AKTwins

My bad. I would be really disappointed if it's Garver. I still John Ryan Murphy makes some sense. It wasn't that long ago he was considered a #1 catcher.

John Ryan Murphy or Stewart turner

John Ryan Murphy or Stewart turner

They aren't giving up Gonslaves, Jorge or Stweart. My guess is the convo is currently about how much salary the Twins will. With Hughes on the 60 dayDL, insurance should be picking up how tab, so there is some money available. MY guess is that someone who we have hardly heard of in low A ball or a rookie ball is traded or a minor league lifer like Levi Michael. If anyone on our MLB top 30 is traded I will be surprised. I like the move if we don't give up a top 30. With Santiago hurt, Hughes done and Bartolo looking at retirement, someone has to give us some innings. Our AA guys aren't quite ready and there is no one in AAA. Sleeves has been pedestrian this year and is not on the 40 man.

I'm in favor of a Pat Light-Abad type trade, where we get an Abad. We have plenty of fireball types who could only be 4A types players. I'm thinking Tonkin and Mason

What's everyone's thoughts on Wade's ceiling? Is he a 4th OF, platoon player, solid everyday player? He behind Granite in the pecking order to be called up eventually. Would he have value in a trade?

I completely agree it will be one extreme or the other. I also agree that he will be very streaky. I just hope during the down times he does not let his issues at the plate affect his defense. It always brought up he had more RBIs in the Appy league than Sano. I wish his walk rate was a little better. It would be nice to put his RHB between Dozier and Sano or Park and Sano. I'm looking at .245/290/440. 25 doubles, 8 triples, 18 home runs.

I wouldn't mind seeing him DH a little bit. With Park being sent down and Vargas hurt he could get some at bats there and let Escobar play short. This would help on days when Gibson is pitching.

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?

So, so true. Park hit those home runs early because they were seeing if he could turn around a fastball. Well, we know he can, but I don't think he going to get a lot of fastballs. A lot of people talked about if he can handled the higher velocity stuff in the MLB, but its the sharper breaking stuff he will have to adjust to more.

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.

Doubt this is the big move. Nothing wrong with this. The AAA roster needs to be filled. You never know, he could go all Ryan Madsen and have a great year.

Twins have a deep farm system. We could give up a player or two to get a known commodity. I would not trade Stewart for him. Maybe 2 of our young power arms, Burdi, JT, Meltokasis (sp?)? Or one of the power arms with Polanco?

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.

Good point, I thought I read at least 2 posts by 2 different people who were upset about the 3rd catcher.

I do not get why everyone is all up in arms over Hicks on the 40 man. I checked the 4 other teams in our division and all the other teams have a 3rd catcher on their 40 man. In fact, Cleveland currently has 5 catchers on their 40 man and the White Sox have 4. How is this bad roster management by the Twins? I understand the concerns over losing Jones and keeping Dean. We have plenty of guys that can fill Dean's role (whatever that is). However, you can never have enough high-power relief arms.

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.