Rosterman

The Twins need to add and look a Garver by at least this September. There is no reason to keep Centeno on the 40-man once the season ends. The question is spending on Ramos, who may be having a career year (and remember, this is catcher we are talking about...who says he can "catch" for 3-4 more seasons). The Nationals should be seeking trades themselves while exploring a cheaper backstop. If you can firm up the lineup, then you can decide if youc an live with a catcher capable of throwing out runners and calling pitches. Losing John H\icks was a paid and part of the system failure. I had thought that he should've come straight to the majors out of spring training with Murphy starting the year at Rochester. That we lost him in such an inane non-player move is a big bad mark against the front office. That, combined with the Arcia decision, shows system failure fer sure. Not that he would be a starter, but maybe between him and Murphy we wouldn't be having this discussion or this total system failure behind-the-plate worry. Of course, Drew Butera might be available. But I would give Garver a chance to show his stuff, play him in the AZFL and winter ball, and have him come to spring training to see if he can be at least a part-time starter. And I wouldn't give up on Turner yet, but move him to Rochester, too, and let him experience some of those AAAA pitchers and runners.

Mauer was THAT draft choice, St. Paul kid, great hitter. better football player, plus he was a catcher. Somehow, he became the hometown fave, the FACE of the franchise. When he came off a great season and it was time to sign that BIG contract (not that he hadn't already pocketed some dough), the powers-that-be cringed at what would happen if Joe would be allowed to walk. And they still cringe when they thought of him in a Red Sox or any other uniform. (Are we cringing that Morneau was a Pirate, a Rockie or...White Sox). If the Twins kept any player...it had to be JOE MAUER. But wait, have we ever had a face of the franchise? Okay, Harmon Killebrew, but Griffith allowed him to walk to Kansas City. Kirby Puckett. Yes. Others? Santana took his $120m needs elsewhere. Knoblauch demanded a trade. Hunter signed for $90m. Mike Cuddyer refused a hometown discount. Nathan grabbed the first free agent offer made to him. The Twins traded Zolio, Bert, Kaat, Pascual. Even Hrbek retired, albeit not gracefully. It's not like the Twins are the Yankees, the need to have someone, anyone follow someone or another and make mini-dynasties (Jeter) or not (Mattingly). Can the Twins live with Mauer out of the picture? Seems now they should, as he is an adequate first baseman (shades of Dougie M). But would anyone take on his contract? Is there a better park he could play in that might keep what was a Hall of Fame career as a catcher going? Unless, of course, baseball would treat a franchise player the same way as, say, football. Above and beyond the salary needs of the team, as what that player is paid is part salary and part branding. But to the Pohlads, it still comes out of the same purse. You can't build a mid-market (or small market) franchise around one player. You can't even build a franchise around a rotating group of players (i.e. Oakland). But we embraced Joe as a multi-million longterm player (eh, catcher) just as we did buy into the Pohlads opening their purse and Ryan able to spend money on free agent pitchers (albeit Nolasco, Pelfrey, Hughes, Santana, Schaffer) and thought it was better to spend than allow them to keep and spend on their own desires and needs.

