shs_59

I have this group: Thorpe 10th (if Thorpe did not have the injury questions i could see him as high as 7th or 8th) Kepler 12th Gonsalves 13th Walker 16th Rogers 20th

I disagree with the hypothetical notion Phills would want or even Ask for Buxton, I think they even know the #1 prospect is off-limits. I could see Amaro asking for Sano as the highlighter in any such deal, in which i would Be glad to hear TR and co politely decline. Or counter with Meyer, May, Polanco and a C+ guy. We'll see. Hamels, in terms of both pieces to acquire and in terms of Anual salarly is probably well too rich for our blood and Pohlads wallet anyway... I'm ok with that. I'm ok with passing on Shields too. However Question for Jeremy, Steve Lein and others.... if Shields would be willing to take a 38~ 40 $ Million dollar deal on 2 yrs would you do that if you were the Twins and (barely) got the go ahead approval from St. Peter and Pohlad?

I can't help but think when mlbtraderumors says, ' 5 to 6 teams discussing w/ Phills about potential Hamels trade' . I can't help but wonder if names like Trevor May or Alex Meyer are being thrown around, Duffey maybe as a 3rd piece but. how about Jorge Polanco , Kohl Stewart, A.B. Walker , and Taylor Rogers for Hamels? I personally wouldn't offer Meyer. Maybe think about May instead of Stewart, I just think The phils would prefer Stewart. Essentially I wouldn't offer any top top guys like Buxton , Sano , Meyer , Berrios and I'd try to keep guys like Rosario , and Thorpe and Gonsalves. BUT being completely honest , for a guy like Hamels...T. Duffey , and Travis Harrison are exactly the types of guys i hope the Phills bite on as pieces #2 and #3 in any such deal. (hopefully if we offer 3 or 4 solid guys the Phills take on 3 mill a year on Hamels' deal or so)

What was that Thrylos has Buxton 3rd? lol what a prospect noob! All these years going back to Twinkie Town, Thrylos, have now been disregarded. From this day forward I Taketh away the Power of Thrylos. But in all seriousness I <3 thrylos' added knowledge but nnnnot quite as much as Seth Stohs and Nygaard.

If i wasn't practically in Nebraska right now, and living here. I would definately be There! Have a great time those that go....and Please be respectful and whisper during the interviews of St. Peter , Jacque and or Laudner. !

Sweet Vid, GO J.O. ! I like and appreciate the fact that he shows such passions for his woman, and like the fact he's a parent and father, it seems to help his drive and focus even more. Stay healthy J.O. and we will see ya in Minny sooner than many!

Also for Seth, I miss Hang out and talk Twins podcasts. That podcast is my favorite one by a lot.

Brandon Peterson, Cam Booser and Adrian Salcedo are good underratted guys that could end up pitching in 7th inning mlb leverage situations. Brandon Paulson is a great story, but i'm not expecting anything from him really.

2 words to remember though Billy Bullock also Jose Mijares also Anthony Slama and Rob Delaney also what Ever happened to Luke Bard? I really really really hope J.T. 95-97 MPH throwing Chargois pans out.

in 2016? I'm already way past Perkins as the closer, I think we'd be lucky if Perkins was pitching in the 7th inning regulary in 2016. Melotakis and Reed? I'd take top end middle relievers in the Majors right now from them. Burdi , Chargois and maaaybe Zach Jones maybe they can develop into 8th inning guys or closers.

97.837 % on Alex Meyer seems so right for me. Although, I too, would put it slightly higher than 10% he makes opening day rotation. ~maybe 25%. Something could easily happen to May (stuggles, injury) and Pelfrey should almost be slated for long-reliever , 7th man in the bullpen. That gives Meyer maybe 60% to crack rotation out of spring. As for Tommy Milone, I see a FSL - to Rochester re-boot re-habilitation for him and his arm issues. At the very least he cannot start the season higher than Rochester the more i think about it. Unless he is healthier than i anticipate and Does what he does in ST. I think Buxton should be about 40% and Sano about 60% There is soo much patience at this point, that needs to be used. Rosario i agree 78% or 80 is pretty good. Many of the others are great , Seth. and I like the optimism on Nick Burdi !!!

2 Huge things stick out to me when looking at the Adam Jones and Aaron Hicks photos there... 1) Hicks starts his swing much sooner than Jones (or thinks he has to) he's already looking way out towards the oncoming baseball well before it arives. Head pointed to his target almost tooo early. 2) Jones meanwhile, lets the ball get in much deeper, and look at his head, he's almost barely moving his head all the way while the baseball is oncoming to home plate. Jones just looks like a much better firing position on that shot than Hicks' does. Jones - Keeps a better center of gravity, is standing taller, is not have all the weight already shifted to his front side (as hicks seems to) and Lets the ball get deep.

