MileHighTwinsFan

Welcome to TR/PM Twins. I think the moves show a great deal of clarity . The decision to option Hicks/Rosario in favor of Robinson/Schaefer is a move to invest in reliable assets over potential. Robinson's defense and Schaefer's speed give something for Molitor to work with everyday. While Rosario/Hicks provide bigger upsides in the long run, Molitor has no idea what he will get from either of them on any given day. For the past 2 springs the Twins have thrown Hicks out there everyday and hoped for the best. The new TR/PM Twins are abandoning that approach and instead are creating a lineup and game strategy based on what each player reliably brings to the lineup.

Great Blog. All Twins fans who were tormented in the 1970's should read this piece to get the full story about CG.

I look at Aaron Hicks and see a physically impressive player with great potential - not completely unlike Lorenzo Cain. It was only this year - at age 28 - that Cain became a force to be reckoned with at the major league level. At age 25 - he had a cup of coffee in the majors and played sparingly at age 26. Hicks is only 24 and already has far more exposure at the major league level than Cain did at the same age. We do need to recognize that Hicks was thrust into this role by an amazing series of events where two major league CFs ahead of him were traded in a matter of weeks. Otherwise, he would probably have a stat line like Cain's at his age. Does the kid have issues - yes - but it seems far too soon to write him off - particularly when there are no other major league ready options and the team is still at least one year away from being serious contenders. I still hold out hope that Hicks will be a solid contributor when the Twins return to contention. As far as where he starts the year? I see no reason at this point to send him to AAA. He is too valuable defensively and has enough of a foundation at the major league level to build on. Give him the job in spring training - tell him it's his job until someone steps up and takes it from him - and stop with the journeyman centerfielders with strong gloves and below average bats.

It's all about options. The Twins will go into 2015 with multiple scenarios for fielding a competitive rotation. In 2015, the team will have protection from injuries and poor performance - while still leaving the door open for prospects to get major league innings. Depending on how 2015 unfolds - we could have a veteran rotation that enables us to compete for a playoff spot in September or the opportunity to trade off veteran assets to make room for younger arms. I see absolutely no downside to this strategy. I have no doubt that if the young arms are effective either out of the pen or in spot starts, they will get an opportunity to start next year and beyond.

A great and aggressive move. Twins have proved that they are committed to fielding a rotation that will give them a chance to win every night. We have three starters with proven major league credentials, a fourth young arm with dominant - if inconsistent stuff and a legitimate competition for a 5th spot between young arms and proven major league talent. Not sure what more the fans could want from the team at this point.

I have to wonder if this is just the first shoe to drop in what could be other outfield moves. I have thought for awhile that Arcia is on borrowed time with the club. Could we see Arcia on the block for pitching with the Twins looking to add a legitimate left fielder? Just speculation, but with Rosario close and Buxton not far behind, Arcia may be expendable.

I think the comparisons to Sandoval and Yeager shows he has value in the market. If the Giants empty the piggy bank to land Lester, I would not be surprised if they come calling. Plouffe is a solid and affordable option with several years of team control. Based on that logic, the the team should avoid a long term deal.. On the other hand, if the team sees Plouffe as a versatile and important part of the rebuild, I could see them locking him in soon. Another good season could increase the price tag considerably. Knowing that the team will likely have to open their pocket books for free agents and extensions to prospects down the road, it might make sense to make a deal now. It all depends on how Plouffe fits into their long term plans.

I worry a little that his athleticism will only take him so far and make him susceptible to funks like he experienced during the regular season. While he does a good job keeping his hands back, his back foot is slipping and his body is too far out front. I would like to see his home run from the AFL championship game to see if he did a better job keeping his weight back.

Seems like the game is beginning to move in Schaefer's direction. It appears that speed on the base paths and in the field are becoming more highly valued. Schaefer, while not in the league of a Jarrod Dyson, provides a similar profile. A late inning pinch runner who can then move to the outfield as a defensive replacement for Arcia.

Isn't his work on defensive shifts more significant and a better metric for measuring his impact?

Good piece. Maybe the biggest thing I see Molitor needing to learn is how to delegate and trust his coaches. I sense that he has some very clear and specific ideas on how he wants to run this team. The concern may be that his intellect and attention to detail may become a problem if he doesn't trust his staff to execute his vision. A good manager knows when to rely on his staff and when to insert himself into the conversation. Will Molitor strike that balance or will he veer toward micro-management.

The question for me is whether his performance will impact plans to find an outfielder via free agency? Do they pencil him in as a 2015 call up and spend their money elsewhere. My gut tells me that the team would like to see Rosario grab the left field job early in 2015. I also think they want to give Hicks one more shot at center. With Arcia and Schaefer locks - there does not appear to be much room in the outfield.