Yes, you need a director of baseball operations. A Super GM and a solid secondary GM. You can still have all your assistants, scouting direction, player personenl, etc. etc. etc. But someone has to look at the overall on-field product, not just adding a bar in the centerfield area. You also have to have a plan. Go beyond "The Twins Way" popularized how far back by Tom Kelly and Co? you have to go beyond being competitive in your division, or actually do look at your division and the moves they make. Or you rebuild until you are ready to go head-to-head, and not just the division, but the whole of major league baseball as you do play teams in the other league now. You continue to craft a team that plays in your stadium and plays well together. Maybe the whole mistake can fall on the shoulders of one guy: Dare I say Joe Mauer? Hometown kid. Amazing hitter. Outstanding catcher. The Face of a Franchise. The guy who makes us remember fondly of Killebrew, Puckett. But how many faces do you have/need in a franchise? We have had many and they were all tradable...from Bert and Frankie to Aggie and Pascual. We have Gagne and Carew. Gary Gaetta, and the walking Hunter. Battey and Allison. All solid players. None a franchise king, but they did their turns with worthiness. Does it all boil down to us giving joltin' Joe that super contract, and not realizing that there would be concussion issues (probably not...no one cared about performance enhancing rugs for years). We allowed the franchise to be built around him, and his Kemp's ads and brother Billy's car dealership and the goodness of the Mauer family and the ties to Cretin-Derham Hall and St. Paul. Great stuff, great story. But it is something they can't get out from under, even when we sympathize with the eyesight but cringe at the singles, a year with more K's than walks, no more talk of the "super batting machine for teaching hitters." When he came up for contract, the powers-that-be cringed that they had to keep him at any price...something the Twins didn't do with Killebrew or Carew, passed on with Kaat and Blyleven, parted ways with Viola and Santana...all loved and adored and the face of the franchise for a moment, and then instantly "okay, a member of another team." My wife cringes that Justin Morneau is now a White Sox. It didn't phase her too much when he was a Pirate or a Rockie, for some reason. She misses him, but he wasn't contributing, was an albatross hat we all liked, but there really was no place in the inn for his glove and bat. We parted company. Did people stop coming to games because we traded Zoilo, we dumped Aggie on the Red Sox (but shrewdly got him back). Shane Mack and Jack Jones moved on. Hunter took $90m. Santana demanded $120m. Knoblauch was applauded for leaving. No one really cried when Hrbek hung up his spikes. Smalley and Gladden still stir nice thoughts, but left for longer careers. Like the notorious franchise of franchises, the Yankees. Do people care when the Mantle era ends, or the JoeD? Maybe in New York they do, and try hard to make those franchise players "gods" of sorts. Happily, Minnesota is not New York. We don't need a franchise god. We don't need to elevate someone above the pinnacle of baseball's finest. Heck, Griffith couldn't keep Killebrew as a a lifer with Harmon ending his career as a Royal. Maybe we don't need Joe around anymore. If the Twins suffer or eat a loss, then let Joe go somewhere, anywhere. Be content that he had many fine seasons in Minnesota and is a Hall-of-Fame catcher who might not get in the Hall of Fame because he couldn't go beyond the backstop in the end.

As the 40-man spots become available (and we have two empties right now) I see no reason for adding in anyuone who would be considered for the 40-man roster early. I would rather see these guys get the call,rather than continue to have guys like Burnett or Ramirez take up space. It is a good time to get an advance look at possible placeholders and potential starters. It should be used as such. Sadly, buys like Kintzler, Grossman, Boshers, Ramirez and the ilk can be refound again (did we keep Boyer a second season). Grossman is intriguing, but do you keep him and not Rosario or Santana, for example, and as we see, wqe have Palka and Walker in the wings. Heck, maybe we should tradeoff anotehr centerfielder early (Buxton). I would love to see Hildenberger come up in September, as wellas Reed or Jones. I doubt Burdi is ready. But Bard may be in need for a decision. Wimmers has shown that he should get a shot...a dozen innings. Again, anyone added to the 40-man during the season can be dropped anytime during the off-season. If they are added in December, you need to keep them on the 40-man thru spring training. And, anyone removed from the 40-man must also go thru waivers. I imagine teams are salivating looking at the Twins rosters for Rule 5 draftee possibilities, or minor league Rule 5 draftees. If the front office is doing anything else of importance, they should be recognizing those prospects that are expendable and packaging them with the salary they team wishes to shed to get back some possible prospects that add depth to their system (catching, always pitching, power, speed) that don't need protection for at least another season or even two.

