Ted Schwerzler

Quite possibly the most often, or even overused word to describe what may lie ahead for the Minnesota Twins in 2015 has been regression. While it's hard to assume that a three game losing streak is indicative of what's to come, there's no doubt Minnesota's offense has struggled of late. Although that may be reflective of a team that has capitalized in high leverage situations, there's something bigger at play here. The Twins offense slumping has not been combined with an all-around collapse, and pitching has been the silver lining. On the season, the Twins team ERA sits at 3.88; a mark that's good enough for fourth in the American League and ninth in all of baseball. Putting that into context, Minnesota is still without their key free-agent acquisition, and Phil Hughes owns the worst ERA (4.81) in the rotation. On the flip side, the biggest bright spot comes in the form of Mike Pelfrey, who's 2.28 ERA ranks fourth in the American League. Over the course of the last week, Minnesota has last games giving up 1, 4, 3, and 2 runs. In those games, the offense combined to score three total runs. Wasted quality starts have become something that has hurt the Twins in their recent slide. While the offense has been missing in action, the hurler on the mound has kept things interesting. The Twins have done some shuffling in hopes of sparking a lineup resurgence. Kennys Vargas was brought back to DH from Triple-A Rochester, and Danny Santana was sent packing. Vargas should add some much needed punch to the lineup as he was on a tear before his initial demotion. Eduardo Escobar leaves a lot to be desired in taking over for Santana, but the Twins could turn to Jorge Polanco in the near future. As the summer continues on, prospects like Byron Buxton and Miguel Sano should also force their way into the Twins lineup, giving them another added boost. Slumps from Trevor Plouffe and Torii Hunter shouldn't be expected to continue, and at the end of the day, the Twins still have their silver lining. Riding out the recent offensive downturn, the Twins pitching has been there to lead the way. Expect Ervin Santana to be a difference maker for Minnesota when he returns in July. Top pitching prospect, Alex Meyer, also looks like he could provide some immediate value. Since transitioning to the bullpen, Meyer owns a 1.17 ERA 10/4 K/BB ratio and a .148 batting average against. Despite not being given up as a starter yet, Meyer may provide more value out of the pen in the short term. Going into the season, and considering the recent years of struggle, it would have been hard to convince someone that it would be the pitching that kept the Twins afloat. Now as a true asset, Minnesota is in an advantageous situation as soon as they can rectify the offensive woes. That still needs to happen sooner rather than later, but for now, it looks like the men on the mound are in a good place. For more from Off The Baggy, click here. Follow @tlschwerz

I'd really hope the Polanco move isn't for a day, it wouldn't make sense. There's no point to interrupt what he has going at Double-A when Bernier could handle a day's worth of work. Dozier isn't a typical leadoff batter and shouldn't be treated as such. I'd be fine with seeing Mauer there, but he has been so bad with nobody on this season that I'm not sure how that would look. I don't think you can move Mauer to 5th or 6th, if he drops, move him to 7th or 8th. Pinto makes much more sense offensively than Suzuki, even if he is struggling of late. Hicks hasn't settled in yet, but has done plenty in the early going. He's an exceptional outfielder, and has hit well enough. He's been a strong OBP guy in the minors and needs to find that at the MLB level. SS and C are two big question marks for this club going forward.

