Rosterman

You hit all the points. No need to get super starters because they could end up wasting a year or two (as Ervin did this year). We need to see what we do have that is REAL (not Albers, not Dean) and push on those that show some promise (Stewart, Gonsalves). You have to make a decision on Dozier. Do you commit and feel he will be the cornerstone of the team past age 31, or jsut move on. And you move on with anyone that isn't a surefire lock for a position or has potential value (Plouffe and Santiago are they going to become tradechips in their walk year, doubtful). You make decisions on replaceable guys like Tonkin, Duffey, even Gibson. Maybe you turnover up to 10 positions (after adding your own prospects into the mix) by letting folks like Schafer, Centeno and Grossman and Boshers walk and replacing them with those 41st guys that other teams are cutting...if only for a year. No amount of money will make the 2017 Twins playoff contenders. It will be field staff leadership, finding a team leader, and the players that are shoiwng promise to excel combined with the hungry attitude of more future prospects that might pull off a pleasant surprise, but also build to be a more solid team by decade's end, when you do open the purse strings and buy not one, not two, but maybe three of the BEST guys you can find to fill any obvious holes you have at that time.

I think I figured out your Top 1`0: Luke Westphal Brian Olson Joe Maloney Blair Lakso Nick Greenwood Jason Adam Todd Van Steusel Jairo Rodriguez Jason Wheeler Miles Nordgren

Molitor is a great player and all, a Hall-of-Famer who is known more for his work as a Brewer and even a Blue Jay, as with the Twins. He is a hometown guy, but although he gives a nice official presence, he is far from Mr. Warmth (of course, same can be said for Tom Kelly). I really don't how to react to the opportunity Molitor took playing basically Rochester Red Wings lineups the final weeks. But so many names on the disabled list (Rosario, Santana , Hughes, Perkins, Plouffe) and a roster still bloated with guys that have no business being given playing time (Schafer, Grossman, Boshers, sadly Centeno) or purely overworked (Dozier, Pressly, Tonkin) or not doing what they should be doing (Kintzler). There seemed to be a total lack of what this team could possible strive towards doing well. You had your home run leader batting leadoff. You have your future leadoff man batting ninth, until the last game of the season. You have a mess with your potential third baseman. You have Duffey starting games and barely lasting a long relief stint, but not being tried in long relief. You jave guys in the minors who you needed to look at badly - Wheeler, Walker, maybe even Reed. Instead you have, again, Schafer, Boshers, and that comedy duo of Dean and Albers. I think it goes back to before 2015 when Molitor was hired, than a coaching staff was put together, and names were interviewed and approved more by committee than the manager who, suffice to say, hasn't developed chronies like Rock Anderson or Dick Such. Maybe it is the thrown together coaching staff that also adds to the confusion. Ultimately, what is the Twins Way anymore, except great views and good food at the most beautiful stadium in the league. That they seem to do right. But, sadly, Molitor isn;t that same marketing kick that Torii Hunter was for the 2015 team in selling tickets or putting fans in the stands. Not sure he is even better than "come see the new guys" or "free beers with every strikeout by a batter". But 100+ losses, few managers should be given an encore. If anything, you do find someone from outside who knows what they are doing, or totally go with that guy from the system who has worked with the players (assuming the new operations and GM don't clean house of prospects).

And, thus, the spirit in the clubhouse HAD to be down. Some would say a Torii Hunter presence was needed. Others will say coaches weren't doing their pregame jobs with the players. Many will criticize the manager for poor lineup construction and not knowing his own players. You have to admit that the offense has so much potential if they can get beyond the strikeout, youth, and enjoy the game more. Pitching put the team behind, which is a tragedy, with Santana being the only one to truly shutdown the opposition on a continued basis. The bullpen was all over the place with no surefire closer (of course, few REAL closing opportunities). You never knew what you'd get from a bullpen pitcher.

Murphy will be given every opportunity to start. Garver should also start, albeit at AAA Rochester. So the Twins still need a backup catcher. But doubt that they NEED to keep Centeno on the 40-man (barring who else they rid themselves of). Centeno COULD be resigned to a minor league contract. If Murphy flounder, or is just okay, then Garver could come up and share duties. And Turner better be at AAA in 2017, too. Fast track some of these guys a bit more. DOn't hold them back and fill the roster with AAAA wannabees.

