Ted Schwerzler

No doubt he'll be in one of the corners. I think LF makes sense, but if Arcia is going to stick, you probably need Hicks in RF.

There's no doubt that the roster and team are significantly different. As bad as the first week was, baseball is always about regressing towards a mean. The Twins were always going to rebound, just was a matter of when. As far as Meyer, it would be sad to cast him off as a starter without even trying it at the major league level. Regardless of his role, he hasn't looked ready thus far.

Yeah, I'd guess he'd need to be DFA'd too, but that's not something that would be a deterrent for me. There's organizational depth that spans further than simply bodies. Robinson is hitting far better than he should be, but defensively he makes sense. Schafer has been more liability than positive in the outfield, thus making Robinson a more ideal 4th outfielder given the current situation. Hicks has built up a significant amount of negative when it comes to his body of work. There's no doubt that plays into this to some level. However, to for the club to continue to dismiss the positive that would result in him being brought up in exchange for a guy with a sub 1.0 War over six years isn't a glaring endorsement of your confidence in development either. Like I mentioned, his "too many times" is a comprehensive amount that equates to virtually one season. He's 25, that's far off from time I'm giving up on an athlete like that.

To a certain extent, I agree with you. I guess a secondary reasoning in my thought process is there is less for Chris Herrmann to gain from being sent down than there is Vargas. If Vargas can control the plate against players who can pitch at the AAA level, and then use that at the MLB level, he needs to do so. Herrmann is what he is, and isn't a long term cog in this organization. While he's contributing, you might as well continue to exploit that for what it's worth. Maybe deserve wasn't the right word.

That's similar to where I was coming out of spring training. Considering Molitor is a new voice, and one that seems more demanding than Gardy, I put the onus to change attitudes on him. Hicks needs to/may have/still can mature, but the results alone were indicative of him being the best option from the get go.

Organizationally, it was an issue considering depth. I'd tend to agree however that outside of a body, it wasn't an issue. The Twins have more than just bodies at this point as well.

It seems people often struggle to separate past results with different plans of action. Hicks has not ever progressed through the system as he has currently, and the results suggest it's been a good thing. While his attitude has always been an issue, it's hardly the reason for lack of production. The expectation should be that he will produce, and Molitor can rear his attitude in the right direction. As far as reps, Jordan Schafer is currently the Twins starting CF'er...sounds like plenty of replaceable opportunities to me. Hicks and Buxton are mutually exclusive. If/when Hicks succeeds, his long term role is in LF, not CF.

While Robinson has been better than expected, it's best to remember the sample size. Take a look at Schafer's numbers after he was claimed by the Twins last year. There's no doubt in my mind Hicks should be up before June, as he should have been the opening day option for the reasons I mentioned above. Arcia's injury could expedite that. The only reason I mention DFA'ing Schafer is becauSE I'm admittedly not sound with options. If he has one, sure send him down. He's not a quality enough defensive option to be a fourth OF over Robinson in my book however. There's no doubt that this promotion for Hicks needs to be the last time he is sent down. Based upon the numbers he's put up and the success he's shown over the course of a more practical appraoch to the big leagues, I think he succeeds this time around.

Being 13-12 after facing an AL Central heavy schedule is nice to see. The rotation is in a good spot compared to years past, even if it isn't premier in terms of AL talent. They don't necessarily have to match up well on top as long as they can keep it competitive on a nightly basis, this offense will score. Ask Trevor May There's no doubt the defense has hole. Santana must play a more sound SS, and Hicks in CF should be a better situation than Schafer in the near future. It's bad, but probably not quite as bad as metrics say. The bullpen will continue to be better the more moves they make like the ones this weekend. We can only hope Stauffer is DFA'd following his DL stint. Santana is already batting ninth, and while his OBP is scary, it's good to note that he's now hitting and it can only go up. Vargas is chasing because he didn't have to see guys that pitched in AA, more so just throwers. I think a swap for Pinto would do him some good and allow him to refine his swing in a more ideal situation. This team is going to continue to be competitive all summer, and they should provide more fun baseball than they don't. I didn't see either Detroit or KC being this good either, which could be a positive if they regress some. I don;t think the Indians or White Sox are as bad as they have looked, but they have to turn it around. Finishing third in the division would be great, but this team has plenty of opportunity to continue to impress.