We will find out if the Twins do have a plan. Maybe they aren't doing a total retool, ala Atlanta Braves. But the number of possible prospects is mind-boggling. What has to be decided is the direction the franchise wishes to take. Looking at the players the Twins overpaid, they are probably seeing that no one is knocking down the door to get players from them. Why trade when the Twins might release. Why get someone expensive when someone equally as good is available at a lower price. Why get someone that is being pushed aside by a Twins prospect. Every single season a team makes a signing mistake. A player gets injured and their career downslides. You are forced to cover a bad contract. The Twins have been hit hard...Ryan getting the blame for spending Pohlad's money in free agency (as we all wanted him to do rather than let them keep it) on a half-dozen failed starters. On the flipside, he didn't keep "our" free agents, with the money Target Field was sending our way...which to me reads that a player shouldn't expect a home town discount anymore. We lost Nathan, Cuddyer, whatever. I do admire when Ryan picks up those minor league free agents. Problem is, the AAA (and AA) roster is full of more of these guys than necessary, and if you find space for them in the majors, then you have something wrong when the worst of another team's players can find space on your roster. Sure, a percentage will shine...because they like playing in the majors and want to play in the majors. But that doesn't necessarily create a winning team. Right now, we will cry if the Twins trade away the contracts. But we will be getting salary relief. And 2015 was a box-office success for the Twins, this year we have yet to see what the doldrums of August and definitely September will do to the Twins coffers. But any money saved...what happens to it. Will they overspend down the road, still harp at that magic 55% nuber (although you can be assured that they won't be at 55% the next couple of seasons). We hear words from Pohlad that he never prevented Ryan from signing a player, but why did Ryan feel handcuffed to make his money go further with many middle-line players. The team may be a glorious grab for a general manager who wants to do something. but will he get carte blanc with the prospects, no payroll constraints. Does he really have to keep the same field staff next season. Will management look and listen when a guy talks about building towards 2018 and 2019...who is that "remain competitive within the division" mindset still there for 2017 and just as long as butts show up for the seats, the powers-that-be remain happy. And, sad to say, the Twins have to address the Joe Mauer issue. Is he still the face of the franchise? Is he blocking us from playing equally as good players (and cheaper) at first or DH. Is this the field playing salary cog that the Twins have to live with for a couple more years, and then make a decision again to keep him around for another 4-5 years in case he does remain a Hall of Famer or All-Star. Who will be the next great players on the Minnesota Twins? Can they afford to keep them? Will they continue to look towards solid team players who play "The Twins Way" (hummm...Tom Kelly in the GM decisionmaking process). Or will they gamble, take REAL chances. The flurry of past signing endeavors add up to quite a few failures that could've ben one Big success, if played correctly. Two weeks. We find out if the Twins overvalue their players or not. The month of August, we see if anyone cares to pick up salaries, or if the Twins eat a lot of crow.

The reality of baseball is that there is changeover. Yes, there are only so many jobs, but if you are a solid baseball person, you will find another job. To work your entire career in one organization is a blessing (and a curse). The Twins have long kept guys around a lot longer than the new world of baseball. Partly because they have really only had two owners in their half-century. And they also thought they were developing front office talent. Yet MacPhail came from outside. And they did allow a couple of guys to walk away from heir own system: Krvinsky and Gebhard are two.

I can only imagine the circling of the wagons in the front office and figuring out what to do for the rest of the season. Do they trade or keep? How do they market the team if it is a team of prospects? How do they fight the media overkill the Vikings and US Bank Stadium will grab in the city and the media. IF THE TEAM continues to play as it has, the September seats will be pretty darn bare with lots of unsold hotdogs and beers. And forget not having a jersey that anyone cares about...at the moment. They have to seriously question who ahs the right idea about where the franchise is going in the front office and hope the new general manager will be able to work with some of them. They have to put faith and trust into the farm system and reevaluate the talent from the GCL to the few prospects on the AAA roster. They need to find a field staff that will work towards the future, which means deep-six ALL the current field staff. They need to get the young guys out in the community as much as possible, be it to hospitals, public events, their own stores for their own fans. And they have to have the players show a love of playing the game at Target Field in Minneapolis. If players don't want to be here, why would the fans want to be here. And if, in the next two weeks, we get rid of most of the vet presence, I would like to see the field staff changed and some of the minor league staff promoted, at least to keep working magic with the youngsters, if we consider their magic working in the minors. And, at last, I would consider any August waiver claim of a player or a big contract. If someone wants Mauer, maybe it is time to cut the ties that bind. Then figure out WHO you want to spend money on the next two years and go after them bigtime with an eye on the prize in 2018 (at the earliest) or 2019 as a given. Blow the other teams out of the marketplace. Spend that money Pohlad says Terry wouldn't ask him about. Or it is going to be a very tough season ticket sell in 2017. The New Twins, we will need to get to know them, see them play, feel their hopes and dreams, go along for the ride.

It's a tough call. You would think that if Escobar pushed himself really hard, he could put up almost similar numbers (i.e. home runs and stolen bases) as Nunez. This is a career year for Nunez, he knows it, he isn't letting up, and I wonder if he is secretly hoping for a trade (to be on a winner) and looking for a nice paycheck or multi-year contract. At best, for the Twins, he COULD be the regular shortstop again next season (with Escobar or Santana or Polanco as the backup - which means we should be looking at Escobar as tradebait then). The plus is that he does show some punch. He could also play third base in a pinch if Sano would go down for any length of time (compared to, say, Escobar). That is assuming that something also happens to Plouffe. But beyond 2017, is there a place for him with the Twins (too expensive). So, the good side says trade when his value is the highest. Yet what is his value. Like our own Paul Molitor, does any team consider him a starter or just a glorified utility guy. Would you trade for Nunez over, say, Valencia or Plouffe or even Escobar is the scheme of things. If I was looking for a shortstop with potential (Seattle) I would look at Escobar as someone to keep around for a few years and could be considered more of a starter than a utility guy. Trading either means we can get a look at Polanco, and then worry about the logjam in the outfield - Grossman, Rosario, Buxton, Santana, Kepler and maybe a callup of Walker. Whew! We might have another centerfielder to trade!

