Rosterman

I like the concept of stealing bases as much as anyone. The bigger issue is getting a jump on a grounder or being able to go from first to third. A true basestealer is a singles hitter who then puts pressure on the pitcher on the mound which effects what he throws the next batter or two. Otherwise, base stealing is very selective. You have the chance to get hurt, or not accomplish much. Yes, I am sad Revere is gone...expect him to steal 100 bases some year, but who knows. Maybe it will be Hicks, who will pan out more like San with power. Maybe we have to wait for Buxton. Maybe Florimon or Escobar will take to the paths. Base stealing is more about the threat of stealing bases than actually doing it...most of the time.

Looking at the bigger picture, Mauer is a #3 hitter, assuming someone gets on base before him. It will help him to have those additional pitches to look at. Hicks is a mess. He will need to go down and just work his tail off. Question is...do the Twins promote Benson for the heck of it and start Mastro more often than not. They are giving Hicks a pretty good leash. The Twins could probably do without Carroll if someone would take him...bring up a 3B/UT guy with a bit more bench punch. Now, Butera making $700,000 looks really bad. I also feel for DeVries and Deduno, both who came up lame and may have missed the one big opportunity to shine. Both fell in the pecking order. Of course, Hendriks isn't showing improvement and we have yet to see Hernandez. So, who knows.

Benson has to tear at AAA. The Twins still have to make a decision on Morneau, and this looks like the year they will make a decision, too, on Parmelee. The more I think about it, the Twins will make a qualifying offer on Morneau if he produces and Parmelee falters. Benson could be the right fielder if he goes on a tear at Rochester, of replace someone on the bench. The Twins still have him and control him. It is all up to Benson. First call if someone goes down with an injury! I picture Hicks getting the same chance Dozier did. If he falters, he'll have to struggle. If he really struggles, he may go back down for a stretch, but probably not until late season (i.e. Dozier). He needs to work harder than he has ever worked in his life, but his reward will be a major league job for many many seasons.

You till gotta find room on the 40-man. Do feel one of Wood or Roeincke will be sent packing and/or resigned if no one claims them to a minor league option. If Prssly continues to pitch well, see him opening with the Twins and a decision on him being made when Swarzak is ready -- look forward to the Twins playing Swarzak in the minors as long as they can (three weeks). Collabero and Thome would require 40-man spots, both are the same guy at this point...a bat off the bench. If the Twins need first base backup it is Parmelee and playing Mastro in right. Doubt that the Twins, at this point, will sign Thome. I also hope the youthful Burnett starts the year at AAA.

You have to look at who is on the 40-man. Guerra is moot. He'll be a minor league disability like Blackburn and Oliveros. Slama is already gone and not on the 40-man. You want to add two bench names from three guys, also on the 40-man. You want to keep Pressly. The Twins, barring a 60-day disability, have no 40-man spots. Possibly Pressly would be one if not kept. Maybe they will deep-six Roeincke and Wood, but see them keeping at least one of the duo. Not sure what wil happen with Butera. If Burnett can't make the team again, I doubt that Robertson will.

Sorrento was that 26th man. They couldn't option him out and he couldn't play the outfield. Not that he had staggering numbers, but considering that Herbie went down and the Twins were 1st baseman less. At least Parmelee can lay the outfield. And remember, next year and longterm, the Twins have Doumit as back-up, and an also play Mauer there, although who DHs or catches is the question (again, Butera catching is not the answer). I still feel, like the Twins should've done with Koskie, and maybe Cuddyer, is sign Morneau to a contract as the potential DH who can also play a position. But like the Twins braintrust, I would not give him more than $18-20 as a 2-year/option year contact right now, and I'[m sure Morneau is thinking he can get $10-12 for multi-years if he proves dynamite this season.

The Twins mindset...they want him at x-dollars a year. We see how well that worked out with Baker, Nathan and Cuddyer. I would deep-six him during spring training. If he shines elsewhere, then he deserves a big contract in the world of free agency. If he only plays halfway decent, then the Twins might be able to make a competitive offer and bring him back. But jsut keep the thoughts of Baker, Nathan and Cuddyer in the back of your mind. I think you can get more for him during the spring than at trade deadline, at least then it is the other team's ball to sign him longer or not, or offer him the $13+ million plus and see if he rejects it.

It's a gamble, too. Will Willingham repeat? The Twins should've traded Young after his above average season. But they waited and his stock fell. Of course, spring training is around the corner and many things happen as players get injured and needs arise.

Yeah, missed this year thru a variety of schedule commitments. Nice line up of oldsters and new guys and because of the cold, had to be pretty warm inside.

Kevin Slowey's one year will be overlooked. Frankie Rodriguez, the guy who was mad when sent to the bullpen because starters will make more money. Walbeck isn't the worst catcher in the system. He had some promise, and the Twins surrounded him by the likes of Matt Merullo, Mike Durant and Derek Parks those seasons before going after Greg Myers. Somehow he played over the course of a decade in the majors. Catchers (backup) always seem to find jobs. Blanco, Morales, Corky Miller, are still hanging around!

Is Joe Benson still a rookie? I think he will step-it-up and grab major attention!

The only person staying warm is TC Bear, who I understand HAS to sleep outside!

Yes TC Bear!

Yes, the worst player on a major league roster is probably better than anyone we had in our high school or college teams. Go figure!