Coming into the week, the Minnesota Twins found themselves preparing for a very important series for the first time in a while. Having played solid baseball to start out the 2015 season, the Twins positioned themselves for more meaningful series early on in the year. Facing off against a Royals team also at the top of the division, Minnesota could create some separation. Unfortunately, that's when the bats went quiet. Although a small sample size when considering just the first two games against the Royals, the Twins have fallen into the boom or bust trap far too often this season. In the month of June, Minnesota has failed to score more than three runs seven out of nine games. On top of the offensive firepower being void, the Twins have wasted solid pitching performances. Three out of the nine games have been lost with pitchers giving up three or less runs to the opposition. So, how does the 5th best run scoring team in the American League have such a lackluster offense? The answer is that the Twins have lived and died by an unquantifiable statistic, and the timely hitting is bound to run out. Minnesota has won a handful of games this season by piling on. Scoring runs in bunches, and driving in runners on base, the Twins have jumped out to insurmountable leads. It's when those hits don't come however, that the offensive construction is unsustainable. No doubt the biggest culprit is one of baseball's most reliable hitters, or he was, Joe Mauer. On the season, Mauer has 34 runs batted in and is well ahead of his 2014 pace as well as looking at a potential to set a new career high. With runners in scoring position, the Twins first basemen is slashing .411/.500/.536. No doubt those numbers are impressive, but the falloff when the "clutch" situation doesn't present itself is staggering. With the bases empty or a runner on first, Mauer is slashing just .184/.209/.256. As a whole, the issue has translated into a .260/.322/.358 slash line. While I argued just about a month ago that Mauer was reinventing meaningful statistics, it's a trend that he couldn't possibly keep up. It's hard to fault a line drive hitter for lacking power, but Mauer has turned into something completely different. Batting out of the three hole, Mauer has not only failed to hit for power in recent weeks, but has offered nothing in the sense of hitting at all. His timely hitting continues to be something that can't be counted upon, and he's become and issue in an important part of the lineup. Immediately behind him, things don't get any better. For the first two months of the season, you could make the argument that Trevor Plouffe was one of the best third basemen in all of baseball. If Josh Donaldson and Mike Moustakas weren't having incredible years, Plouffe would be the talk of the American League. Unfortunately, a recent slump has all but shelved that talk. Since the calendar turned to June, Plouffe has just two hits in 32 at bats and owns a .063/.091/.125 slash line. He's struck out nine times, walked just once, and has driven in just a single run. Over the course of those eight games, Plouffe has served as the Twins cleanup hitter as well. In a run production and power position, he has combined with Mauer to leave Minnesota out to dry. Now there's no doubt you'd be hard pressed to pin the offensive woes on the bats of two players. Kurt Suzuki and Eduardo Escobar both have batting averages below .240, and the Twins bench is composed of players such as Chris Herrmann and Eduardo Nunez. Regardless of who's at fault, the question for the Twins now becomes, how do you fix it? Still in a great place record-wise, doing so sooner rather than later would no doubt be the best course of action. Talking points for the shaping the Twins going forward have centered around the promotion of prospects such as Byron Buxton as well as working to sustain the early success. Offensively, the Twins need to focus on raising the bar wherever they can. Of course Buxton should be at the center of those conversations, but recently promoted Jorge Polanco should be as well. Polanco is being called up for one game as Eddie Rosario spends a day on the paternity list. While I have a hard time seeing how the move is justifiable, I also wonder if the Twins aren't planning to do something more there. Plank may still be a defensive liability at shortstop, but there should be little doubt that his bat will play. Upgrading deficiencies remains the best course of action for Minnesota. Both Polanco and Buxton would check off those boxes. Another name that seems to make sense would be Josmil Pinto. Hermann offers nothing in terms of a bat off the bench, and is little to write home about behind the plate. Should the Twins have another power threat at their disposal, a once dismal bench could provide Paul Molitor with another option. At the end of the day, the Twins must begin to get creative. Working the 25 man roster to the best positioning for sustained success shouldn't negate any sort of long term plan, and it's vital if the Twins want to capitalize on 2015. The pitching has been there of late, and the offense has let it down. It's time to bring both facets of the game to a similar high level. For more from Off The Baggy, click here. Follow @tlschwerz

The Minnesota Twins have spent the last week or so jostling for position atop the AL Central. Having cooled off a bit after their torrid run in May, the offense has been somewhat to blame. Now, having brought power-hitting designated hitter Kennys Vargas back into the fold, it appears there may be a targeted approach for run support. To help further, the Twins could look at the blueprint laid out by fellow AL surprise team, the Houston Astros, and allow top prospect Byron Buxton to follow in Carlos Correa's footsteps.Houston made the move to call up top prospect Correa over the weekend. He was the lone player drafted ahead of Buxton, and has also experienced a ton of success at the minor league level. Starting at Double-A Corpus Christi this season, Correa slashed .385/.459/.726 with seven home runs and 32 runs batted in. He added 15 stolen bases and legged out 15 doubles as well. By all accounts, Correa dominated the Texas League. The Astros sent Correa to Triple-A Fresno for 24 games following his hot start. While his average dipped (.276) he still got on base at a high clip (.345) and slugged .449. It was after just 24 games in the Pacific Coast League that Houston believed they had seen enough. In bringing up Correa, the Astros signaled a desire to maximize their current winning ways, and to continue along that path well into the summer. Now the Twins have the opportunity to follow suit. With the Cubs having promoted Kris Bryant a few weeks ago, and Correa getting the call, Byron Buxton remains the last of the elite tier of prospects expected to reach the major leagues this season. Much like Correa, Buxton suffered a lost season in 2014. Correa played in 62 games before suffering a season-ending injury. In 2014, Buxton was only able to play in 31 games after dealing with a wrist injury and then a concussion. Now 54 games into his 2015 season, there's no doubt that the countdown to his arrival is on. Unlike Correa, Buxton hasn't lit his minor league on fire. After starting incredibly cold, he has evened out and is now batting .267/.327/.475. Outside of the traditional batting line however, his speed has played tremendously, evidenced by his league-leading 11 triples and 19 stolen bases. Things are also continuously trending up for Buxton, who has batted .318/.376/.541 since May 16. There's no doubt the Twins could use a boost at the top of their lineup and Buxton profiles as an ideal leadoff hitter. Despite what Brian Dozier has done for Minnesota this season, it still makes sense to get a couple of guys on ahead of his power bat. Followed in the lineup by players like Torii Hunter and Joe Mauer, Buxton hitting ahead of that group would no doubt be a positive. On top of the added offensive boost, the Twins could transform their outfield into a positive situation less than halfway through the season. Instead of Oswaldo Arcia and Torii Hunter flanking center, Minnesota could go Eddie Rosario, Byron Buxton, and Aaron Hicks from left to right. Hunter would factor in at the DH spot and could spell Hicks in certain situations. No matter the configuration, Buxton possesses Gold Glove ability in the outfield with speed that would make Target Field look small. At this point, it's hard to imagine that we aren't past the Super 2 deadline for prospects, and whether or not the Twins are taking that into consideration really shouldn't matter. I'm not ready to suggest that Buxton will be in Minnesota by the end of the month, but Correa's promotion should be seen as more of a blueprint for the Twins to follow than anything. While believing we would see the star centerfielder sometime in August a few weeks ago, there's no doubt the timeline has changed to sometime in July at the latest. Minnesota is on a great run, and sustaining it will be done from within. Getting your best asset to the big leagues sooner rather than later is a great place to start. Click here to view the article

I addressed this problem in my latest piece. While it may be what the Twins choose to do, waiting out the winning before deciding to make a move is not an intelligent strategy. You can argue that regression is becoming a monotonous word and enjoying what is going on would be the best practice. Sure, I can get behind that, but a front office shouldn't. Your current success isn't what dictates future results. You have to be proactive in your decisions to help best position yourself for future success. In making the correct moves now to help supplement an offense or pitching, the Twins could be talking about relevant baseball in September rather than enjoying a nice run in June.