Names of pitchers i'd rather of had than the Big Erv. Jake Peavey (cheaper) Jeff Smardjza (trade) Jason Hammell (cheaper, slightly) Edinson Volquez (cheaper) Justin Masterson (cheaper, way cheaper) I like signing Santana better than signing Shields or Szcherzer i guess.... but thats about it.

Well Graham > than Gilmartin anyways.... I like it. Neither player looks lke much, Gilmartin may have a better chance sticking on the Mets than Graham on the suddenly "full" twins staff....... But Neither player has a huge upside. I just think Grahahm has a bit more than Gilmartin. Like the move.

Meanwhile Justin Masterson gets. $ 9.5 MM + incentives on a 1 Year Deal with Justin Masterson's Red Sox. I'd of rather had Masterson on 2 for ~20 or 1 for ~ 10 million + ....than Santana for 55 Million. Nolasco looked like an OK signing this time last year, was the Exact same age....and now looks like a detriment.... I fail to see how this is any different. Santana > than Nolasco but by how much exactly? ; also as Seth says..... Ervin Santana is 32 years old..... just months younger than Nolasco. Put me in the Boat, that dispises this signing..... why not make a trade for Mat Latos or sign Masterson on the cheap for less years?... or several other moves than to go "all in" with the signing of Ervin "magical" Santana. It feels as if TR and the FO needed or wanted to make a statement to the Rest of the AL Central "not so fast" we're still a member of this division....... in 2015? who really cares... I'm eyeing 2016-2017 all along. Ervin better pitch to his sabermetrics for 2015 and beyond and not what he actually did last year, in the AL that contract will look terrilbe fast.

PUKE .... I"m soo sick to the gutt punched stomach.

I'm not saying the pro's outweigh the cons but REASONS signing Torii Hunter is a Good Idea/ investment. Aaaaand just for you Paul :-) 1. Fans , mainly longtime Die_hard Minnesota Twins fans, yes you're brotherin. Get to witness the Derek Jeter like Closing escapades in A minnesota Nice kind of way , for what its worth. 2. Many of those same fans get to bring out the old tathered #48 jersey out of the closet and Actualy WHERE it to Target Field. NO NEED to buy a Hicks jersey. 3. Some and possibly very few of these same fans, will NOT for-go renewing season tickets and help stave off falling into disparity and the Tampa Bay Rays like payroll #'s untill we are relevent again. ( meaning 85-115 Million annually is a REALITY because of MOVES Like the Torii Hunter signing.) 4. The Puckett to Hunter dynamic exists; and Do you think the Hicks to Buxton dynamic was at all going to be a proponent into Buxton's development? Nahhh its Hunter to Buxton. Thats the torch we are witnessing now. (I Don't Care if Hunter actually helps Byron .01 % with his development or 5% either way it a positive.) Also Hunter's presence helps allow for the Twins FO to avoid rushing Buxton in any way. 5. He Makes things a bit more interesting for 2015, and maybe fun again for Joe Mauer. And others. 6. Getting him off of Detroit, where he could NOT DH , (Victor Martinez) WIll now allow him to have fresher legs than he did in 2014, for much of 2015. Assuming he DH's twice as much as he did in Detroit. It will help down the stretch. The question is how much or how little? -Also you take away a middle of the order bat from a Division Foe. 7. THE 2016 SALARY CAP...... In a genious move by TR, forcing the Pohlads to spend the $10.5 Million on Hunter for one season, absolutely means the same 10.5 for the 2016 Season will be spent on a NEW player or towards player(s) in a Positive way for the Future of the Minnesota Twins. 8. Hunter gets to one way or another retire as a Minnesota Twin, and i'm not sure if he's Hall worthy but going in with a Twins cap seems so right. Spider-man Hunter and his wall climbs...may be no More but maybe Superman's kyrptonite he can be for us in 2015.