In the spring of 2013, the Minnesota Twins promoted former first round pick, Aaron Hicks, to the Opening Day roster following spring training. That spring, he hit .370/.407/.644 with four home runs and 18 runs batted in across just 73 at bats. After dealing Denard Span and Ben Revere during the offseason, Minnesota needed their next ceneterfield, and they believed Hicks was the future. Fast forward to 2015, and you know how the story went. Fortunately for Hicks, the next chapter is yet to be written, and it looks like it's going to be must read. In his first two big league seasons, Hicks has spent time between the major leagues, and different levels of the farm system. At the big league level, he has hit just .201/.293/.313 over the course of 150 games (or roughly one full season). There's no doubt that fans have grown cautious about expecting much more from a guy who's looked overmatched at the plate, and disinterested in the field. That all noted, it's time that the next chapter of Hick's story gets written. Following a demotion to Double-A in 2014, Hicks had a significant reality check. After being shown what major league life looks like, he was sent back to the doldrums of the farm system, and forced to travel to games by bus. If you were unconvinced that would motivate the former first round pick, Hicks' numbers the rest of the season should calm those nerves. Ending 2014 playing in 67 minor league games (43 at Double-A New Britain and 24 at Triple-A Rochester), the centerfielder hit .291/.387/.441. Despite looking at abandoning his switch-hitting ways, Hicks focused and succeeded at the plate. In being sent to Double-A in 2014, Hicks experienced a first in his professional career. He had never gone from Double-A to Triple-A in succession. While some prospects can skip the highest level of the minors, others benefit significantly from the continued progression. With Double-A often housing the higher prospects, it is in Triple-A where pitchers generally can pitch more than simply throw, and hitters are forced to deal with more refined breaking pitches each at bat. Hicks' struggles at the major league level were being reworked correctly for the first time in his career. After being promoted due to a strong spring and by need in the outfield, the Twins were putting Hicks in a position to best succeed. Spring training kicked off for 2015, and Hicks didn't light anything on fire. As we've seen before however, numbers are rarely indicative of how a regular season is going to go. No doubt the bigger issue this spring for Hicks was his lack of focus at certain times in games. Not knowing situations or seeming disinterested was never going to be a good impression to place on first year manager Paul Molitor. Despite arguably being the best option to start in center for the Twins, Minnesota sent Hicks to Rochester to begin the season. Jordan Schafer and Shane Robinson were brought north, and Hicks was sent another message. For the Twins in 2015, Robinson has done everything asked of him. He's played a strong defensive outfield, and he's surprisingly been an asset at the plate. On the flip side, Schafer has been anything but. Looking overmatched in the outfield, his .189/.218/.226 line does Minnesota no favors at the plate either. While his speed is valuable, he has been unable to use it struggling to get on base. With no stolen bases through the first month, it's time Minnesota moves on from Schafer and puts Hicks back in his role. This time however, the big league club should expect it to be different. Through the first month of the season, Hicks has hit .289/.375/.494 for the Rochester Red Wings. He homered twice, drove in 13 runs, stolen two bases, and owns a 15/12 K/BB rate. After the success shown in Double and Triple-A last season, combined with his start in 2015, the Twins should be expecting a new Aaron Hicks, 2.0 if you will. While Molitor may still have to invoke some professionalism on the young man (just 25 years old), there's no doubt the Twins could use Hicks' talent on their roster. Despite early returns not being where the club would have liked, 150 games prior to conventional promotions should not be the end of Aaron Hicks story. There's no doubt Target Field should be calling Hicks' name soon, and Twins fans should finally expect to be the better for it. Aaron Hicks 2.0 appears to be ready. For more from Off The Baggy click here. Follow @tlschwerz

