clone52

I would like to see Sano finish the year at third and start next year at third to really give him a fair shake there. If you look at the errors he is making at 3B, he is going to be making the same errors at 1B, plus probably more errors on throws from the infielders. Mauer might improve offensively at DH. Personally, I'd like to see how Mauer does offensively if they give him a game or 2 off each week. Look at what Suzuki is doing this year when he has only started more than 3 games in a row 3 times all season. Might work for Joe too. In a Dream World, the Twins could ship Joe off to a team that wins him a World Series. In that case, I'd like to see Sano at DH and Vargas or Park at 1B.

Good lord. Not everyone who can play 3B can be as effective at 1B and not everyone who can play 3B can be as affective at 1B. To play 3B, you need to be able to make the throw to first base. You are also going to get a lot balls hit your way than you will at first base (because there are more right handed hitters than left handed hitters). To play 1B, your arm isn't as important. However, you need to be able to catch the ball and bail out your other infielders with your glove. There is nothing like it at 3B. Now, I do think Mauer could probably turn into a good third basemen. It'd take some time to adjust, but he'd probably do a pretty good job. I also think Sano will work out the kinks at 3B. He can make some amazing plays there, so I think he'll get used to the more routine ones eventually. Sano's biggest advantage at 3B is his arm. You could argue, that even if Mauer fields the position a little better than Sano at 3B, Sano's cannon gives him the edge over Mauer at 3B. However, that arm is zero value at first base, so just because its possible that Sano>Mauer at 3B defensively DOES NOT mean that Sano>Mauer at 1B.

He probably does, but I don't think giving Garver a cup of coffee at the major league level and then having to spend a full year in AAA next year is a terrible idea. Honestly, the starting C position next year should be an open competition between Murphy, Centeno and Garver and anyone else they bring in. If Garver is the top option, let him make the jump.

If they call Garver up, I would think an every other day or 2 out of 3 with Centeno makes sense for a Catcher's first dip into the major league level.

Mauer is a better first basemen defensively. I've never seen Mauer play third base, so who knows what he is like there. Did you see some of the digs Mauer has made, specifically a couple last night on throws Nunez made? I don't think Sano is making those kind of plays at 1B. I don't disagree about Mauer's offense being a problem. However, why would you EVER, EVER put Mauer permanantly at DH when he would clearly be better defensively than whoever we put at 1B? The logic of that is mind boggling? Why would anyone ever think Sano at 1B and Mauer at DH is the way to go? I mean, sure, if we had a gold glove winning 1B waiting in the wings, transition Mauer to DH, but we don't.

I like the idea of giving Garver a shot this year. While it is more likely that Murphy will be the guy, there are some advantages to giving Garver the shot. If he is ready, then we don't have to worry about Murphy next year. If he's not ready, the time spent in the Big Leagues this year would help him learn what he needs to work on in AAA next year.

If Mauer remains in the lineup, its at first base. The only internal option that might be better defensively is Park. If Mauer and Sano are in the same lineup and Sano is not playing 3B, it should be Mauer at 1B and Sano at DH. The only exception to that is if Mauer needs a day off from the field to rest. The only other possible exception is to give Sano defensive reps if they don't think he can stay at 3rd.

And what do the Twins do if Sano doesn't improve at third? If you go with Polanco, Escobar, Sano and Beresford, you're really hampered if you have injuries or if Sano bombs defensively at 3B. I may be wrong, but I don't think there is really a near major league ready 3B in our system. If you keep Dozier, then you could trade Plouffe and Polanco could slide over to 3rd if Sano is hurt or doesn't pan out defensively. If it were me, I'd try to trade Vargas, let Plouffe (if he even gets healthy) play mostly DH (Sano some DH to). Give Polanco SS (and maybe move him around some). If they can trade Dozier for quality, I wouldn't have a problem with that. Trading Plouffe for nothing (which is all you could get for him) is a terrible idea.

Fair point on Gibson. I'm working on the plan that Milone won't be part of next year's rotation. To give you an example of what I'd want in a Santana trade. I would like the trade straight up for the guy they got for Nunez. I would not like the trade if it was for the guy the Rangers gave to the Braves.

Really good trade. Giants AAA manager thinks he should be in majors.

#1, I was replying to someone talking about how the Twins turned things around in the past. I didn't set that time constraint.

