman would normally play and he has a hit.

Well Things are looking up in May! So far this month the Twins: Already have a .500 record Have struck out opponents more times than they have struck out Have outscored their opponents by 38% Are undefeated against Cy Young Award winners Jose Berrios is undefeated John Ryan Murphy has a .500 OBP and has been kicked out of 100% of the games he has played in Eduardo Nunez leads Twins in HR's by an infinite % 2015 looks to be repeating.

I would like to see him play out the season in Rochester no matter how well he does. If he hits .400 the rest of the year in Rochester keep him down there to really get his confidence up and know for sure in his own head he is ready for the jump. I question whether he himself had some self doubt about whether he was ready to be a major leaguer once he started to see what the pitchers could do to a baseball. He essentially has player 3 weeks above AAA baseball, and was very good in AA. Let him figure out as long as it takes in AAA. Once he learns to hit a breaking ball I think/hope he will be fine.

Buxton needs more AAA time. He is not ready for major league pitching yet. Talk to me again in a month. Rosario was everyone's regression candidate this year, they were right. He is OK defensively but not enough to stay up for now in my opinion. Nolasco will hopefully be competent through June when they can trade him for a bullpen part. I think Gibson Stays in. When healthy he is a consistent #3 starter. Duffey and Meyer both have intriguing stuff but one or both of their styles might play up better out of the bullpen. I've seen enough of Sano in right field, I have also seen glimpses of him at 3rd base and I like what I see there. If Trevor isn't moved at the deadline, he may have to go into the 3rd base, 1st base, DH rotation with the other 50% of the roster.

Unfortunately for Plouffe to garner any sort of return we would like as fans, I think a contending team will have to lose a 3rd baseman to a long-term injury.