J-Dog Dungan

I think Span is the most likely to get traded, not that I know to who or for whom.

It's a good idea, but right now, some of the numbers are being cut off. So, if you could, idk, put the stats on two lines, that might help.

I really see the Twins keeping Willingham, and they (in my opinion) really shouldn't even think about trading him until the deadline next year.

Any chance you could post the numbers of those who are doing the best?

Shields has intimated that he would really, really, really prefer to stay with the Rays and really doesn't want to get traded. So that leaves Dempster, Josh Johnson, and Liriano. I am also reading on several sites that the Twins are in active talks with the Cardinals for Liriano. I am hoping this means that a deal will materialize soon, because if it doesn't, then Liriano gets to pitch one last time for the Twins tomorrow night.

I saw on 1500ESPN that if Valencia makes things interesting he might be moved to another position; second, maybe?

I have seen on MLBTR that the Cards and the Orioles are the ones going the hardest after Liriano.

And this has shrunk; According to MLBTR, the Angels have traded for Greinke. This really seems to leave Shields, Dempster (because it seems like his deal with the Dodgers ain't goin to get done), Josh Johnson, and Frankie as the top pitchers on the market. Also, it takes away a team that was supposedly really interested in acquiring Liriano.

I knew I forgot one. If Billy Beane is still anything like what he was in Moneyball, it would be an interesting conversation with him and Terry Ryan.

With all the turmoil currently surrounding whether or not pieces that have been on the Twins for many years will be moved, the one piece everybody seems to say has an almost 100% chance of being moved is Francisco Liriano. While Frankie has been a head case for a large part of the season, his raw stuff is enough to make any scout drool over him. However, this has not been the Frankie that has shown up to pitch with the Twins over the last year+. So the question is: "Who will be traded that has a higher value than Frankie?" Several big names, including Anibal Sanchez and Wandy R. have already been moved to new teams. Cole Hamels and Cliff Lee, who the Phillies had apparently open for calls on, are staying with the Phillies, at least for now. King Felix is staying with the Mariners, and Ryan Dempster is insistent that if he is traded, he will be traded only to the LA Dodgers. So I believe that leaves us with three "high-tier" (relative term) left on the market: Frankie, Josh J. and Greinke (of course, if I am missing anyone, feel free to let me know). So the market for these guys is fairly wide open. Greinke has been connected to many teams including the Orioles and Indians (but neither team is really looking for a rent-a-pitcher), White Sox, Rangers, Angels, and Braves. The Marlins have said that they would trade only one of Anibal Sanchez and Josh Johnson, so it is believed that it would take a huge offer to pry him away from the Marlins. However, Johnson has been connected to the Blue Jays, Rangers, Angels, Orioles, and Dodgers are the ones most interested in him. And then there is Frankie. He has been a head case for so long, and people have been crying out for the Twins to trade him ever since 2009, I think. The teams that have checked in on him (or more than that, maybe (hopefully)) includes the Angels, Orioles, Red Sox, Yankees, Mets, Blue Jays, and Braves. The Blue Jays, Mets, and Red Sox are fairly far out in their divisions, but I suppose are close enough in the Wild Card that they could try and swing a trade for a pitcher like Liriano. The Angels and Orioles are the ones that appear to have the best shot at landing Liriano, and former Twin Torii Hunter said almost as much and that he would be happy to be on the same team as him again. The Twins, unfortunately, might have to lower their asking price for Liriano if they really want to deal him, especially with the inconsistency he has showed this year. But according to my calculations, he is one of the three best starters (gauged in pure, raw talent, not in number production) left on the market, and the Twins will most certainly use that to their advantage. P.S. While researching for this blog, found that if the season ended today, the Oakland A's would take the second of two Wild Card spots in the A.L. This has got to be the closest they have been to the playoffs since they took out the Twins in 2006.

With all the turmoil currently surrounding whether or not pieces that have been on the Twins for many years will be moved, the one piece everybody seems to say has an almost 100% chance of being moved is Francisco Liriano. While Frankie has been a head case for a large part of the season, his raw stuff is enough to make any scout drool over him. However, this has not been the Frankie that has shown up to pitch with the Twins over the last year+. So the question is: "Who will be traded that has a higher value than Frankie?" Several big names, including Anibal Sanchez and Wandy R. have already been moved to new teams. Cole Hamels and Cliff Lee, who the Phillies had apparently open for calls on, are staying with the Phillies, at least for now. King Felix is staying with the Mariners, and Ryan Dempster is insistent that if he is traded, he will be traded only to the LA Dodgers. So I believe that leaves us with three "high-tier" (relative term) left on the market: Frankie, Josh J. and Greinke (of course, if I am missing anyone, feel free to let me know). So the market for these guys is fairly wide open. Greinke has been connected to many teams including the Orioles and Indians (but neither team is really looking for a rent-a-pitcher), White Sox, Rangers, Angels, and Braves. The Marlins have said that they would trade only one of Anibal Sanchez and Josh Johnson, so it is believed that it would take a huge offer to pry him away from the Marlins. However, Johnson has been connected to the Blue Jays, Rangers, Angels, Orioles, and Dodgers are the ones most interested in him. And then there is Frankie. He has been a head case for so long, and people have been crying out for the Twins to trade him ever since 2009, I think. The teams that have checked in on him (or more than that, maybe (hopefully)) includes the Angels, Orioles, Red Sox, Yankees, Mets, Blue Jays, and Braves. The Blue Jays, Mets, and Red Sox are fairly far out in their divisions, but I suppose are close enough in the Wild Card that they could try and swing a trade for a pitcher like Liriano. The Angels and Orioles are the ones that appear to have the best shot at landing Liriano, and former Twin Torii Hunter said almost as much and that he would be happy to be on the same team as him again. The Twins, unfortunately, might have to lower their asking price for Liriano if they really want to deal him, especially with the inconsistency he has showed this year. But according to my calculations, he is one of the three best starters (gauged in pure, raw talent, not in number production) left on the market, and the Twins will most certainly use that to their advantage. P.S. While researching for this blog, found that if the season ended today, the Oakland A's would take the second of two Wild Card spots in the A.L. This has got to be the closest they have been to the playoffs since they took out the Twins in 2006.

