stringer bell

Gagne is one of my all-time favorite Twins. He developed into a very solid ballplayer, but one that never was able to maximize his tools. I don't see Dozier as being as gifted athletically as Gags, but it is possible he could be as good a ballplayer.

Mauer seemed to call a pretty good game in '08-'10. Of all the catcher attributes, I think pitch calling is the most overrated.

I'm pulling for Dozier. He's the only candidate for a middle infield job that has a chance to be above-average offensively. He has enough range, hands and arm to be a good defender although he wasn't good last year. While I was hoping he would be the 2013 SS, the tea leaves seem to be pointing toward second base.

Doumit is another example of a team littered with one-dimensional talents. He isn't a full-time starter because he isn't a good enough hitter to outweigh his poor defense. He is a far better player than Butera and is versatile. I'd rather the club went with two catchers, but it sure looks like there will be three. That will limit Doumit's catching, which actually increases his value.

I don't see Burnett going north unless he is great in ST.

Agree with you, Geek, especially on point number 3. Joe seemed primed for a big year in Rochester, but never got going. I hope he is healthy and productive this year.

Dozier showed glimpses in 2012 and his minor league numbers show someone who has put up good numbers and he signed a baseball for me in ST! I hope he reclaims SS and produces.

I don't expect Plouffe to be a gold glover, but I think he can be satisfactory and his bat can be a plus. Both defensively and offensively, he fell way off after his thumb injury.

Any word on Saunders? I think he would be a good purchase and would soften the blow of Correia, Pelfrey and Worley.

As a life-long "fat boy" who has finally gotten his act together, I both identify with Hrbek and am saddened and disappointed by the way his career faded and then ended. He was a fine ballplayer, but he could have been more. Delmon has cost himself a lot of money with his expanded waistline. While I don't think he'll ever be the player many projected him to be, he has shown flashes, but no consistent play to justify his lofty draft status and the impressive haul the Rays got for the Twins to acquire his services. I fully expect that at some point this season, people will be saying he was one of the great signing, but I doubt he will sustain.

He's still relatively young. He got a chance to stay at one position and he thrived until he was injured. I expect that Plouffe will be better in 2013, particularly on defense.

Saunders would definitely help the club next year and probably the two years following. It makes way too much sense to sign him for two years with an option for year #3. In looking at the long view, the Twins have gotten filler for 2013, at least, and maybe 2014 with Worley, Correia and Pelfrey. Adding Saunders would be more of the same, but one or more of these guys can/should emerge as a useful starter on a decent team. The future holds harder throwers, Gibson, May and Meyer and probably Berrios, who will be developed in the Twins upper minors. Acquiring such talent when it is ready to pitch in the majors is just too expensive.

My brother and I went last year and we're going back in March (11th-16th). He went in 2011 as well. It was a lot of fun last year and I expect it to be quite interesting again this year. We are going to downtown Ft Myers to see Red Sox/Twins. That should be fun!

Yes, Jim I agree with you almost all the way down the line. In looking at the 2012 Twins, I saw the club meeting expectations in most areas and failing miserably at one--starting pitching. They have since traded away talent (Revere & Span) for one middle rotation guy and quite a bit of potential. They have allowed several players to leave and replaced them with two pitchers who look like more middle rotation fodder. For the Twins to thrive in 2013, someone has to emerge big-time (probably more than one someone). I think the organization knows baseball, but they may still be locked in the 20th century. We shall see if the players they have drafted and acquired since Ryan came back will be difference-makers in the next five years.

I guess I pretty much agree with ESPN--the Twins' best players were great, but they weren't all-time greats.

Carroll is a utility guy and shouldn't be a regular. Period, end of sentence. While defense is certainly important, I don't think any metrics are foolproof and further, I don't think any defender should be judged by a partial season on things as UZR etc.

Overall, I think Ryan has done an okay job this offseason dealing with the biggest minus on the 2012 team--the starting staff. While they didn't bring in marquee names, they brought in guys who might achieve something if healthy (Harden, Pelfrey) and guys who figure to provide innings (Correia, Worley) and most importantly fortified prospects for the near future (Meyers, May).

IIRC, the Twins claimed Harden when he was a Cub, but the Cubs pulled him off waivers.

While this year's rotation doesn't look wonderful, it looks to be competent, if healthy. Last year's rotation had little health (Pavano pitched hurt for a couple months, Baker didn't pitch at all, Blackburn was disabled and pitched with an injury) as well as limited upside. If Baker, Liriano and Pavano had pitched to expectation, the Twins would have won a lot more games.

Add Marcum. Myers, Saunders or someone like that. If everyone were healthy it is Marcum Myers or Saunders, Correia, Diamond, Worley and Hendriks. While this rotation won't scare the Giants, it has decent placeholders until Gibson, Meyers, Berrios and May are ready and would give the club a shot to be around ,500 anyway.

Zumaya was a low risk/high reward guy, just as Webb would be. Filling a straight can happen but most often it doesn't. Maybe the Twins could get lucky. They are due.

I'm not opposed to claiming a lefty specialist since I'm really not sold on Robertson. If Capuano/Harang were acquired and they performed well, but the team didn't wouldn't they be prime candidates to be moved for something decent at the trade deadline (as the Twins coulda/shoulda with Capps)?

OK, time for a rant. What would everybody have the Twins do? Trade Benson and Deduno for Price? Sign Grienke for $10M per year? The team has a serious deficit in major league arms--they really can't afford to trade as much as other teams to get young promising major-league ready pitchers. Failing to get top pitchers and top prospects they are shopping in the clearance aisle. If they can find someone there, great. You can argue that the Twins could go after the top-shelf talent, but I don't know if they can compete with the Angels, Dodgers, Yanks, and Sawks. Besides, I don't think the results are positive for the kind of investment made in the Pujolses, Hamiltons, and Grienkes of the world.

Callaspo had a brush or two with the law IIRC. Besides that, though, he could supply a little pressure to Plouffe since 3B seems to be his best defensive position and he is a switch hitter, much better as a lefty again IIRC.

If the Twins can get either Capuano or Harang at a deep discount, sure get one of them. They are both better than any fourth or fifth starter in the Twins system. The big thing for this team is developing good starting pitching for the future. The development of Meyer, May and Gibson is crucial to the team. I could add Berrios and Wimmers and others, but let's stop there.