Congrats Molly. If you are able to get your players to play at a fraction of the level you performed at over your career, you will be successful.

Winning will bring back the casual fan. Spending for the sake of spending or hiring a manager from outside the organization is not going to cut it. There are plenty of teams that have tried to spend their way out of the doldrums only to be saddled with ridiculously large contracts and another season of losing. - see Toronto Blue Jays. Even teams that are competitive now, but have not fulfilled their potential find themselves with big contracts and a very uncertain future - See Tigers and Angels. Whatever the club decides this off season - I expect it to be based on a sound philosophy and strategy to get the team back to the playoffs. The assets in the minor leagues are there - the question is how they use them. The Royals made a decision to part with a slow footed, power hitting - but highly regarded prospect in favor of two pitchers that ultimately put them over the top. They didn't break the bank to do it - but they leveraged the non-financial assets they had to make it happen. Part of the answer will require patience as the likes of Sano, Buxton, Berrios complete the journey to the majors. But I expect that it will require that the team parlay some of these assets into much needed parts. The Twins don't need a multi-million dollar pitcher whose best days are behind him. But a trade of a key prospect that results in acquiring a critical piece of the puzzle, without an albatross of a contract around his neck, could be the answer. The point is use the assets you have to build the team you need to win. Don't simply throw money at the problem.

With Rosario raking in AZ Fall League - I hope he is given every opportunity to compete for a starting outfield job in the spring. I don't think they are ready to give up on Hicks yet, Arcia is set in right and they have Schaefer as a great choice for a 4th outfielder. The question is whether they will consider a significant signing for an outfielder given where they are at. My sense is that they need to go big, or not at all. Makes no sense to go with a borderline starter/reclamation project at this point - as the Twins like to do.

I think much of the criticism comes from classic Minnesota myopia. Here in Denver we are experiencing our third year with the two franchise players (Tulowitzki and Gonzales) missing significant time. Other clubs can point to similar troubles (Hamilton with the Angels, Longoria with the Rays). Here in Denver I don't hear anything near the criticism of these players that I hear on Mauer. Surely Denver fans are disappointed these guys aren't on the field, but they don't question their toughness. I do think Minnesotans' concern is rooted in the high expectations we have had of Joe and the lack of appreciation we have for his unique talent. Do we need to remind people that he is the only catcher to have 3 batting titles? Minnesotans need to stop wringing their hands about Joe not being on the field and enjoy him when he is on the field.

You have to be optimistic about the future of the Twins staff. Hughes and Gibson provide the foundation for a competitive rotation in 2015. A strong finish from Nolasco will offer further stability going in to next year. Finally, having Milone, Meyer, May and Pelfrey competing for the last two spots next year provides multiple opportunities to come out of Ft. Meyers with a competitive rotation.

I thought that a FA signing for 1B (my personal fav was Youklis) would bring a veteran presence into the locker room. I now think that it makes sense to do the same at catcher. Doumit should become a near full time DH, with spot starts at C and RF. I would also suspect that Doumit will be on the trading block sooner, rather than later. With Doumit on the way out, the Twins might be willing to lock down Willingham for another 2 years - to play left and eventually DH full time once Hicks is ready to lock down an outfield spot permanently.

Span is the only player I see us getting anything close to 2014 MLB ready talent in return. Pavano, Liriano and Capps will not likely anything more than long term prospects or AAAA journeymen. Any chance that Willingham or Doumit might be dangled? Doumit is also in the same camp as Pavano, Liriano and Capps - but Willingham could draw real interest. If we are really looking at a long term rebuild, it makes sense to consider all our options.

Is this a joke? They have played one game.

To me, the key is a healthy big 3 - DSpan, Mauer and Morneau approach their typical numbers (and stay healthy), this lineup will hit. If not, then it will drag the whole lineup down. What I love about the Roster is that there is new blood and established leaders. The combination of young players with major league experience with hopefully a healthy core will be fun to watch. Not being weighted down with contracts also could provide the opportunity to find a missing piece later in the season.

Disagree with you on this one. It was pointed out that in 2001 the A's won 102 games and finished second to the Mariners who won 116. The Twins would have been the second wild card with 85 wins. Does it really make sense to have a winner take all one game playoff when the entire game is built around the 3-game series and the need to go deep into your pitching staff to win? Under this format we are playing an entirely different game than the one that is played for the other 162 games. For the record, I hate the playoff format with days off. I think we should play the game the same way in the fall as we do in the summer. Doesn't make sense to me. We should go to a 32 team league with 8 four team divisions.