AKTwins

My solution for the time being. Have Nunez play left field. It should help his trade value getting more time at another position. Infield will be Sano, Escobar, Dozier and Mauer. Plouffe, Sano and Mauer can rotate at DH. Grossman can be the 4th outfielder, unless Buxton is sent back down then he can play everyday with Kepler in CF. Park goes down to AAA. In a few weeks, we can trade Nunez and Plouffe. For Plouffe we are probably looking at a Morneau type of return. For Nunez, may be something more. Well got Palka for Hermann, so I suspect we should get something similar. Going forward we can have Polanco play 3B and Sano DHing. I am fine with trading Dozier, but I would want a teams top 15 prospect at a minimum.

What are everyone's thoughts on Granite? Is his ceiling a 4th outfielder or can he be a solid everyday player?

My few amateur observations: - Any word on Milone being traded? He still has team control, solid back-end rotation arm. He has some value, maybe a B level prospect for a team with some starting pitching injuries. However, I like his LH arm in the rotation. He will give us atlas 150 innings and an ERA around 4.00-4.15. - I think Buxton makes the opening day lineup solely based on his defense. I would like to see him get a month or 2 in triple A to refine his batting approach. However, we need his defense with Sano in RF and our SPs are not K guys. It would be interesting to start the year with Rosario in CF, Arcia in LF and Sano in RF, but I think that would lead to too many runs with our SPs. - If Abad makes the roster who is taken off the 40 man? Tonkin seems like a likely prospect at this point. Maybe Strong? If they move Dean off the 40 man, my head would explode, since we have lost Zach Jones with that move. - I think Presley has earned a opening day spot with his performance last year and his spring. In fact, I could see him over taking Fien in late inning leverage positions. - I think O'Rourke would be an above-average LOOGY. However, I think Molitor does not want a pitcher that can only pitch 1/3 of an innings. Maybe a few months at Rochester to determine if O'Rourke new splitter (or was it a change up) can get some righties out. - I really like our infield defense. The infield will save us some runs this year. I would like to see the outfield employ more a shift. I think that will protect Sano.

Another option is a trade to fill the LH RP role. This is probably the least popular among fans, but it allows the Twins to obtain a proven player, with team control and not invest a bunch of money.

I hope this works out for him. I think the defensive shifts have really hurt Mauer. His batting average with running in scoring position was really good last year. I think that is in part because it take the infield shift away. I think a true leadoff hitter would really help Mauer. Buxton's development will be key. I like Dozier down in the lineup.

This is a good move, no risk, high reward. Its not like Jason Bartlett were he is given a position on the 25 man roster. Even if he gives us a good month, like Kubel did in 2014 that would be helpful, while Park, Varges, AB Walker and Arcia and whoever else get another month of at bats in AAA.

What about palka, the guy we got for hermann. I thought he was a 1st baseman or is he a corner OF?

Kepler's swing looks like Will Clark in his heyday with the Giants

I like this move for the low risk, potential decent reward. Sweeney is a better player than Robinson. However, if this is to solve the potential issue that buxton may not be ready at the end of spring training, I don't like it. Why not just give Davis $5 million for a year. If this is just for AAA depth nothing wrong with that.

I would still do this trade. The backup catcher signed have zero upside or are at the down turn of their career. Instead we get a somewhat known commodity with upside to be above average. I guess we could fault Ryan for not picking up a low minors prospect in the deal. Also moving Hicks clears up a potential log jam in the OF with buxton, Kepler, AB walker, arcia, and potentially Sano.

I'm not losing any sleep. Making a move over the couple days at the Winter Meeting does not make the move better than a move done a couple months later. I saw on MLB trade rumors the Twins are checking in on Storen. That would be a good move. I understand why Ryan does not want a LOOGY. We have guys that can fill that role. We have plenty of prospects, there should be options available in a trade.

I think we sign or trade for a 4th outfielder. Rajai Davis, Austin Jackson and drew Stubbs are available. I'm in the boat that buxton will not be ready out of ST. Plus, we do not have a true lead off hitter. I would prefer dozier down in the line up. Davis makes sense for a lead off, as does Jackson, but he does not walk enough. Stubbs is the cheapest of the 3, but has the most power. He may be a nice right handed platoon with arcia. Also the Os aren't resigning Steve Pearce. He has power and would be a nice right handed platoon with arcia. On the trade front what about revere? Jays still need a starter, maybe we could ship Malone out for him.

Matt thorton on the table?

