Rosterman

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!?

The spending/ non-spending is a tough call. The Twins conceivably could've kept one of Span or Revere and then just been a middle-infielder and a bench out of offense competition. They could've spent $20-25 million on a couple more higher end free agents, and appear to be much more competitive than they are now. As the team currently stands, they want Correia for 2014 but not Pelfrey. Might as well trade Morneau, entertain offers on Willingham, and go ahead and start Buxton in 2013 (it worked for Harper and Trout). If we need to suffer, be it watching the so-called potential, rather than the rehads and minor league free agents. No, the savings from last year (spent in the draft, supposedly) and the epic savings this year, combined with the TC money coming in next year...I still see the Twins paying off their aprt of the Target Field loan sooner rather than later. Of course, season ticket holders get a 10% discount on concessions in 2013. Final question: who will be the Twins lone All-Star in 2014. Well, I guess Mauer is a fer sure if he wants to play. But if not Mauer, than who?

The Twins were thinking about Thielbar. Duensing will shine if they keep him in the bullpen.

I would think Swarzak would have some value for a team looking for that middle reliever who can eat innings. The Twins can't cut him without losing him. I would be exploring ANY trade options for the guy right now. The other issue: Who on the current 40-man roister is expendable. If the Twins needed to add someone, anyone, who would go. Roeinke, Wood? Butera or Herrmann? Do the Twins really need to keep Pressly (we will find out). There isn't a lot of chaf to cut and you either have to find a place for a Benson, Hicks, Arcia in the majors, perhaps, because you aren't waivering them off the roster. Even with names like Boggs, Ramierz, Caba in the background and worthy callups if someone goes down, they would still need a roster spot. That is where things get difficult. Hendriks, DeVries, Gibson are the abckup starters. You don't add Perdumo, Walters, Vasquez because there is no way to add them right now. Even Harden, if you choose to carry him, will need to find a 40-man spot. So that does put folks Like Swarzak, Butera, Florimon on the bubble (out of options) and will have the Twins taking hard looks at people like Burnet, Robertson and Escobar.

Neither is on the 40-man, so doubt that either will get a callup next year. See how they deal with pitch selection and fielding. Buxton got a little of the hard minor league life and Eliz and will do more of the same at Cedar Rapids. Unless he tears up A ball and moves to High-A and tears that up, he'll be putting in his time...hopefully returning to Ft. Myers and it's everyday play and state of the art conditioning facilities for the latter part of the year. Sano still has issues...maturity, weight, language, fielding skills. He should get all that at Ft. Myers and if an injury happens in AA ball, he'll move up if he can play everyday and face harder pitching. Picture both starting 2014 in the minors if they don't need to be added to the 40-man, but getting a preview look. I picture Buxton actually getting to the majors first, depending on the play of Benson and where the Twins end up putting Arcia. The Twins HAVE to address the who's on first and who will DH issue sooner rather than later.

Yeah, he did clear waivers. How did that happen? Could've been grabbed in the Rule 5. Was free to find a job with any other team (Florida, Houston).

I still like the Twins looking at Myers or Padilla....both could bullpen if/when Gibson becomes available. Saunders would be nothing but short term. Jiurgens would be a nice acquisition. And I would still grab Webb and start him at AA and see if he can work his way back. Yes, would like one more starter, a better infielder (even thrid base....move Plouffe to right field) and bring back Thome!

Oh, the question: what Punto bring to the Twins? That row of fans that paint his name on their bare chests and yell "Punto" when he comes to bat!