Rosterman

Gardy ran the bullpen. He did this year, too. And it shows as guys who were good in situations just wore out, or the Twins were always in a position of having relievers start in inning 5 or 6 or whatever. The manager does have to motivate. He controls when a player plays, and where they bat in the lineup. He supervises the coaches and the way players are treated, the ability of the players are enhaanced and used on the field. We had some issues with Kelly and it seems in the forefront now where The Twins Way is not necesarily right for ALL players or the game in general. Players need to work The Twins Way into the way they are accustomed and CAN do things. We should be adapting the player skills to the game, not making the players adapt a structure of play that possibly frustrates them as they play. If a player put up the least little bit resistance, they are called on it. Yet players are incapable of change? No, they are not. You just have to work your change to the ability of the players. And the you get bonehead mistakes like Parmelee going to second, and the nite before where he put his head down to go for the triple he never gets. If you don't play the Twins Way, you can suffer by being average most of your Twins life and hoping you last longer enough to play elsewhere. Of you play the Twins Way and succeed, but at what cost to your personal self, and then you still aren't sad to move on. I am not sure what is going on. Really, not sure. I'm afraid for the new crop of youngsters that may be stifled in their play and careers by the Twins organization. Is it better to throw caution-to-the-wind and see what these guys have, or nickel-and-dime them to coaching death and the fan base suffers, and suffers, and suffers, especially when management won't gamble and take the plunge on free agency, or when they do, they now question their own risk and ability and tread even more carefully (cheaply) so as not to face a Big Hurt.

My wife and I were 20-game season ticket holders the first three years. We dropped last year, mainly becuase of our own schedules, but also saw that we could go to most any game and get decent seats for a modest [price. This year, it was even better. Yes, you have to have season ticket sales to create StubHub seats. If you don't have substantial sales to season ticket holders, where 1-3,000 of those seats will be released at various prices to the fans, than the alternative is that the team had Game Day sales, which can actually prove to be a higher return -- if the team is winning. Plus, the more availability of closer-to-game-day group sales. Last night, we went to the game, had tickets in 215 for $12, right behind home plate. We could've gotten cheaper seats in the upper reaches. My wife's daughter and husband were at the game and had seats they won from work in 105, which we sat in briefly when they left. But there is no need for season tickets when you can buy cheaper tickets on line, or when there are tickets readily available at pretty much any price range direct from the Twins (this month, buy a ticket and get free food!). So, we took the light rail instead of parking. We dropped $44.00 on food.concessions. We left before Fien (who needs to be shut dowen) and Burton (why is a potential free agent getting closer duties) took the ball and made it a closer than need be game. Just because the light rail is a lot longer than our trip would be by car. I don't know how they are going to attract season ticket holders. This year, between the All-Star game (which many season ticket holders couldn't afford) and the promise of a competitive team (truthfully, we expected the rotation to be so much better, and Willingham to rebound, and Mauer to be Mauer, and Plouffe to hit 20 homers, and we even felt good when Morales was signed and the Twins were still in the win-column hunt) which couldn't even challenge the White Sox down the swoon drive. Changes have to happen. But we can't give up on prospects we don't know anything about on the field (yes, they could ALL be Aaron Hicks light), or can we. Who wants to come here and run the team. Will they be given total freedom to spend and sign, or trade anyone and everyone (including Mauer, Sano, Buxton, Kohl Stewart if need be) to produce a winner. If you bring someone in from outside, the need for them is to win sooner rather than later. If you advance from inside, you tell people you are continuing The Twins Way and things will happen. Field staff needs to be changed, shaken, up, no matter. We need to put on the field a group that will gel and work together for 3-5-10 years, like the last couple of groups, preferably from a field staff rich minor league system I'm not sure if there is a manager from outside the organization that would make anyone want to buy season tickets. And the Twins need to spend...with the thought that if the team wins and even though the season ticket base may be 50% of what it is today, a winning team will sell more walkup tickets, and late season ticket packages, and get people into Target Field to buy concessions and souvenirs (what did we spend last nite?) and not make the aisles of Target Field seem like a ghost town that it wa from the sixth inning on. A #1 starter. It might be a $125/150/200 million dollar gamble. You need to bring in a veteran hitter, not necessarily in their prime, but solid enough to play somewhere everyday, and keep the clubhouse alive. You need a coaching staff that will push the players to be exciting, and to play ball as well as they can, not the way that they should be playing it, but a way that they can play it and succeed. I shake my head at the Worley success. I shake my head that a potential fan fave like Ben Revere, for his shortcomings (getting on base at least once every game and getting to second a third of the time too) gets panned even in Phily. That Morneau may win a batting title. That Cuddyer walked and won a batting title. That Torii Hunter is still playing ball. That Target Field was supposed to make us not only continuously competitive, but that we could keep our own free agents if desired, people who had a fan base and were good for the image of the team. Mauer is still the franchise, but he isn't making the Twins a must see anymore. I could actually picture him NOT being on the team, and that is a strong stretch on my love of the team. I am excited about Vargas and Santana, who still have to have a sophomore year. I want to think highly of Arcia. I shake my head at the talent of Hicks and wonder...how...why. I don't see cheaper tickets. I don't see the team doing a shakeup. I don't see them spending. I don't see them releasing real financials so we know how good they have done the past couple of years, still maintaining decent attendance, sponsorships and concession costs. I see a lot of bitching and moaning about the high cost of players, the competitiveness of the division, the need to give our coaches time, the promise of all-star players down the road built from within. The budget, we can only spend this much (50%) on payroll. (I still haven't figured out how you sped $50 million on a hundred million, than CAN spend $100 million on $200 million, and it still is the same thing...did operations double when you moved into Target Field, too). But I'm still going to watch them on television, listen to them on the radio (except when the signal dies between cities...huh), and see what tickets are for a game and applaud the ushers who patrol their sections like moving into an empty seat is a cardinal sin. And why would I want to go to Twinsfest, if it is the same old same old with less player contact, higher prices, and...fan friendly, okay, define.

