Rosterman

The Twins now have a weakness at catcher. They have strength at first base, but now power. Willingham has to produce as does Plouffe. But then we look at DH. Doumit is weak. He is the backup catcher. We would be better served with Willingham (or, beyond now, Morneau). The Twins need a bonafide power bat to replace lost power at first base, even if you switch Willingham to DHG, then you need that extra bat in the outfield. Rookies. It is dangerous going into the season with Pinto as the starting catcher. Arcia is still an unproven commodity in right, but seems to give us more hope than Parmelee. Yet we need Parmelee as that 4th outfielder who can also play 1st. Mastro or Presley should be able to hold the fort until Hicks gets his act together. But fielding a lineup with three, basic rookies: Pinto, Arcia, Hicks, doesn't necessarily bode well. The Twins seem to lack speed. The Twins still will strikeout waaaaay too much. A third free agent signing, especially if it was big (Arroyo, Garza) rather than small (Pelfrey) or suspected (Santana) WILL produce more wins. It will give Gibsn more time to develop. It will give Meyer time to develop. The Twins just have to make a decision on Worley, Diamond and Deduno. In some ways, I would trade Deduno to anyone interested and settle for seeing if Worley can produce more worth in the shortterm, and put Diamond in the pen. The pen. Duensing and Swarzak and Burton and Fein are all tradable. Look to the Rockies. Is there anyone there that we want? That opens up spots in the pen for Diamond. We still have Tonkin in the mix, then. If nothing else, Worley becomes long relief and we hope he becomes Swarzak Jr. There are still lots of holes in the offense. The new pitchers can win more games, if the bats keep us in the game. If the bats shut down (more strikeouts, not advancing runners, not going long, not staying out of double-plays), then we have a lot of 7-15 starters who we know can pitch to a 4.25 ERA.

Interesting name. He may or may not pan out in the end, that and his current salary obligations would be the big factor. The A's don't have a lot of roster space to just take guys, but a Worley and a couple of non 40-man depth minor league guys might pull the string. They got their closer. The pain about trading relief is that no one needs to trade for it until the season begins...enough names out there looking for jobs that CAN be reasonably priced (just former Twins Neshek, Guerrier, Crain alone).

It's all a numbers game. Who are the starters at Rochester next year? Gibson, Darnell Logan Darnell, Meyer, Albers....anyone else with mroe promise...not to mention free agent minor league signing guys et al. Plus Diamond, Deduno and Worley fighting it out at the major league level to take a starting job away from...remember...Duensing or Swarzak. It's all about numbers. The Twins may be doing him a favor letting him move on if someone gives him a chance. Otherwise, back to Australia.,

It would be a msot wonderful reunion. And, yes, the Twins do need a left-handed arm in the bullpen. If they moved Diamond to the bullpen, they could have four lefties in the pen. Wprley needs to go somewhere, too.

I picture the Twins outfield being Arcia, Willingham and Presley. With Hicks in the wings. Parmelee will be bench fodder at the most.

Right now, the Twins have to ask themselves regarding the Rule 5 draft: Is there a player out there that we can carry for a year that is better than anyone we currently have on the 40-man roster. As for future free-agent signings, the one on the big bubble is Colabello. Then it is a matter of position for position. Pitcher replaces a pitcher, catcher repalces a catcher, outfielder replaces an outfielder. Of course, the Twins could move bullpen strength (Duensing or Swarzak or Fein) and open a roster spot.

I actually like the thought of giving Pelfrey another shot, too. We would have Albers, Gibson and Hendriks as backups in the minors. The Twins would have to find space for Decuno. They would have to make a decision on Worley. They would have to find a place for Diamond, perhaps. Right now, jettison Duensing to the Rockies (who are looking for help) and maybe package Parmelee in the deal. That would free up a bullpen spot for Diamond to pitch 1-3 innings. And then think abut marketing Swarzak if you must keep Worley, and plug him into that spot as the long man. I would still not write Deduno in ink into the rotation...he may not be ready out the gate. This also would give the Twins the flexibility of trading Correia out of spring training, if need be, for prospects. And at these prices, any of the Twins signings are stil mid-season tradebait if the offense fails to perform and the pitchers have any value. Also, if the Twins do sign anotehr pitcher, and a catcher (I am pulling for A.J.) they would have to make at least three roster moves, which is why I would explore trading Duensing packaged with Parmelee, if possible. Swarzak is tradable. Fryer and Colabello and Albers can all be waivered out and probably stay with the organization.