I understand the dean move. He's useful since he is lefthanded. He can spot start, but a back up long man or fill in if a couple Left ganders go down.

Losing pinto and artcher is a numbers game. With Murphy, garner and turner pinto is not going to catch. We have plenty of DH/1B types that are in front of pinto not including park. I suspect the twins view artcher as a AAAA type of pitcher. Tonkin has more upside. Maybe a change of scenery will help artcher. I surprised by Jones. He is the type of guy a team will stash. Rosario is not, he has not pitched enough. Some of us hmthough Jones may make his big league debut this year. I just hope it's not for another team. Who cares about Levi. No one will give him a roster spot all year. He is not josh Hamilton or deshields.

I think they need to add a veteran outfielder. I would like to see buxton spend some more time at AAA. I am thinking rajai davis, aoki or drew Stubbs. Davis or aoki could bat lead off, which is something we don't have until Buxton turns the corner. I would prefer dozier down in the line up. Stubbs would add power and could platoon with arcia if he gets it figured out. I would like to see them add a bullpen arm. I would not investing soria or o'day. Too much money for guys that will not close for us. I am thinking Matt thorton. He's 39and doesn't strike people out like he used to. However he is tough on lefties and we need another lefthander. I would see if our internal options can fill the rest of the pen out. I think the Sano to OF is GM talk. Ryan is letting teams know he won't give plouffe away.

Good article. Low risk/high reward doesn't do this justice. It's more like no risk/all reward. If he ends up as a roster fuller in AAA there is nothing wrong with that. If he ends up giving the twins a couple good months and peters out, a la Thompson last year, no big loss. If he turns into this years Ryan Madson I would not be surprised.

A few thoughts: 1.) is it possible this guy will start in AAA to get his sea legs before making the jump? I like the idea of competition so I hope they do not just write him in as a starter. 2.). All the talk by Ryan that he is not shopping anyone is just GM talk. I suspect Ryan listens to all offers for plouffe.

I Don't think the trade is horrible but I don't think it's great either. I would feel a lot better if we just traded one pitcher but 2 is too much even if they are both low minors pitchers. However, Jepson is pretty good. He would be a back of the bullpen arm for good bullpens. I am not concerned about some of his stats being down this partly due to pitching in the AL east. The fastball velocity is the most concerning, but his velocity was also down in 2011. Looking at his appearances, he appeared 74 times in 2014 and 68 in 2010. This likely explains why his velocity is down. Also, it will create better competition in the bullpen next year so guys like stauffer don't receive automatic spots or we end up keeping a rule 5 guy all year. Also, we could let guys like Tonkin and archer pitch in earlier innings.

No way I would give up that much for rentals. Arcia makes sense because we have a logjam at corner outfield, 1st base and DH, with Rosario, Hicks (eventually moved for Buxton), AB Walker, Harrison, Hicks, Sano. I would not give up Stewart. Maybe, a lesser pitcher if Baltimore bites on one of our AAA starts not named Berrios.

Suzuki is no surprise. I recall him stating last year that he was expecting to hit better in 2014 b/c he had not caught as much in Washington. He was right, hence his 1st half for 2014. The guy is catching slit bacau de we don't have a decent or even marginal back up. If we did Suzuki would be hitting better. Send Santana to AAA and let Escobar finish the year at SS, defensive upgrade and at least he draws some pitches in his at bats. Vargas is no surpise. He needs at least a year at AAA. He never spent a full season in the highe levels of the minor and thus did not have teams see him for a 3rd or 4th time. He would have been better off waiting like AB walker and Harrison are.

I wouldn't trade Gibson or berries. Each the contract money and send a combo of the following: Kepler, Vargas, Meyer, may, walker, Harrison, Polanski, Tonkin, Hu, Stewart.

I suspect the twins will go with someone that doesn't cost too much, Cotts makes the most sense. They could probably get him for Levi Michael

I agree, but I think what has helped is improved defense. I do not think our defense is elite but it's better than last year. Hunter is better than willing ham defensively. Hicks has played well defensively as has Robinson. We do not have Bartlett or collabello in the outfield. Rosario is an upgrade. Mayer is improved at 1st.

What are everyone's thoughts on Trey Vavra and Alex Swim? Are these two projected as eventual everyday major leaguer? Or will they plateau out once they reach the higher levels of the minor leagues? I am really interested in Swim because he hit really well last year too. Does he switch positions permanently? I saw he was playing LF the other day.