Rosterman

Yes, it is. What is the price of a 33-year-old reliever. Can you find a comparable non-closer. Burton, is, sadly in the make $2-4 million and shut up. He may be given closer duties (think Rauch or Hawkins) but will never get a permanent job at his age....because of track record. A team wouldmore than likely try an upcomer than just reward him with the higher paying job.

Y'know, this is a no-brainer. Even coming into this year, I think Carroll knew he MIGHT not be the regular, as he hasn't REALLY been a regular, but is capable of playing 2nd/SS/3rd for extended periods if need be. Carroll seems contnt and happy with this role. Considering the Twins seem to want to try out other alternatives at any of those positions, he is nice to have around for at least another year, and if someone does step-up, he is tradebait. The Twins probably could've moved his salary this summer, but for his production and attitude, he is worthwhile to keep in the organization. Of course, looking towards a 2014 option at age 40 next season might create a different attitude come next mid-summer if someone is looking for a quick utility player. He works hard, has a great attitude, and it is always nice to have a veteran with those qualities in the clubhouse. RIght now, I would rather carry the aging Carroll, than a much younger Alexi, even if the salary is the close to the same.

Okay, who are the top 25. The bigger question is will the market be able to pay out that much money for that much starting pitching. I doubt it. So could some bargains, or some nice backend deals.

Yes, putting a ball in play can also cause the forceout or double-play. If he is batting #2, he has to have the ability to sacrifice. If he leads off, he has to figure out a way to totally tilt the slap-hit or bunt to his favor...he can assume he MIGHT beat out any grounder in the infield.

There is no reason Baker can't and shouldn't take the buyout and see if someone else offers him a 20-year contract with incentives. The Twins have to convince people they can win to get people to sign with them, period.

If he needs a rest....go for it. But it would be nice if he is on the field in someway during the homestands.

Yeah, it doesn't really make sense. But they got another year of him in the system by not 40-manning him, something similar to what they did with Kyle Waldrop and, also, Cole DeVries. Be interesting to see if they try it with Carlos Gutierrez this fall.

You have to also look at the season ticket base, and what happens to the tickets those people don't want. This year, it has taken a while, but people are buying their single game tickets now on stubhub, not the 5,000+ the Twins still have available for every game. My wife and I are also reconsidering our season ticket desire. This was a tough year as jobs made us miss more games in our packet than the norm. We managed to not lose ANY money yet on our ticket resales, which is a plus, actually turning a profit on a couple. Next year, don't see that happening at all. Next year, we see the opportunity to, eprhaps, buy tickets for a game for as little as $5, or a buck. Who knows. The incentive today is the CHANCE to buy A TICKET for the All-Star game. But the strip could cost as much as your season ticket package. This year they are offering a 10% discount on concessions and such. Already get the free magazine and yearbook. I get free pop being a designated driver. I will save a half-buck on my hot-dog. It will be interesting to see how the season ticket base turns out. Like myself, weighing the games assigned for me to go to versus just being able to wak up and buy a ticket (or purchase easily on stubhub -- amazing place, folks......). This month, go to a weeknite game with 30,000 in attendance and roughly count the empty seats.

The Twins may actually be waiting to add Slama as a 40-man guy for the 2013 season rather than waste a year by adding him this year. So that might be good news. Again, anyone added in November can't be cut until after spring training, so you need some dead bodies to cut if you add free agents.

And so many of the guys, starting with the already demoted Thomas, Gray and Maloney, and adding such folks as Walters, Perdumo, let's throw in Butera, Carson, Manship, the injured Gutierrez and Oliveros -- to name but a few would be unclaimed and available again, or easily replaceable by other ilk in the systems. And why not give recognition and expsoure to guys IN your system that you have promoted and supposedly believed in -- Guerra, Slama, Bigley even.

Diamond...you can wait another couple of years. Same with Ben revere right now, see what 2015 will look like. You might try Burton for 2-3 years. Unless he is the closer, he won't be an expensive free agent, especially if he has health issues next year. Plouffe is still cheap...it's more his call...what he wants to make in the next 2-3 years, or is he afraid he will be out. Pretty bad when the crop of this year's BEST Twins aren't crying out for long-term committments.

If Benson could truly be a 20/20 man and hit .250/.260, he would be an okay rightfielder...sorta speedier Cuddyer. Strikeouts do hurt. You like to see more walks if a guy does K alot. A ball in play, be it a grounder or a fly, has the potential to advance a runner. The Twins have a logjam in center, which makes Span expendable right now. We don't need two Spans and Revere is on a quest to turn each single (and walk) into a stolen base double for the next couple of years, or until we have the Hicks or Buxton play somewhere problem. Mastro is the perfect 4th outfielder right now. He can sill in for guys on the 15-day disabled list. We need Herrmann as the third multi-position catcher, since everyone Butera caught has been traded away. Sadly, the Twins are a team of middle infielders, too many with the same skill set, the only difference is salary. I'n not a longterm Casilla fan, but $2 million for Alexi isn't much different than $2.5+ million for the aging Carroll at this point. My concern for Parmelee is that he can't hit .250 in the majors, even if he hits 15-20 homers. Can we afford to have three players with the same stat set (make Willingham a slighter better 4th) that hit .240-.260 with 15-25 homes at 1st/3rd/RF/LF...the possibility of doing less than that and the rare occurence of doing better? Put Dozier into the mix as a shortstop with more than zero-power, and we have a very average offense headed by the bats of Mauer, Doumit and Revere getting on base at 1-3 clip compared to 1-4/5 of everyone else.

