Here is my pre-offseason Twins offseasonBlueprint. I will do another one afterthe season as the hotstove season begins. The Twins are looking at their second consecutive 90+ loss season andthere needs to be changes done to bring a quality product back to Targetfield. Even though attendance in downthis year I still look for the Twins to have a 90-95 million dollar payroll in2013. Not only is it important to seewhat they do with the major league team, but there are 40 man decisions thathave to be made. Let me know what youthink of my blueprint you can reach me one of three ways. You can email me at travis_aune@yahoo.com, you can leave mea comment in the box, or reach me on twitter at @travistwinstalk. So without any further adieu here is what Iwould do to bring the Twins back into contention in 2013.

Options:Decline Scott Baker’s 2013 option, Decline Matt Capps 2013 option and pay250,000 buyout,

NonTenders: Alexi Casilla, Drew Butera,

Removedfrom 40 man Roster: Scott Baker(FA), Matt Capps(FA), Carl Pavano(FA), LuisPerdomo, PJ Walters, Matt Carson(FA), Kyle Waldrop, Cole De Vries That leaves 31 men on the 40 man Roster

Addedto the 40 man Roster: Kyle Gibson, Aaron Hicks, Chris Hermmann, BJ Hermsen,Bruce Pugh, Danny Santana,

TradeDenard Span to the Reds for Billy Hamilton and Tony Cingrani.

SellTsuyoshi Nishioka to a Japanese team for 1m of the 3m he is owed

SignScott Baker to a 2year 6million dollar contract with another 6 million inincentives for 2^nd year.

SignJeremy Guthrie to a 2 year 14 million dollar deal

2013Lineup

1. BenRevere CF

2. BrianDozier 2b

3. JoeMauer C

4. JoshWillingham LF

5. JustinMorneau 1b

6. RyanDoumit DH

7. ChrisParmelee RF

8. TrevorPlouffe 3b

9. PedroFlorimon SS

Bench

ChrisHermann

JameyCarroll

EduardoEscobar

DarinMastroianni

StartingRotation

ScottDiamond

JeremyGuthrie

LiamHendriks

KyleGibson

SamDeduno

ScottBaker- When ready

Bullpen

GlenPerkins

JaredBurton

AlexBurnett

DeolisGuerra

BrianDuensing

AnthonySwarzak

ColeDe Vries

Why would the Reds want to trade Billy Hamilton?

1) No way in hell the Reds trade Billy Hamilton for Denard Span.

2) I like DeVries. Not just because he is from EP, like me, but he has done fairly well with the shot he has been given in the Majors, so he will definately have a shot to win a roster spot in ST next year.

3) The way having 3 catchers on the roster this year has worked, wouldn't be surprised if they kept Butera around until they have a prospect that they feel can take over for him.

4) I would give Dozier longer in AAA to season. He didn't show me enough while he was up with the Twins this year.

5) Agree with buying out Capps' and Bakers' options, then trying to resign Baker at a lower price.

6) Kyle Waldrop, I believe, will stay with the Twins. He has a sinkerball that Nick Blackburn wishes he could have.

7) In the bullpen, I would have Slama. To me, Hendriks is under DeVries in the depth chart because he has only had one good outing up here in the Bigs.

8) Haven't seen enough of Perdomo, Walters and Carson to say that we take them off the 40-man, but they are probs the first ones off.

9) I would have Gibson, unless he has a monster spring, start off in AAA. He hasn't been back from TJ for that long, and they want him to show that he has come back to the form that he was showing before he was injured.

10) Because of that, I would sign another SP besides Guthrie, whom I do believe the Twins will try to go after, mostly because of the lack of price as he isn't a "top-tier" pitcher.

11) I suppose anything is possible, but I see a very low chance of anyone anywhere taking Nishi off of our hands.

12) I think the Twins hang on to Span for a while. He has been oft-injured, and we haven't been able to show him to teams that might be trying to trade for him, and therefore has lower value than any of us are probably thinking.

13) I do think the Twins non-tender Casilla, but I don't think Escobar or Dozier is the answer to getting rid of him. Like Terry Ryan has been saying, this is a position where we could stand to upgrade on the offensive side.

14) I would agree with the guys who you would add onto the 40-man, but if Slama isn't on there, I hope to god that he will be.

15) Also, with Baker, he has also been injured too much to really deserve a two year deal. If I am TR, I would make him an offer of 1 year, $3.5 million to try and get some value for him in the upcoming offseason.

J-Dog:

3) Hermmann is a catcher prospect. Kind of like doumit- super utility-ish except he plays outfield instead of 1B/DH

11) Yah Nishi isn't going anywhere in the states but i suppose a Japanese team might want him. Anyway 3m isn't killing us and we would only save 1m.

15) How could you get value for Baker the upcoming offseason if he was on a 1yr contract

You really can't predict what we would get for Span, so naming a specific player from a specific team seems silly, especially bc that player isn't doing anything for you offseason plan. Also, why wouldn't you trade for pitching