70-92, 66-96, 66-96, 63-99, those are the records of the Minnesota Twins over the past four seasons. At the end of 2014, Terry Ryan fired longtime manager Ron Gardenhire, and the Twins appeared determined to make a turnaround. While just a month into 2015, comments suggesting the Twins being lackluster and bad continue to be tossed around by the uninformed fan. It's time to realize the suggestion sounds clueless, and this club is proving you couldn't be more wrong. As things stand, the Minnesota Twins are currently 13-12 on the year. They are sitting in third place in the AL Central and are just 3.5 games out of first place in the division. After experiencing a -20 run differential and starting the season off on a 1-6 note, the club battled through a divisional tilted schedule in April, and is ready to make some waves. Despite having an atrocious pitching staff, and less than ideal outfield defense in 2014, the Twins were amongst the best in major leagues when it came to scoring runs. Thanks to uncharacteristic performances from Kurt Suzuki and Danny Santana, Minnesota was buoyed by less than predictable contributors. In 2015, the outfield defense remains a work in progress, the pitching isn't yet top-tier, and the offense has clicked. While the formula sounds the same, the result is trending in a completely opposite direction. Twins teams of recent years haven't watched their records race towards 90 losses until the heat of the summer begins. As the season progresses, the Twins have generally dealt with declining play and injuries that have forced them into the doldrums of the AL Central. This time around, the 2015 version isn't waiting for the bottom to drop out, but instead, for it to rise to the surface. Regression was to be expected on offense this season with a handful of players. As noted, Suzuki and Santana were key contributors a year ago, and likely would not repeat their performances. Santana struggled early and has since rebounded to a certain extent, while Suzuki continues to scuffle at the plate. Despite their less than ideal contributions, the Twins have seen positives from a handful of other players. Joe Mauer looks himself once again, Trevor Plouffe is off to a blazing start, and the lineup as a whole has held its own. Outside of what is happening at the major league level, the Twins have some significant positives when it comes to depth. Top prospect Byron Buxton has bounced back from a slow start and has been absolutely on fire of late. While he still isn't likely an option until late summer at the earliest, Aaron Hicks has looked great for Triple-A Rochester. Missing out on the Opening Day roster, Josmil Pinto has positioned himself well in Rochester as well, and has turned his bat into a real asset. On the mound, Alex Meyer has struggled more often than not, but the Twins have plenty of options. Tommy Milone is a quality arm now on the farm, and he's joined by a lights out Taylor Rogers. Jose Berrios has continued to impress in the early going as well. No matter what way you cut it, the Twins depth from within this season is in a great place. Previous losing seasons have been bookended by periods of competence and an unavoidable bottom falling out. This season, the Twins have the security blankets to make sure their current level of play remains at a consistent level throughout the season. Adding in prospects along the way, as well as the eventual addition of Ervin Santana, Minnesota will continue to turn heads. It has become time to put the past four season of futility in the past and stop referring to this current club as a band of misfits. They've played their way into relevance, and the future prospectus is trending in an upward direction. Understand that this team isn't cut from the same cloth, and be better for it. For more from Off The Baggy click here. Follow @tlschwerz

Vargas was promoted directly from AA and right now that is showing at the major league level. He missed AAA which is where you face more pitchers that can effecitvely spin a ball. He's chasing all over the plate. Recent returns have been better, but I think it may be best for his long term prospects to go down and refine things. An immediate swap of Pinto and Vargas could be made. Pinto is more than capable of handling the every day DH duties. I think a .265/.330/.440 slash line is probably fair to expect, and that would be a welcomed addition to this Twins lineup. While a better fit long term than Herrmann, Chris isn't really deserving of a demotion at this point. Not to mention, he has positional flexibility and could play 1B when Mauer is in need of a break.

I guess I think suggesting "we're already in the dumps" is a bit much. Considering what has taken place this season, being a game over .500 is a great place to be right now. This staff isn't lights out, but they're far better than serviceable. As far as keeping it up, the best thing to see is that other contributions have been made in conjunction with the assumed regression. Danny Santana and Kurt Suzuki were not going to repeat their 2014, conversely, neither was Joe Mauer. They have created a net equal, and the offense has clipped along nicely.

JB, you essentially have summed up the season in a nutshell, and categorized why this team is different going forward. Despite having to climb out of a big hole, they have showed they will play competitive baseball this summer. The futility is probably not completely a thing of the past, but there's significantly more reason to believe things are trending upwards than there is that they aren't.