Looks like we got Hughes! 3 years $24 million!

The joy of a two-year deal is that you really don't lose, especially at age 28, and a team ahs more of an ability to trade you. If the Twins had signed Pelfrey to a 2-year deal, they would have a decent starter at a decent price for another year, or someone may have pulled the string and traded for him. On a One Year deal, you have to produce. Can't predict that, unless you are Jack Morris signing with the Twins and going to the World Series. Pelfrey is he perfect example. He pitched and got a decent salary, but right now he is a bubble pitcher. He may have to go with a two-year deal (as well Baker) for well under supposed value...but value nonetheless for the pitcher in question. I'm sure Liriano, although his agent is probably complaining, ended up happy with his situation.

The Twins definitely saw a bat in Bargas, even though he is blocked at first by Mauer, now. Look for Turner to maybe even make us forget about Pinto. I'm hoping for a breakout season from Travis Harrison, Levin Michael and Alex Wimmers. Of course, we all want to see Aaron Hicks be the 4-tool player he was hyped to be. Berrios is someone to watch. And I secretly always felt B.J. Hermsen had major league back-of-the-rotation material. I hope he pulls his act together and pulls a Perkins rather than a Slama.

With the Twins ERA last season, the team needed to average scoring some 6 runs per game to guarantee a win. It can be that simple. Or the Twins need to score an average of four runs per inning just to protect their starters, who gave up 3-4 runs in their 5-6 innings on the mound. That works if the bullpen is 100% spotless, but most bullpens aren't. The Twins need pitchers that consistently push towards that 7th inning, that keep the team in the game, that can find that extra ounce to shut a team down if you are in the midst of a losing streak. They need more than what they have now, even with Nolasco. You also need typical years from your players. The Twins didn't have that with Willingham. They didn't have it with Morneau. They were hurt with the loss of two centerfielders. Morneau was half the player he usually is. They still struck out too much. There is no lineup construction that guarantees any production. Players weren't protected by other players. The defense was okay at times, miserable at times, young all the time it seemed. Yes, the Twins greatest need is to get that starting ERA back down into the mid-low 4's. But they also have to move runners, drive in runs, and construct a lineup that will do such things well. Not sure Norlasco would've added, by himself, all that much to the team last year. He still might've been the butt of low-scoring.

No. Pelrey would be that third pitcher the Twins could sign, anyone from Santana to bringing back Jason marquis or Ramon Ortiz. They need to sign one more VETERAN starter that is an innings eater, will keep the team in the game, and can possibly be a losing streak stopper. Correia is a good #3. I would like to see another name as insurance amidst the Hendriks, Diamond, Gibson, Deduno mess. Of course, I would love to see a second long-term name like Garza for five years. I can live with Correia leaving next season. Maybe signing Arroyo and having him available for trade the following season. I also want to see them sign a decent backstop for at least a year....someone better than a Blanco. A.J. IS my choice. I would also like to see a better veteran bat. At this point, I would tradeout Chris Pamelee for Garrett Jones as a bench/backup at first/outfield type of guy, even though Parmelee has shown promise, is probably on par with the aging Jones, but jsut for the change. I think the Twins are sitting pretty well with Correia and Doumit and Willingham as potential trade chips. They should also investigate moving Swarzak and/or Duensing (Colorado is looking for relief). Both can be repalced by Diamond or perhaps Hendriks or Worley. Worley. I want this guy to get some playing time just to see if they can get something for him. In the real world, I would shop Worley and Hermsen and Albers to the Phillies for the return of Ben Revere.

The Twins will have to make a roster decision, unless they don't want to draft in the Rule 5. Colabello, I imagine.

It works pretty darn fine like it is. Great group of regular writing posters. Yes, links would be great. A fund-raiser: a Twins Daily Dunk Tank at Twinsfest.

It probably isn't Cano.

The way I look at it is that the Twins DO have to overpay someone -- who and how much is the question. They HAVE TO DO SOMETHING to excite the fan base. They have to do many things to give impression that they are putting a winning and competing team on the field. Putting butts in the seat is motivation #1. T.C. Bear run the bases for ALL fans? Naw. $1 Senor Smoke Nacho Night. Think Not. Free looks like beer but just colored water? Think fans will see thru this. Add 4-5 players for $50 million to the payroll and keep fingers crossed that no one gets injured and that they all have career years? That's something I might pony up season ticket monies (and not attend the All_Star Game) for.