The Minnesota Twins find themselves playing a pivotal series in the month of June after having suffered through four straight 90 loss seasons. On top of being easily the most surprising team through the first third of the season, the Twins have positioned themselves extremely well. However, to stay consistent with their current positioning, a push towards an improved roster will need to take place. A season ago, the Minnesota Twins made the surprising move of signing free agent Kendrys Morales. The slugger had sat out all of spring training and was looked past due to having a draft pick tied to his signing. The Twins agreed to a deal with Morales on June 8, signifying their desire to stay relevant. At that point in the season, Minnesota owned a 29-32 record. The decision to bring Morales into the fold blew up in all sorts of ways for the Twins. He slashed .234/.259/.325 in 39 games while hitting just a single home run for Minnesota. On July 24, just over a month after being signed, the Twins dealt Morales to the Mariners for reliever Stephen Pryor. Fast forward to 2015, and the Twins find themselves in a similar position, but one that seemingly has so much more control linked to it. In 2014, the organization made the reactive move to go after Morales only after they had begun to slip having hovered around the .500 mark for the first few months. Rather than deciding Morales' bat could help them early on, they brought him in after it was too late (not to mention his lack of production helped to sink the ship). This time around, the Twins can choose to handle the situation proactively, and maybe even from within. As of this writing, Minnesota is tied for first atop the AL Central with the Kansas City Royals. At 33-24, the club has played above their heads, but have continued to get the job done. With a pitching staff that has been improved, the offense has actually been the detrimental factor of late. Currently, the big league club is offering up positions to lackluster bats such as Chris Herrmann, Eduardo Escobar, and Eduardo Nunez. Rectifying those areas prior to the eventual fall would signify the Twins staying ahead of the proverbial game. Last season Minnesota felt the need to go outside of the organization for their difference maker. The prospect bats were deemed not ready for the big leagues, and it's hard to blame them for that strategy. This season however, there's no doubt that the narrative is different. Miguel Sano is currently batting .253 for Double-A Chattanooga, but his 10 home runs would rank near the top of the Twins leaders. Byron Buxton has slashed .318/.376/.541 since May 16, and Jorge Polanco owns a .315 average at Double-A. Oswaldo Arcia still remains on the farm (and maybe for good reason) as does Josmil Pinto. While not all of the mentioned names should be considered, it's apparent that the Twins have options. Going forward, the Twins have some difficult decisions to make, as well as a skinny tightrope to walk. Without sacrificing future development, there's little reason for them not to make the most of their current opportunity. While they don't need to deplete or rush the farm system, they should be supplementing the big league group with realistic internal talent. Promoting Buxton or Polanco in August after the dust has settled is going to be little more than a consolation of what could have been. If nothing else, the Twins have shown a decent job at being more aggressive this season. Under Paul Molitor, the big league club has ran the bases differently, Terry Ryan has made notable promotions, and this club is fun to watch again. It's getting to be decision time though at the major league level; the Twins need to capitalize on the position they have put themselves in. For more from Off The Baggy, click here. Follow @tlschwerz

He probably was never going to be a September call up. I'd argue it was July/August or not until 2016 considering the 40 man ramifications. That said, we are definitely approaching the time that it makes sense. The outfield will be better off with him up and Torii just hitting. I'm not sure how telling Torii they want him to just hit and be a part time player would go over however. Having 13 pitchers still though seems silly.