I still haven't figured out that, say, Duensing and Swarzak don't/may fit into future plans, why weren't they marketed during the summer for something, anything. Also, feel Fien may be next year';s Burton. I would be positioning him bigtime thru spring training as potential closer tradebait (and letting him close for the remainder of this year rather than Burton). I have this sneaking suspicion that the Twins will bring Burton back, as well as everyone else. Because they can. And, basically, no one else probably DOES NOT want these guys anyways. And let's see if Pittsburgh will take Hicks for Worley and Deke Weller!

Something ahs to change. Hey, maybe the Twins can trade Nolasco for Kemp? Nolasco has shown some stuff his past few outings. But the Twins need to ante up and get another stopper. Lester, Lester, Lester. But...who wants to come and play here right now, where the writing on the wall says we are rebuilding with our prospects who may/may not pan out. For every Santana there is a Hicks. For every Arcia there is a Vargas. The Twins do need a puncher in the lineup. Yes, if Plouffe and Dozier hit 20 homers, If Arcia hit 40, if Vargas hit 30...we might have something going. If Nolasco pitches to 16-10. like Hughes, he will be valuable to someone at $12 million a year, so the best bet it to hope you can flip him at trading deadline, since he comes with a reasonable contract for two more seasons. My bigger concern is Pelfrey. He's taking a roster spot. Assume no one wants him (a la Blackburn) and waive him out to the minors. Or hope no one else wants him. But tack his $5 million for 2015 into the profits made from 2014 (they did draw surprisingly well and have had to make some monies). Twins, spend again. But maybe you need to look at the people doing the spending and make changes there. And the people telling pitchers to pitch to contact and batters to make contact, and re-e-valuate everything, top down, with this organization before it is too late. Twins slogan in 2015 "On Your Drive To Target Field, Come See the New Vikings Stadium!"

Like centerfielders of the past, the Twins could swing trades for Santana and Escobar and hope Polanco is ready, right? Plouffe might actually have some worth. Dozier would be an interesting dangle. He's all over the place. You know, if someone offered the right return for Mauer, I would part ways. Think of where that salary could be distributed. But do the Twins REALLY have anyone anyone would want. Perk maybe. Hughes for sure (right now, you could trade high for him). If Pinto had actually caught this apst year, you could dangle him for a Matt Capps. Arcia would be an interesting chip. But no one will take a chance on Hicks.

The Twins have so many choices. At this point, with the salary room they have, they will resign Duensing and Swarzak. They might also just resign Burton, for the veteran presence he is. The sad part is that Duensing, Swarzak, Oliveros all have to make the team, as they are out of options, I believe. There is a small amrket for middle relief, especially out of spring training, with only potential closer candidates getting something worthwhile in trade. In that way, Burton and Fien may be valuable trade chips. But who knows. I could see Darnell and Pelfrey/Pressley being the new long-relief guys. I could see Aaron Thompson in the mix. I could see Deolis Guerra getting a shot if he stays in the organization. We also have Kris Johnson out there, and heaven knows what will happen to Tommy Milone, or, in all respects, Trevor May may be able to start the season in long relief. It is nice to have too many arms, and none of them (except Pino) really taking up important roster space at the moment. I would like to see Oliveros be part of the team, but not sure if he is a necessary 40-man spot. He may be the best thing we have, or just another thrower that is AAA at best. I don't see any of the non-roster rookies making an impact, as the Twins have no reason to advance them, period. Again, the Twins have salary dollars. They can resign everyone they pretty much have for the modest raises (Plouffe, Duensing, Swarzak, Schafer)/ They still have enough money to get a $20 million starter and a $10 million hitter. Plus, they will go the minor free agent route as a good portion of both Rochester and AA rosters were made up of such guys. What I want to see: Perkins May/Darnell Thielbar/Fien Achter/Thompson Pressley I expect Pelfrey and Milone to start at AAA. I see Duensing and Swarzak signed and traded. I see Burton not signed. I see Tonkin in the wings. And we also have Pryor and Oliveros, hard throwers especially.

