nicksaviking

That's absurd. Hunter posted a 5.5 WAR last season after falling to a WAR of ~3 (give or take half a point) in the previous two seasons. Given his age and ever-decreasing range, I think it's almost a given that he will not repeat his 2012 numbers with the Tigers. Still, kudos to Ilitch for not giving up on that quest for a ring. When you're that old and that rich, who gives a damn how much you spend? Carl Pohlad, that's who. The Twins were in the same position with an elderly owner who knew his time was up in any minute. He didn't increase payroll to win, instead he leveraged his pending demise against the threat that no one knew if the family would keep the team (?!don't move our Twins?!) to get a new tax payer funded stadium.

What is "proven" in the context of a $40 million payroll and the Metrodome is not proven when we're talking about a $90 million payroll at Target Field. Let's not forget that this is Terry Ryan's first offseason with the new-look Twins. A little patience, please. Ryan was GM in the mid 1990's as well when payrolls were pretty flat across the league and salaries were not exponentioally larger than league minimum. Only once did he sign a non-Twin starter to more than one year. We don't need patience, we've seen proof. He's amongst the most conservative GM's in the league, but hopefully he'll feel motivated to change if he feels the entire front office's job is on the line. The minimum wage is negotiated by the union. The upper limit on a player's salary is whaat someone will pay. Even the union realizes there are some limitations to their portion of the revenue. Why would they take fromthemselves to givee to the rookies in the form of higher pay. I'm seriously not trying to pick a fight, but I really don't have a clue what this has to do with the discussion about whether TR will finally open up the pocketbook to pay for legit pitchers. Besides, it's not the money Ryan is afraid of so much as it is the years. A higher team payroll isn't going to suddenly make him feel comfotable giving out a four year deal.

You'd have to think so. I assume the Blue Jays didn't have to give up the farm because of their willingness to take on all that salary. Had the salary been spread over three teams it would not have been much of an issue for the buyers. Seriously, how do the Marlins not come away with either of Toronto's young catchers OR one of the Jay's top two pitching prospects? The only possible hard thrower they got is in A ball and the only player with possible offensive upside looked terrible in his AA call up last year. If I was a Marlins fan I'd be in revolt.

I'd like to think you could get the equally frustrating Joe Blanton for a lesser price and not have to worry about the Marlins asking for anything in return.

I would hope that is always his intention, however the problem arises when the other 29 teams also get pitcher fever and there are no more team friendly deals for useful free agent starters.

Everyone was ripping this post right off the bat because no one believed he had a source. Now everyone's come back to this stupid thread to say I told you so, like they have the need to validate the fact that they didn't buy into the idea in the first place? Grow up, it should have gone without saying that a sane person didn't believe this rumor, piling on makes you guys look immature.

Shocking, next verse same as the first i guess. Whoever thought the glut of mid-teir pitching was going to cause the free agent pitching market to produce a bunch of bargains is wrong for the 20th straight year. Like it or not, if the Twins want to sign a pitcher with any history of accomplishment, they will likely still have to pay top dollar, just as required every year.

I think it had more to do with Anderson still being under contract and the Twins unwillingness to pay a coach to walk away.

What is "proven" in the context of a $40 million payroll and the Metrodome is not proven when we're talking about a $90 million payroll at Target Field. Let's not forget that this is Terry Ryan's first offseason with the new-look Twins. A little patience, please. Ryan was GM in the mid 1990's as well when payrolls were pretty flat across the league and salaries were not exponentioally larger than league minimum. Only once did he sign a non-Twin starter to more than one year. We don't need patience, we've seen proof. He's amongst the most conservative GM's in the league, but hopefully he'll feel motivated to change if he feels the entire front office's job is on the line.

Good Lord that is ambitiously awesome. I wish the Twins front office had the foresight to hire someone like you and whoever you find to finish your equation.

If you do not have enough B- pitching prospect available to fill your needs then you have to trade for what is scarcer. You can always pick up another MI, for younger prospects. You might not always find a pitching rich team. That's not the most efficient method of doing things though. It's like drafting a pitcher for the sake of needing pitchers instead of drafting best player available. If you always draft to need and not to talent available, you are making your overall system weaker in the process. Except the Twins GM has proven time and time again that he is afraid to sign free agent pitchers to multi-year deals. Therefore, the only way to get a controlable pitcher is to trade for one. Ryan is not afraid to sign offensive free agent vets. Besides, it's not like the teams we are talking about are talent rich in offense, the Braves, Reds, Rays and Mariners have much better pitching options to deal than they do on offense. Anyone who thinks there is more value in future utility player Didi Gregarius than in Tony Cingrani, Daniel Corcino or Robert Stephenson is crazy. Trade for cheap young promising pitching and then you can afford to overpay a little to make sure you get your veteran middle infielder. Otherwise your trading for an a uninspriring guy like Gregorius and end up paying top dollar for short term uninspiring starters. I'd rather rather have a Cingrani or Mike Minor and pay Stephen Drew or Jeff Keppinger on the open market, then end up with Gregorius or Tyler Pastronicky and have to settle for Joe Saunders or Joe Blanton.

Atlanta is interested in Hunter, but they need a CF/leadoff hitter to replace Bourne, that's why there is interest in Span.