The Minnesota Twins have spent the last week or so jostling for position atop the AL Central. Having somewhat cooled off after their torrid run in may, the offense has been somewhat to blame. Now having brought power hitting designated hitter Kennys Vargas back into the fold, it appears that may be a targeted approach for run support. To help further, the Twins could look at the blueprint laid out by fellow AL surprise team, the Houston Astros, and allow top prospect Byron Buxton to follow in Carlos Correa's footsteps. Houston made the move to call up top prospect Correa over the weekend. He was the lone player drafted ahead of Buxton, and has also experienced a ton of success at the minor league level. Starting at Double-A Corpus Christi this season, Correa slashed .385/.459/.726 with seven home runs and 32 runs batted in. He added 15 stolen bases and legged out 15 doubles as well. By all accounts, Correa dominated the Texas League. The Astros sent Correa to Triple-A Fresno for 24 games following his hot start. While his average dipped (.276) he still got on base at a high clip (.345) and slugged .449. It was after just 24 games in the Pacific Coast League that Houston believed they had seen enough. In bringing up Correa, the Astros signified a desired to maximize their current winning ways, and continue along that path well into the summer. Now the Twins have the opportunity to follow suit. With the Cubs having promoted Kris Bryant a few weeks ago, and Correa getting the call, Byron Buxton remains the last of the elite tier of prospects expected to reach the major leagues this season. Much like Correa, Buxton suffered a lost season in 2014. Correa played in 62 games before suffering a season ending injury. In 2014, Buxton was only able to play in 31 games after dealing with a wrist injury and then a concussion. Now 54 games into his 2015 season, there's no doubt that the countdown to his arrival is on. Unlike Correa, Buxton hasn't lit the Double-A Southern League on fire. After starting incredibly cold, he has evened out and is now batting .267/.327/.475. Outside of the traditional batting line however, his speed has played tremendously, evidenced by his league leading 11 triples and 19 stolen bases. Things are also continuously trending up for Buxton, who has batted .318/.376/.541 since May 16. There's no doubt the Twins could use a boost at the top of their lineup, and Buxton profiles as an ideal leadoff hitter. Despite what Brian Dozier has done for Minnesota this season, it still makes sense to get a couple of guys on ahead of his power bat. Followed in the lineup by players like Torii Hunter and Joe Mauer, Buxton hitting ahead of that group would no doubt be a positive. On top of the added offensive boost, the Twins could transform their outfield into a positive situation less than halfway through the season. Instead of Oswaldo Arcia and Torii Hunter flanking center, Minnesota could go Eddie Rosario, Byron Buxton, and Aaron Hicks from left to right. Hunter would factor in at the DH spot and could spell Hicks in certain situations. No matter the configuration, Buxton possesses Gold Glove ability in the outfield with speed that would make Target Field look small. At this point, it's hard to imagine that we aren't past the Super 2 deadline for prospects, and whether or not the Twins are taking that into consideration really shouldn't matter. I'm not ready to suggest that Buxton will be in Minnesota by the end of the month, but Correa's promotion should be seen as more of a blueprint for the Twins to follow than anything. While believing we would see the star centerfielder sometime in August a few weeks ago, there's no doubt the timeline has changed to sometime in July at the latest. Minnesota is on a great run, and sustaining it will be done from within. Getting your best asset to the big leagues sooner than later is a great place to start. For more from Off The Baggy, click here. Follow @tlschwerz

I struggle to get behind the last comment as there's a lot of misconceptions there. Of course as a veteran Suzuki has the respect of his staff, but his numbers suggest that's the only reason why. He's horrible at pitch framing, not a defensive asset, and his "timely" hitting has translated to an average not far off the the Mendoza line. This isn't to throw Suzuki under the bus, but point through the smoke to reality. It was a good idea to resign Suzuki, it's not a good idea to keep Pinto in AAA with Herrmann in MLB. The two major league options right now provide next to no offense with very limited defensive abilities. While Pinto will never be a solid defensive catcher, he doesn't have to be and still should have plenty of value at the big league level

The Minnesota Twins are in the midst of a very impressive run. Easily the most surprising team in Major League Baseball this season, the Twins have positioned themselves atop the AL Central. While it's been a fun run, all of the advanced analytics suggest that regression is coming. While that sentiment may be overblown, the best way to curb the downfall in your favor is to attack it. That's something the Twins haven't necessarily done, and it may start behind the plate. Whether you put stock in analytics or not, you'd be hard pressed to convince someone that the Twins aren't playing over their heads right now. Of course at some point that will begin to show, and if Minnesota wants to dull those effects, being proactive should be the taken route. Players such as Tim Stauffer, Chris Herrmann, Danny Santana, and even Eduardo Nunez could be upgraded from within. Doing so would result in a net positive for the Twins floor. One position and player not being talked about however is Kurt Suzuki, and the catching role. Prior to this season, the Twins handed out a two-year extension to the veteran backstop. Regardless of his All-Star season in 2014, that was absolutely the right move. Locking down a reliable starting catcher is something that every major league team must do, but they all come at a relative premium. Minnesota didn't face a hefty price tag for Suzuki, and he fits with this team in the immediate plans. That said, he along with Santana, was a glaring candidate for regression. It's interesting to note that while it's hit hard, it's been overlooked. In recent weeks, Suzuki has spent a considerable amount of time batting 5th in the Twins lineup despite lacking any semblance of power. This season, he's slashing .239/.317/.324 and has driven in just 15 runs. Not a high strikeout guy, Suzuki hasn't failed in one certain area, but rather has underwhelmed at the plate as a whole. For Twins fans though, it's quickly pointed out that Suzuki is on the roster to catch. Many are quick to assimilate him to a defensive catcher, even while that doesn't appear to be the case. Forget the fact that Suzuki is one of the worst in the majors when it comes to pitch framing, he's actually been worth -2 DRS (defensive runs saved) this season. To put that into context, Chris Herrmann, the backup catcher and career minor leaguer, is worth exactly the same fWAR (0.2) and a better -1 DRS number. There's little doubt that defensive catchers have value to big league teams. Typically they are paired with an offensive counterpart (ie. Drew Butera with Joe Mauer). In his time with the Twins, Drew Butera was worth 3, -1, and 2 DRS, a quantifiable asset behind the plate. While he did nothing with the bat, his presence was a welcomed addition to the lineup in a reserve capacity. More often than not, Josmil Pinto has been tied to his lack of catching ability. There's no doubt he's not an every day backstop (he threw out ZERO runners in 25 chances last season), but that's the problem. He doesn't have to be. Twins catchers are combining to hit .203/.265/.325 with 3 HR and have played below average defense. Down on the farm (and even in the midst of a relative cold spell), Pinto has hit .253/.330/.418 with 6 HR. The home run total would put Pinto tied for 5th best amongst MLB catchers. Currently, 12 teams have catchers with more home runs than either Suzuki or Herrmann. The culmination of each of these issues is that the Twins have a position without a relative plan. Catcher's are generally regarded as power producing hitters, something the Twins have decided to balk on. Pinto was told he needed to hit, which he has, yet he sits behind two catchers that don't. Defensively, both catchers on the Twins rosters are also a net negative, and the best thing either one has going for them is a veteran presence that is respected by Twins pitchers. In no way should the suggestion be that the Twins do anything with Kurt Suzuki. He over-performed last season, and the upcoming regression was seen a mile away. However, continuing to balk on Chris Herrmann as the backup makes little sense. Pinto brings immediate positives over the alternative, doesn't need to focus solely on catching, and removes lackluster options from the designated hitter role. As mentioned at the beginning of this article, regression may be looming for the Twins, but it's up to them in how they combat it. Making internal upgrades to stave off potential downfalls seems like a good place to start. Doing so behind the plate sooner rather than later seems to make too much sense. For more from Off The Baggy, click here. Follow @tlschwerz