I'm not saying the pro's outweigh the cons but REASONS signing Torii Hunter is a Good Idea/ investment. 1. Fans , mainly longtime Die_hard Minnesota Twins fans, yes you're brotherin. Get to witness the Derek Jeter like Closing escapades in A minnesota Nice kind of way , for what its worth. 2. Many of those same fans get to bring out the old tathered #48 jersey out of the closet and Actualy WHERE it to Target Field. NO NEED to buy a Hicks jersey. 3. Some and possibly very few of these same fans, will NOT for-go renewing season tickets and help stave off falling into disparity and the Tampa Bay Rays like payroll #'s untill we are relevent again. ( meaning 85-115 Million annually is a REALITY because of MOVES Like the Torii Hunter signing.) 4. The Puckett to Hunter dynamic exists; and Do you think the Hicks to Buxton dynamic was at all going to be a proponent into Buxton's development? Nahhh its Hunter to Buxton. Thats the torch we are witnessing now. (I Don't Care if Hunter actually helps Byron .01 % with his development or 5% either way it a positive.) Also Hunter's presence helps allow for the Twins FO to avoid rushing Buxton in any way. 5. He Makes things a bit more interesting for 2015, and maybe fun again for Joe Mauer. And others. 6. Getting him off of Detroit, where he could NOT DH , (Victor Martinez) WIll now allow him to have fresher legs than he did in 2014, for much of 2015. Assuming he DH's twice as much as he did in Detroit. It will help down the stretch. The question is how much or how little? -Also you take away a middle of the order bat from a Division Foe. 7. THE 2016 SALARY CAP...... In a genious move by TR, forcing the Pohlads to spend the $10.5 Million on Hunter for one season, absolutely means the same 10.5 for the 2016 Season will be spent on a NEW player or towards player(s) in a Positive way for the Future of the Minnesota Twins. 8. Hunter gets to one way or another retire as a Minnesota Twin, and i'm not sure if he's Hall worthy but going in with a Twins cap seems so right. Spider-man Hunter and his wall climbs...may be no More but maybe Superman's kyrptonite he can be for us in 2015.

I mean its one thing if you have 1000 AB's in AA and then go straight to the big leagues. But 250 - 350 AB's or less in not enough in my opinion to make the jump straight from the Eastern League.

http://espn.go.com/espn/fp/flashPollResultsState?sportIndex=mlb&pollId=4613070 a poll , nationwide, on what other sports fans (mostly educated fans) think of the Hunter to Twins move. And in response to, tobi 0040 who was questioning my Vargas to AAA notion, (citing his .761 ops for the Twins in 2014) When has entirely skipping AAA ever been a good idea for the Twins? Brian Dozier hasn't even blossomed yet; if anything was dissapointing for me in 2014. after a great 2013. Hicks, is one of many many many examples that skipping AAA entirely is not a good idea. The Twins needed a bat after they traded awway poor Kendrys Morales so they dug into AA to bring up Vargas , who did a great job. But with torii on the roster i think its a better idea to have someone like Vargas in AAA. Where he can play everyday. And hopefully improve in some minor areas. Hunter needs to DH at least once or twice a week. (if not more)

http://espn.go.com/espn/fp/flashPollResultsState?sportIndex=mlb&pollId=4613070 ^ nationwide pole on Hunter to Twins and what ppl think of it.

Ya , Nick, I tend to agree. Nice article 100% am intrigued by guys like Medlen and Beachy although ...look how bad Scott Baker turned out for the Cubbies 2 years or so back , in a similar situation as Medlen and B.B. But i do not want to overpay for someone like Hammell or Vogelsong or Volquez i'd rather feast on someone like Brett Anderson or some on the names you mentioned. Also i saw the Twins just signed OF Shane Robinson probably essentially AAA depth. But i like the move non-the less unless the Twins think he gets a prominent 40 man spot.

realisticaly the only guys of the 6 were Nunez and Duensing to be possilbe non-tender candidates... But i guess you can hope both have amazing April / May's and re-coup some trade value and both maybe together ? can be moved at the trade deadline for a C+ prospect or something. The thing is i keep seeing "pitchers" as the targets for the winter meetings...... UNless there is a Twins trade it should be PITCHER (singular) there is not room for 2 Starting pitchers on our team this off-season SPECIFICLY there is room for 1 SP however I like the names Seth Mentioned above, But also maybe Brett Anderson and Jason Hammel lshould be considered....

I agree thrylos.... and somewhat Tobi0040 too Joe Mauer has not been Joe Mauer and the pitching needs to improve. Those 2 single factors are much bigger to the team impending success or lack of success in 2015. Than the signing of Torii Hunter...... I think Hunter can DH and in the first half before Vargas' re-call from AAA maybe even be the full time DH.

Dozier + Hughes + Hicks (or someone similar) >>> Than Jay Bruce althought the Reds might see that as a solid fair trade I do not exactly. Close but not a great trade idea I don't think.