Paul Pleiss

I sure hope Joe Mauer can find success in 2015. I can't handle another season reading Mauer haters complain on Twins Daily.

1. "pretty good" but not great. There are some big regression candidates, and a 32 year old Mauer coming off a bad season to contend with. There aren't enough slots in the lineup for all the big boppers. But yes, I am excited about the run scoring potential of this team. 2. I'm not sure that Gibson will have a "breakout" season. Hopefully he's more consistent than last season. If he can turn 2 or 3 of those clunkers from last season into decent outings, he should be better than league average, which may be his ceiling. 3. The bullpen, the rotation, the guys who are paid to throw the ball are the big liability this season, and not just becasue their arms may fall off. A guy like Gibson who relies heavily on his GB rate, will need the defense behind him to be solid. The OF defense the Twins are planning to run out there day in and day out will cost this team runs, taxing an already questionable set of pitchers. That being said, there are a lot of big arms to watch as the team heads north, and some more down in the high minors to keep an eye on. When guys like Pelfrey and Stauffer get forced off the roster this club will likely be in a much better position to hold onto leads that the offense supplies. 4. Paul is not Gardy. So yes, he will be different. Hopefully more so than being different, he is successful. And uses his relievers in a non-traditional fashion. 5. I disagree. Alex Meyer is about as ready as he is going to get. He needs to face MLB batters. Let him be wild at the MLB level. Sam Deduno did it. Let Alex Meyer do it too.

Boyer seems to be an admirable guy. Playing baseball for the right reasons with a strong family support system in place. He's a great guy to root for, but I don't think he's one of the best options out of the pen. God speed to him and his family. There may be a bullpen spot for him in the big leagues, but I don't think it's in Minnesota.

Is there a scenario that gets Farris to the big leagues this season with the Twins? Hicks and Schafer collide in a ST game and are both sidelined? Maybe? It sounds like this young man has a great attitude. Thanks for sharing his story.

I think Thrylos is right, there is an attitude problem with the team. Maybe the team doesn't need a gritty in your face player or manager, but I welcome a little fire and brimstone for this club. And maybe someone has been called out or made an example of behild the closed doors of Spring Training. But maybe that doesn't need to happen becasue Molitor has set a tone, the players have picked up on it, and everyone is tired of losing... so they're ready to work. I'd like to see a little more fire from this club. I think the young players will give more energy to the team, Joe Mauer, Perk and other veterans will show guys how to be class acts, and hopefuly Molitor and his staff can manage this team to squeeze out a couple extra wins from the clutches of defeat. I don't know if this team can completely turn things around, but it's spring time, I'm hopeful, and I feel like 2015 will be a step in the right direction. A baby step or a giant one, who knows, but so far it looks like the team is at least moving forward.

I can't handle John wearing peach and sweating. I'm sorry. luckily I can listen while watching another window.

As much as I am dead set against an extension for Dozier, I think the case for Ozzie is a considerably different. I think giving him guaranteed life changing money on a team friendly deal is a good deal for both sides. Arcia, if he can stay healthy, is a player who will put up big counting stats, and that signals big money in arbitration. He signed for 80K in 2007 at age 16, so giving him that financial security and locking him up through arb plus 2 FA years means he still hits free agency at 30 and has a chance to cash in again. Do it. But be smart.

Tommy Milone for President of the 5th Twins 5th rotation spot "I have a sub 4.00 career ERA. I've actually, you know, performed well at the MLB level."

Mike Pelfrey for President of the 5th Twins 5th rotation spot "I'm actually a sasquatch, and I promise I'm finally healthy"

Trevor May for President of the 5th Twins 5th rotation spot "I have upside, and I know how to miss bats." Vote now! You decide!

Is there anyone here who can compare/contrast the AZ and FL spring training experiences?

Trevor May seems to be ready. I sure hope Paul and Terry find a spot for him when the team heads north next month.

Thrylos, do you think Pelf or Milone is currently in the lead for the 5th starter spot? Did Trevor May do enough in his four innings of perfect baseball today to put himself back in contention?

With Bonnes taking over the report from the fort, can we expect any gout related news? Or at least a review of some local brews? Maybe BOTH!

Herrmann has no place on this roster. I struggle to find a legit reason to roster Nunez as well, but given the choice between the two, I would actually pick Nunez. If there was a dislike post, I'd dislike this. It makes me sick just to agree that maybe Nunez is the best option, despite knowing he probably shouldnt be an option at all.

I want to see him be effectively wild with the big league ball club. And if it doesn't work, well, there's always the pen. and if that doesn't work... well there's always AAA.

