dxpavelka

The problem isn't Molitor using his entire bullpen, the problem is the bullpen Molitor is using.

Guys like Billy Beane & Theo Epstein are a pipe dream. Probably the same could be said for Cherington although unemployment sometimes does funny things to a man. Same for guys like Jed Hoyer. Sure he's Epstein's puppet but if he moves on its not going to be to here. That gets you down to guys at the lower levels of front office management. Assistant GMs and such. At that point one name pops. A guy currently working on Addison Street with local connections of some repute. A guy who satisfies the urge to keep it in the family AND bring in someone from the outside. A week hence might be a little premature to wrap up this business but I can hear the introductions now at the 1991 reunion game against the Braves next Wednesday: Ladies & Gentleman a 2 time World Series winner for your Minnesota Twins and your new General Manager--Randy Bush.

The answer to your question is that, like it or not, we have to. Your other options are twofold. 1. Become a fan of a different team. 2. Buy the team. I'm sensing most of us are not interested in option 1 and lack the financial wherewithal for option 2. The other thing we have to do, again, like it or not, is not fret over Jim's statement that Molitor will be the manager for 2017. Yes, if it were me, I would make a move there, but it's not me. He said 2017, not forever. The first thing a new GM, especially one from outside the organization, will need to do is evaluate what he has from top to bottom. That will include the field manager. If the guy we bring in is concerned that his long term sustainability and success are hinged on 2017 then we got the wrong guy. Have not seen a lot of names thrown around but I'll go ahead and throw one out. Randy Bush.

TRUTH. He's NOT an outfielder. HE feels comfortable at 3B whether you or I are comfortable with him there or not which will impact his performance at the plate. He'll be at 3B for the next 5 years after which he'll move to the other corner for 5 more and wind up his career as a DH.

But the real question, that even Fangraphs can't answer is will we continue to waste May in the pen.

Wouldn't put Dozier or Plouffe at short in a million years but I'd pull the trigger on this deal in a heartbeat.

I'm over 50 and wasn't sure I'd live to see the day when someone mentioned Wimmers in a big league context.

Focusing on offensive numbers and ignoring defensive shortcomings, especially at the SS position, is the type of thing that leads to those 90 loss seasons. And I didn't say Nunez would be a catalyst for future 90 loss seasons but failure to improve that spot defensively would contribute.

IF. Until IF becomes reality its just IF. Just for fun and games I urge you to check out Brian Dozier's post 2015 All-Star Game stat line. Or, for even more fun, check out Bryan LaHair's (yeah, I know) post 2012 All-Star Game CAREER. None of which takes away from the fact that Nunez is still a marginal defensive player at best and that if he's still our starting SS 2 years from now we'll be well on our way to another 90 loss season.

Nunez is still "a decent hitter with no real defensive position." He's an all-star for the same reason he's our starting SS. Somebody has to be.

I like Kepler. Maybe even LOVE his potential. Not quite ready to throw the word SUPERSTAR around yet though.

I like anybody who contributes to Sano not playing the OF.

Congrats. Enjoy the ride-Bryan LaHair.

Have you seen this team play?

Dozier has been EN FUEGO. For a month. ONE month in the last six. 'Nuff said.

: Sano is NOT swinging a hot bat. He was 1-for-6 during a doubleheader on Thursday and was batting .160 during his rehab stint at Rochester." No problem. Time for new thinking anyway. Medoza (of the Mendoza line fame) might be an all-star on this team.

On this team this year? He could do that pitching out of the pen.

I'd get him into the rotation as quickly as possible. He might struggle a bit but the only way to salvage anything from this season is to use the last 3 months to see if certain guys can do certain things. May as a starter is one of those guys and one of those things. Get him in there and ride out any potential struggles. If, after half a season in the rotation, they are still set on him in the pen, at least they gave him a shot. 13.5 k/9-in a season in which he's struggled. Not many of those type of arms out there. But the main point that needs to be made is that he's not the only guy who fits into the "see if certain guys can do certain things" category. Can Sano play 3B at a level adequately enough above what he did in RF so we can be assured his only path to stardom is not as a DH for the next 5-10 years and we can then move Plouffe. Can Polanco be the big league SS, at least until Nick Gordon is ready for a shot? Yeah, I know "but Nunez has been our best hitter." Let's be honest. What Nunez has done is what, at the start of the season, we wanted to believe Escobar would do. Escobar's just proof that Nunez' star can fall just as quickly as it rose. And even if he continues to hit he'll never an everyday plus defensive player on a contending team. Can Rosario rebound and hit major league pitching well enough to ensure we have corner outfielders when Grossman's glass slipper shatters. Average is down to .268 so the slipper may already have some cracks in it. What can Berrios do? Lots of questions. The answers might even be there. But ya gotta try something.

Dozier usually doesn't go up to the plate blindfolded until after the All-Star break.

The only strong disagreement I'd have would be Kohl Stewart. He's still a 21 year old 1st round draft pick with a career minor league ERA under 3. Those don't grow on trees.

The rules would likely dictate that since he can't be traded he also could not be exposed to the draft.

Nunez is not an All-Star. Might make the All-Star team but he's not an All-Star. He's Bryan LaHair.

Gotta love it when this team has a logjam and needs to clear things out. A year ago we had a logjam in the OF. Or so we as fans thought. Could we trade an infielder to ourselves for John Ryan Murphy? Amazing how we went from logjam in the OF to moving infielders to the OF--Sano, Santana, hell even Rosario used to be a 2B (and probably should still be). The last 3+ months of this season needs to be about seeing what certain guys can do in certain spots. Sano at 3B. Polanco at one or both middle infield spots. Maybe even Santana with a real shot at SS. Buxton, Kepler, Rosario in the OF or maybe Rosario at 2B. Trevor May and Jose Berrios as starting pitchers. Any of a half dozen young guys as relievers. The rest of this year needs to be about finding out who is capable of contributing at what level for 2017 and beyond. We can't afford to have a 29 year old defensive liability at a variety of positions as our All Star or needing to sign a 26 year old off the scrap heap to be an every day OF. P.S.: Sell high on Grossman before the glass slipper shatters.

Love seeing Murphy & Polanco in those slots although I don't see us moving both Plouffe & Dozier. Not sold on the SS spot. I'd sell high on Grossman & roll with Rosario although I would not be averse to giving Rosario a shot at the 2B job until Gordon is ready and sliding Polanco over to SS. MUST get May at least a half season audition in the rotation.

They aren't but there are quite a few rubes who seem to think that being a Hall of Famer somehow makes Molitor a better manager. They don't seem to grasp the fact that no manager who has been elected to the HOF as a player has subsequently gone on to win a World Series as a manager.