He is a free agent at year's end. You trade him and get something in return. If you truly want him back, you go after him in the offseason. But I would feel better if we got some return on the past investment than just seeing him walk. Face it, we aren't getting any better this year. We need more player options in the way of prospects. If we just let him walk...we have zip.

Santana. He is probably worth the most right now, today, for any team looking for pitching...and his consistency will work in his favor for another team absorbing his contract. If you decided to hang on for some team to overpay, they will (1) go elsewhere (2) don't call. In the Twins favor, it gives them payroll relief (not that unspent payroll carries from season to season). His value might not necessarily increase as you pitch for a losing team. Yes, there are few off-season free agents, which makes him even more attractable to a team that will score 4+ runs in a game adding him to the rotation if they are prepping to lose someone themselves. That we replace him in the rotation with, say, Berrios. Well, who is to say that Berrios WON'T knock off 4-5 quality starts before season's end that will make him that much more valuable as we enter next season. Milone passed thru waivers. The Twins can dangle him out there again and hope someone bites and grabs his contract and will give us a lowend prospect in return. Otherwise, look to August where any player claimed on waivers can be given to the team as salary relief. Be it Milone or Nolasco or Plouffe...the Twins should do this and move forward. Don't wait for some off-season miracle. I would also dangle Escobar and keep Nunez at this point. I would go with Sano at third and , if need be, have Nunez as the regular shortstop or backup at third. What we do with Danny Santana (infioeld or outfield) is what we keep for the rest of the year, plus advance up Polanco. We bring up Wheeler as a starter and see if he can give us better-than-Milone numbers. Who knows, he might be a sleeper. I would also strongly consider making the fifth spot (in place of Nolasco departing) as a rotating spot to have an early look at Stewart, Gonsalves, a look at Baxendale and any other starting pitcher you expect to add to the 40-man roster this offseason and who has a good chance of contributing to the team at some point in 2017. It doesn't look like May will be stretched. We can always consider Dean the guy in reserve. We can hope Meyer gets some starts and also some major league starts come September. I would seriously consider, given the Twins placement in the standings come September 1, to go with a six-man rotation and give GREAT looks to future starters as well as bring up ANY relief pitcher you have room for on the 40-man who will also be added to the 40-man (Zack Jones, for one). I honestly don't think keeping Nolasco and Santana dn their salaries into 2017 will make the Twins a better or more competitive team. I would go for the salary relief (although, again, the savings won't carry over, sadly) and see what we have in youth. If you can make a mental note in your books and pay out above your quota for $$$ in 2018...I would take those Nolasco and Santana savings and get a top-flight starter. And then, throw into the mix, the NEED for a new front office and field staff. That is job #1 at this point, too. Get someone who will rebuild with what we have in prospects and go forth from there.

I would rather see the Twins gamble on Chargolis, Reed and Melotakis as the season progresses than, say, Burnett, Boshers and the continued Kintzler (plus Abad). I would rather go and trade the vet minor league guys and see what we drafted and their potential. I mean, the Twins really can't climb that high this season, can they? And if we continue to drag, let's do it with the future, not the scrap heap. If the future isn;t there, than we do have a true system failure starting with the scouting department, the draft, and the training these guys get in the minors.

Come back and see the game. You shouldn't have any trouble getting a good seat this season for a decent price. And you gotta love the trash the Twins throw on the scoreboard/television between innings. Everybody clap your hands. Yes, the Stadium is a wonderful environment to watch a professional baseball game. But also recommend the Saint Stadium (which is usually sold out) if you desire better and cheaper food, the same outdoors, and a quality game on the field against more evenly matched teams.

Okay. Let's put some more thought into fixing the product on the field. That is ultimately which gets the nacho eaters and beer drinkers to the stadium, and keeps them there for the long haul! That and especially players kids will identify with to play the game. You gotta get the guys out into the community, FO, and not just on phones.