You can download the new Talk to Contact (@TalkToContact) episode via iTunes or by clicking here, and if you want to add the show to your non-iTunes podcast player, this is the RSS Feed. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DuaIeGg9d5A/VQyEijK-oOI/AAAAAAAALMo/6zAC1F0zG6E/s1600/tribe%2Bbaseball.jpg This week’s Talk to Contact podcast is filled with rampant speculation. Can Eddie Rosario win the CF job this spring? How long will uber prospects Miguel Sano and Byron Buxton spend in AA? Can either Alex Meyer or Trevor May do anything to make the opening day roster? Can Danny Santana be a legitimate leadoff hitter and avoid the “sophomore slump”? All these questions answered and more. We finish the podcast with a special guest, Jason Lukeheart (@JasonLukehart), the managing editor of Let’s Go Tribe (http://www.letsgotribe.com/) to find out what’s been going on in Cleveland since the season ended and find out what the Indians ball club will look like heading into the 2015 season. [/url] If you enjoy our podcast, please tell your friends about us and take a couple extra minutes and rate and review us on iTunes. Ratings and reviews are stupid, but we are stupid, so leave us a review and a rating. Source

I really would love to catch some AZ spring action. Or even the fall league for that matter. "The main thing I didn’t like about the Phoenix area is that you will need to rent a car to get around and their rental car tax is about 18% total." In Florida you have to have a car, and maybe a plane, to make it to some of the camps around the state. It's a bit of a trek up and across the state for some of the games. So you'll need a rental car there too, although I don't recall the rental car tax rate being that high.

When I was living in Miami, a quick three day trip up and across the state to Fort Myers was just what I needed to get away from the loco life of South Beach. It was almways nice to connect with people who shared my accent and love of hot dish.

Good pics Thrylos. Enjoyed the snippets. I'm looking forward to another good season for Cartier "Niko" Goodrum this year. I have high hopes for him.

J.T. Chargois #BigVelo

Molitor was quoted a couple weeks ago saying that there was a very small chance that Meyer gets pushed to the pen. I think Berardino had the story. http://blogs.twincities.com/twins/2015/03/03/twinsights-paul-molitor-downplays-relief-option-mike-pelfrey-alex-meyer/ "“Alex is a very routine guy as far as rotation and what his program has been,” Molitor said. “And for a young kid, you work him in as a starter in camp and all of a sudden you go, ‘OK, let’s give him a couple innings out of the ‘pen here and then throw him into a major league game.’ It’s hard to see how that could happen in the short term. It might be something that could work its way.” Molitor said pitching coach Neil Allen and general manager Terry Ryan would have a say in final roster construction as well, but at this point Pelfrey and Meyer will be brought along solely as starting candidates." And then again from earler this week http://blogs.twincities.com/twins/2015/03/14/twinsights-alex-meyer-not-a-bullpen-candidate-at-this-point/ "“I would say the odds on that are pretty long — pretty long,” Molitor said. “We want to build him up to start, and he’s a little bit behind. But I would think right now the odds of that happening in the short term are fairly slim.” All 68 of Meyer’s professional appearances in the regular season have come as a starter. He hasn’t worked out of the bullpen since early in his college career at the University of Kentucky. “It’s a combination of getting a little behind early,” Molitor said, “and the majority of our people think that he should be starting: too many innings, the experience. Getting him stretched out to fill a starting spot one way or another is probably the right thing right now.”"

I spent the entire second half of last season waiting for Danny Santana to come back down to earth. As we all know, that never really happened. I think if SanDana can get hot to start the season, he may be able to recapture some of that magic and make liars of us all. Of course... I think the likely hood of that happening is pretty low, but it's spring training, and at least for now, everyone has a shot at dominance.

Have you guys heard the term, effectively wild? If Sam Deduno can start in the big leagues, so can Alex Meyer. Control issues be damned. #FreeAlex

http://publicradio1.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/newscut/files/legacy/content_images/indians_fans_sign.jpg This week’s Talk to Contact podcast is filled with rampant speculation. Can Eddie Rosario win the CF job this spring? How long will uber prospects Miguel Sano and Byron Buxton spend in AA? Can either Alex Meyer or Trevor May do anything to make the opening day roster? Can Danny Santana be a legitimate leadoff hitter and avoid the “sophomore slump”? All these questions answered and more. We finish the podcast with a special guest, Jason Lukeheart (@JasonLukeheart), the managing editor of Let’s Go Tribe (http://www.letsgotribe.com/) to find out what’s been going on in Cleveland since the season ended and find out what the Indians ball club will look like heading into the 2015 season. Thanks for listening. http://talk2contact.podomatic.com/entry/2015-03-19T16_04_20-07_00