FargoFanMan

Wasn't Denny Hocking an all star rep one year? Late 90's maybe? If so I think that's number 1. No contest.

Who knows where he ends up. I believe this kid is still learning to pitch. Remember he seemed to be more focused on football and the reason he was drafted where he was is that he has that freakish ability of just having electric stuff. Here we are a few years later. He still has that same stuff only he's facing the better competition. So what if he spends a little more time developing. He may not be knocking on the mlb door quite yet but I think he's up next year sometime. This guy seems to be a late bloomer but he has the fire. He's got the attitude. I think he'll be fine. Maybe not a #1 guy but a guy you don't think twice about giving the ball to game 7 of the World Series. In that situation it's not K/9 or WHIP or anything like that. It's about having that fire in his belly.

Sounds promising! Personally I really liked this pick when they made it. Finally, a high upside high school pitcher! Even if he doesn't develop into an ace this is how you find them. Glad the twins are finally acknowledging this after years of unspectacular college guys that developed into nothing on the mlb hill.

What do we think the timeline on Stewart is? Haven't heard many in depth reports on how he's been progressing. Is he still in line to be a #1 type or is he starting to trend down a little. We always hear numbers from everybody but what's the scouting report? Numbers only tell you so much. Anyone seen him pitch lately?

The Santana and Hughes signings I was in favor of. Nolasco. Not so much. I think everyone saw his struggles and injury woes coming from a mile away. Santana and Hughes have shown flashes of brilliance in the past. Hughes had the spectacular 2014 and I think he has one more above average season in him. Maybe two which would justify his contract and extension. Santana needs one solid season to justify his. I think that is about all you are gonna get from these types. Unless you spend 20M+ for a guy you probably are not going to see spectacular performances. You kinda just bite the bullet and hope you get 2-3 above average years out of a 4-6 year contract. Better than marching out AAA retreads for a couple years until your in house talent makes it up.

Arcia was not and will never be your 40 home run guy. In order to hit 40+ you need more than just power. You need control of the strike zone in order to get the pitches you need to get there. Justin Morneau was that guy until he was robbed of his peak years due to injury. Sano is that guy if and when he makes the next step to being a complete hitter. In fact if Sano can take that next step he is a legit 50 home run guy for a few seasons in my opinion. Arcia... Not that guy. Doesn't mean he couldn't have been a great 5,6 or 7 hitter in a future twins lineup though. Very mismanaged.

The question here is do you trade dozier or not? I don't believe you do unless you are blown away which is the case for just about everyone on the roster. Will the Twins compete next year? I believe they can. In that question though I don't believe they can without a leader on the pitching side of things. A catcher you can get by with a Suzuki type. This team desperately needs a leader on the staff and we don't have that in the system at this point. Maybe one of the youngsters have it in them but I don't see it. I don't believe it's a matter of nitpicking who's better now or who needs to be traded for that or who needs a chance there. They need a leader. Doesn't have to be an "ace" as everyone always clamors for. This team needs a LEADER! Period! That's how you begin competing next year or at least make a run. I don't know who this guy is and I'm not going to attempt to explain it. Santana and nolasco are not that guy. Gibson still seems to be figuring out what he needs to do to get things done. The others are just trying to keep their jobs or gain a ML job. I don't like to bash TR for everything but one thing he needs to do is make that franchise changing trade. Myers for shields, why not? Kansas City would just be rising without that trade. Trade for that guy and sign him long term. The one thing I will bash TR for is holding on to prospects and never making that franchise changing trade. Whether that's changing a fringe playoff team into a WS contender( mid 2000's) or a team trying to find themselves to a playoff contender (now and near future). He seems content thinking that every prospect will develop. Sometimes you trade away a future all star. That's goin to happen. But does it help the team get over the hump to the next level is the question. We need a staff leader if we plan to compete next year and whoever needs to be traded to make that happen needs to be traded.

At this point you have got to stretch him out and start him. No excuses. When you are in a so called playoff race and your starters are doing descent and you need an extra kick. I totally understand. When you are last in the league in everything and you got a guy who has 3 quality pitches you start him. Anything different and you'll see the fire TR threads blow up again. I will also happen to side with the last statement If he's in the bullpen. Let's see this kid pitch!!!

I think that Ryan should have been fired around June 1st. It sends a clear message that this will not be tolerated. Who cares if it's in season. Of course Antony would have been interim but the best thing about that is he immediately feels the pressure. Watching his mentor get canned after 20+ years sends urgency that no one is safe and this needs to be turned around. Not the season but this thinking. Under pressure people do one of two things. They either fold or rise to the occasion. Maybe Antony has what it takes. Who knows when you have a 20 year "legend" telling you what to do. Under pressure maybe he rises to the situation. Who knows. All in all though I think you send that message in season. It forces everyone to think outside the box and question themselves. Then you have longer to evaluate who your new gm might be because let's face it Antony is not gonna succeed. If he does well then awesome. But of a better option is out there you jump on the chance when that last World Series out is made. Or before depending on who it is. As for Molitor. You give him the season unless things really take a nose dive. Reality check though. This will not and won't ever happen as long as there is a pohlad in the owners box. If it was me though I'd be all over stirring up the nest and seeing just what we have in the front office. It's sink or swim time no matter if it's December or June.

This guy needs to go. Probably should've been sent packing in the late 90's with all of the miscues back then. The early 2000's I believe was just pure dumb luck with a couple of breaks that seemed to turn the tides. I think he was just treading water back then but the 2000's brought him in way over his head. I give him credit in his scouting somewhat but if that is the case then there is no excuse for all his early draft misses throughout the years. If he is such a great scouting guy then why were we continually failing to miss in the draft for so many years and why do we continually miss on free agents? I think he should have been relegated to being a scouting department guy but he somehow schmoozed his way into the gm role and won't let go.