I gave the Twins about a 10% chance of picking up either Nolasco or Hughes. Picking up both was out of the question.

Like several others, I would have liked to see the LH Kazmir.

 

Nonetheless, I have to say I am more than a little shocked. Absolutely did not expect this much true effort.

 

Think I'll go make some gravy to go with my crow.

I really like Terry Ryan's aggressiveness this off season. Signing a couple of starting pitchers made sense. The $ was available and the Twins needed starting pitching in the worst way. Maybe Nolasco and Hughes will turn out, maybe they won't. But at the end of the day, you can't fault Terry Ryan for his effort this off season. I'm sure Nolasco will be just fine and Hughes has age and new scenery on his side.

 

Signing one more pitcher wouldn't hurt, but I'd be okay if they called it an off season. I also feel indifferent on signing a positional player. I'm fine with a Pinto/Herrmann/Doumit combo at catcher, but I'd also be okay with Pinto backing up AJ or Salty. Either way, I'm feeling a bit better about 2014 and beyond knowing that Terry Ryan isn't going to sit on his hands.

Pencil me down for shocked as well. It may not be the two pitchers that I would of picked (what do I know anyways), but this is pretty much what I wanted them to do. They got two pitchers that should at least stop the pitching staff from being a total disaster and did not mortgage the future by giving up prospects or draft picks. I can not remember the last time the Twins did what fans wanted. Signing Joe Mauer I guess, but it's still rare.

Wow! This will be an exciting year.

I will have to check in here more often to keep up with all the moves.

With Morneau, Carroll, Blackburn and Pelfrey off the books they still haven't matched last years payroll. Still plenty of money and work to do! Don't stop now!

If things break right, 2014 may not be a lost cause...

 

After adding Nolasco and Hughes, the Twins are a 90 loss team. Just goes to show how bad things were before they were signed, and how far left there is to go.

I'm not sure they're done with signing guys. By my calculations, they still have around $28 M to spend on a catcher and another arm. I don't think the catcher will be that expensive.

 

But I do like Hughes' upside. Not only because of park effects but also defense. Even the best pitchers struggle with Derek Jeter at short and Curtis Granderson in center. Since he's not a huge strikeout guy, he'll need to get more outs behind him. And I expect him to do so with the Twins.

I really think Deduno is a long shot for this year. I really like the Hughes and Nolasco signings. That being said I don't think this team, even if everything goes perfect, and they make the playoffs, will ever win in the post season following the baseball philosophies of Gardy and Andy.

They aren't really planning to keep Florimon as the starting SS, are they?

They aren't really planning to keep Florimon as the starting SS, are they?

 

He's the best guy on the 40 man and this season's FA crop is pathetic so yeah, he's probably going to be the 2014 starting SS.

I actually like the thought of giving Pelfrey another shot, too.

 

We would have Albers, Gibson and Hendriks as backups in the minors.

 

The Twins would have to find space for Decuno. They would have to make a decision on Worley. They would have to find a place for Diamond, perhaps.

 

Right now, jettison Duensing to the Rockies (who are looking for help) and maybe package Parmelee in the deal. That would free up a bullpen spot for Diamond to pitch 1-3 innings. And then think abut marketing Swarzak if you must keep Worley, and plug him into that spot as the long man. I would still not write Deduno in ink into the rotation...he may not be ready out the gate.

 

This also would give the Twins the flexibility of trading Correia out of spring training, if need be, for prospects.

 

And at these prices, any of the Twins signings are stil mid-season tradebait if the offense fails to perform and the pitchers have any value.

 

Also, if the Twins do sign anotehr pitcher, and a catcher (I am pulling for A.J.) they would have to make at least three roster moves, which is why I would explore trading Duensing packaged with Parmelee, if possible. Swarzak is tradable. Fryer and Colabello and Albers can all be waivered out and probably stay with the organization.

Edited December 1, 201312 yr by Rosterman

Don't get me wrong, I do like these FA signings. The Twins will have some competition for the last two spots in the rotation (behind Hughes, Nolasco and Correia). Hopefully, that will weed out the stiffs and bring our squad back to mediocrity at least. The one downside is that all that glut of mediocre to above-average pitching may delay a potential ace in Alex Meyer, who had just an impressive Arizona Fall League performance. I'd like to see Alex work his way up here at least as a September Call-up in 2014. Now, barring injury, it looks like 2015.