Through the early part of the season, the Minnesota Twins knew they were going to be without the services of Josmil Pinto. After taking three swings to the back of the head in a spring training game, there's no doubt the time lost due to injury was going to cost him a roster spot. After a largely unimpressive 2014, Pinto needed to earn his way on, and time simply ran out. Knowing that it's his bat that will carry him at the next level, the promotion is coming, but what will it look like when it does?Currently, the Twins have a two-man catcher rotation with Kurt Suzuki splitting time with Chris Herrmann. Suzuki was signed to an extension a season ago, but even by backup standards, it remains a relatively modest deal. After being a prime candidate for offensive regression, the former Athletics backstop has failed to break the Mendoza Line for much of the season. Hardly a defensive whiz in his own right, it's fair to say that the Twins were hoping for more from Suzuki in 2015. On days where Suzuki rests, and there haven't been many, Herrmann has slotted in behind the plate. While hitting for a respectable average, he hasn't had the plate appearances to put much weight into his numbers. Serviceable behind the plate, it was just a season ago that neither the Twins nor Herrmann himself saw catcher as his most valuable role to the team. Out of the gate in Rochester, Pinto has gotten it done at the plate. Although the power numbers haven't been what the Twins would have hoped, he's hit for average and gotten on base. Behind the plate, he's made strides in both his ball receiving and his controlling of runners on the base paths. It was probably unfair to speculate how long the Twins would go without what would appear to be at least their second best catching option, but it seems as though the door is quickly opening. With the calendar turning to the second month of the season, Pinto's role with the big league club should be quickly defined. As has always been the case, his bat should once again prove to be his most valuable asset. The catching situation is something I ran through above, but unlike his comrades, Pinto should see time solely as a hitter through DH at-bats. Kennys Vargas has struggled mightily in his second big league season, and as of now, there doesn't appear to be an end in sight. Whether or not the Twins send Vargas to Rochester with Pinto making the return trip or not, losing at-bats is something the switch-hitting slugger is now becoming prone to. With both Pinto and Vargas being young hitters, confidence remains as one of the most vital aspects to their success. Although Herrmann filling a roster spot isn't ideal, the best practice may be to allow both Pinto and Vargas to gain confidence to their advantage. Kennys crushing some Triple-A pitching could ignite the spark, and Josmil employing an already hot bat on a team looking for an offensive jolt would be a nice reward. It would seem fair to argue the Twins are reaching decision-making time, and Josmil Pinto's bat is probably going to be at the center of the discussion. Click here to view the article

With just one week left to go down in Fort Myers, the Minnesota Twins' spring training campaign was winding down. First year manager Paul Molitor was faced with some tough decisions, and of those, the most important revolved around his starting pitching options. Choosing to send Mike Pelfrey to the bullpen, the veteran pitcher met the decision with anger, criticism, and some angst.Fast forward a few hours, and the Twins had inserted Pelfrey back into the rotation due to a suspension handed down to free-agent signee Ervin Santana. It looked like a head-scratching move at the time, but a few weeks into the season, Pelfrey has only puzzled Twins fans with his surprising ability. After his first four starts in 2015, Pelfrey owns a 2.25 ERA (by a wide margin, the Twins best mark by a starter), and is 2-0 across his four contests. He owns a 15.3 K%, which ranks as his highest mark as a Twin, and is tied for the highest mark of his career (also had a 15.3 K% in 2012 with the Mets). He owns the lowest WHIP (1.13) of his career, and his 5.63 K/9 is the second highest mark of his career. Obviously all of those numbers are fun, but it's also fair to note the small sample size. Through just one month of the season, the question now for the Twins and Pelfrey is, can he keep this up? After making just five starts a season ago, and pitching just 23.2 innings, a mark he has already surpassed in 2014, injury concerns will always loom large for Pelfrey. Wondering whether the ineffectiveness Pelfrey displayed a year ago can be completely attributed to injury, or if he had slipped as a professional is also worth questioning. So far however, the Wichita State alum has had nothing but positive answers. Looking for regression, there are some definite warning signs for Pelfrey. Most glaring, an FIP (fielding independent pitching) totaling 4.47 suggest that a lackluster Twins defense is to be commended for keeping Big Pelf's ERA so low. On top of a concerning FIP number, Pelfrey has also experienced just a .232 BABIP (batting average on balls in play). That mark is the lowest of his career by a wide margin, with 2014 being the only other time Pelfrey has allowed a sub-.300 BABIP. Both of those statistics have the potential to return towards a mean, which in turn, would make Pelfrey's shiny start to the season take a downturn. It's not all doom and gloom however, as Pelfrey has some numbers in his corner this season as well. Having his splitter working well in the early going, Pelfrey has only allowed opposing hitters to bat .209 against him. That mark is the lowest in his career by a wide margin, owning a previous best of .268. Looking at batted ball percentages, Pelfrey has only surrendered 12.7% of his hits as line drives. Typically the easiest type of batted ball to fall in as a hit and create damage, the low line drive percentage is just the second time (excluding the five game 2014 season) in his career that he has held that percentage below 20%. Also, in allowing his defense to help him, Pelfrey has gotten opposing batters to hit ground balls 57.7% of the time, just his third time above 50% in his career. Again, although early, it appears that sustainability and regression are evening each other out in the early going. Knowing that the Twins have decisions to make with their rotation regarding Ricky Nolasco, Trevor May, and eventually Alex Meyer and Ervin Santana, Pelfrey has done well to take himself off of the hot seat. I'd still love to see him pitch out of the bullpen at some point if things fall apart, but at least in the early going, the Twins have to be ecstatic about his output. The two-year, $11 million contract hasn't worked out thus far, but the 2015 production has been a nice return for Minnesota. Click here to view the article