Kevin Maas. Adam Johnson. Phil Roof. Jerry Zimmerman.

The order sucks. Until a viable lead-off hitter emerges, you can't even worry about #2. I don's see Willingham or Morneau being the best $3 hitter, either. And what happens, if by chance, Morneau is traded. Your top three hitters need to get on base and put the ball into play (and not force an out). No strikeout guys. Also, at #2, Mauer would just be pitched around more often than not. But, again, with no #1 or #2 hitter, teams don't have to worry about Mauer coming up with someone on base. The Twins line-up is a mess. How do you bat Doumit/Parmelee/Plouffe. It looks like Florimon/Dozier or Escobar bring up the rear. Mastro/Carroll/Hicks in the opening frame...maybe Benson. If we think Ryan hasn't gien us competitive pitching, look at the line-up, folks.

Perkins is the closer, although I would prefer to see duties split, as need be, between him and Burton. The deciding factor, though, is save opportunities. Nothing like having a closer and only winning 65 games. Basically, you have two good guys and can use them in rotation, be it in a game you win or lose. You always hate it when you don't use the closer during a 3-4-5 game streak, or use them in that fifth loss, and then need him the next day or two in games you may win.

Line-up construction. Can others besides Mauer get on base consistently at the top of the order. Is Morneau around for the long haul. Will Parmelee and Plouffe follow him and strike fear in the hearts of pitchers everywhere?

Josh Roenicke is also in the mix. And the Twins will be taking a hard look at Caleb Thielbar as a lefty. So, I picture Swarzak on the bubble. Wood would have to stay or be lost, I believe. DeVries could also be long man. Two interesting cases in the minors. Guerra made it thru waivers. The Twins can look at him all year and add him back on the 40-man for 2014, although he would be out of options. If the Twins choose to add Slama back on the 40-man in 2014, I believe that would be his last option year, so they could keep him in the organization and send him up and down in 2014 before making a hard decision on him come 2015...sadly for Slama...who shouldn't been Rule 5 pickup by anyone the last two seasons.

The three fellows who voted form The Sporting News...one voted for ten, the other two only found five folks to vote for.

Just from the past decade: Adam Johnson and Brad Thomas. Seth Gresinger might apply. Of course, Humber and Mulvey never panned out. Matt Maloney. Nishi joins such stalwarts as Bret Boone, Rondell White and Phil Nevin Anyone remember Kevin Maas as the DH surprise. Buteras are like Jerry Zimmerman. Served a purpose.

It was that 10-game hitless streak that doomed him, along with a lethargic Twins line-up that season.

Also passing on where former major league guys Ed Stevens (11 years) and Hal Keller (3 years), who were early scouts for the Minnesota Twins and Griffith associates. Plus, Tom Umphlett, who was a minor league prospect 1964-67 and minor league manager and coach 1968-72.

The only reason cards went towards adults was because of the money-to-spend factor, but it is still a wonderful hobby. And the biggest thing is to remember that most adults that collect were once kids. I remember back when you got a single card and a stick of gum for a penny. We would religiously keep track of our purchases on checklists. Cards were released monthly, a new checklist, over the summer. We would actively trade. (A side note, my dad, during the thirties, told stories of the local store that would open all packs and for your pennies you could choose a card that you wanted out of those available and a stick of gum). We learned math. Those stats on the back. We would play dice games. Eventually, you could but a whole set at a time and "real" board games were introduced for cards. I still remember my first autograph, and then attending the 60s welcome home banquets for my hometown Twins. The players got a kick out of seeing their cards. Another side note: Twin players used to park in the lot surrounding Metropolitan Stadium and small group of kids wee always on hand looking for that autographed card or ball. Sadly, what something is worth, condition, and all these other factors have made cards a big business. But as long as here is baseball and kids, there will be cards. Check out: Minnesota Twins Baseball Cards, Autographs, Publications, Memorabilia, Players, Stats, History, Collectibles to see the labors of lover of a few now adults!

Winning makes the whole stadium issue look good. And the Vikings have to hold that game plan while it is built. Do I see a similar scenario as what is happening in Twinsville. I can get down on the Twins, but the last two seasons aren't entirely their fault. They spent a lot in 2011 and had injuries to main guys throughout the year. The whole rotation, which I thought would've been easily good for 50-60 victories alone, imploded. Both of the problems that happened (during the season) were insurmontable by a team like the Twins to go out and purchase the one or two necessary pieces needed to win, let alone just compete in the short-term. As I looked at 2013, I did see hope. Money to spend. Pitchers available. A few holes that could be patched in the offense. But the offense became weaker when you basically traded away your number 1-2 hitters with no repalcements in sight. And no one really to step in if you wave some dollars at them. There is a weakness in the infield besides in a year in which the candidates you could buy are on the same level as the ones you have. The money that could be spent on pitching was to do a patchwork job for at least a year to give new guys time to develop or implode, as well as basically refurbishing a weakness in the organization of hard throwers compared to the multitude of pitch-to-contact guys that will be spending time at High-A and AA with dreams now shattered of pitching in the major leagues. It is a smoke-and-mirrors offseason. Usually the Twins appear to do enough to look like they can win bigtime and end up doing enough to remain competitive. But they clearly need to totally retrench and go into rebuild mode, which is sad because it can easily be a 1-3 year process, depending on what teams around you do. Twinsfest: Who will pay to go to this event!?