I liked Molitor commenting about the status of the coaching staff (under review) and acting like he will be part of the decision-making solution. Sadly, maybe he will. But I would think the new powers-that-be should have full decision-making process and get ahead of the whole mess as soon-as-possible, rather than wean people in and out of the organization. If the organization will still have another doomed year, let it be rapid rather than long-lasting. Time for the Twins to become MORE than a family business. It is time to become a sports entertainment business!

He now has the power to hire a general manager. And with the GM should be able to pick his field staff. Will be interesting to see where all the lifelongs in the Twins front office end up

Rob Anthony. Seriously, whoever they hire, well they then have to turn around and interview other (different) candidates for the general manager position. I would think the president of baseball operations would have a say in that hire.

Sadly, he is one of those guys that it is doubtful that people are lining to sign him. But if the Twins would move him off the 40-man, he would get a contract somewhere...even if he had to start over again at AAA. And he wouldn't return to the Twins.

Yeah, I would pencil in Mejia and Gonsalves and even Stewart. It won't be pretty, but you have to see what you have at some point. I would put Kyle Gibson on a very short leash. I doubt that Hughes will start the season strong. Santana could be trade bait, but you will probably get prospects and maybe a promising starter a year away. Santiago is the question. Is he worth $8 million, or do they want to put those dollars in their pocket. Sadly, the Twins will dumpster dive and/or sign a rebuilding project for a year contract. Instead, they should just bite the bullet and let the rookies learn on the job, at this point. Some shuffling between majors and minors. Why they didn't add Wheeler to the 40-man and give him some major league face time is beyond me at this point. I don't see Albers or Dean staying on the 40-man. And I wish they would try Duffey in long relief, 4-5 appearances before the season ends to see if he can pitch more than one inning out of the pen. May will have to build up to 175 innings next year. So he could also be a slow starter. So, right now, it doesn't look good.

And with the amount of no shows, you have all these concessions but no one to purchase them. Since Target Field opened, the Twins have tried to make it the venue, not the product. They got a boost last year with their play and Torii Hunter coming back. But short of winning games...they have no franchise player. Mauer is worn out. No one really cares about Molly. You can get excited about the rookies, but the common fan doesn't give a lick until the team starts to win. With Vikings grabbing all the spotlight, the Twins have to revert to grassroots. They have to take a hit on season tickets, maybe even roll back some prices for 2017. They have to get out into the community. Not only the (new) front office, but the new players. The Twins need to conarct with a dozen current and an equal number of alumni to work ALL the small town events (and in-town events) that they can to keep word-of-mouth alive. They need to print up a ton of promotional material and get it out in an organized way to sell not only Target Field all over again (the honeymoon has now passed) but the concept of watching a baseball game They do have to get the front office in place, but Dave St. Peter should be pulling back from on-field operations and concentrating solely on figuring out ways to reach out to the midwest. It will involve more little things to bring the people back to the dome. It will involve getting kids (and then parents) excited about baseball, to get youth, church, community groups to come to the game. But sadly, don't see that happening. Just announcements of more strange foods, killing off another section for some corporate monies. But who is giving a dead last club advertising money on a radio station that fades in and out when you drive around town and a team that can't even put on a good front at an event like The Minnesota State Fair (yes. I harp on that - the one BIG opportunity to promote Twins - giving away cats and jerseys and posters and stuff THAT YOU AS A TEAM PAY FOR -FORGET ALWAYS GETTING A SPONSOR to make people proud to wear the brand and think about supporting the brand. Twins, you gotta produce 100,000 of your own caps to hand out at events - from church fun fairs to halloween gatherings to Christmas parties. You gotta tie in with The Winter Carnival (your crosstown Saints will). Otherwise, 10,000 fans in the stands makes for an empty park!

Considering he was a half-season player. The Twins are in last place. What would his stats be if the Twins were actually good, perhaps? No eyes at all are on the team, sadly. If he would win the home run title, come in close in RBI and keep an average around .290, he will get recognized, but not with the trophy, sadly.

The secret is to make the other team lose.

How does this compare to last year? So many promising guys in the lower levels. So sad that ALL those relief guys that might've got a cup-of-coffee this year might only get a cup-of-coffee next year. Sigh!

Maybe there is a reason the team hasn't hired outside of the organization in the past. Know MacPhail was grabbed when Carl Pohlad took over, and he was quite hungry and looking for the advancement opportunity amidst the challenge (and remember how he was questioned at wanting Tom Kelly and they brought on Ralph Houk just in case). We had the couple of guys that left to play elsewhere, Krivinsky, Gebhard for example.

