1. Purges, DFAs, and Sorry, we tried you out too soon:

Release Clete Thomas

DFA Jeff Gray, Matt Maloney, Anthony Swarzak, and Sean Burroughs

Option Chris Parmelee

 

2. An addition I wanted last November, and some promotions

Sign Bobby Abreu incentive-ladenly to replace Thomas

Promote Anthony Slama, Scott Diamond, and Jeff Manship to replace Gray, Maloney and Swarzak

Promote Darin Mastroianni to replace Parmelee and Ray Chang to replace Burroughs

 

3. Set the damn lineup and rotation:

vs. RH

1. Denard Span, CF

2. Joe Mauer, C

3. Josh Willingham, LF

4. Justin Morneau, 1B

5. Ryan Doumit, RF

6. Bobby Abreu, DH

7. Danny Valencia, 3B

8. Jamey Carroll, SS

9. Alexi Casilla, 2B

 

With Chang backing up three infield positions (and 1B if needed), Mastroianni backing up all OF positions (and 2B if needed), and Trevor Plouffe backing up RF and 2B (and SS, LF, and 1B if needed)

 

vs. LH, Plouffe in for Abreu, Mastro in some for Doumit and Chang in for Morneau.

 

Starting rotation:

Carl Pavano

Liam Hendriks (letting him work it out at this level)

Scott Diamond

Nick Blackburn

Jason Marquis

 

Bullpen:

Jeff Manship

Anthony Slama

Jared Burton

Francisco Liriano

Alex Burnett

Brian Duensing

Glen Perkins

Matt Capps

 

ROC is left with

Revere

Dozier

Parmelee

Benson

Carson

Bates

etc.

 

If Swarzak clears waivers, he replaces Diamond. If not, oh well. He's the Luke Hughes of the staff.

Some of you guys are nuts!

 

Anyway, my motive was to bring in some fresh faces. Six new guys on the 25-man roster looks good to me.

There are lots of good ideas here, but also some crazy ones. For example, if Benson is not hitting in the minors, it does not make sense to bring him up.

 

I would give the team another week or two to start winning, and unless there are major improvements, then I would be trying to trade for minor league pitchers who are close to ready for the majors.

I'm with Seth and others who want to lock and load for 2014 and beyond. ANd that's what I think they ARE doing. SO):

 

1. I do close to nothing before the trade deadline. Parmelee will get enough AB's and he's not overmatched up here. Yes, I might DFA Clete Thomas or one of the Gray/Maloney combo just because I can't stand watching them, but their 2012 replacements, guys like Tosoni, Revere, Waldrop, Guerra, and Robertson (unlike many of you, I think Slama will fail in MLB), are served well in AAA for now.

 

2. I dandle the whole damn 25-man roster at the deadline, for prospects only. I want value, but pitching will be my priority. I'm not fussy about the current level in minor league ball, just interested in future talent, hoping for two or more quality prospects per trade. No one will want Mauer bad enough to offer value, and unlike others, I'm not concerned about freeing up budget with him. The likely trade chips are Span, Willingham, Pavano, maybe Liriano, and Perkins. I have to get what I want, and if not, I continue to do nothing and let the season play out. BUT, I expect to get at least one pitching prospect that will be ready to challenge for a rotaion spot in 2014.

 

3. Baker gets an incentive-laden one-year deal. My rotation in 2013, with injury alternates, is probably Baker, Liriano, Blackburn, Gibson, Hendriks, Wimmers, Diamond, Swarzak, and maybe Stuifbergen and one of my trade deadline pick-ups. Maybe my 2012 1st rounder is knocking at the door by 2014. I will probably pick up one mid-level FA starter for even more depth. But, for 2013, I'm banking on keeping the fans engaged with my everyday lineup and the new blood: Benson, Dozier, Parmelee, Revere, Tosoni...and with growing excitement about that next wave: Hicks, Herrmann, Morales, Michael, Arcia, Rosario, Sano...PLUS whatever I've garnered at the trade deadline.

 

2015 is looking good to me now....

Not bad, Birdwatcher. Slama should still get the opportunity to fail, though. God knows so many others have . . . .

"Give Joe Maurer, Danny Valencia, and Clete Thomas their unconditional release. (when someone, somewhere picks up and renegotiates Joe's contract to market value, use the $23M next year to sign 2 free agent starters to 3-4yr $10M deals. Call up Brian Dozier, Drew Butera, and Joe Benson."

 

If the Twins release Joe Mauer (never happen) and another team snatches him up, why would they renegotiate his contract when the Twins' have to pay it.

Really, those are what you would waste your wishes on? You wouldn't use it to have the pitching staff magically improved to all be the best starters in the majors? and #2, to have the Twins average with RISP jump up to .750?

Bumping this. Because maybe it is all the relevant after some time for people to think about this again.

 

I still say an injection of new blood is needed immediately. Clete Thomas, Drew Butera and Matt Maloney have to go because they are terrible. Parmelee because he doesn't belong in the majors right now, etc. Give Slama, Chang, Carson and soonish (hopefully) Dozier a chance. Sign some legitimate guys instead of Clete Thomas.