jay

This sole move won't guarantee explosions of runs, but it will make a positive impact. We can use some fancy math in a few months to forecast with pretty darn good accuracy how many runs would have been scored with someone else's stats at #2 and compare it to how we've done.

I'd be perfectly happy with Mauer batting third if we were getting .350 OBP from #2. However, the stats on mlb.com show: 2012 - .321 (thanks, Ben) 2011 - .289 2010 - .321 So, we certainly haven't been getting that level of production. With a bit more pop through to the bottom of the lineup, I think it makes even more sense to have Mauer bat second than it does to have Parm/Plouffe bat 8th.

I was supportive of optioning Burnett, but I don't quite grasp outrighting him off the 40-man before Wood and/or Pinto.

Don't get carried away here. Next you're going to tell us that a team's best relief pitcher shouldn't be solely reserved for pitching the ninth inning while starting with no runners on and a lead. Blasphemy!

LEN3 has today's lineup posted and it shows something many of us have longed for: 1. Aaron Hicks, CF 2. Joe Mauer, C 3. Josh Willingham, LF 4. Justin Morneau, 1B 5. Ryan Doumit, DH 6. Trevor Plouffe, 3B 7, Chris Parmelee, RF 8. Eduardo Escobar, 2B 9. Pedro Florimon, SS Joe Mauer, batting 2nd!?! Given that the roster is basically set, what's our best lineup? I like this, but mostly likely with Dozier in at 2nd and Escobar/Carroll filling in up the middle frequently.

Sounds like you need to put some money down on the Vegas over/under line! I'm hoping for 75... and that feels optimistic.

It's kinda weird when the five guys "lined up to step in" would be a better rotation than the five that are currently IN the rotation.

I wouldn't be against this for now given what we have. We just need to finish filtering through what is on hand. Presumably, at least 2 will flop and we've got Diamond to go with Gibson/Hendriks as replacements in May/June.

The Twins seem to give their MIs plenty of time and chances to be marginally adequate after flashing a little of anything. We can go back to Rivas, then Punto, and even Casilla. So, for our sake, let's hope Brian is able to perform and have some success. He'll be around for a while if history tells us anything.

I should qualify that with 'assuming he's still here at the end of the season for some reason'. That would take the Twins in contention or else the more likely reality that he'll get traded after the break if he's having a good year.

You'd think so, but LaRoche just OPS'ed .850 and had to sign for 2 years with his original team at less per annum than the qualifying $ amt. Morneau has had some better top-end years, but their career numbers aren't too far off. Saying there's a chance is always a safe statement, but I wouldn't be surprised to see him return -- especially if there's a pick hanging over his head. I have a hard time picturing the Twins let him go if he has a strong/great year.

I think the continued development this summer of our near-MLB OF prospects plays the biggest role in determining how they handle Morneau this season and next off-season if he's still around.

I couldn't possibly agree with this more. Thank you, Summit, for helping me become the beer-loving man that I am today. I always try to keep a sixer of either EPA or Saga in the fridge and will always go to the Twins Pub for a Summit during every trip to TF.

All of the Twins are twins in the rankings. 16-17, 65-66, 77-78. There's something going on with all these coincidental twins for the Twins lately.

Welcome to working for your federal government in 2013.

The avatar actually covers up part of the title and author info on the front page. It's in the forums like this that it stays under the title and author.

Still running IE8 here at work and having a similar issue. The avatar stays within the table, but bleeds out to the right under the article/blog title and author info.

Love the new format, guys. Much easier to read and follow.

Great stuff, Seth. It's always fun to add a little of the 'gut' dimension back in from some of the heartless computer projections. I'd love to see those seasons out of Mauer and Morneau... and even Plouffe. The number that catches my eye is the overall OPS vs runs scored. OPS has correlated higher than almost any other stat to runs scored for a while now and .763 would have been top 5 last year. http://espn.go.com/blog/statsinfo/post/_/id/1015/stat-week-an-argument-for-ops If we assume the other ABs mentioned (300 or so) are closer to .600, they'd still be top 10 at around .755 and 740 runs. At the end of the day, I think both the OBP and SLG will be a few ticks lower, but I love it overall.

I would wonder if that's true for most teams. Seems that a lot of the ranked prospects show up because of offensive potential and a lot of those guys that might be MI in MiLB end up moving off to other positions.

Sometimes I wonder how guys mentally handle the shift from SS to 2B. I think any infielder would stick at SS if it were up to them and it's a bit of an ego blow to be told you have to take the 'easier' spot. That said... I'm sure he's willing to do what it takes to stick on the MLB roster.

I think the general sentiment here is that feeling is 'wrong'. Brignac wouldn't have been much of an upgrade, but when you only get dealt Deuce-7... you at least want a few hands to see if you can catch some cards.

Seth, I was wrong and apologize. I think you're including the possibility that a few guys are brought north on the DL (Pelfrey, Diamond, Swarzak, etc) and your numbers are just fine. It would be weird/confusing to show the probability for those guys at far less than what you think it will be to account for the possibility they get DL'ed.

Don't bother with this... the cumulative percentages say the Twins will bring 17.8 pitchers/catchers north on the 25-man active roster. I would sure hope it's closer to 15. The article is great, there's actual names projected at the bottom, and we all get the point of the percentages, but I do wish Seth would take just a few extra minutes to have the math add up right.

Ah, I see. I suppose AL average would probably be the more realistic goal. That's just GREAT... now come up with 30 more runs some where.