There's no doubt the goal is to push Meyer back to the rotation. The hope is that pitching out of the pen helps to get him right. At this point however, the Twins are getting the production from the guy they did not expect it from.

At the end of the day, both confirm the notion that he's been very solid. Early on he was a by-product of Arcia/Schafer to a certain extent as well. It's going to continue getting better and should be fun to watch!

It was the offseason before the 2013 Major League Baseball season was ready to kick off. The Twins were coming off of yet another 90 loss season, and this team appeared to be going nowhere fast. With poor pitching across the board, a reinvention of the organization was in need. That's when the roster shuffle came. First, Denard Span was sent to the Washington Nationals for a top pitching prospect. Not a month later, Ben Revere was dealt to the Philadelphia Phillies for two pitchers in return. It was Nationals prospect, Alex Meyer, that was regarded as the top of the rotation arm that the Twins so desperately needed. The Phillies sent Vance Worley, a regressed rookie of the year candidate, and pitching prospect Trevor May to the Twins. With plenty of promise tied up in each arm, the Twins were willing to let the chips fall where they may. Fast forward to today, and the narrative has all but played out. Vance Worley played just one season for the Twins (pitching to a 7.21 ERA across 48.2 innings pitched in 10 games) before being sent to the Pittsburgh Pirates. Alex Meyer overpowered minor league opponents for two years despite struggling with an increasing walk issue. However, a disastrous start to 2015 pushed him to the bullpen in hopes to reclaim his past form. Then, there’s Trevor May. In his first season on the farm with the Twins, May posted a 4.51 ERA in 27 starts at Double-A New Britain. While his 9.4 K/9 numbers were great, his 4.0 BB/9 ratio had the makings of similar scares Meyer brought with him. In 2014 at Rochester, May looked even better posting a 2.85 ERA across 18 starts with a 8.6 K/9, but the walk issue (3.6 BB/9) still remained. May had shown the Twins enough, and to be frank the big league club didn’t have many quality options, to earn a cup of coffee in September 2014. His first 10 big league games saw him post a 7.88 ERA, and that 4.3 BB/9 reared its head at the major league level. As the calendar turned to 2015 however, May appeared to leave those issues behind. In spring training, it was Trevor May that was in the thick of a heated battle for the 5th and final rotation spot. Despite eventually losing out to the likes of Tommy Milone, May impressed far more often than not down in Florida. With the roster shuffling that would quickly take place, May found himself back on the big league roster in short order. Early results this season were mixed for May. An ugly first start was followed by his first win in which he ceded just one run to what was expected to be a solid Indians team. Despite a short start and a clunker in Cleveland mixed in, May seemed to make progress each outing. The walk numbers were down significantly, and he was throwing better than his defense was willing to help him look. It was his 10th start however, and first of his career in Boston, that seemed to be the culmination of all the hard work put in. With Minnesota needing a win to avoid a three game losing streak, May put the team on his back. A seven inning, two-hit shutout, was capped off by striking out nine Red Sox batters, and not walking a single one. It seemed, all in the course of one night, Trevor May had arrived. As it stands currently, May’s 4.45 ERA is nothing to brag about, but his 2.80 FIP (fielding independent pitching) suggests he’s been so much better. The biggest change for the Twins rookie however, is that he has all but abandoned his affinity to give up free bases. Striking out batters at a 7.9 K/9 clip (and leading the Twins with 50 K), May has walked just nine all season (a 1.4 BB/9 ratio). In reinventing himself, May has taken himself out of the discussion as the Twins 5th starter, and pushed himself to be regarded as one of the best on the bump. There’s little argument to be made that Alex Meyer has not turned out to be what the Twins had hoped at this point. He’s a 25 year old former top prospect that has now been pushed to the bullpen. The days of him being a top of the rotation guy may be over. As unfortunate as that may be, it is in Trevor that the Twins can find promise. Despite not being brought in with the hype of Meyer, May was a 4th round pick on his own, and has begun to come into his own. It isn’t all there yet for Trevor May, but there’s little doubt that he’s on the right path towards becoming a very solid pitcher. Although it may not have been the expected scenario, May is becoming the prized pitcher they believed they were getting the summer they traded their centerfielders away. It’s just the beginning, but it sure looks like a ride you won’t want to miss. For more from Off The Baggy, click here. Follow @tlschwerz

