Twodogs

Tommy Milone's numbers look pretty good??

I just don't get why they would pull him out of the rotation in Rochester and not pitch him with Minnesota. I think Meyer should go back down and pitch every 5 days until they need him to start. JMO

Seems like Santana came in with a game plan that shut Baltimore's hitters down a little, Pressly seemed to kind of follow that same game plan, whereas Fien, May and Jepson all came out throwing fastballs and Baltimore kind of teed them up like they would in a spring training game?

Well I wonder what that same scout thinks about Detroit's rotation?? Since Pelfrey is slated as their #4 starter??

Probably the old adage a bird in the hand is worth 2 in the bush. They have something that they know what they are capable of and they have a tough time trading it for something that they don't really know? They do it in a heartbeat if they feel like they can get more back for the prospect, but even up trades are hard because they are probably just not familiar with the other guy in the deal. So maybe they just go ahead and keep what they have? I think back to the Restovich, Buchanon et al days. I mean they had guys like Morneau, Hunter, all of those guys that you just knew were going to beat those other guys out. So why didn't they trade those other guys when their value was high? Most likely because they knew what they had, those other guys were capable, and if a couple of the dudes in front of them went down with injury or just didn't pan out they had someone else that could maybe produce. So they held on to them. Had they traded them they probably would have ended up with someone not quite as capable, but then again they may have found some diamond in the rough too? JMO

Boy it would do the lineup a boatload of good if Buxton magically became a stud leadoff hitter. the whole lineup could slide down,

My guess would be Santana Gibson Hughes Milone Nolasco Perkins Jepson May Fien Abad Pressley O'Rourke or Tonkin Mauer Dozier Plouffe Escobar Nunez Park (dh) Buxton Rosario Sano Santana Arcia Suzuki Murphy Id actually like to see Centino or Hicks as that backup catcher for the first month of the season just to get Murphy regular PT. Then bring him up in May. Suzuki wont be all worn down the first month of the season, so he wont need as many days off until they get into the warmer months of the season. Also Centino looks pretty good stat wise, 4 extra base hits in 15 at bats. Not bad Also, there will be tons of turnover during the season, there always is. Heres to hoping that Buxton doesn't need to be sent down halfway through the season a la Aaron Hicks, etc....

I honestly think that everyone is going to groan, but I really feel that Nolasco is going to break out this year. I don't mean he is going to be an All-Star. But his arm has only been used for half a season for two years in a row and his legs are finally healthy. I realistically predict 12 - 14 wins with 9 - 11 losses around a 4 era with 170 - 190 innings pitched and 140 - 160 strikeouts. Everyone has always noted that a lot of his periphrials have always looked decent and that he has been somewhat of a victim of bad luck; I think that with a healthy arm and healthy legs that he breaks out, not like a super star but like a Ricky Nolasco of about 4 - 5 years ago. That puts the beginning of the year at Santana, Hughes, Gibson, Nolasco, Milone. My next prediction is that everyone is saying that Phil Hughes is toast and should go to the bull pen which I agree, but I think the Twins are going to need him in the rotation because this years injury will be Ervin Santana. His arm has been hanging on by threads for a couple of years now. I don't see him making it through a full season, or possibly spring training. Santana is in my opinion going to become the next big elephant in the room.

I agree, baseball is a game of adjustments and the quality pitchers in the AL were able to adjust to Dozier most likely by throwing away from him. Unless he adjusts I think he may have some struggles.

I dont think anyone is to blame. He's is really really tall, has had some difficulties with mechanics because of it, and when he figures it out, if he does, he will be extremely tough to hit. Randy Johnson took forever to figure out how to stay within the strike zone most likely because of his height and whatnot. But he became a hall of famer. Not saying that Meyer is the next hall of fame pitcher for the Twins, but that it can be just getting it all dialed in and then he could be really tough. I hope he does, whether its next year or the year after that or whenever, whether its as a starter or a dominant reliever he has great stuff. He just hasn't shown that he is there yet, hope he figures it out soon, if he does we will all be on his bandwagon.

I like Meyer and I hope he becomes a stud, but the reason he has stunk it up as a reliever is because he doesn't consistently throw strikes. Yeah hes got tons of velocity, but MLB hitters aren't swinging at crap 3 feet out of the zone. I really don't think he'd do any better as a starter as wild as he is. Once he gets under control he will definitely become a major part of the conversation.

Nolasco will have a good season. I think only having pitched parts of the last two seasons his arm will be strong combined with what will be stronger legs after getting surgery. I have a feeling that he will be good. I know everyone wants to unload someone to make way for the younger guys, but I think the only way the Twins get rid of him is if the team falters and he actually pitches pretty well and they dump him at the deadline in August.

Shows a lack of confidence in Perk, walking a lefty

Looks like the Twins are in a tough situation, Houston is up on AZ by 5

Proof this year, you cant have enough starting pitchers. With all of the guys we had going into this season the Twins have Duffy now starting? So I'd say lets not rush anything until we know how everyone is going to perform. Personally, the pitcher I am worried about is Santana. He has been a PED guy all this time, (Possibly) Now that he has been caught he will be on the radar and will have to stay clean. I question whether his arm holds up over a full season without the use of PED's? Fact is that Nolasco should for the most part be all healed up by next year and actually be pretty well rejuvenated with only parts of the last two seasons pitched. So we really should just wait and see. Here is what the Twins have coming back for next year Hughes Nolasco Santana Gibson May Milone Duffy I dont see pelf coming back, I can easily see Santana coming up injured, Hughes is injured right now. Duffy is too young to count on right now, have to see him come out in Spring Training. That leaves Nolasco, who should be completely healthy, Gibson, May, Milone. Berrios may take a little time to get used to coming up, so next year could be a year like May or even Duffy are having this year for Berrios. I don't think cutting Nolasco would be very smart right now.