Pinto has to be in a vacuum. Someone may be in the wings that will be the Twins catcher of 2016 or 2017 and beyond. Shades of Wilson Ramos, who should've been the heir to Mauer, if the Twins knew Mauer WAS going to stop catching. But right now, today, Pinto is a guy without a posiion and his best bet it to develop catching skills that will make him more valuable to another organization or to be more valuable to the Twins, but aside from an injury to Suzucki, he will be stuck at AAA next season developing those skills, if he can. If he was the catcher of the future, he would be catching, at least 1/3 of the game if nothing else, working with any of the Rochester bullpen guys. But the Twins seem to like him even less than Suzucki, who is not all that great behind the plate, either. As for pitcher ERAS, when you catch the new guy on the block or certain other pitchers, and the otehr guy catches the aces, there will be a difference. Why Fryer is getting any innings behind the plate is beyond me. And Chris Herrmann is nothing right now. Easily two 40-man roster spots to open. Rohlfing, for his abcd 2014, is just a clone of Herrmann and younger, so we are set in THAT position. And AAA catchers are a dime a dozen. You can always bring back Rene Rivera, Jair Fernandez, Corky Miller or Eli Whiteside. Probably even Henry Blanco. And be glad we don't have Drew Butera, getting lots of at bats and innings in L.A., so many that his lifetime batting average has decreased! Suzucki has made Pinto somewhat expendable. Vargas has made him totally expendable.

Nats got Florimon, they don't need Nunez. I could see resigning Cuddyer (overpaying). Hunter still has an option, I believe with Detroit. No way is Liriano coming here, especially if Boston calls. I would love to see the Twins get Lester, but we have to realistic look that a player, no matter the money, has to see a reason for coming here, shortterm or longterm. Nothing looks that great today. And other teams do have better garbage than we do for any of he proposed trades.

If I were the Twins, would pull a Nick Blackburn and option him off the 40-man. If someone wants to claim him, let him walk. Maybe let him walk, but hope he stays on and starts at Rochester (which is where he will start 2015 in all likelihood). The Twins can afford to lose the money. They will be badly under payroll. They can oevrpay to keep Duensing and Swarzak, amongst others.

If the Twins can get at least another season out of him as a closer...good contract. He is tradeable. And can always extend his career as being that lefty set-up guy out of the bullpen. Technically, he should be able o pitch. I think the season has just worn him down a bit.

I thought the Rock Cats and the Twins had a great agreement. The Twins must know something we don't. Walters also posted this in his column on Sunday.

The bullpen is worn out. Sadly. Not that the tryouts from Rochester or New Britain have any less games, but time to see what is happening with these guys, win or lose, than allow the old guard to continue to flail and fail and inflate their eras.

I had high hopes for the rotation going into 2014. Detroit might've been better, but they ahd an aging offense and no bullpen. Nolasco, Correia, Hughes, Pelfrey and Gibson looked darn good. Especially compared to what Cleveland, KC and ChiSox were putting on the mound. The bullpen was strong. The overall lineup looked better than it turned out to be (Willingham and Hicks, tanked. Mauer, disappointed. We still needed a DH and thought we had scored big with Morales). The pieces were there. A combination of injuries and players being bad made this a long season. Right now, the Twins could comfortably field the current team they have in play. Maybe with proper lineup construction, some sound pitching coach work, the Twins will thrive enough to play .500 or maybe be competitive. Then we get repalcements in the outfield, third base, maybe 2B/ss, a catcher and DH that improves, Arcia finds his notch in the bat, some young hurlers push aside the Milones and Gibsons. No, you don't make change because change is good. You make change to try something different, right some wrongs. Something isn't working. The Twins Way is a nice thought, but we still need to go that extra...playoff. A new crop of players are on the horizon. Do we stay with the current guard for a decade, which is not out of the question, or do we go with a new guard who we will be hoping stay another decade in a decade and a system in place that will take a team with 6 championships in nine seasons to a team that WILL NOT have four dirty rotten stinkin' seasons. You do ave to placate fans with some moves. You can't pay players if you don't put butts in the seats, sell concessions, and have advertising revenue from media ratings, period. The talent is there for new on-field management. The question is front office management, do you go outside the organization and then have to deal with someone wanting to bring other outsiders in, or do you continue to promote from within (which I don't see...forgive me Rob Anthony...you are not the next general manager of the Twins). But someone has to put all this in play and fast...and think heavily longterm. There is no All-Star Game to sell (not that it mattered). I can care less abut the beauty of outdoor baseball...I'll but tickets for the Saints at a fraction of the price (wait, not true, I can buy Twins tickets for any game this week for a big $6). I want to see players to cheer, players to watch grow, players that play god baseball, and a team that wins. Otherwise, I'll just move to Milwaukee.