We can argue all we want about the Ramos trade. It was a surprise, and even the throw-in of Joe Testa was more than enough for an okay possible closer (who still had contract left). But, yes, Ramos was blocked. And the Twins would've done the up-down with him for at least another season and then made him a backup and there was probably hope that the Twins would actually have another catcher in the wings by the time Mauer left fulltime behind-the-plate in 2016 or 2017 or 2018 (we had Pinto in the mix at one point - who is doing a-ok in the Brewers system right now). I don't really have a handle on how the Twins do teach.train.view their prospects. They seem to spend a lot of time in the lowly minors and then get a shot at AA, but the AAA roster always seems full of...dare I say...fodder. I see the Twins carefully bring guys thru the system (again, to AA) and then they end up not going anywhere in the organization, or even baseball. At what point DO YOU make the call on a prospect. That they are just playing ball for you in the minors or truly will be given a good hard shot at the majors...and more than a quick call-up and then demotion. Especially when you see how anxious the Twins are to play those guys they grab from the cuts of other systems and give them a chance and playing time: Grossman, Kintzler, Boyer, Abad, Fryer, Bernier, Centeno, Mastro, Boshers, Pressly, Graham, Ramirez, Pino, Martis, Perdomo, Vasquez, Marquis, Carson, Burroughs, Komatsu, Roenicke, Deduno, Walters, Thomas, Burton, Schafer, Neil Ramirez, Schafer, Robinson, Cotts, Thompson, Fuld, COlabello, Thielbar,,,and Mr. Nunez. That's a lot of names in five years that the Twins turned to rather than young guys in their system that they drafted and were developing for major league play. More so that people that they brought north in the past five (mostly) dismal years to fill the lineup from the guys who scout high school and colleges. Maybe the Twins JUST need to skip the draft and turn all their scouting to discards from other teams. Or maybe your sole reason for having "prospects" is to trade for good pieces, but not necessarily the best or what you really need to go forth into playoff land if and when that time rolls around. And then we can have the whole argument about hanging onto players too long and getting nothing in return: Kubel, Cuddyer, Nathan, Willingham, Delmon Young, Fien and Burton. It is a two-way street. You make your players available for pieces that you are missing in your own system (right now, catcher fer sure) and deal accordingly. You should be dangling Abad out there for a promising catcher who is blocked at the major league level for another team -- if that team is foolish enough to see that their own catcher won't be playing behind-the-plate for five more years and they may suddenly need this top prospect sooner rather than never. I'm still just feeling the "total system failure" happening. The attitude that we will try to put a competitive team on the field for the least amount of money, market the heck out of an outdoor stadium that gives the "fan experience" to watching a game played, and the hopes that people will buy into the sport of baseball as fun, and not as a need to win-it-all, or at least show a need to try to win-it-all above and beyond telling people we are doing so. Looking forward to the second half. But someone/s do have take a fall for what happened in the first half.

It's nice when a team has the roster space and ability to give players an opportunity to build some value. But we are still in last place when all is said and done.

And now we can also look at Alex Wimmers MAYBE finally fitting in somewhere. Or will he be the next Anthony Slama?

So I am now a confused owner. For a pro-rated major league minimum, I can either grab Jepsen or go after Joba Chamberlain. Someone will find a place for Jepsen now...with the Twins eating his salary. Oliveros, a guy with a super arm. But got broke last season and was picked up by the Royals.