Hopefully they have him break in the organization's new Midwest League affiliate. Still, the Twins MO is to keep high school drafted players at low A for an entire season with nearly no exceptions, so I doubt he gets to Ft. Myers even if he pitches flawlessly.

Just checking the stats, 46 games finished but 70 innings? Was he not a full-time closer or did the team run him out there for two innings of work in over 2/3 of his appearances? It's interesting to see that his K/9 significantly increased last year. In 58 major league innings it was a poor 4.3, and even in 2011, in 49 AAA innings it was only 6.2. Maybe the guy's figured something out. Still, have to wonder why the 2012 International League Reliever of the year didn't get a call up.

Buetera's sweating already.

So offering the International league reliever of the year a spring training invite is a terrible move? The guy's likely not going to pan out but who cares? It's not like they actually decided on him instead of going after Dan Haren. I get frustrated too when I check MLB trade rumors and find the Twins have not made an exciting move yet, but then I slap myself because I remeber that it's only early November and no one exciting has signed anywhere.

I never understood all the hate for Robbie. I could only assume it was because he used too much gel in his hair.

I'd pass on McCarthy, I don't trust anyone who suddenly rediscovers themselves pitching in the Oakland Colliseum. He's another low K/9 guy, the Twins have enough of them. The team needs to start targeting guys who have a legit shot at striking out a batter or two when the situation calls for it.

Who do you propose we should listen to then? I'm sure KLaw has talked to multiple scouts who've seen Rosario play to couple with his own observations. It's not perfect, but it's among the best information sources available to those of us on the outside. I'd say Paul Molitor and the other instructors who are refining the defensive skills of these players. Rosario's offense is ahead of the playing level he is currently at. Although we (I) rip the Twins at times for slow development, I can't see the club holding a talented offensive player back a level or two to develop his defensive skills if they think it is futile.

Doubt it unless he's going to unseat Span, Revere, Hicks AND Buxton. Rosario's an awesome athlete, he'll make 2B work. Law does fantastic work, but I think using an injury-shortened transition year to make that judgment is a little hasty. Did the report say that Law saw him in fall league? The reports where that his defense was much improved.

I'd rather chase after Cingrani, Corcino or Stephenson. Neither SS looks to be able to get on base enough to be a centerpiece of a deal. If the Twins can talk the Reds into one of the starters AND one of the SS that would be great in my book, but my money is on that asking price being the sticking point last July when the trade fell through for Span. I said during the season I hope the Reds get bounced from the playoffs in the first round and get even more desperate for a CF/leadoff hitter. Maybe they're more willing to overpay now.

The Twins aren't known to be very patient with stubborn pitchers. He insists on using his four seamer up in the zone to strike guys out, while the team wants him to use his 2 seamer low and away. That's not something the Twins generally tolerate. Plus there's this: http://mlb.sbnation.com/2012/4/13/2946634/trevor-bauer-youtube-arizona-diamondbacks His insistance on boasing about his K numbers at the expense of control and allowing baserunners, combined with his attention hog antics kind of hint that his primary goal was to score big arbitration/free agent dollars before he ever landed in the big leagues. I'd rather his priorities were better aligned with winning baseball games. I'd take him, but not at the price AZ would be willing to accept.

Nova is such a strange pitcher. I'm seriously not trying to be one of the bobo's freaking out about the Twins trying to make everyone pitch to contact, but I'm sure they actually would do that with Nova. He pitched much better away from Yankeed stadium, yet his K/9 was a half of point lower when he did. Similarly, he only had one month last year where his ERA was under 5.00 and his WHIP was under 1.500 and that was June, the only month he had a K/9 of under 7.4. I think his ERA and WHIP are probably in line for a bit of a lower correction but in doing so, certainly his K/9 will also correct lower. I think at best he's going to be a #4 starter. I think I'd rather have two more years of Willingham or wait for a better offer. No interest in Chamberlain, I think his name has more value than his performance does at this point.

I was worried that the opposite would be true. I'm just glad that this situation appears to be swinging to the Twins' favor. In a typical market, it would be pretty damned hard to move Span for starting pitching but with teams aggressively pursuing CF help, it might be possible. Yeah, I can't remember the last time the Twins had the upper hand on the supply/demand scale and were motivated to trade. The Twins probably haven't had a high-value chip affordable to all 30 teams since Matt Garza. Before that it was probably AJ Pierzynski. Let's hope this plays out more like the latter deal. Also, is it out of the question to require Span to wear a bike helmet at all times between now and whenever he takes his hypothetical physical?

I read the Trade Rumors blurb about that, but it was actually just the Seattle front office who told Ken Rosenthal that THEY think he's on the same level as the other three prospects. So, pretty sure that is a negotiating ploy to drive up everyones value, or the Mariners way of saying, take Mauerer instead, he's just as good. My question is, why are Hicks and Revere the two they are looking at? Why wouldn't the Mariners be looking at the middle option, Oswaldo Arcia? He's closer to MLB ready than Hicks and has much more upside than Revere. The only reason I can see them having no interest is if they are solely looking for their future leadoff hitter. On a team that offensively starved, I'd think that narrow of a focus would not be beneficial.