I understand the medical staff were unable to find a heartbeat on the field Wednesday.

if you are ambitious, add them to http://www.twinscards.com

I wished they maybe sent him down sooner, when they decided to Plouffe at third base, and let us look at Chang or Holimon as a backup infielder. Let Carroll play short and Casilla second. When Plouffe went down, bring Burroughs back up for a week after trading away Valencia. Yes, we are doing some 40-man shuffling. Dozier will be given every chance to shine again in 2013. Hopefully for the next three weeks he can work on his swing. It seems in the majors he had great bat days and then forgot what to do on he field, and vice versa. And, yes, no one in the wings, especially if the Twins don't keep Casilla around (who should be playing short, but the second coming of Luis Rivas moniker isn't helping him). Going to the minors isn't a bad thing. It allows you to work on certain skill sets more. Unless you fail mightily (look at Tosoni) you are still a prime prospect.

Sometimes you get lucky and your guys hang around for additional seasons (Waldrop, DeVries). It all depends on the money. Most veteran minor league guys can make $50-60,000. The Twins look pettygood to go after 25-30 guys again, with pretty much all of Rochester disappearing.

Yeah, wouldn't be surprised if DeVries is dropped, and depending on how he returns, Walters. Both getting resigned as minor league free agents, if hey wish. Players like that will be on the bubble. Twins have to decide on Baker and Casilla, and would they keep Manship and, say, let Swarzak walk. Deduno is an interesting guy...a few more starts. And I wouldn't consider Florimon a given........or Butera, if you have to add another catcher. The question is, will the guys then jump ship, rather than stay and give the Twins depth in the minors........And Bromberg and Slama. Really, when you look at the Rule 5 guys and the minor free agents, there isn't much that need protecting.....or that other teams will sweep in and grab.

I can see another season of Butera, until one of the other backup catchers mature. Yes, Jeff Gray. What about him. Or Burnett. Or Swarzak. And, Blackburn. You forgot a few.

There isn't really a lot to look at in September if Terry just brings up 40-man roster guys, and expect the new 40-man roster to be very young. If the offense can advance and score runners, and with the current bullpen candidates, we might be one to two very good healthy starters away from contention, which is all the Twins carry about to put butts in the stands.

Take the plunge and claim Cliff Lee on waivers.......

Hey, like Blackburn, you are paying the guy and might as well get something out of him. He can't hurt you right now. The question is when Plouffe comes back, does he stay or does a pitcher go. You have to see what you got, and if there is anything that might $3 million interest someone between now and August 30th, you let him show and then waiver wire him. Like they did Valencia. Wait, the Red Sox got Danny. To keep him from going to the Yankees, perhaps. Sadly, they sent him right away to triple-AAA. Poor Danny! He was batting better than Youklis did for the Red Sox.

Why are people so hard on DeVries. He pitches his heart out and adapts as the game happens. He should be in any mix. Blackburn is here until they decide they can eat his salary. Baker is up-in-the-air...and probably would be as ready to return to the Twins as Gibson would be -- midseason. I doubt that Walters will be kept on the 40-man. Deduno, if he keeps pitching, will be. Hendriks will get a chance to shine. B.J. Hermsen might be the dark horse in all of this. But they still need a free agent. Claim Cliff Lee on waivers!

Every week this same stuff is handled in Twinkie Town, where the guy also gives a nice recap of teams in the Twins system. Usually stays pretty on top of transactions except when he and his wife go on the road for two weeks in the summer.

What places already have an affiliation with the Midwest League? I doubt that they will subtract teams to add teams.

Good overall comments. Yes, both can weather another season in the minors if need be. Interesting that the Twins brought up Manship instead of Hendriks. Be interesting to see who the Twins call up in September to olster an overworked bullpen - Oliveros, Waldrop and Guerra...and now Hendriks and Hernandez. That's it, unless they rid themselves of Blackburn, Pavano and Capps somehow. I;'m not sure if P.J. Walters will be back or stay on the 40-man once the season ends. Who else could the Twins conceivably add for a looksee if roster spots open? Escobar is a stopgap backup...but has youth going for him. I mean, we want Holliman, Florimon, Dinkelman, Chang, or Roof as a back-up infielder instead, assuming the Twins part with Janey Carroll (I bet that still happens in the next few days) and don't resign Casilla.