Arcia probably never actually needs to hit above .270 If he's going to be a legitimate power guy (the potential is still there), OBP and OPS matter much more than his avg. as far as him playing LF, I could get on board with Rosario starting as well. To me, it depends on what kind of a hitter Eddie develops into. Obviously Rosario is a far superior fielding, however it's hard not to play Arci's power potential. Rosario's bat will be the thing that keeps Arcia out of the field, and that's really what the "demotion" for Oswaldo amounted to today as well.

Over the course of the past few weeks, I've had a handful of readers asking about the current construction of the Minnesota Twins outfield, and how it will change going forward. I would suppose Oswaldo Arcia's struggles as well as the introduction of the 2015 version of Aaron Hicks is at the root of these discussions. However, Minnesota remains in a place where the outfield could be turned into a relative strength in short order. Going into the 2014 season, the configuration from left to right of Arcia, Jordan Schafer, and Torii Hunter had nightmare written all over it. Minnesota was set to punt once again defensively in left (a la Josh Willingham), and go with the basement dwelling ceiling of Schafer in center. While Hunter's bat was expected to play, he's far from an asset defensively at this point in his career. To this point in the season, the defensive struggle in the outfield has been apparent, but not as noteworthy as expected. Right now, only Hunter remains of that current group, and that has proven for the better. On the season Arcia has played in just 19 games. He is currently rehabbing from a DL stint and is looking to get back to the big leagues. His .276/.338/.379 slash line isn't horrid, but he's lacked the power and plate discipline many expected to show up this season. Arcia has been a name that plenty have wondered about trading, sending down, or have tied frustration to, but all of that appears premature. I thought Arcia would lead the Twins in home runs going into the season. 30 long balls appeared to be a realistic mark, and he seemed to have the ability to make Target Field look very small. So far, injury has prevented that narrative from playing out, but a strong summer could still save face. There's no doubt the Twins should stick with him in left and get the Venezuelan at bats at DH as well. Going forward, he's a guy I think Minnesota should feel ok with manning left for them. If that's the Twins one defensive punt in the outfield, it's one I'm ok with. In center, the Twins were fighting an uphill battle from the get go. Schafer was always going to be a poor option, and platooning him with a veteran 4th outfielder at best in Shane Robinson just screamed. Thankfully, Aaron Hicks took over in the middle of May. As expected, Hicks has been a much different player this time around and both he and the Twins are better for it. Always regarded as a plus defender, it's been Hicks bat that has made the biggest improvement. Taking quality at bats from both sides of the plate, Hicks is slashing .250/.297/.317. The OBP mark is one that should be expected to continue to rise as he has always been a guy known to draw walks. His speed has played on the basepaths, already swiping four bags. With Byron Buxton in tow for the Twins, Hicks is going to have to move to right field. If he can continue to play at this level or above for the rest of the 2015 season, the Twins should be happy to showcase his arm there. There's no doubt that Buxton is the future in centerfield for the Twins. As good as Hicks has been defensively, Buxton should and will be better. Blistering speed and ball tracking skills unparalleled, the Twins are in for a treat when their number one prospect takes over in center. It's tough to argue that Buxton has been slow out of the gates down in Double-A. He's hitting just .259 and has been scuffling of late. If he can get a hot streak going however, Minnesota could decide to bring him up in early August. As the 2016 season kicks off, I'd argue the ideal construction for the Twins would be to go Arcia, Buxton, and Hicks from left to right. Carrying Eddie Rosario as the fourth outfielder makes a lot of sense, and his seasoning in 2015 would be beneficial to him swapping in and out for Hicks and Arcia when needed. At this point, it would appear Torii Hunter would be coming back for another year, and that could throw somewhat of a wrench into the advancement plans. Hunter may see more at bats at the DH spot next season, and the Twins defense would no doubt be the better for it. A detriment at times in 2015, the 2016 Twins outfield should be looked upon with favor. Hicks still has plenty of value to this organization, and talk of moving on from a 24 year old Arcia would seem to be a mistake. The Twins should start to see the fruits of their labor sooner rather than later. For more from Off The Baggy, click here. Follow @tlschwerz

I like giving Escobar some reps there with Polanco up as well and having them split time. Suggesting Escobar as the guy though doesn't do much for me. He's not a great hitter (despite what playing him as a DH would suggest) and he's a utility player at best. In over 770 innings last season at SS, Escobar was worth -6 DRS, that's not good either. If the Twins are going to look to upgrade at a position near the trade deadline, and pair with their incoming depth, it should be the SS position. Polanco profiles as a guy who may hit, but shouldn't be expected to field either. Nick Gordon may someday be able to field the spot, but he's struggling to stay about .220 in the Midwest league at the plate.

