2013 Blueprint, Part One: Overview

This is the first part of four parts of my 2013 Twins blueprint. The following is an overview of the roster. Part two will focus on the pitchers, part three on the position players, and part four will be centered around both contingency plans for 2013 and looking toward the future beyond 2013.

Last year, I actually put out three versions of a 2012 blueprint depending on payroll (110, 105, 100) and I was right about a few things. Jamey Carroll and Ryan Doumit were added, and I even had Scott Diamond as a fifth starter in one of them.

With regard to 2013, I have done a considerable amount of thinking and re-thinking. I had thought for some time that the Twins should trade Morneau for either two varying level prospects or one prospect and one MLB-ready pitcher. It is good to be constantly critical of one's perspective and to re-evaluate one's ideas. So, I have decided that the Twins best bet for 2013 and 2014-on is to not trade anybody in the offseason, instead signing two FA starting pitchers and maximizing the depth of the lineup and bench.

What this means for 2013 is a roster that looks like this, barring injury:

Denard Span

Ben Revere

Joe Mauer

Josh Willingham

Justin Morneau

Trevor Plouffe

Ryan Doumit

Brian Dozier

Pedro Florimon

Chris Parmelee

Jamey Carroll

Darin Mastroianni

Chris Herrmann

Scott Diamond (awarded opening day, on principle)

Edwin Jackson

Shaun Marcum

Liam Hendriks

Sam Deduno (with LR Cole DeVries, Rochester's Kyle Gibson, PJ Walters, Esmerling Vasquez, and David Bromberg on call, and the DL-ed Scott Baker as well--more on all of this in part two)

Cole DeVries

Tyler Robertson

Anthony Slama (Deolis Guerra gets passed through waivers)

Casey Fien

Brian Duensing

Jared Burton

Glen Perkins

This roster, including the arbitration guesses and the 3 year, $30 million contracts given to Jackson and Marcum, comes in at somewhere around $96 million (and this includes paying Nishioka and Blackburn). In other words, the Twins could have this team for the same cost as what the 2012 team was supposed to cost before certain releases and trades. There was a lot of money tied up in Carl Pavano, Scott Baker, Francisco Liriano, Jason Marquis, and Matt Capps, making about 30% of the payroll dead weight.

My 2013 roster removes the dead weight. The idea is to keep the best players and add good players to replace bad or mediocre players. This means what I refer to as a "Thome bench" and a "2006 quality rotation." Having a bench that always includes an impact bat is a vital thing for all good teams. That extra player either fills in for injured players or becomes the pinch hitter needed in close games. This would be Parmelee at the very beginning of the season, but would rotate between Mauer, Morneau, Willingham, Doumit, Span, and Revere as well. Having "too much" is a good thing.

I do not mean that a Johan Santana is being added, but bringing in Jackson and Marcum means bolstering the rotation in a strong way. There is no messing around with this kind of talent. They are better than everyone other than the 2012 Scott Diamond and glimpses of Scott Baker. The cost to add both is not bad at all and, again, this team costs just as much as the planned 2012 Twins team.

In part two I will address the pitching staff in detail.

On a recent post I mentioned a Gardenhire fault called a doghouse. Slama is in it. Therefore unless he is lights out awesome, he will be elsewhere.

Quickly, as I have to get back to work, The Twins may sign one legit starter and probably a reclaimation project. To want two is reasonable. To get two is another. A Pino/Lawton type of player for a short term starter is more like what they will do

I don't know if Slama is in the doghouse. I don't know how he possibly could be. I mean . . . Alexi Casilla still got significant playing time this year!

I don't know what the Twins WILL do, but that is not the point of this. This is what they SHOULD do.

This does not clear room for the up and coming outfielders. I can buy into the fact the Twins will sign one FA starter, but believe they will trade for one or two starters.

Nishioka gave his salary back. The Twins save $3.25M. Now only if Joe Mauer does this for the last 2 years of his contract.

Beckmt, I am not in favor of starting the season with Hicks and Arcia making the Twins roster. I don't mean to say that *at no point* should Span and/or Revere be traded during 2013. I would like to see the continuation of 2012 success into 2013 at AAA for Hicks and Arcia.

Nishioka's salary back is helpful. It's the difference between a Saunders and and a Marcum.

I was not saying both Hicks and Arcia making the Twins roster, I was expecting one(probably Arcia). Twins have had a number of players jump from Double AA to the majors as hitters. I also expect that Span and Parmalee may be traded for one major league ready starter and one prospect/suspect. Do not believe in relying on Gibson or possibly Baker to help next year can be expected(though expect Gibson will be here next year at some point).

I agree that Marcum would be a huge upgrade and hope that happens, but do not think Twins will sign two FA pitchers and will be disappointed if they have many of the same starting pitcher suspects they have this year. Most of those should be in AAA and used if needed.

And if Arcia falls to where he was in FTM in 2011, what kind of mismanagement will Twins embark upon with him!? I would like to see him get the extended look that Parmelee got (EVENTUALLY) at AAA this year. 200+ PAs.