While it's easy to blame base running on Pinto as he's been atrocious, some of the best Twins pitcher rank worst in holding runners on. He has higher caught stealing rates than both of the Twins current catchers in 2015. While I'm not arguing Pinto is a defensive catcher by any means, flying off the handle the other way is shortsighted as well. I am still of the belief that his long term spot is probably at first base.

The pitching is in a good spot, and the bullpen will improve as it is turned over. The offense is starting to hit and that's a welcomed transition. While I'd love to be above .500, I think being where we are and seeing the arrow pointing up is a good thing. Last year, we were waiting for it to inevitably fall aprt, that isn't the case this time around.

The Minnesota Twins are now into May, and they have completed the first month of their 2015 Major League Baseball season. After starting off on an ugly note against the Detroit Tigers, the team has settled in a played competitive baseball on a nightly basis (as should have been the assumption). Just two games below .500, there's no doubt this team has left some wins on the table. There's plenty of encouraging notes as we head into the summer months however. At 10-12, the Twins head into May in sole possession of the third spot in the AL Central division standings. Ahead of both the Chicago White Sox and Cleveland Indians, the Twins trail the division leading Kansas City Royals by five games. Currently in the midst of a series with Chicago, they have an opportunity to distance themselves further from the bottom of the Central. Pitching and defense have been the plaguing issues in the early going, but there's plenty of reason to believe both areas continue to improve. Looking at some key players on this Twins team, early returns are actually in a better place than they were a year ago. After setting a major league record in regards to BB/9 in 2014, Phil Hughes has actually started better in 2015. 14: 5.14 ERA 26 K 6 BB 16 ER 15: 4.55 ERA 26 K 2 BB 16 ER In fact, the biggest detriment to Hughes in the early going has been the lack of offense he has been afforded by his team. He's 0-4 in his first five games, despite rarely being the reason for those losses (in case it needed to be hammered home more that wins are a terrible stat for starting pitchers). First 5 starts for Phil Hughes 14: Offense produced 30 total runs 15: Offense produced 11 total runs On the offensive side, there is no more polarizing player for the Twins than Joe Mauer. Despite being knocked consistently for a contract that he signed as a catcher in the Metrodome, Mauer has continued to produce for the Twins. Dealing with the lingering effects from a concussion and an oblique injury in 2014, it was apparent he wasn't himself. Although it's only been one month into the 2015 season, it looks like the former batting champ is returning to form just fine. Joe Mauer in April: 14: .276/.388/.337 1 HR 6 RBI 28 K 15: .318/.392/.412 13 RBI 14 K Looking at some of the issues that have plagued the Twins in the early going, it's pretty difficult to look past the bullpen pitching and outfield defense. The latest debacle for the bullpen came in Hughes' last start in which a 7-3 Minnesota lead was squandered after the 5th inning, allowing the Tigers to grab the win by a tally of 10-7. Terry Ryan took fliers on low ceiling veterans such as Brian Duensing, Blaine Boyer, and Tim Stauffer to round out his bullpen and so far the results haven't been good. Duensing has been a mainstay with the Twins, mainly relied upon as being a lefty arm out of the pen. Although currently on the DL (he's scheduled to return Saturday May 2), he owns a 7.36 ERA. The only pen arm worse than Duensing has been Stauffer. Throwing to an 8.38 ERA allowing 10 ER on 16 H in just 9.2 innings, it's been a train wreck from the get go. With players coming back to the fold following injury, it would appear Stauffer's time with the club could be coming to a close. Boyer started the season on an ugly note, but has since turned it around currently owning a 3.65 ERA. His .298 AVG against isn't promising, but for now he's hanging on at least. While getting to the 9th inning has been a chore for the Twins, their man in the closer role has been lights out. After dealing with injuries to end 2014 and in spring training, Glen Perkins has looked sharp in the early going. His shiny 1.00 ERA and six saves make him once again look like one of the best closers in the American League. Behind the pitching, the Twins have faltered in the outfield. Employing bats in the form of Oswaldo Arcia and Torii Hunter on the corners, their defense has taken a hit. With neither hitting consistently yet (Arcia .250/.310/.365) Hunter .205/.244/.315) the lack of ability in the field has been more prevalent. Combining that with a lackluster Jordan Schafer roaming center, the Twins have watched more circus play in the grass than they have seen any bit of spectacular ability or runs saved. Considering where the Twins have issues however, the club is actually in a great place. Roster moves should be coming soon, and most of them should provide an immediate uptick in productivity. With the Tigers and Royals both scorching hot, there's no doubt that they will cool off at some point during the summer. Minnesota is in a good position, and remains in striking distance. If Paul Molitor can continue to work with and develop this club, they have the ability to turn some heads as the season draws on. Minnesota needs to hang around .500, and know that they have the ability to move on up as key moves are made throughout the organization. For more from Off The Baggy click here. Follow @tlschwerz