Waiting to hear what the actual logistics will be, as many of the past Twinsfests have been on par with freezing outside while waiting for the Metrodome gates to open. Tickets are for one day. Autographs are extra. It's always a great time for the radio booth when guys are being interviewed. You can usually tryout to sing the National Anthem. There are lots of fun things for kids to do. Season tickets holders usually got a fre ticket...so that upped the numbers a bit a few years ago.

Maddox, Glavine, Piazza, Schilling, Smith, Thomas, Morris, Biggio, Bagwell, Martinez. Except it to be totally The Year of The Pitcher!

It is interesting about what the Twins actually have in their systems from all those years ago. People would be amazed at how many draftees and such cut after one or two years. That they actually make it to the minor league free agency or Rule 5 consideration shows how hard it is to be a baseball player. There are always room for role players if you do your job consistently, but just one bad year in a system can make you a job search candidate very quickly (will B.J. Hermsen even be in the Twins system next year, for example). With 35-50 draftees joining an organization, and a team adding 10-15 grizzled AAAA veterans each year and their total minor league roster numbers being something like 150-170 names at the most, thurnover is a natural and a player must listen and excel in such a short period of time (or be heavily invested in) to stay with the club's system for anything longer than three seasons, it seems.

At some of the prices mentioned, he is a viable alternative. A.J. would be a one-year deal. But if Pinto isn't ready or the real deal after that, the Twins are looking for two catchers come 2015. If they sign a front line catcher for multiple years, they have Doumit as backup and Pinto/Herrmann in reserve for this season. Pinto can catch prospects at AAA. When you come to 2015, you have Salt and can work in Pinto, or even let Pinto work more if his 2014 AAA season isn't stellar. If it is, you have tradebait at a reasonable price in Salt. It's called strengthening a weak position with someone that will make up for some of the so-called first base hitting weaknesses Mauer will bring to that position by giving us more power behind-the-plate. The age factor is surreal. Only 28. Sign him for three and he is still 31. And he'll produce, because his next contract would be really big!

You learn to write by reading. You learn to think be reading different opinions and then trying to place your own into words. It's the fingers that often screw up on the keyboard.

I don't know what to think. (1) The Twins have to sell extra hard because we are coming off of three horrible seasons. If you were Hughes, would you rather pitch in Miami or Minnesota. It can be a tough decision. (2) I feel the Twins haven;t made any offers that someone will grab at. Which is dangerous in this game, as why would someone want to come back to the Twins management for a counter offer. You should put you best cards on the able, and sooner rather than later if you really want a game changer. If you think Garza is with $60 million and so do other teams, you do have to make a higher offer...kinda like buying a house with multiple offers...you aren't going to get the listing for less than the listed price. The big Twins news this weekend was the listing of spring training invitees. I'm glad I was sitting down. Maybe the big news after Thanksgiving will be the rehiring of all minor league managers and coaches.

Every team has this on their roster page. Most of the free agents, as they were signed, were issued an invite to spring training. Will be interested to see what minor leagues guys are added (and they always add the catching depth in the organization). Of course, we might lose someone in the Rule 5 (Oliveros).

4 for $32 is not a bad deal. He could've gone for 3 and $30, or 2 and $22 with an option. You have to look at what monies he is eating up in the next and following seasons. Right now, the Twins don't have as big of an issue in that regard as other teams, with three salaries coming off the books in 2015 that would allow them to sign a free agent or two (especially if they win and increase revenue) and a light load of non-arbitration players for at least three more seasons with no one of real importance (on the current roster) entering the free agency era for quite a few years.

Let's look at some reality. Bronson CAN get a one-year deal from someone. The price...anyone will give him$6-8 million. You might not see anyone give him $14-16 million. So we have a good idea of a one-year deal going on. X-amount of teams will jump at a one-year offer with an option on a second year. Have any teams made a solid two-year deal, and if so, is that deal in the $8-12 million range for each year. Probably so. One or three teams may be dangling an option year, but then the salary goes down. So we are looking at a high of probably $36-40 million for Arroyo over three years (unheard of) and a low of $16-24 million over two years. If the money is right, he signs for one or two years. If the money isn't, he is trying for that third year for some reason. It is a game, folks.