Maybe I should make it clearer. If they can get a Top 100 prospect, or even a AA or AAA guy that looks to turn into low end major leaguer, I think they should. I just would rather not trade him for an A ball project. Two reasons I keep him over an A ball project. #1, I think the Twins could get back into contention next year. There is plenty of talent on the team, so if they do get back into contention, he's still an affordable, affective pitcher. #2, I'm assuming that they will clear Nolasco out, clear Milone out and Hughes probably doesn't recover all that well. Basically I don't see Santana blocking the path of a minor leaguer that MUST be in the majors. I think the Twins should have plenty of spots for those types of guys. Berrios will get his shot. May should get moved back to the rotation. Having Santana still around doesn't prevent that from happening. If I were GM, I'd be calling around to see what I could get for Ricky Nolasco, Kohl Stewart and $13 million.

I'm 100% on board with that. If they can get a top 100 prospect somehow for Santana, go for it 100%. I just don't want a A ball project.

Some people are saying give him away for peanuts. Personally, if they can get a AA or AAA player close to major league ready, I'd say go for it. If they can only get a project from A ball, I say don't. The 1987 team got 89 starts from pitchers over the age of 32. Thats actually not a terrible comparison for the current state of the Twins. 84 had a .500 record. 85 and 86 went backwards (not to the extend that this years Twins are). Then world series in 1987 driven by talented ihtters just entering their prime years and veteran pitching.

You can't have a bullpen and a rotation full of first and second year players, even when you are just building for the future. You have to have some sort of stability there. In the end, I probably would have traded Milone and Abad for that guy from the Rangers. He's like the IF version of Adam Brett Walker. Probably not going to end up a big leaguer due to his propensity for strikeouts, but if he gets that under control, look out.

We have high expectations for Berrios and he will probably have some struggles. My guess is that they will convert May back to a starter. That still leaves 1 spot open, hopefully for Duffey to recover and keep.

Houston got over the hump by having solid young talent and including solid affordable veterans around it. Last year it was Scott Feldman (32 years old) and Scott Kazmir (31 years old) and Roberto Hernandez (34 years old) who helped fill out their rotation. This year it is Doug Fister (32 years old) and Mike Fiers (31 years old) and Scott Feldman (33 years old) that have rounded out their rotation. Ervin Santana fits the mold almost exactly with how Houston is doing it. The Twins problem is having Santana AND Milone AND Nolasco AND Hughes. Hopefully Berrios comes back up and improves.

I agree that changes need to be made in the rotation. I want Nolasco gone and Milone too probably. If they get a good deal for Santana, I'm all about trading him. However, I don't think it makes sense to dump him for anything short of a good deal. Who do you want in the rotation next year? If you don't want Santana, then I assume you want all in house options. Berrios, Gibson, Duffey, May and Dean excite you? Is that building towards the future? Personally, i think keeping Santana and his reasonable contract makes sense if you don't get a good return on a trade.

Agreed. If Gibson and Duffey still struggle next year, Berrios struggles and whoever they fill the rotation with struggles, do you really want the core of this team to go through several 90-100 loss seasons in a row and develop that losing culture?

Personally, I'd want something that would look major league ready in year or 2. Not superstar quality obviously. Lets say the Twins trade Santana, trade Milone and somehow unload Nolasco. Next year's rotation is Gibson, Duffey (who has been really shaky) and Berrios. After that, it might be May and any number of minor leaguers taking their lumps in the majors. How do we all feel about the young offensive core of this team trying to battle through extremely shaky pitching?

Even a mediocre season like 2015 would be worth keeping Santana over giving him up for peanuts. The Twins are a young team. The future of the team is that youth. The Twins are a key juncture right now where they really need to develop a winning culture. That means its very important that they don't tank the rest of the year and that they aren't a terrible team next year. If they tank this year, then great, they get the #1 pick, but all these young guys get a losing culture. If they run into a tough stretch in future years they may just go back to this year and give up. Same thing for next year. You've got guys that will be developing for the future and you need take that incremental step up the winning ladder.

You misquoted him. He's not "making" calls. He didn't say he's not "taking" calls. I'm sure he's listening to every offer given to him.

But based on that trade, thats the kind of return you can expect. Abad is better than the LHP the Rangers got in the deal, so you could maybe expect a little more. Honestly, if thats the return for Milone and Abad, don't you just keep Abad as a cheap bullpen option for next year?

Milone yes. Nolasco not at that price. If you are the GM and you trade Milone today, then get offers Monday to trade both Nolasco and Santana on Monday, what do you do with the rotation? My guess is you aren't getting much for Milone either way, so you can afford to wait to see how things shake out with Nolasco and Santana.

That is really hilarious. In what world is Ervin Santana as valuable as Drew Pomeranz? Pomeranz is far younger and far cheaper than Santana, and as far as I can tell, just as effective if not more effective than Santana. Sure, you don't have to wait for Lucroy to be traded, but if teams think they have a shot at Lucroy, they aren't even going to listen to offers for Suzuki. Abad and Kintzler can still be flipped.