Edited December 1, 201312 yr by strumdatjag

In other words, I'd hate to keep a great prospect out of the rotation, just because we're paying big money to an average pitcher (potentially Nolasco) or worse a below average pitcher (Hughes). Now, they both could be great, which would create a non-problem if Meyer is delayed. Moreover, Hughes could very well stink (look at his HR numbers, pitching in Target Field could just mean he gives up a slightly lower but still ridiculously high number of HRs). If he stinks, he will be jettisoned or promptly demoted like Worley was last year. In other words, I don't mind if excellence delays a prospect, I just don't want it delayed by mediocrity.

I never understood why Twins fans booed AJ in the first place. He didn't demand to leave like C. Knoblauch, for instance, he was traded away. The booers just seemed uninformed to me.

 

Here, here (chortle). About time someone sees the light. AJ was awesome. On a team that had such Milquetoast stars I loved this guy. Without Hunter and him Minnesota Mild. BRING HIM BACK

He's the best guy on the 40 man and this season's FA crop is pathetic so yeah, he's probably going to be the 2014 starting SS.

 

He's way undervalued imho. He had his share of rookie-like struggles in 2013, especially early. But he settled down and made a lot of plays we haven't seen made around here since Gagne. His bat makes him more of a stop gap than a star. But he is serviceable, as long the other eight guys are productive.

 

BTW, still waiting for Nick to acknowledge that he overperformed spring training predictions of total collapse at the SS position.

Really like the fact that they are making the effort WITHOUT AAAA pitchers! Would NOT like the return of Pelfry!

So I'm trying to think what the most obvious moves to keep the 40 man freed up would be. Is it to deal Correia and take Johnson off?

 

I can't imagine the Twins abandoning Diamond, Worley, or Deduno - all three will have to make the staff or be cut. Diamond isn't a candidate to be a bullpen arm (terrible splits) and I doubt they want to move Deduno back there with his erratic control.

 

The only other possibility is we see the Twins deal someone like Burton for a young arm and promote Swarzak, but then we have those recent comments about Duensing and Swarzak coming prepared to start?

 

All that said - It's so, SO nice to be talking about how we'll clear the filler off our roster rather than talking about how we're adding to it.

 

If Diamond or Worley don't make the team too bad let em go. Had enough chances mediocre talent. Enough of that.

Big fan of the aggressive posture of TR so far.

 

Not a fan of this particular pitcher. Hope to be proven wrong.

My prediction: Jason Bartlett will be the Twins' starting SS. I know, I know, it's a long shot. He took last year off. But if he's still got the SS skills and the hitting skills, I think he'll be back. Florimon and Escobar will be the two infield backups.

 

Here's my lineup:

1) CF Aaron Hicks or, less-likely, Ryan Presly

2) 2B Brian Dozier

3) 1B Joe Mauer

4) DH Josh Willingham

5) LF Oswaldo Arcia

6) SS Jason Bartlett

7) 3B Chris Colabello (I know, I know, a very long shot)

8) CA Pinto/Pierzynski/Salty

9) RF Wilkin Ramirez

 

The reserves: Hicks or Pressly for fourth OF; Florimon and Escobar. If Josmil Pinto is the primary, and no backup CA is signed, Doumit will be the backup. If Salty or AJ is signed, Pinto will be the backup. Doumit, Parmelee and Plouffe are the odd men out. The Twins would be better off without all three.

 

This is as much a wish list as a prediction; as much as I feel Doumit, Parmelee and Plouffe should not be on the team, because of their lack of defensive skills and their lack of offensive abilities, I dread the notion that two of the three will still be playing for the team.

 

The rotation is getting clear:

 

1) Nolasco

2) Hughes

3) Correia

4) Pelfry (I think they'll sign him, but I wish they wouldn't)

5) Deduno

@ 101- With you on Pelfrey, though I'm not sure they make a move for him.

 

#4 Spot, to me, is Deduno- gut tells me he improves in '14 and has a chance to put it all together. #5 spot is Albers/Diamond/Worley/Swarzack/Meyer? fighting it out. Competition for that spot takes care of itself.

 

Apparently TR has changed his spots- hanging with Bo Jackson & swilling 8-hr. energy by the case? Anyway unexpected given his m.o., but a welcome surprise.