The Twins have to seriously look at the direction they want to take over the next 2-3 years and who will be heading up this new crop of players. If the team becomes successful in 2016 or 2017, will you be keeping the same management team in place to carry it forwards towards 2020 and beyond, or do you change right when the team hits success. You can always keep bodies around in a consult status. But the other question is are we just replacing current bodies with younger versions of the same old same old company men or do we bring in new blood, which will transform the team in ways that aren't the so-called "Twins Way." There is something wrong with the arm injuries that are starting to happen too often in baseball, and the Twins system for sure. The Twins evaluate talent too carefully and tend to go with more middle-of-the-road guys. They need to take even more chances. Yes, 2014 was a free agent disaster with the Twins basically eating salaries of two major non-productive pitchers in the weakest link of the field players. But does that stop you from taking a chance again? It looks like it might or could. Did the Toshi experiment keep the Twins from actually offering sums of money to other foreign talent from Japan or Cuba? It seems to. Gardy has a hard job. With his pitching coach he either leaves a pitcher in too long or not long enough. If you have 25 players on the team, you need to feel that you can use any of them at any time, otherwise why are they on the roster. I have never loved Gardy's lineup construction. Especially this last year with Dozier leadoff and Mauer second. Maybe Mauer isn't the #3 hitter anymore. For every matchup right vs. left and all, well, it just seems to be a card shuffle. And you egt on the case of Hicks, or ride Colabello, but Arcia gets every opportunity in the world. You have a first rate catching coach in Terry Steinbach, yet the guy who most needs him you DH or send to Triple A. Management seriously ash to look at how do we become competitive in 2016 and 2017 for sure. What do we need to do to get there. How does management play into keeping these pieces motivated and together, What is the next generation of front office staff and on-field staff, or does the current regime have another decade of play within them. I have no trouble with Ryan and Gardy being around for another 10 years, if they can do the job. But if they can't, I don't see the need to keep them in anything but an advisory capacity entering the 2015 season.

Whatever happens, it should be in the works, NOW. Whatever happens has to reflect where the team expects to be in 3-4-5 years and the management team, including front office, should remain intact thru that period.

Ultimately, Gardy will be given one more year to improve and see if the Twins will stay with him after that. But if the team tanks yet again in 2015, I see the Twins giving Glynn an interim shot before making a final decision on the future. Dougie would be a fun choice. But he is managing at Ft. Myers because of family issues and to get experience. Jake Mauer IS in the pipeline. Would Terry Steinbach be the Billy Gardner or Frank Quilici before a Dougie or Jake, the in-between guy. Is Moltor a longterm choice? I see some ncie names down on the farm to add to the coaching staff. Tommy Watkins for one. Jeff Smith would be another. Move Cuellar to pitching coach. For some reason, I would like to see Ron Comer on the coaching staff. Right now the Tiwns have to look at 2015 as a rebuilding year. If the team rebuilds, then are you staying with the old guard thru 2016-17-18. You can do the Kelly/Gardy thing and have someone step aside and someone move up that's on the major league staff. But I would almost like to see fresh blood brought in both in team and field management for next season and beyond, a group that will probably be together for five years or more, with the understanding that they still may fail in 2015 and even 2016 before the new crop of players gain experience and real money is spent on free agents to form a stronger backbone for the team. So, I would go ahead and hire Jake Mauer or Dougie as the new manager and build the coaching staff around names like Jeff Smith, Tommy Watkins, keep Cuellar but make him pitching coach, add a Doug Bernier, maybe Sam Perlozzo, keep Steinbach, figure out if you do want Bruno or Molitor around, or make Bruno the minor league hitting instructor. Bring in a couple of outside names, then.

