As we turn the calendar page from 2012 to 2013, it’s also time to turn the page and look forward to the 2013 season.

The Roster & Payroll page has become a pretty popular destination for TwinsDaily.com visitors, so I’ve decided to make some changes to make it MORE informational (can you believe it?) but also more reader-friendly.

The 2012 page has been skinned down to the big-league payroll and is still viewable here (link not available yet...).

The meat and potatoes – now the 2013 page – can be found here (also in the Blue Ribbon on the Homepage).

SOME CHANGES:

First off, I always found it beneficial to be able to look at player and see the levels at which he’s played over the course of the last couple of seasons. The issue with the old page was that once a player joined the Twins his development path was taken over by his current salary. To combat that, I’ve divided the big league club – or for now, the Spring Training roster – into two different parts: a payroll part and an actual Twins roster with development paths.

The payroll part will house all of the 40-man roster as well as non-roster invites until they are sent down. There are also projected salaries next to all players who I loosely project to be on the Opening Day roster (more on that later). Players that are projected to be on a different roster have that listed as well.

Below the Total Payroll, you’ll find contract details – options and incentives that could change payroll at some point. Right now, the payroll includes projected contract renewals. This is to give you a sense of what the Opening Day payroll will be.

Once you get past the Payroll section, you’ll find a table that will contain the numbers of all of the players, coaches, etc. If you’re heading to Spring Training, you might find this helpful. If you’re watching on TV, you might find this helpful. If you’re into numbers like I am, you just think it’s cool to have. As players are sent down, I intended to change their color so that the active roster (from above) will be in black. If players have been in camp before, I’ve used that number. If their most recent number isn’t available, they’ve been bumped to the end and will be moved when I learn their new number.

After that you’ll find all the 2013 roster projections. I added symbols next to left-handed hitters (*) and switch-hitters (#) and managerial staffs after each roster as well.

A few caveats here: While extremely fun – it’s impossible to do – so I’ve limited the guess work as much as possible. Details to follow…

TWINS

Middle Infield – I don’t believe that Escobar, Dozier and Florimon will all make the Opening Day roster. In fact, my best guess is that Carroll starts at 2B, Florimon at SS and Escobar as a utility guy. That leaves Dozier in Rochester. Of course, the roster doesn’t reflect that because as of now the perception is that they all have equal chances to make the team. So they’ll stay there together until I know differently.

Outfield – Two guys, huh? For now, yeah. There is going to be a 4^th outfielder (in addition to Parmelee in RF). I don’t see Hicks breaking camp with the big club. If I had to bet on who that guy is going to be right now… I’d guess it would come from the group of Clete Thomas, Wilkin Ramirez and Brandon Boggs. But since all of those guys are NRI’s, I’m not going to project them on the big-club. They are AAA-players until they prove otherwise.

Starting Rotation – Right now there are five guys. I’d be shocked if that’s the starting five on Opening Day. I anticipate Pelfrey being on the D.L. I anticipate Gibson on Rochester’s D.L (I think he'll stay in Fort Myers throwing bullpens for six weeks to help limit his innings and eliminate his innings in the cold weather). Harden, Blackburn, Deduno all have a shot, but, again, they are all NRIs.

Bullpen – There is no way the Twins have those nine guys in the bullpen on Opening Day. Three are out of options. One is a Rule 5 guy. So those four need to appear here. That leaves Burnett and Fien. Odds are they are Opening Day bullpen guys, too. So they’re all going to be listed here for now.

RED WINGS

Once you get past the fact that there are 38 guys listed, I think it’s pretty simple. The Twins will cut some of these guys, some will start at AA, some will be in the Major Leagues and some will have phantom “knee tendinitis” injuries.

Some names that I could see moving down (since I already gave you some names I thought might move up): Nate Hanson, Aaron Hicks (so he and Benson can both play CF) and a bunch of pitchers like Caleb Thielbar, Bryan Augenstein, Bobby Lanigan, Daniel Turpen, Andrew Albers and Blake Martin.

I think the “winner” of Deibinson Romero and Mark Sobolewski moves up to AAA and the other stays in New Britain. It makes sense to me anyway.

ROCK CATS

Besides the extra guys listed, I like how this roster turned out. Obviously some guys might not start the year here – Nate Roberts? Alex Meyer? - but if I had to guess independent of how all the other rosters are configured, this is where I’d put these guys. If a player ended the year in Rochester, I put them on that roster because I figured they’re going to camp with the opportunity to win a job there again.

MIRACLE

The two names that are questionable here are Danny Santana and Michael Tonkin. Both could move up easily. The middle infield is especially unclear. Does Rosario stay at 2B? Does Michael play SS? Does Michael move up? There are extra bodies that need to play. I didn’t want to make that guess on January 1, so I put them there together because, again, independently of each other I think they all belong here. You may disagree and say that Danny Santana is the shortstop in New Britain and Adam Bryant plays shortstop for the Miracle. I wouldn’t argue.

Bullpens are pretty fluid. Tonkin could be here or in New Britain.

KERNELS

Again, a lot of names here. The Twins have held guys back in EST until the weather warms up and I bet we see that practice again. The guys that I listed here are guys that I don’t think will play for Elizabethton at all. Take J.O. Berrios, for example. I don’t think he’ll be in Cedar Rapids in the beginning of April, but I expect he’ll be there by the end of May. Byron Buxton could go either way. Revere and Hicks didn’t start the season in Beloit, but joined later. Buxton is better than either of them, but has already been pushed more than the other two were.

The catching situation is fluid. Where does Grimes start? Wickens could move up clearing shortstop for Goodrum (which in turn would definitely bump Santana to AA). There are a number of outfielders listed as well. Not all will start the year in Cedar Rapids, but I’d expect them all to see time there.

The pitching staff is quite deep too. Not being 100% sure which guys will get the chance to start makes it hard to project the destination, let alone the rotation and bullpen. Melotakis could relieve in Fort Myers. Bard could start or relieve in Fort Myers, but he’s been hurt, so who knows?

EXTENDED SPRING TRAINING/DSL

All of the other names in the system except for those in the Dominican Summer League.

EST guys have a projected destination. I still haven’t added the DSL guys just because that’s such a crapshoot. The international signees are still at the bottom followed by unsigned free agents.

As always, I want feedback. Is there something posted incorrectly? Is there something missing? I want this to be usable for everyone, so I’m always welcoming others’ opinions.