SpantheMan

Nice article! I think you meant eligible for arbitration after 2018, not free agency.

I wonder if the 4 IF 3 OF formation is really the best. What about 3 layers of defenders or 5 infielders?

Rock and a wet spot? Isn't it hard place or are you just joking

Parmelee should be in right, not hicks

Rosterman, I think the idea of having 3 catchers that all play multiple positions is a great one. Mauer and Doumit can both DH and play first base, and Hermann also plays the roll of a 5th outfielder. It leads good, versatile bench and keeps gardy happy with 3 catchers.

The West may have been better this year but I think the East will be better more often than not over the next 5 years

Some of the outfield defenses make me cringe. Span, hammer, Parm? not pretty

You really can't predict what we would get for Span, so naming a specific player from a specific team seems silly, especially bc that player isn't doing anything for you offseason plan. Also, why wouldn't you trade for pitching

J-Dog: 3) Hermmann is a catcher prospect. Kind of like doumit- super utility-ish except he plays outfield instead of 1B/DH 11) Yah Nishi isn't going anywhere in the states but i suppose a Japanese team might want him. Anyway 3m isn't killing us and we would only save 1m. 15) How could you get value for Baker the upcoming offseason if he was on a 1yr contract

3 catchers and only 4 other infielders?

Mauer is a CATCHER. Catching every day will absolutely destroy your body. He has an 8yr contract. Would you rather have him kill his body when we aren't contending and then just be dead weight when we are contending? Or would you rather have him stay healthy so he can produce for his whole contract

With Plouffe and Parm we would have and entire starting infield(dozier, Florimon) , and one outfielder (revere) for league minimum. We would also have maestro at league min. Our other position players are all cheap-span, carrol, doumit, butera, besides Mauer, mourny and Willingham. I think that leaves us a lot of payroll to sign pitching or to eat salary in trades to get better pitching. Most of the core players in the pen are also just emerging so they are also cheap.