Molitor or Steinbach will be the new manager. There has to be a coaching shakeup, yet there should probably be a general manager shakeup, too...but then everyone would be gone and people from outside would come in. Who's the new pitching coach, Cuellar? Do the Twins advance Glynn and others from the minors? We have to see some of the bullpen kids. Four guys need at least five appearances each the remainder of the season. Hicks needs at bats. Santana needs to play shirt. Pinto needs to throw out runners. Vargas needs to take turns at first. There's not many bodies to change on the roster. Could see a free agent slugger/outfielder. A better pure backup catcher (let Pinto start at AAA yet again). Buy a #1 starter. They have more than enough bullpen arms to play musical chairs out of spring training. Swarzak, Duensing, Parmelee are all bubble guys, yet can be kept because the money is there. Even Burton could be resigned. With another losing season, though, who wants to come play here no matter how much money they dangle. It has to be more than others will pay, period. Ball players are fully aware that you can predict the future, no matter how much stock you put in Buxton, Sano, Stewart and others.

The 25-man roster...eh, 13 bats...is pretty set with the above. I could see the Twins signing a Cuddyer-like guy, but that pushes Hicks to CF or e start with Schafer or have musical chairs like this year, finally settling on Santana. If Santana is the shortstop, I can live with Escobar and Nunez on the bench. Vargas is DH and back-up at first. I see Pinto starting at Rochester so the Twins need a catcher. A bat or a throwout guy. The Twins could replace Plouffe and get a better bat. The Plouffe becomes the reserve guy. Arcia could tank. Sophomore slump on Vargas and Santana (remember Pinto and Parmelee in September?) I would love to see the Twins sign a $20-million dollar starter and go from there. Bullpen possibilities are an overabundance. They could bring back Burton for a decent contract (nooooo, you all cry) and overpay Duensing and Swarzak. With the payroll as it is, and the lowend of the payroll as it is, the Twins could easily spend $32 million on a slugger and a 1st starter and still come in under $100 million and remain that way for 2016 and probably 2017.

Pelfrey could open on the dl. May should take Swarzak's place. Gilmartin should join the 40-man. Johnson might remain on the 40-man and could be considered a Duensing replacement at best. Meyer and Darnell will start at AAA. I want the Twins to try real hard and see if lester will pitch for a rebuilding team in 2015, or another frontline starter. e

So, they want to go after the car advertising market above and beyond Mauer Chev. Seems the team also has an answer to unsold tickets (which they can't give away when $5 is all it takes to but stubhub in September to get into the stadium)...we will give you free food if you buy from us at the $20-200 level. Open the gates real early for batting practice NOW. Gonna be a tough season ticket sale (no All-Star game). Betting the Twins don't hit 15,000. More people went to the State Fair!

A man on the 40-man is getting a decent salary. Yes, Polance should be sitting on the bench. He did what the Twins wanted him to do in an earlier call-up. Bernier resigned with the twins, did solid at Rochester, and is someone the Twins may want to keep involved in the organization. In the distance past always give some guys some MLB time for pension and rewards of dollars for loyalty to an organization. In reality, he is not keeping anyone OFF the roster. he won't be kept on the roster later. I always wondered why the Twins didn't give Toby Gardenhire a cup of September coffee a few years ago, especially when he was a third-string catcher. Yes, I know he was the manager's son, but we can overlook some nepotism in September.

No Kris Johnson. No Stephen Pryor. We don't need four catchers. 60-day Yohan. Bring up Debinson Romero. You cold also cut Burton and Florimon from the 40-man with no tears being shed. Colabello, sad. But would've sat on the bench.

We also sadly have Milone and Pelfrey fighting for rotation spots in 2015, which means May may become the next Swarzak and Meyer will start the season at AAA. If Nolasco shows anything, he should be moved. Plouffe is still one more year the stopgap. Escobar is the fine backup. If the Twins start the season with Hicks and Schafer as the centerfielders (sounds like Hicks and Mastro) expect Santana back out there. Next season will be telling for Vargas, Pinto, Santana and Arcia. We hopefully see Sano, Buxton, Rosario at some point. What will Mauer be. Is Dozier a .240 hitter with 20/20 and 100 runs scored. Something seems wrong about that line. All will have some ups and maybe downs. Who can pressure these guys in 2016 and 2017?

Why is Burton still around? Doesn't anyone want Duensing and Swarzak?

Deduno would be a free agent if he wasn't claimed anyways. Thompson would also be a free agent if they Twins option him out, so this is a looksee and if he shows some life, he could be one of those bubble guys to resign as a minors free agent again next year with a chance for a roster spot.