stringer bell

I expect the streak to end against the Brewers, but Gomez will win one game late and Braun another.

He also hasn't played in several weeks IIRC. If Hicks goes down, the replacement is Antoan Richardson.

I liked Benson's potential, I guess I still do. Perhaps a fresh start will get him going. He had the ability to change a game with his legs, his arm, and his glove. As the PP article says, his hitting lagged. As for "attitude problems", I think all premier athletes are used to succeeding and getting better. Benson may not have handled setbacks and frustration that well, but I doubt he is a clubhouse cancer or anything like that. I wish Benson the best, but it looks like this move is best for both the player and the team.

To echo a couple others, it isn't "fair" to Arcia, but things aren't fair. Arcia only needs to spend five days in Rochester to be under control for another year. I can understand that from the Twins perspective much more than trying to avoid Super2 for Gibson. If he is going to only get sporadic time playing for the Twins, it is better for him to hit every day in Rochester. I hope he works on his defense down there. He was pretty close to brutal and it seems he has the tools to be an above average corner OF. Whatever helps down the road is what is best. I agree that the team needs let Parmelee have an extended chance to prove he can hit. That impacts moving Morneau (or not) and Willingham. Arcia has hit everywhere and moved up fast. I'm pretty sure he'll be back pretty soon and will be a hitter.

I thought Gibson should have been recalled after Hernandez got rocked in Boston (the 15-8 win). I have said for a while that prospects like Gibson get handled differently than surprise success stories like Colabello and Thielbar and suspects like Walters, De Vries and (in most respects) Deduno. Chief is saying that either Gibson is one of the top eight starters and isn't here only for financial/control reasons or that he's not that good right now. I maintain that since Gibson is a PROSPECT, the Twins are treating him differently. They want his first promotion to be his only promotion and they want him fully ready to pitch in the majors and do well if not thrive. I think they are mistaken, but I can see that prospects just are treated differently.

Grading objectively, sure. But Jamey Carroll won't be part of the 2014 Twins most likely and certainly won't be part of the 2015 team, which is the approximate time when Sano, Buxton, Meyer, May, Rosario really make their mark.

Of the four guys non-rookies, I've been satisfied with Florimon and while Plouffe hasn't lit it up, he has been an average 3B. Parmelee has disappointed as has Dozier. I'm not ready to give up on either, but it is more likely that a year from now they are memories than starters for this team.

I guess I fall into the Dozier fan camp and I can't see it going through to the end of the season. Another month or two should be enough to see if Dozier can ever hold down a regular position.

My sentiments exactly. We can also include Florimon as someone to stick with longer so that a final determination can be made.

Here is Rotation A: Correia, Walters, Deduno, Pelfrey, Diamond Here is Rotation B: Worley, Hernandez, Gibson, Albers, De Vries Which is better? Much like quarterbacks, if you have too many starters who are the same, then you don't have any.

I read somewhere that they have three options on Colabello. I never saw that he had been optioned, so I believed it. I realize it is a last time situation for both Walters and Deduno, but I thought they had plenty of rope with Colabello.

I don't think you can DFA a guy on the disabled list. Son of Sal is rehabbing now and close to being ready to play.

Benson is on his last option. I think you have to stick with him this summer and then next year is make or break purely on merit. If he's good enough to be in the big leagues, he's there, if not, DFA. The Twins have so few guys with both power and speed that it would be a pity to give up on Joe prematurely, especially coming off of a hamate bone injury. But some guys are Drew Stubbs and some are Michael Restovich.

I read somewhere that one of the Twins' corner outfield gazelles (Parmelee) was taking fly balls in center field during BP. Wilkin's demotion would relieve the glut of corner OF and solve the 40-man issue as well, I believe. However, two questions arise. Who translates for Escobar, Florimon, and Arcia? Who is the backup CF? Since this is becoming a joke of a season, I guess putting Parm in for a few innings or an emergency start is more more of an embarrassment than starting Pelfrey, Vanimal, Hernandez, Walters, and Deduno and leaving Gibson in triple A.

Masto already is on the 60-day, Wood is almost certain to follow. Promoting Walters means a third player needs to be taken off the 40-man, plus someone needs to be taken off the 25-man roster.

Sorry, Sweet One, I must type slower than you.

Mastro's transfer made room for Colabello. Wood's imminent transfer makes room for Deduno. There will need to be one more transaction to make space for Walters. Also, as soon as he is activated, someone will need to be demoted from the 25-man roster.

I think the answer to the DFA question is Hermsen. He is only in AA and is struggling. I don't think the Twins can consider DFAing Butera because he is on the Red Wing disabled list.

With the announcement that future All-Star PJ Walters will be taking over Vanimal's spot in the rotation, the Twins will have to cut one player from the 40-man roster. Technically, it is two, but one is almost certain to be transferring Wood to the 60-day Disabled List. Let's see who picks the proper suspect . I'll reply to myself because I think I have the right answer.

While I agree with you that Gibson should be recalled, I am not sure that it is so clear cut that he is the superior option at this point to Walters and Deduno, particularly Walters. Their statistics are almost the same and Walters has been more consistent. Obviously, Gibson has more stuff and upside, but perhaps a bit more AAA time could be beneficial for Gibson. If the real reason for the delay is avoiding Super2 status for Gibson, the Twins are cheap and foolish.

ESPN says $15M, Cot's says $14M. ESPN must be prorating the $6M signing bonus.

Justin Morneau has become Mark Grace. Useful on offense, good on defense, but not worth the $15M he is making this year. Both Morneau and Willingham have done little to increase their trade value other than stay in the lineup.

I used 100 plate appearances as a qualifier and used OPS as the measuring stick of hitting performance. Here are the rankings in the American League of the 10 Twins with over 100 PAs: Catcher--Mauer--2nd of 14 First Base--Morneau--11th of 18 Second Base--Dozier--13th of 15 Third Base--Plouffe--8th of 13 Shortstop--Florimon--7th of 14 Left Field--Willingham--8th of 15 Center Field--Hicks--17th of 17 Right Field--Arcia--4th of 15 and Parmelee 14th of 15 Designated Hitter--Doumit--8th of 10

To summarize, the Worley option allows the Twins to go the entire Detroit series with an 8-man bullpen. The likely transfer of Wood to the 60-day DL clears space on the 40-man for Deduno, but if another player is added from off the 40-man roster to fill Worley's spot in the rotation, someone will have to be DFAed and someone will have to be sent to Rochester. Pelfrey could "solve" the 25-man issue by being ineffective his next start and accepting an option. The Twins could solve both the 25-man and 40-man issues by DFAing Pelfrey and outrighting him to AAA if he would accept that.

I can't be too down on Vanimal because of the glasses, the hat or anything he has said. He just hasn't done the job on the mound. I think he falls right behind Gibson (and ahead of Hendriks) in upside, but he isn't dominating, he is another guy with little margin for error who has to hit his spots and depend on his defense. Not an ace or #2 or even #3.