While a definite issue, it's not even so much that confidence is the biggest problem. Even when hitting, he's not an ideal asset. He's a hack defender and a black hole when it comes to OBP. While Polanco may bring a bat that helps us forget Santana, he too struggles on defense.

Heading into spring training, and throughout much of it, there was talk that the Twins standout rookie Danny Santana could be challenged or even removed from the shortstop role due to the emergence of Eduardo Escobar. At the time, it was crazy talk, and it still remains in that context. The Twins absolutely needed to allow their surprising rookie to validate his performance, but now that fact is that he simply hasn't. Heading into the heat of the summer, Minnesota has a very important decision to make. Looking at the baseball field as a whole, two positions can lay claim to a higher importance in the field than most; centerfield and shortstop. Both roles act as a field general of sorts and typically are manned by some of the best athletes on the team. Minnesota finds itself in a position where its shortstop ranks amongst the leagues worst in several defensive categories, and is offering little value elsewhere to boot. After slashing an inflated .319/.353/.472 (mostly due to an unsustainable .400+ BABIP) in 2014, Danny Santana owns a paltry .226/.244/.305 slash line in 2015. He's walked just twice on the season, while accumulating 45 strikeouts. Despite being regarded as a speed threat, he has stolen just four bases while being caught three times (after being caught just four times in 24 attempts in 2014). On the defensive side of the ball, he's made 11 errors (just two in 34 games at SS in 2014), is worth -10 DRS (defensive runs saved), and owns a -5.1 UZR (Ultimate Zone Rating). All totaled, Santana is currently worth -0.7 fWAR (Wins Above Replacement) after posting a 3.3 value a season ago. You absolutely had to expect a certain level of regression to hit Santana, his 2014 was otherwordly in context. What he's doing into 2015 however isn't regression. To put it simply, he's fallen off of a cliff. At this point, the Twins are nearing a crossroads where they must make a decision, and there's really only two options to consider. The first comes from within. Jorge Polanco debuted with the Twins in 2014, making the leap from Single-A Fort Myers. Over the course of five games, he got eight plate appearances and collected a double and triple for his only two hits. This season in Double-A Chattanooga, he's continued his hot streak. The every day SS for the loaded farm team, Polanco owns a .323/.355/.435 slash line. He's hit four home runs, driven in 24 RBI, walked 10 times, and struck out in 30 at bats. His nine errors are somewhat indicative of his arm strength (or lack thereof), and being a better fielder is something he will need to continue to refine (35 errors in 119 games at SS in 2014). Minnesota could take a long look at a Polanco for Santana swap sometime in the near future, but it may not rectify all of the issues. There's reason to believe Polanco could be a better hitter at the big league level, but he too could cede too many runs for the pitching staff's liking. That leads us to option number two, going outside of the organization. Looking at what the Twins will do with promotions in 2015 and beyond, there's no shortage of logjams. From players like Polanco and Max Kepler, to pitchers like Stephen Gonslaves and Chih-Wei Hu, the Twins have plenty of other prospects not named Miguel Sano or Byron Buxton. Knowing that they may not be able to advance all of them through the system in it's current state, it may be time to deal some assets for immediate help. Defensively, shortstop is a position that the Twins need to be sound. You probably need to go back to 2001 Cristian Guzman for a time you could point at the Twins having a true asset at the position. In going for a splash, the Twins could target a player like Andrelton Simmons to fill their vacancy. Not the aged All-Star that Troy Tulowitzki is, and potentially not commanding the same return that the Cubs Starlin Castro may require, Minnesota may find a match. Undoubtedly, I'm not one to suggest trade scenarios, it's just not something I'm well versed in. That being said, Minnesota could be presented with pursuing that scenario on their own should they deem Polanco not the immediate answer. No matter what happens, the thing that remains most clear is that Danny Santana is not the option to roll with currently. As the summer draws on and this team jostles for position, it will be in how the next few weeks play out that determine how the Twins position themselves for the stretch run. For more from Off The Baggy, click here. Follow @tlschwerz