 

With abut $30m left to sped, I see three options after signing a C- PLEASE let it be AJ!

 

1) Traditional approach: Twins stand pat now and re-evaluate come July; package #5 spot losers plus a prospect & do a midseason trade. Depending on how Deduno does, he might be in that mix. Pick up 1-2 arms?

 

2) Twins wait for better SP FA market following '14. Evaluate needs following extended looks at everyone.- SPs & pos. players.

 

3) Through the looking glass: TR really has changed his spots & makes a bid for another arm now, hopefully a power/SO type like Garza (please, not Kazmir).

 

I like the aggressiveness (for a change), and the years/dollars terms are not unreasonable. We've got a lot of tradeable guys/can package a few arms + a prospect + cash? heading into the winter meetings, and still have cash to spend. Would not be surprised to see one more deal for a 'quality' arm- whether this OS, midseason, or postseason. Lord knows we need it, but '14 looks a lot more like meaningful baseball now. A bridge to '15 & '16 to be sure, but with breathing room for guys like Pinto, good chance for the SR to stabilize, & get Sano, Bux?, and maybe Meyer wet behind the ears.

 

Pick at the details all you want, but this is heading in the right direction. Next, make Molitor mgr. in '15!

This comp perked me up. How nice would it be if we were on the other end of a Kyle Lohse type turnaround

 

That would be fantastic! But he (and others) did better away from Anderson and Gardenhire, not with them in their ear.

Here, here (chortle). About time someone sees the light. AJ was awesome. On a team that had such Milquetoast stars I loved this guy. Without Hunter and him Minnesota Mild. BRING HIM BACK

 

I second that. I have always liked AJ. He was always a good Twin and he is a funny guy. Some just don't have an evolved sense of humor. He doesn't help with the language barrier like Navarro would, but he would be a welcome addition, and with Joe's added presence, would be able to help Pinto ......with gestures.

Edited December 1, 201312 yr by h2oface

I second that. I have always liked AJ. He was always a good Twin and he is a funny guy. Some just don't have an evolved sense of humor. He doesn't help with the language barrier like Navarro would, but he would be a welcome addition, and with Joe's added presence, would be able to help Pinto ......with gestures.

 

AJ is a good receiver and handler of pitchers. His other defensive skills have slipped over the past few years, however. He's especially poor on the running game. For these reasons and age, I would prefer Salty, but maybe he's out of their price range. An AJ/Pinto platoon would be my second choice.

I like Navarro as a first choice. He can handle the translation problem. Communication can't hurt.

I like the Hughes signing. If they could get Baker and AJ we could all sing Kumbaya at the opener.

I guess we are still in on Arroyo according to MLBTR. I actually would not mind if we signed him as well(2 years on 3). I think he would provide good leadership and a solid 200 IP. It definitely would not hurt to continue to let the young guys get experience in the minors. Also, lets sign AJ already JEEZ!

I like the Hughes signing. If they could get Baker and AJ we could all sing Kumbaya at the opener.

 

Thanks for my laugh of the day. Don't forget Johan.

In other words, I'd hate to keep a great prospect out of the rotation, just because we're paying big money to an average pitcher (potentially Nolasco) or worse a below average pitcher (Hughes). Now, they both could be great, which would create a non-problem if Meyer is delayed. Moreover, Hughes could very well stink (look at his HR numbers, pitching in Target Field could just mean he gives up a slightly lower but still ridiculously high number of HRs). If he stinks, he will be jettisoned or promptly demoted like Worley was last year. In other words, I don't mind if excellence delays a prospect, I just don't want it delayed by mediocrity.

 

Hughes will not be Worelied to the Minors, if he fails as a starter ,look for him to become the new Burton, just paid slightly higher

While a Spanish-speaking catcher is a good idea in the abstract, am I the only one who has looked at the roster and noticed that it isn't a real issue?

 

Here are the possible Twins starters:

 

Correia, Worley, Deduno, Nolasco, Diamond, Hughes, Albers, Gibson, Hendriks.

 

On-the-way starters:

 

Meyers.

 

One guy who isn't a native English speaker... A guy that has been in MLB farm systems for 11 years. I'm sure he has a grasp on the language at this point.

 

The bullpen is little different. Frankly, it doesn't matter if the catcher speaks Spanish at this point and it won't matter until Berrios hits the Majors.