Arbitration: Who Stays, Who Goes?

I think Duensing is non-tendered. Logan Darnell can perform his role out of the 'pen in '15.

Wouldn't mind seeing Eduardo Nunez tendered, if only to see if he beats the over/under on the number of times he's expected to lose his helmet while running the bases!

Swarzak is interesting. He really didn't price himself out of the market, but he doesn't really have a true role, either. The spot starter experiment has all but failed. And you can replace him with any number of other guys, including the$5 million Pelfrey. It will be interesting to see if he gets a roster spot, or jsut a minor league spring training invite.

Duensing also has reduced value since he no longer spot starts, and he ahs become a short-short reliever to boot. You don't need a situational lefty with his few positives for $3 million. Throw Aaron Thompson out there. Give Logan Darnell the chance.

Again, as I have repeatedly posted, I am just mad that the Twins failed to flip eitehr of the above for any sort of prospect. Maybe NO ONE wanted them. We will see this off-season.

Nunez is hurt by the Santana at short scenario. If Santana stays in the outfield, he becomes the backuo. If Santana goes to short, Escobar becomes the backup. Not that being a backup is a necessity for the twins. We have Beresford, Hanson and Bernier waiting in the wings to ride the bench. Again, someone probably NO ONE wants.

IF THE TWINS SIGN an outfielder or two, Schafer finds no room on the bench. He may become 2015's Alex Pressley.

The more and more I look at Tommy Milone, I say -- let him go. Not worth the monetary gamble. We got him for Sam Fueld, which we got for minimal money in the first place. I saw nothing in Milone myself. Who knows, he might be the Vance Worley of 2015. I'm not willing to gamble on that. Sorry.

Somehow Plouffe has increased his value. The Twins still have two more arbitration rounds with the guy, but he will become expensive. He stays, but what the future holds for this first round draftee is to be seen.

Basically, you let guys go if they are too expensive for whatever you can replace them with, either in your system or from others. You escape the arbitration process by signing them to a minor league invite contract. Give guys another year to prove their worth. The Twins could do this with Schafer, but I think he would be grabbed by someone. 

Lots and lots of fodder on the roster. Too much, really. Fryer, Colabello,,Thompson, to name a few.

Woulen't you hate to see Milone non-tendered and then doing well with another team ?  Give the guy another chance.  We need a Lefty starter.

I'm in on Milone.  It's just not that much money for someone who still has potential.  Let's see what Allen can do with him.

Twins will have to tender Duensing,  too good a record to give away.  Hope they can package him for something.  Would not cry over it if non tendered.  Nunez is a question mark and I could see him non tendered, depends on what the Twins do with some of the marginal players now on the 40 man.  If they cut 4-5 of them would not bother me.

I think Nick nailed it.     Have to give Duensing a little shout out though.   His best two years were in 2009 and 2010 when it really meant something.   He came up big in two division titles.

I guess I didn't think Milone looked very good either but 83 AL starts with a better career ERA than Hughes and Gibson  and much better than Correia, Pelfrey and Nolasco  who all got the benefit of pitching mostly in the NL.   What happened?

I mostly agree with the choices but I would bring back Nunez and Milone.  Milone mainly because it is a cheap way to get another look at a guy who has had success and the fact that he has an option left could be very valuable for our pitching staff next year.

I think they bring Nunez back because I am still not convinced that Santana won't end up playing centerfield some / a lot.  Things means that Nunez is the utility guy and a far better choice in this role than anybody else they have.

Nick is right about all of this.

I don't understand why anyone argues for keeping Duensing around. It's 6 times the money for perhaps a worse outcome! Darnell deserves the tryout. Maybe Milone if that starter thing fails. Duensing isn't even a strong LOOGY candidate at this point!

Nunez is easily replaced, as he doesn't really belong in the field at all and his bat is very weak. He just runs well.

Swarzak back is an interesting case. When you non-tender a guy, he can look over the marketplace. Because you cut him, chances are he doesn't care if he comes back or not (unless you are Glen Perkins, remember, who was waivered out and couldn't get a claim, and now happy to be a Twin, still). You non-tender a guy because you don't think he is worth what he will ask in arbitration. Many players aren't. The evils of the system, you lose guys this way (think Ortiz). But right now, the Twins don't need Swarzak. They actually don't need Duensing. Or Milone. Or Nunez. And non of the three Chris guys either. What they need are hungry players who will strive to be productive and get a chance for a bigger payday (Schafer filled that bill, Fuld did it with the Twins, but not the A's, Morales failed miserably). Let's see what Terry Ryan can find.

Anyone wonder iof Casey Fein might be Jared Burton 2014 in 2015? Here's a guy the overworked in September. He was a decent trading chip for the Twins in the summer.

Milone can't break a pane of glass with his fastball, so who cares if he has options?We need BETTER pitchers, not more of the same guys with 87 MPH fastballs. The guy is no Jamie Moyer. Duenslinger is on the bubble, but he is a better choice than Milone. Bye to Cola and Parm. 

I think we need to bring up the kids an let them play.