Some of it is that players in question have to start doing something if they want to keep their jobs, find jobs, or be wanted by another team (or even the Twins). But when you look at the bigger picture, the Twins are still dead last. They have some overpriced players (Plouffe, Suzuki, Nolasco, Santana) and the appeal these guys MIGHT have to other teams can be underwritten by possibly equal candidates for less dollars elsewhere. Plus teams CAN play a wait-and-see what the Twins do, or just see what the Twins will do in the off-season. The Twins major issues are: What to do about catching. They have to see Murphy up here. They will need to protect Garver AND Turner come the off-season. They don't need to protect Centeno. They don't need to pay Suzuki $6 million. Crowded outfield. Suddenly the Twins may have another centerfielder as a trade chip (Buxton). Wait, don't go there. Rosario, Grossman, Kepler are more than enough right now. Santana can also play out there. Walker and Palka are in the wings. Who is this Granite guy. Hummm...maybe they can trade a highly regarded prospect centerfielder?! 1B/DH. Took care of the Arcia issue. Vargas is showing life...he likes those major league paychecks and meal money. Park will be back and we can see what we have here. Happily, once we pass the posting fee (which was in this year's budget, I hope, and not prorated) we CAN take a bath on him if need be. Mauer is making up for all the singles Vargas won't hit, while Vargas is doing the extra bases we expect from a first base guy. Palka could play first base. Kepler did play some first base. Plouffe could transition into first base at $10 million a year (or be a supersub. We have a mess in the inner infield. What do do with Polanco is the magic question, although he can just be a bench guy for at least a season while we delay the Dozier decision. But what of Nunez? Regular at shortstop? Where do we play Escobar (supersub). Is Santana in that mix, too. I think we see right now, on the field and on the bench, the 25-man roster for next year with a change in catcher, a decision on Plouffe, being the only significant off-season offensive changes. We will still have Joe doing what he does in 2017. Pitching is another fine mess. At least Nolasco and Milone are increasing their value, possibly, to another team. But we will be stuck with Hughes and Perkins coming off injuries. Hey, what about this WImmers huy as closer at AAA. What gives? Now if we can get Alex Meyer up and running. I can start to dream.

If you see Vielma as a bonafide prospect, then you look at Dozier vs. Polanco and make a trade decision there.But if keeping BOTH Polanco and Dizoer, Vielma will egt lost in the shuffle and stands to be passed by any number of other players in the system. It's what makes a general manager's job tough. Who to keep and who to pass. Vielma is one of those guys that if you aren't going to keep him, does he get you a better return when packaged, say, with a veteran and salary you wish to rid yourself of.

So, Palka can also play first base, right?

You have an awful amount of money available (and required) to be paid to your top draft picks. The players chosen will pretty much know what they are getting. No more choosing, say, a Ben Revere because he may cost less and is eager to sign. Drafted players are pretty much working against each other now...If a team decides to pass you by for someone else, there is a reason (or a more significant need). It is also an investment. Out of the millions spent each year by a team, truly how many players make it to the show for any significant time with the drafting team or another. And with the ability to trade picks sooner rather than later, you should basically go after the best available. This has changed and I'm not it works well with the longterm Ryan system of scouting. You can't just choose a good or comfortable player and negotiate a bonus. You are locked into a specific amount, or close to it. 250-300 guys know they will be getting decent money to start their minor league careers. You pretty much put yourself out there willing to accept whatever you get for the level you are drafted, or make known your needs to continue growth by going to college. And then you have to get these guys thru the system in x-amount of time and know you only have so many years of control. It's a tough and expensive job. But, ultiamtely, you go after the best talent available now. You supposedly have the money to spend. Maybe the problem is that Terry, like his free agent spending, is happy to spend the money...sometimes now overpaying for the talent.

Good point. Best point is...hey, Nunez is in the All-Star Game...now I do have to watch. But I'm not sure who would be the best representative that would make anyone from Minnesota watch the All-Star game...unless you are have Sano, Park or Arcia (wait) in the Home Run Derby.

This is the situation the Twins now find themselves. If they add the guy, is he a keeper. Do you remove, say, Centeno for Garver or Turner. Will Garver or Turner play next year. How many players like Landa, Melotakis and Romero can you carry that may not contribute until 2018 or beyond. Do you let the Boshers, Grossmans and Kintzlers walk and maybe resign to a minor league contract? Out of all the players mentioned above, the Twins HAVE TO look at names like Palka and Granite and see if they wish to trade Rosario, Santana or even Walker, for example. What role would Walker (Ryan) or Vielma play on the Twins next season or in the future? Who out of ALL those names would a major league club grab to keep on the 35 man for a year. Who DO YOU RISK losing in the minor league portion. Do you pass on Wimmers and Meyer and hope you can still keep them around. Do we have a list of the guys who are eligible (Seth?) and who will be minor league free agents? Again, this is a list the Twins need to carefully go over as the July trading deadline swings into force and the Twins MAY have to package a prospect or two to rid themselves of, say, a Nolasco or Plouffe, and get someone still promising but not needing protection in return.

Projections are always fun meaningless excursions into what-might be. Like the guys on other teams that might win 30 games this year. Ha! How about this: last year it took the Twins 161 games before being eliminated from the playoffs. This season, it took only one game!

And would love to hear, say, Joe Mauer's take on the bat and how the ax swing works versus the way he was taught with the Mauer Hitting Machine!