Physics Guy

Are you really trying to argue that Dozier = Nunez/Coomer/Suzuki???? If you want hyperbole, throw in Dave Engle as well.

Considering how much I see people arguing semantics in these forums, I'll throw out one as well. I would change the word "many" in the last sentence to "some". Vazquez was good, but I wouldn't call him HOF worthy.

Most years I would agree with this, but I am inclined to go with both Park and Vargas on the 25 man roster to start the year. I want to see the Twins use an optimal 1B/DH platoon with Mauer, Park and Vargas. I also don't see a huge need for more the 4 OF because I would like to see Rosario, Buxton and Kepler all get about 600 PA this year. If we find out one of them isn't a full-time regular, make a change in mid-May or June 1.

He could probably still be a LOOGY. He's only 59 (retired from Twins at 46).

If talking about "early" arrivals, meaning sooner than expected, I would say Vielma or Gordon. I don't have a ton of faith in Polanco at SS. (I also don't have a ton of faith that Molitor agrees with me, but that's another story.) Vielma and Gordon would seem the logical options if he doesn't pan out (besides Escobar of course). The same could happen if Dozier is traded and Esco doesn't work out as a full-time SS. As a fourth OF, I could definitely see Granite making it a little sooner than expected. From what I've read he is a solid CF which would make him a good option.

Kennys Vargas had a better OPS last year than Bautista and I MIGHT argue that he has a better chance of improving his than Bautista. I might also be terribly wrong, but I want to find out. Figure out how to maximize your use of Mauer, Vargas and Park at 1B and DH and leave Rosario in LF. I would rather find out if Rosario, Park and Vargas have a chance at helping us in the future.

Bourjos only helps the pitchers if Buxton isn't playing, which should be very rarely. I can handle Rosario or Kepler in CF for a handful of games that Buxton doesn't play. I'm hoping we have a better hitter as our 4th OF.

The only spots I really see is SS/Util and RP (and maybe 4th OF). Aybar and Feliz make sense as they could fill roles I don't see occupied by young players needing to play (assuming Dozier is dealt). Here's what I could see: C - Castro 1B - Mauer 2B - Polanco SS - Escobar/Aybar 3B - Sano LF - Rosario CF - Buxton RF - Kepler DH - Vargas Bench - Ryan, Park, Util IF (Esco or Aybar), 4th OF (Grossman, Schuck, Palka, Granite) SP - Santana and 4 among: Gibson, Santiago, May, Berrios, DeLeon?, Hughes RP - Feliz, Kintzler, Pressley, Perkins, Rogers/O'Rourke, Duffey/Chargois Does anybody know if May has options left? If so, he could work on a conversion back to starting in AAA. I suspect Hughes will be in the rotation if he is healthy or maybe as a long reliever out of the pen. I wonder if the Twins aren't waiting to trade Santana depending on what they get for Dozier.

Elite: noun 1. (often used with a plural verb) the choice or best of anything considered collectively, as of a group or class of persons.

I was hoping somebody else remembered this. I still can't believe it happened.

I am 46 years old, married for 20+ years and live in Lakeville. We have two boys, one in HS and one in MS, so I spend most of my summer coaching baseball. As a result, I don't get to participate in the game threads as much as I would like. I am a HS Physics teacher and coached HS baseball for about 20 years. I have been following the Twins since I can remember. I remember having a black and white 13" TV that my parents used in our RV and putting it in my room so I could watch as many games as possible (back when they televised less than half the games). I remember being devastated going to my first game on a Sunday in '78 and seeing Craig Kusick playing 1B instead of Carew. I think I almost started crying when Calvin starting selling off the boys (Ford, Wynegar, Smalley, Carew,...). Our extended family (probably 20 or so) made a road trip to KC for a series in 1988 (everybody else in the family were suddenly interested in the Twins ). One of my favorite memories of watching Twins games was watching Cristian Guzman hit a triple. I don't think he was as fast as Buxton, but man could he fly around the bases. I think my favorite memory was Guzman scoring on a squeeze bunt. Big deal you say? Well, Guzman happened to be the batter. He was coming to the plate with a runner on third and less than two outs. I remember thinking that the Twins should squeeze bunt with Guzman up. Imagine my surprise when they actually did it! Guzman put down a good bunt, the fielder rushed his throw and threw it past 1B. I was watching the game with one of my friends and recall saying he might score. The ball ended up in the RF corner, the RF didn't play the ball well and Guzman came all the way around the bases to score. My favorite players: Carew, Castino, Puckett, Koskie and Guzman. The first blogger I probably read was Gleeman and then I migrated to Bones, Hageman, the Nicks, Seth and TwinkieTown. I started reading Twins Daily from the start and started posting in Oct 2012. I visit nearly daily, especially during the offseason. I truly appreciate what this site has become and enjoy reading the articles and forums immensely, even when they sometime devolve into somewhat silly/petty arguments.

