Blackjack

Good way to look at it!!! And I agree!

If the opener strategy helps the Twins win games, I'm for it. Use the personnel to the best of their ability, if that means using an opener for them, so be it. Just win baby.

Cody, I like your Q&A/Mailbag article every week!!! Is there any way to ask a question if I'm not on Twitter?? Like via email??

"Not since Byron Buxton and Miguel Sano were eligible have the Twins held this kind of national prestige in the prospect arena. I realize that sentence probably made some of you groan...." Pretty hard not to be a little jaded after the Buxton/Sano hype, for years we heard how great they were going to be. They could still become great but I'm not holding my breath. Same way with the current crop of prospects, I'm not holding my breath. Rosario, Kepler, Polanco, and Berrios are good players but when was the last time a Twins prospect developed into a true superstar?? Joe Mauer??

Players get hurt, players get traded, you can't have too many good players!!! If Gordon is good enough, he'll force a move somewhere.

"It’s crazy to think the Twins are going to host a regular season home game at the end of March" Unless we get a major warmup I'll still be out ice fishing in MN at the end of March!!!!!

“I’ve done everything from changing my batting stance to my mechanics like working on the load and working on the gather,” Larnach said. “I’m not done yet. There are still things I need to do.” This is the best part of his makeup, that he's working hard at his craft. Too many prospects - not going to name names on the current Twins - rely on too much on their athletic ability, which has gotten them a long way but in order to excel they need to go the extra mile.

Thanks I was just kind of curious.

So what Twins prospects compare with the one the Phillies gave up??

I understand your frustration with everybody saying that the Twins season depends upon Sano and Buxton but the reality is that they are the two players with the most potential to help the Twins move into contention. And since they do each have that enormous potential, they Twins have to play them both the majority of the season. Find out if they are the players everybody hopes they are. And pray for no more wallbanging by Buxton and other dingers for Sano. Trust me, I'm not a fan of either one of them, Buxton with his reckless injury inducing play and Sano with -- not even going to go there.... Just cross your fingers that they can finally live up to all the hype.

His biggest challenge will be motivating the young Twins core. I think it will help that he was supposed to be a star but then injuries curtailed his career, he can point to himself and tell the players that your career is short, work hard and make the most of it!!! My biggest concern is his total lack of managerial experience. We went thru that with Molitor, the learning on the job. You can watch video and recall your own experiences forever but until he has to make the decision(s) that will win or lose the game..... Having 300-400 games of minor league managing would help with that.

I think this team is still in a wait and see mode on the younger players, fill in a few holes -- they needed a second basemen -- see if Buxton and Sano are going to produce, also Kepler and Polanco, that gets them a year closer to Lewis and other young players that THEY drafted, then decide to make a big splash after we see how all the young players develop.

Nice raises coming for the young guys!!! Rosario from $600,000 to 4.5 million!!! Yowser!!

How about bringing Ervin Santana back on an incentive laden contract?? Good club house presence and he could be a good bounce back candidate.

I was thinking the same thing, that 'traffic' here on TD really picked up after the Cruz deal. Shows that Twins fans are really looking for a little bit of hope for a winning, watchable team.

You have to wonder how much the signing of Cruz had to do with mentoring Sano, showing him a positive example of how its done. Its worth millions to the Twins if he can help turn Sano into the superstar we're all hoping for.

If Cruz is so good, why didn't Seattle resign him??

It would be nice if he was at the top of the order but it seems to mess with his head, leave him at the bottom of the order --- all year long, no matter how he does, let him build up some confidence. Look at the big picture.

As injury prone as Pineda has been, I'm not going to hold my breath.

I signed in just to give this a double like!!!!

This is Mn, you need to pick up some of the outdoor sports -- ice fishing, skating, skiing, etc. or you will go nuts.

Too old, too expensive, move on.

I haven't given up on Buxton but I'm not betting the farm on him either. His style of play and self induced injuries doesn't allow him to get any continuity, hes constantly trying to figure it out.

The Twins have many more serious problems than Kepler.

You hit it on the head, its way too soon to evaluate who 'won' the trade.