ppearson50

DH Park is the Twins' best hitter this spring and Vargas has yet to get a hit. Utility player Santana looks to have a leg up on Ehire Adrianza, at least with the bat. I think Ehire has one hit. Not sure if guys like Matt Hague or Tommy Field or Leonardo Reginatto have much of a shot. Back up catcher. It kind of seems that it's Chris Gimenez's job to lose as he is getting a lot of playing time and has a couple of hits and Falvey knows him from Cleveland. Then they always have Murphy and Garvey at Rochester. 5th starter. May versus Berrios looks like it is too close to call. Bullpen. Belise, Pressly, Kinzler, and Rogers I would think are locks. After that, who knows. If the Twins add Park and Gimenez to the 40 man, my prediction is they drop Tonkin and Ehire who make it through waivers to Rochester.

With Travis Wood, Mike Napoli, Chris Carter, Adam Lind and a bunch of other guys off the board in recent days, I get the feeling we are not adding anyone else. The only ones that are interesting left are Joe Blanton, Pedro Alverez, and Matt Wieters. The bullpen already has about 15 guys in competition for 7 spots so I doubt they add Blanton, but I sure wish they would. Wieters is a starting catcher so no need there. The only way I see them adding Alverez is if the new guys in the front office want to just have a DH competition in Spring Training with the best one or two going North. Baseball Prospectus said Alverez would be best used as a platoon DH. The Oakland As would do that but I can't see the Twins doing that.

I was thinking the same thing. Maybe they are on the verge of signing Napoli or Blanton and figured why not claim this guy, and DFA him and keep him the way the Braves kept Adam Walker. .

Offseason moves so far. Pitch framing catcher Castro. Rule 5 flier Haley. No bat good glove waiver claim SS Adrianza. And Matt Belise, older relief pitcher.

Meh.

Danny Santana is not a lock to make this team. Escobar is your backup infielder. Grosssman is your backup outfielder. Have Mauer at First, Napoli at DH. And then whoever is better in Spring Training of Vargas or Park, that person is your once or twice a week DH/pinch hitter. It limits your bench but how many at bats do we want to give to Santana this year? Rather have the bench bat.

Looks like Napoli and Carter both bat right handed. Moss and Chris Coglan bat lefthanded. Pagan is a switch hitter. Its hard to believe Carter is only 30 years old. Coglan is 31. Moss is 33. Pagan and Napoli are 35.

Twins are waiting for prices to come down and I bet they sign someone on the cheap. Lots of homerun power still on the market. Mike Napoli? Chris Carter? Brandon Moss?

He sounds great as a bullpen piece. Who gets bumped off the 40 man if they sign him? Tonkin?

I would think if Deleon and Alverez were indeed ever offered the Twins probably would have pulled the trigger on that.

Deleon for Forsythe straight up. Probably same thing they offered to Twins.

I don't know who in the free agent market they might go after now. I think they should sign Aybar for SS and turn Polanco into super utility like Ben Zobrist.

Looks like Polanco is our shortstop this year.

Crap!

Dodgers Digest guy suggested on Twitter that the Dodgers offer Deleon and last year's supplemental first round pick Jordan Sheffield as a way to break this deadlock between the Dodgers and Twins. Looks like Sheffield has a high 90s fastball. He was as low A Great Lakes Loons last year.

Maybe I overstated his ability to play the outfield. But the guy did hit 47 bombs last year.

So if we are keeping Dozier, why don't we give him a homerun hitter behind him in the lineup? MLBtraderumors listed a report today that Trumbo's asking price might be coming down to as low as 3 years and 40 million. The new guys running the team this year have said they have the green light to spend some money on free agents if they so desire. I would be thrilled with Dozier, Trumbo, and Sano as the Twins 3,4,5 hitters. It sounds like Trumbo can play first base, DH and outfield in a pinch. If we can't pitch very good, let's just outscore the other teams.

I'm sure the offer was at least Deleon and Micah Johnson, who was just designated to make room for Jansen by the Dodgers. Maybe if he makes it past the Padres, the Twins could claim Johnson who is fast and can play the outfield and second base.

Of course Deleon and Alverez would be amazing.

At this point I think I'd be pretty happy with Deleon and Calhoun or Deleon and Sheffield. Seems like a good middle ground to get two top ten prospects. I would be ecstatic with Deleon and Stewart. That would add two guys to our starting rotation battle for spring training.

Not sure how this effects the Dozier trade talks but the Dodgers just signed a 28-year-old Cuban who plays second base. Probably puts a little pressure on the Twins. Jose Miguel Fernandez. http://www.baseballamerica.com/international/jose-miguel-fernandez-norge-ruiz-play-winter-ball-dominican-republic/

As much as the Dodgers are dragging their feet, it feels like they wouldn't give up that much. I don't know if they have a Forsythe deal from the Rays lined up or what but there has to be a reason they are playing such hardball with the Twins. I think the Twins in the end buckle and take Deleon and whatever other prospect or prospects in the top 20 prospect list the Dodgers offer up. It feels like the Dodgers have all the leverage here.

It does seem like the Twins are just trying to make one last try to get the Dodgers to budge on their offer by leaking to Mike B that the Braves are still involved. I think the Dodgers aren't budging. This thing has to be close to being resolved today or tomorrow. Here is my prediction. Deleon and Calhoun. No third player. Calhoun can be moved to left field and could be a September call up or maybe see action even sooner.

Braves do seem to make a lot of sense. Ozzie Albies is the 12th ranked prospect in baseball, according to MLB, and can play multiple infield positions. Those two pitchers Blair and Wisler were both once highly regarded top 50/60 prospects in baseball who have had some innings in the big leagues. All three would seem to be too much, though, for two years of Dozier.

I think I read someplace Barnes has already been named as the Dodgers backup catcher this year. Doubt he would be in a deal.