Or, do they really know what they want. Asking someone to come in and explain a five-year plan but not knowing what the organization really wants? The Twins job may seem like an opportunity, but do you grab onto the big position, knowing you might have to wait a season or two to really start things moving? If Cherington was a viable candidate, you would have someone sitting in an office tomorrow starting the whole process, who might have a bit more power than they do in Toronto, working over a general manager rather than sharing a VP position. But it may be as long as off season as it has been a season.

I guess Cherington's personal issues involved signing with Toronto to be VP. So the Twins didn't move fast enough on this front.

Where has Park disappeared! I thought for sure the Twins would call him up and put him on the 60-day? Does he report to Target Field every day for rehab BEFORE returning home to Korea in the off-season. With all the guys on the disabled list and working out at home, I wonder why the Twins don't press them into a little more "public service" or face time for the team. The Pro Shops have been pretty void of player appearances. We see that a couple ran around the State Fair for a day. We hear of the occasional hospital appearance. Hughes, Perkins, Santana, Plouffe would all be welcomed bu hardcore longtime Twins fans. Hughes and Perk at the State Fair for partial days would have been a wonderful experience for out-of-town Fair goers. The worst they would hear is comments about "Hope/When you coming back" as most Minnesotans and midwesterners tend to be nice. Especially in a lost season coming from a franchise that has a major downturn, some player appearances and such would be so welcomed (remember the days with the pub panels, remember the summer autograph party, remember when Joe Nathan was signig in grocery stores). Are players NOT required to do any of this promo stuff anymore for the team? Do they need to be pid extra? Hey, just setting up a Twins booth and a meet and greet with a disabled player in rich Wayzata for their James J. Hill days this weekend would keep the Twins in the community eye. That's how you start to sell the next season, folks. Not letters from Jim telling you we are doing same old same old. Summer in Minnesota, especially with a team that is losing, is ripe time for current players and especially alumni working with the marketing department and appearing in small town parades and setting up booths at weekend fairs. But seeing the bored faces of staffers at the State Fair and people looking like refugees from a garage sale picking thru the most lackluster bunch of T-shirts, hats and jerseys that I have ever seen, the Twins have no idea, no idea. Put the guys to work. Team up Park with a former player and get him out there into the community during his last month in Minnesota before the winter! We still do love our Twins thru thick and thing!

Wonder how many more games we would've lost without Robbie Grossman in the lineup...and Logan Schafer!

Wave goodbye to Paul Molitor and the coaching staff!

Did I hear mention that the job description was changed from President of Baseball Operations to Director of Baseball Operations on KSTP-1500 this morn ing?

When I keep hearing and seeing quotes on the Twins from Pohlad and Molly, I keep wanting them to just say "All I want is for this damn season to end."

The Twins will still come in on the underside of two million in attendance, which is remarkable. But they have a tough sell ahead for next season. A #1 pick. Whew! You have to take the best player available depending on your needs (pitching or hitting) and go from there. Be interesting to see how this year's crop of draftees comment on the possibility of being a Minnesota Twin. We have had high draft picks in four of the last five drafts and where are they, that is the question. We even managed to grab a high one from another team and allowed him to move on. Sarcastically, I can see someone in the front office complaining about losing and now "we have to pay top dollar for a draft pick!"

Hey, you have an opportunity to put Mauer AND Dozier at DH. Of course, does Polanco need to play some second base? Vargas SHOULD play some first base to increase his value and SHOULD be in the lineup every day. Sano SHOULD be at third base every day because....he can be there. You have to see how he does, watch him stay in shape during some winter ball, and run him out there in spring training. We know Escobar can play shorstop. We only have three firckin' weeks of baseball left. Like having Murphy catch 304 out of 5 games SHOULD be a given. You need to look hard and coach the guys who will be a part of the team next year, so you can direct them what to work on in the off-season. That is what coaching is all about, isn't it? You have the ability to try pitchers in other roles, too. Berrios NEEDS to start, even if he only lasts a couple of innings. You have to look at Duffey, Dean and Albers and see if they can pitch three innings, possibly twice thru an order, in three innings. The Twins need a long guy or mop-up talent. But only one of these guys needs a place on the 40-man. You have to figure out what works best for Wimmers, O'Rourke and Light...and then try them in totally different situations to see if they can adapt. These guys will be on the 40-man for sure, but will have a spring training battle ahead. May, figure out his role NOW. Future closer? Set-up. Long-man or starter. Put him in a starting position for the rest of the season, making four starts, doing the proper pre-start warmups. You don't need him to pitch 3, 4 or 5 innings. Just see if he can get a routine down in three weeks and if he can stretch his arm out to 60-75 pitches in that time...successfully. And, PLEASE, it is not too late to bring Adam Walker into the mix. you could use his bat off the bench in 10 of the next 19-20 games, if nothing else. So he strikesout. It will be fun to watch.

