jay

And that's an important caveat to why I'd prefer that arrangement. - Hicks needs to prove he deserves another MLB opportunity - Hicks would likely benefit from additional development time at AAA, his experience there is minimal - Danny Santana seems to be penciled in at SS, not CF If Santana is in fact at SS, the MLB team isn't forced into Hicks at CF due to the lack of other higher-ceiling options. While Schafer is ideally a 4th OFer (on a contender), starting the year with him in CF isn't a big issue for me. He might just as well perform serviceably as he did last year. If not, then you'd hope to have Hicks or even Buxton ready to step forward.

That's exactly what I'd like to see happen for all the reasons you mentioned. Why does it seem to be the least likely option?

I would tend to believe the data we get on velocity from the first week of real games (through a site like FG) would be more useful and meaningful than anything we get now. ...but I want it now!

Where can said new roster be found? Both Buxton and Sano show up on the Lookouts roster page. Polanco and Kepler at AA as well with Berrios at AAA. AA http://www.milb.com/roster/index.jsp?sid=milb&cid=498 AAA http://www.milb.com/roster/index.jsp?sid=milb&cid=534

That might be a first. mike's prospect timeline is further out than Terry Ryan's.

Nailed it. You don't move a prospect down the defensive spectrum based on other prospects. You don't even hardly do that based on the MLB team until the guy is pounding on the door. Look at the Cubs and their 18 shortstops. Thoughts from a guy regarded as pretty smart in a front office are here: http://m.mlb.com/news/article/83193448/talented-shortstops-give-chicago-cubs-options

Yes. It would not be an effective use of that analysis to apply those figures to an individual player's likelihood of success, as has been inferred elsewhere here.

It seems a bit extreme to conclude that this team is being run in the present at the sacrifice of the future because there's some sort of possibility that Torii Hunter will play some outfield in the last few months of his one-year deal.

We're looking for a few more managers to join a Yahoo league. Reply here or send me a PM with your email if interested. - Weekly head-to-head, win or lose - 25 man rosters, all active except 1 bench spot for your 25th man - 5x5 stat categories with a twist: AVG is replaced with OBP, SB is replaced with net SB (SB-CS) and saves is replaced with Saves+Holds (middle relievers matter too!) Would consider going dynasty if there's enough interest. May limit rosters to AL or NL depending on the final number of managers.

Anyone know of a roster that tracks who remains in the big league camp?

Where are these few good months going to come from? I thought the age curves show Hunter should've been dead about a decade ago?

That's exactly the thing -- the 25th man is a fill-in role player. There's already a utility IF guy and there's already an extra outfielder. Wouldn't he be more useful as someone with one or two really good tools to be used in the right fill-in spot (whether that's defense or power or whatever) rather than across the board mediocre? Getting away from the 13 man pitching crew leaves open a position player spot we are entirely un-used to. Mind us now that neither Nunez or Herrmann are that tool specialist that I'd prefer.

This is exactly the method used. Anything to satisfy the naysayers though... Say, did you hear about the impending economic doom? Yeah, it's the same one we've been hearing about for a while, but they'll be vindicated as right eventually.

It doesn't take a WS to be a "model franchise" though. Maybe it should, but it doesn't. The Rays were widely considered a model franchise (for lower revenue teams) for the last chunk of years and they didn't win any WS. Those 00 era Twins got plenty of kudos just the same.

I'd be fine with that, but then what happened to the 4th outfielder as a pinch runner candidate? Assuming that'd be Hicks or Robinson?

One year contracts and blocked very rarely belong in the same conversation. It's pretty well established that the Twins have a present day need for a corner OFer without sufficient in-house options ready for early 2015. If he somehow comes back in a starting role next year (which I doubt), it'd be due to some scenario resulting in the same situation.

Agreed on the flexibility aspect. A guaranteed $2M for a low-leverage, low-velo righty doesn't seem to be a great fit. However, I think it's fair to say some help in the bullpen beyond Perkins (carryover of injury concerns), Fien (30+, never a big strikeout guy) and Duensing (30+, never a big strikeout guy) was reasonable. I just would have rather seen it be a proven setup guy to slide Fien down a notch in leverage or a reclamation project a la 2012 Burton (with a better chance than Boyer). Either way, someone with heat.

What happened to Jordan Schafer?

What happened to Josmil Pinto?

See, that's strange... I recall a recent time when the Rays were the "model franchise". Shortly before the Cardinals held that title and shortly after the Twins held it. Oddly, it hasn't been the Giants really at all despite 3 WS wins in 5 years.

I learnt something today! I always assumed the contract was guaranteed after tendered in arbitration, but alas, tis not true. I'd like to see Hermann in that 25th man spot if Santana is the SS. However, I'd probably prefer he be the CF.

This. Right now is not the time to be trading away players that are cost controlled for multiple years and have had MLB success. That's smells like a perpetual rebuild in a hurry.

Nolasco is a bottom of the rotation starter...

The guy you think is mostly likely to repeat his 2014 put up a .721 OPS from SS. Why aren't we and the Twins more than happy with his production?

.260/.302/.403 across 649 PA's at AA doesn't quite give me that level of confidence. Let the kid develop.