guys like arcia, meyer, vargas, etc... are already proven to have flaws; if they didn't, they'd be with the Twins right now?? the twins will never get anything for players that have proven to be ok but have flaws. they Twins, if they are going to trade anyone for value need to trade one of these guys before everyone including ourselves actually see their flaws. they need to trade someone while they are still highly regarded prospects. But everyone wants to hold on to everyone and the twins end up realistically getting nothing for their once highly thought of prospects, think back to names like restovich, buck buchanan, etc...once all of us can see that arcia is oft injured and a defensive liability then so can everyone else and he essentialy becomes worthless, except for the twins, hopefully he can capitalize on whatever opportunity he will get with the Twins and become a little bit better than even we thought at the skills that he does posses.

I didn't see anyone mention Papelbon, he sure doesn't want to be in Philly any longer. I'd say he'd be a good add if the price was right?

Seems like moving him further away from the plate would do the opposite of what they wanted?? If he was driving the pitch on the corner of the plate for doubles down the line, moving him away would move that corner pitch further towards the middle of the plate, wouldn't it? Then the ball that he should hit up the middle would also move further inside and the pitch that he should pull would end up somewhere out of the strikezone towards the inside of the plate. Seems like if he moved closer the the plate, that pitch on the outside corner would be the one he can hit around the middle of the field and he could start pulling pitches middle in. It just seems weird to me to move him away from the plate if you are trying to not hit the ball down the left field line?? Maybe I'm wrong.

I was responding to the guy above me who said he was 1st in WAR. I wasn't at all trying to diminish what Dozier has accomplished.

2nd basemen who all ended the year 3rd in WAR for the season. Omar Vizquel is probably an All-Star due to his ability to be this consistent for so many years. I hope Dozier gets into that category but I don't think he is there yet. Brian Roberts 3rd in WAR in 2008 Mark Ellis 3rd in WAR in 2007 Brandon Inge 3rd WAR in 2006 Rafael Furcal 3rd in WAR in 2005 Omar Vizquel 3rd in WAR in 2004 Rafael Furcal 3rd in WAR in 2003 David Eckstein 3rd in WAR in 2002 How many of these guys are Elite "now" in your minds?

Dozier isn't even1st in WAR in the American League Central??

No its actually pretty comparable, because it is position specific. Position wise Dozier is a leader, so is Norris. This year he is 4th in WAR at a 2.1, 6th OPS, 6th OBP, 8th BA which by the way is at .265, 1st in doubles, 8th in Homeruns, and 3rd in RBI's and 2nd in runs scored. But Norris is probably relatively unknown by the average person out there. But he is really good, (right now), at his postion. So when you compare Dozier to the real Elite players such as Cabrera or Goldschmidt then everyone says but as a second baseman he is elite, then my arguement with Norris will hold water, but if you say Norris is a good player at his postion, but not elite, then that is what I am trying to say about Dozier.

If you are comparing Brian Dozier to Ernie Banks then last year he would have hit .295 with 44 homeruns and 117 RBI's And the fact of the matter is that Dozier had 707 plate appearances last year and Banks only had 646 PA's in his 2nd real year of baseball. Do you really think Dozier will end up with 512 Hr's and 1600 RBI's?? Dang, I sure hope so. But again the article was really about whether or not the contract was a good one or not, and I think it was a great signing. But Dozier is no Ernie Banks, yet at least.

Well it just depends on your opinion of Elite? Derek Norris is ranked 4th in all of baseball in WAR, he has the most at bats of any catcher in all of baseball and has a .250 career batting average which by the way is 5 points higher than Dozier's career batting average. Does this guy fit into the Elite category? I mean when I consider Elite players, I think of the guys that people will remember, will anyone remember who Derek Norris is, say like 15 years from now?

Yeah, I get that the batting average isn't everything, and I said that he is great and probably should be an All-Star. But how many "ELITE" players do we talk about in real life that hit .265, as a career high nonetheless. I mean Elite players in my mind are guys like Tony Gwynn, Kirby Puckett, Rod Carew, George Brett, Barry Bonds, Miguel Cabrera, Paul Goldschmidt, etc........ If any of those guys hit .265 you'd say they are having below average years or some would come on here and say "They're done!" Just like we hear about Mauer and stuff like that. Is he one of the best Twins players, yes, is he one of the better 2nd basemen in baseball right now, yes. To me however, that doesn't make him Elite. Just because he is one of the better at his position doesn't mean much to me when considering what is and what isn't elite. Elite to me means that he is going to get to Superstar status, such as Kirby was. Even when the Twins were crummy, everyone who followed baseball across the country knew who Kirby was and even many people who could care less about baseball knew who Kirby was and it wasn't because he hit .265 Again, Dozier is doing really well and he seems to continue to improve so maybe one day he will in my opinion become Elite, but I don't think he is there yet. He is however, near and dear to Twins fans, including myself, and they will always see things through rose colored glasses just a little bit when considering one of their best players. But go to some random stadium anywhere in the U.S and ask some random fans who they think are the top 5 "Elite" players in the game and I'd bet dollars to donuts that not many of them will name Brian Dozier, that is unless you were sitting in left at Target Field. Again don't get me wrong, as a Twins fan I hope he hits 20 - 25 homeruns and continues to lead the league in scoring runs and continues to play solid D. I hope he helps to continue to lead the Twins to one of their first seasons above .500 in a long time. I just don't think he is considered ELITE yet.