You have HIT some important unanswered questions. CAN SANO PLAY THIRD. We have 20 games to figure that out, right now. Let him make 20 errors. But play him everyday. The move to the outfield was a mess and screwed up the twins bigtime. We ended up losing Arcia (maybe no loss, but then we blank out Walker for a looksee). But what if we had opened the season with an outfield of Arcia/Santana/Rosario. But then we had the Plouffe mess of where to play and Park at DH and...the Park decision was the real killer here. Buxton needed to start the season at AAA (as did Gomez and Hicks). Hindsight kills. CATCHER OF THE FUTURE. Man, I would've started the season with John Hicks as backup and Murphy regular at AAA after spring training. But Murphy comes up and stinks, Hicks disappears because of the roster mishap that shouldn't have happened, and we see a lot of a guy named Centeno. We start the 2017 season with the same questions, but no Suzuki, which is a blessing in the long run. TREVOR MAY. Even if you were going to send him to the bullpen, you groom him to be Anthony Swarzak 2016. You have him pitch multiple innings. None of this one worthless inning a day for 3-4 days scattered throughout a game. You establish a role so if a starter goes down, he can step in. that didn't happen. And they even skunked on grooming him as a closer. The whole Jepsen mess was a disaster. THE BULLPEN. In an era where you start to clearly define the duties, the Twins overuse Pressly and Tonkin, have no longman, no strikeout king, and Kintsler is the closest they have a ground ball guy but they made him closer so he can only pitch when it looks like we will win. Even signing a bunch of guys like Abad, Ramirez, Mujica, Boshers, Burnett, Walden...it did nothing but get us...Light...who we could've signed in the first place ages ago and needs to be protected or will probably be claimed and sent to the minors by another team. POLANCO. Did someone think that the team that couldn't rid itself of Plouffe was going to get blown away on an offer for Dozier, so this guy played second ALL year at Rochester. He didn't play one minor league game at shortstop, and he needs to stay come 2017. It looks like he will stay, at shortstop, for 2017 AND 2018. He can always move to second if Dozier becomes too expensive and Gordon or someone is the new shortstop. Nunez was the best thing about the team in the first half with power, stolen bases, average and it didn't matter if he made the plays because the team was losing. Once he left, it should've been Polanco right away. The miscues can continue at short and third base if you don't improve the pitching. THE BIG STARTER. It is Ervin Santana and will be so again. You hope he has one more year in his psyche. But being the #1 starter and not getting to 10 victories because....... When was the last time a Twins team had no winning percentage starter. Ervin is making good money and wants to make more as much as he wants to win. That no one blew the Twins away with an offer is beyond me. But I don't see Gibson OR Hughes coming to that spot in the rotation. We may see Berrios, may see Gonsalves, may even see Stewart surprise us...in 2018 or 2019. THE JOE MAUER DILEMMA. A lot of money. His is a good solid player, but not doing anything thing...flashy. He's there. Being Don Mattingly now. Or Doug Mientkiewicz during his solid seasons. And he will remain there. You'd think if anyone would take him off our hands and if he has a chance to play with a contender, he would go for it. He was the dream of the team when we thought he would be our catcher thru eternity at best, a C/parttimeDH at worst. After the 2016 season, we have no sure answers. We will be starting 2016 all over again in 2017. Can Sano play 3rd. Where does Plouffe go. Too many power hitters who strike out. A centerfielder that may/may not come to the ballpark and play. A rotation that is expensive but uncertain. A bullpen that is a total mess and all those prospect arms are, again, a year away. Do we stick with catching that is defensive or sign another old guy who is...an old guy. Nothing NOTHING was accomplished this year. Some guys shined after a year of not shining, but then the new guys this year may have an off-year next year. When will ALL the pieces come together and work together. 2015 was a winning season, a winning season just, and a surprise. It was something to build, possibly a tad on. But to die in a division which, on paper at the year's beginning was pretty even, but the Twins were still coming up behind because they didn't make many off-season changes - no one NO ONE thought they would outdo (still yet to see) their prior run of four losing seasons. If one thing happened, Jim Pohlad recognized TOTAL SYSTEM FAILURE but is still stymied on how it got there and how to fix it.