Oh of course he's tradeable, people always have some level of value. It depends on where the Twins want to undercut themselves however, and where they perceive their replacement options to be.

The biggest problem is that both Hunter and Arcia's biggest asset to the Twins is their bats, and neither has really claimed a stake as of yet. Both are hitting below where they should be. It needs to show up sooner rather than later.

I'll do my best to respond paragraph by paragraph here. As far as hiding Graham and Thielbar, I think the Twins are really only hiding one. Graham pitched for the first time last night since April 19. He's a Rule 5 guy with upside who's never pitched above AA. They want him in the organization, but need to keep him on the 25 man to do so. Stauffer likely is DFA'd by next week when Duensing comes back, so there will be new arms. Concern for Hughes is overblown. He's pitching better to start 2015 than he did in 2014. His strained hip flexor should be minor and he should be fine. I can't stand Jordan Schafer, and I'm probably the biggest Aaron Hicks supporter out there. I'd be fine with DFA'ing Schafer tomorrow. No matter what, the centerfield role should be between Hicks and Robinson. Nunez was a guy the Twins could have gotten creative with from the get go. A guy like Dayan Viciedo could have been had and would have been a better option. Nunez existing because of a high AVG in a small sample size is silly. Pinto swapped for Vargas makes sense, he needs to be able to hit through his struggles at AAA. Herrmann and Plouffe can both back up first, and while Pinto isn't slated for there yet, I think first base may be his long term home. The Twins have been poor with roster management early on this season. Take for instance when Nolasco went down and the Twins called up May. May was going to make a start on a Monday, but they called him up on Saturday. They could have had two days of fresh pen arms instead.

Stauffer should be DFA'd soon, but I'd agree with you, that it's not soon enough. I think that both Boyer and Stauffer were seens as guys they could potentially turn into value, but at least for Stauffer, it hasn't worked out. He needs to go. Hunter's bat absolutely has to show up. I think it will, it's only been a month, but still. Arcia will hit too, but he's a defensive liability. Putting a bad centerfielder in Schafer between them only compounds the problem. I don't know Schafer's situation (options/etc.) but think a DFA needs to happen there too. Hicks should have started the season in CF and needs to be there down. A Vargas/Pinto swap would be good with me. Rosario is a call up I like to happen soon, but I'd like to see him do a little more at the plate first.