The Minnesota Twins won 20 games in the month of May, a feat they accomplished for just the first time since June 1991. In doing so, they took over the lead in the AL Central division as well as laid claim to the best record in the American League. After four seasons of 90 losses, it's pretty easy to call this revelation a smashing success, but here's where beggars turn into choosers. Could the Twins actually be even better? Right now, Minnesota still has Tim Stauffer, Eduardo Nunez, Chris Herrmann, and Shane Robinson on the 25 man roster. Each of those players are easily recognizable as being replacement level at best. With internal options looming, there's little doubt that their eventual removal should be a net positive. Stauffer was a free agent flier that the Twins hoped to be a long-arm option out of the bullpen. His $2.2 million contract has been a virtual waste as he's pitched to an 8.03 ERA (and an even worse 8.69 FIP). A DL stint appeared to be the long awaited end for Stauffer, but the Twins instead brought him back and made him the 13th arm in the bullpen Nunez made the Opening Day roster as somewhat of a de facto utility man. Despite Eduardo Escobar being a better option in virtually the same capacity, the Twins decided to bring Nunez along as well. Functioning in a very limited role for the Twins (playing in just 14 games), Nunez has slashed .316/.366/.526. Had Eddie Rosario been considered as a fourth outfield option in spring training, Nunez could have found himself the odd man out. Looking at Herrmann, the Twins were somewhat forced into the situation. What makes it more curious is that he still remains on the 25 man roster. After Josmil Pinto dealt with concussion like symptoms in spring training, Herrmann grabbed onto the backup role. Hitting just .171/.227/.317 and spelling starter Kurt Suzuki in just 15 games, calling Herrmann a disappointment would be a massive understatement Rounding out the group, Shane Robinson was brought in on a no-risk free agent deal. With Minnesota needing a fourth outfielder, the veteran profiled as the ideal candidate. Being paired with Jordan Schafer from the get go was an odd decision, but Robinson has done everything asked of him. Despite hitting just .267/.313/.293, Robinson has been a defensive asset to an outfield with limited options in that category. Should the Twins move on from him, it will be indicative of their developed depth more than anything. Noting that the Twins have some black holes on their roster, there's no doubt replacements would signify an opportunity for improvement. It would be hard to argue that pitchers such as Michael Tonkin, A.J. Achter, Lester Oliveros, or even a Jake Reed type wouldn't be more beneficial than Stauffer. Removing a run-allowing pitcher in the pen is always an area to focus on. Minnesota actually has the opportunity to gain through loss in two situations if they were to take a serious look at Brian Duensing's viability for their club. Nunez and Herrmann were always going to be replaceable from the get go. The former is an interesting role to replace because he doesn't need to get into games. Nunez isn't a developmental product at this point in his career and you know what you have with him. Herrmann on the other hand is a mere placeholder. Despite a recent cold stretch, Pinto has five home runs and 22 RBI in Triple-A and he's throwing out baserunners at a 26% clip. Minnesota no doubt should be looking to upgrade their backup catcher sooner rather than later. Looking at the situation as a whole, the Twins have to be excited about what they have done, and who they have done it with. Knowing that the roster isn't even in an optimal condition, the arrow should be pointing upwards. Terry Ryan and Paul Molitor will need to get creative in the coming months, but they have plenty of pieces to form an elaborate puzzle. For more from Off The Baggy, click here. Follow @tlschwerz

With the first quarter of the 2015 major league baseball season in the books, we are provided a great opportunity to take a look at how the season is shaping up. Considering the projections that were made coming into the year, it's a good time to see how things stand, and take note of some adjustments that may shake out as the season goes on.Keeping the focus on the AL Central, namely the Twins, let's take a look at the division first. Going into the year I had a hard time believing that any team in the Central would reach either the 90 loss or 90 win mark. As it stands, I still feel pretty good about no team losing 90 games, but it seems silly to believe that neither the Royals nor the Tigers have a chance at reaching 90 wins. 2015 AL Central Season Preview I didn't expect the Royals to be nearly as good as they have been, and while the Tigers have some definite holes in their pitching staff, that offense is producing at an impressive clip. In picking the White Sox to finish second in the division, I was a big believer in the moves they made this offseason. They are beginning to find their stride and could be there soon enough. Minnesota, projected to finish fourth in the division is off to a good start, but it is going to take some consistent baseball down the stretch to stick. Now, looking at the Twins, there're some adjustments that have to be made. I had the home town club clocking in at 79 wins prior to the spring training announcement that Ervin Santana would be out until July. Losing your number two starter is always going to take a toll, no matter how you make up for it. I believe my adjustment was to put Minnesota somewhere in the realm of 74 or 75 wins which by my projections would have dropped them to last place in the AL Central. Nearing the end of May, the Twins have already gained well over 1/4 of the wins they would need to reach 80 on the season. As it stands now, the club is on pace to win 93 games (a mark they likely won't touch). No matter the regression that is sure to be coming to the Twins, it's become time to adjust expectations. 79 wins for this club was doable with the roster structure staying in an optimal position and almost everything breaking right. That is not what Paul Molitor has experienced, yet he still has his team on pace to exceed those expectations. Considering the summer months are where a baseball team's season is shaped, expect the Twins to develop an even stronger identity in the coming weeks. Looking at things as they stand and what is to come, suggesting 80 wins as a realistic mark is something I am comfortable with. Should the combination of Byron Buxton and Miguel Sano get hot and be called upon sooner rather than later, they could provide an even stronger boost to the big league club. While there are plenty of players contributing over their heads (Mike Pelfrey, for one), there are guys who have stepped up and those that should still be expected to do so (Brian Dozier/Trevor Plouffe the former, Oswaldo Arcia/Kennys Vargas the latter). Not only is this Twins team not going to come close to 90 losses, but it's time to stop wondering what if and when it may fall apart. Minnesota is back to playing competitive baseball on a nightly basis, and a .500 record is well within their grasp. Click here to view the article

Walker maybe has the biggest power numbers of anyone in the system. He doesn't necessarily have the upside of a top tier prospect though and think he goes to AAA at some point. Sano could skip AAA and being on the 40 man, could be a September call up very easily if he's not here before.

It's probably not all September tied though. Buxton is not on the 40 man, and the Twins won't waste a roster spot for a cup of coffee. If Buxton/Berrios is up, it will be in August or not at all. Vargas should be back soon, and Santana could be replaced by Polanco if he continues to struggle. There are quite a few intriguing options though, and it only adds to the competitive baseball that is currently taking place.