I saw once on MLBTR that one GM said, "They asked for established pitching, established hitting, and a few good prospects to top it off (or something along those lines)." That, I would imagine, would be the kind of offer the Twins might be expecting to have in hand if they trade Willingham, who was labeled "so pricey, it made me laugh.

How close is Arcia to qualifying?

1) with all the injuries in his career, I really can't see anyone picking up Pavano in the offseason 2) You didn't mention that Vargas hit a HR in his second AB as well 3) I like Mastro, and when paired with Span and Revere make one fast-as-he^l outfield 4) With the new rules for bonuses this year, it was a lot more likely that they sign more people with higher bonuses. 5) If we could get that kid from the Angels for Liriano, hopefully that would be dope for us. 6) Melotakis is doing really well, wasn't he just drafted this year? 7) Not sure how adding Manship to a deal helps or hurts the Twins

Don't see why Ryan wouldn't want a big-leaguer for Morneau (hope to god that he is talking about a big-league pitcher), because when he is even as healthy as he has been this season he would be a dangerous bat to have in the lineup, a fairly good fielder, and a solid clubhouse personality, and despite the injuries is a "proven veteran hitter" (again, relative term).

there are several points that I would like to make about this blog: 1. I really like the Carroll signing because it brings stability and defense to the infield. 2. Zumaya's deal wasn't horrible, it was just a low-risk, high-reward kind of deal that went towards the low risk. 3. I believe that the Twins are actively shopping both Morneau and Willinghammer, but that don't mean that they have found the right one yet. 4. I think most GM's, like me, would put last night's debacle with Liriano up to one of those bad starts that all pitchers have sometimes (Verlander in All-Star Game , but you are right, it probably does lower his trade value 5. Lester Oliveros, when healthy, hasn't been that bad and looks like a fairly good bullpen guy if he can keep injuries and walks under control. With Cole Nelson, you are probably right; but then again, we all thought the Billy Bullock for Diamond deal was the wrong move to make. 6a) Nobody was expecting Capps to get injured, as he had stayed relatively healthy while with the Twins 6b) Not many people would be giving away a "proven" (for what it's worth) reliever/ closer in May, because the likelyhood of you getting a good deal that early in the season is very low. 7. Ryan isn't holding on too players too long, he is (hopefully) letting them build up their trade value so that other teams would be desperate to get their hands on them so they might give up more for the Hammer or Morneau than we might think they should. 8. If we could have spared the payroll, I wouldn't have minded the Twins resigning Nathan, because he has been deadly while with the Rangers this year. 9. The Capps deal was all right and was fairly effective until he got injured 10. the Marquis deal, again, was one of the low-risk, high reward kind of deals that made Ryan look like a genius the last stretch he was GM 11. I have to believe that Span is just going through a slump and/or dealing with the same kind of stress at the Trade Deadline that he did last year. 12. I would say that Josh Willinghammer's peak value is right now, actually, because there are so many teams that are desperate for a righty power bat that the Twins, if they get the right offer (and believe me, the Twins should make sure the deal for them is like the Hershel Walker deal was for whoever traded with the Vikings), might actually be willing to part with Willingham.

What wasted spaces on the 40-man roster are you talking about?

How does the competitive balance lottery work, and what do you have to do to be eligible for it?

How does the competitive balance lottery work, and what do you have to do to be eligible for it?

Looks like most of the pitchers that the Twins picked have done well so far. Here's to them keeping it up. Hopefully, the hitters that they picked and signed will start to produce a little better.

Not that I wouldn't be open to trading Danny V, but honestly, who is going to want to give up anything for him?

Now you have to put someone else in for Mazzeli, because he didn't sign before the deadline.

James, I am not sure that the Orioles would get the pick with the new rules that are in play with the CBA, but don't trust me on that.

I think he will, especially with these new restrictions on signing bonuses