ChuckPaine

I know that the rotation currently doesn't look good, but once we add 1 or 2 free agents it could look ok, i'm thinking Dan Haren, Phil Hughes, or Scott Kazmir. 1) Haren/Hughes/Kazmir 2) Haren/Hughes/Kazmir 3) Kevin Correia 5) Samuel Deduno Starters would be expected to go around 80 pitches and 5 innings, so 40x5=200. we already have one ready made "piggyback" reliever, anthony swarzak, and we have options for the others: Albers, Diamond, Worley, Gibson, or even Duensing or Pressley, we could also sign someone like Luke Hochevar, who was one of the best relievers on baseball last year and pitched 75 innings. I think the rockies had 3 or 4 "piggyback" relievers, who pitched 2-3 innings, so 80-120 innings.

The Rockies experimented with it this year, it appears that they may go with it next season as well. With a 4-man rotation, the Twins can avoid the Liam Hendrickses and the Pedro Hernandezes, and Cole de Vrieses of the world, and it would allow them to go with their 8-man, or even...9-man, bullpen. The starters would be limited to somewhere around 80 pitches a game, instead of 100. With pitchers only facing batters twice, instead of 3 times, it would keep opposing batters off-balance. A possible Twins 4-man rotation from in-house candidates 1)Kevin Correia 2) Samuel Deduno 3) Scott Diamond (had to put a lefty in) 4) Kyle Gibson/Vance Worley/Andrew Albers

Yeah, but you're forgetting that Tanaka will also require at least a $40M posting fee, in addition to $10-$12M a year. Lets say that Tanaka gets a $50M posting fee and a 5/$50M contract. Technically that's $20M per year, which, in theory, leaves the twins with $20M left to spend. It would be great, but it won't happen.

Here's what i think our opening day lineup will look like: 1) Brian Dozier 2) Joe Mauer 3) James Loney 4) Josh Willingham 5) Oswaldo Arcia 6) Josmil Pinto 7) Trevor Plouffe 8) Alex Pressley 9) Pedro Florimon Rotation: 1) Dan Haren 2) Phil Hughes 3) Kevin Correia 4) Scott Diamond 5) Kyle Gibson

1) Dan Haren 2yrs/17M 2) Phil Hughes 2yrs/13M 3) Kevin Correia 4) Samuel Deduno 5) Gibson/Worley/Diamond/Albers It really doesn't make sense for the twins to sign anyone more expensive than Haren or Hughes, except for Tanaka, who is out of our price range.

There is no way that Hughes is worth 12.5M a year, try more like 6M a year

Opening Day 1B: Mauer 2B: Dozier SS: Florimon 3B: Plouffe C: Pinto LF: Willingham RF: Arcia CF: Presley DH: Doumit Mid-Season 1B: Mauer 2B: Dozier 3B: Sano SS: Florimon C: Pinto LF: Arcia/Rosario RF: Arcia/Rosario CF: Hicks DH: Willingham September 1B: Mauer 2B: Dozier SS: Florimon 3B: Sano C: Pinto LF: Rosario RF: Hicks CF: Buxton DH: Arcia