I know he's no longer a young player (turned 30 in July) but what about Scott Van Slyke as a 4th player. He doesn't play a ton for the Dodgers and has good splits against LHP as a ptotential RH combo with Rosario or Kepler.

Unless of course you are the Rays trading Young and Harris for Garza and Bartlett. They were smart to trade him at max value, just like the Twins will be if they trade Dozier.

From KLaw Chat: Jeff: Speaking only in terms of fit, and not expected cost to acquire, is Logan Forsythe, Brian Dozier or Yangervis Solarte the best option for the Dodgers current roster? Klaw: Dozier’s a legitimate all-star, and if they can acquire him without giving up Bellinger or Verdugo I’d do it. Those two kids are close to major-league ready with huge upsides, and I don’t think I’d part with either for Dozier’s age-30 and -31 seasons.

By the time Dozier's relatively inexpensive contract is over after 2018, the Dodgers will clear about $80M in other salaries such as Gonzalez, Ethier, McCarthy, Kazmir and a few others. They would have plenty of cash to resign him if he is still producing.

When things went south for the Nats getting Sale, I was really hoping the Twins might be able to move Dozier for Giolito+. Obviously that can't happen anymore, so I would be fine with Deleon, Alvarez and one high upside A guy (versus 2 fillers). I hope you are right. I also enjoyed the other thread.

You had to go there... Don't the Red Sox pretty much always wear "throwback" uniforms? They never went through any of the hideous phases that the pale hose did.

Nats are in a much different spot than the Twins are. It's easier when you still have have Harper, Scherzer, Strasburg, Turner, et al. They have to be thinking now is their time.

How much, if anything would it take to get Urias?

That's what I was assuming as well, but if Esco barely crawls above .600 OPS does it matter?

A couple of quotes from KlawChat about some of the players being discussed: 7/21/16 Jack: Last week you said something like Jose De Leon doesn’t have a strikeout (or swing and miss) weapon. I’m trying to reconcile that observation with the fact that he keeps getting strikeouts. He’s been over 30% K% in both AA and AAA now. He’s got a high minors strikeout pitch that won’t translate? Can you give us some other examples of guys who generated these kinds of strikeout totals in the high minors who couldn’t translate any of that success to MLB? Klaw: History is littered with guys who had adequate K rates in the minors and couldn’t hold it in the majors. Sean Manaea punched out 146 in 121 innings in his first year in pro ball, but that hasn’t held up. I like De Leon as a prospect but see a limited ceiling because he lacks that out pitch – and you’re not telling me he has an out pitch, or what it is, but are just pointing to a stat line. 7/14/16 Nic: Noticed you had Kohl Stewart as an honorable mention in the top 50 piece. With him being in Double-A what kind of ceiling do you currently project for him? Klaw: I think he projects as a 3 or 4 starter. If you want ceiling, he’s going to have to miss some more bats, which he has the stuff to do but has not done, instead generating a lot of groundballs (which is still a good thing).

Trade Dozier for SP help, put Polanco at 2B. Escobar at SS with Vielma an option if Esco doesn't get his OPS back close to .700. I wouldn't be opposed to going defense first with Vielma if he can at least OPS above .600 and he is as good defensively as some claim. Gordon at SS sometime late 2018 or 2019.

Who has questions? John Sickels - Projects as a regular shortstop with an above-average glove who will hit for average, show some pop to the gaps, and steal 15-20 bases a year. Pretty sure I read that Keith Law thought he would be at least average at SS. If you've seen something to the contrary, please share.

I really don't understand the hate on Gibson. In 2014/15 he was a 2.3/2.5 fWAR and 2.0/3.2 bWAR player. While that isn't great, he's still a solid starter. He stunk in 2016, but also wasn't healthy. He will still be cheap, so I see no reason to non-tender him. In my opinion, he still has some upside and they would be crazy to cut bait on him.

And 2" taller than Prince Fielder.