Ted Schwerzler

I agree with you Jim, I think that the Santana suspension provides a ton of intrigue. I still see the Twins winning around 79 games, but think the biggest dip is seen in how high the ceiling is. With more flexibility now, the Twins can make some of these "trades from within" type moves to bolster themselves down the line. Bullpen and pitching wise, we probably see most if not all of the big names this season. I am not sure Berrios will get more than a cup of coffee, but think that the rest will provide some help at some point. I would be surprised not to see Rosario before June, Sano August, and Buxton September. Regardless of competitiveness, it probably hinges a lot on how they start out of the gate on the farm, but I think each is realistic. Great piece!

Friday afternoon, just days away from the Twins heading to Detroit to take on the Tigers and open the 2015 Major League Baseball season, free agent pitcher Ervin Santana was popped with an 80 game suspension. He was caught for using an oral steroid, Stanozolol. With the news, the Twins immediately have a different outlook for not only their rotation, but the upcoming season as a whole. A situation such as the one that the Twins have been put in due to the poor decision making of Santana has somewhat of a ripple effect. There are quite a few factors at play here, and they add up to what should make for an interesting summer. First, Santana himself. His press release following the news toed a similar song and dance. He suggested that he had no idea how he ingested an oral steroid, and the he "needs to be more careful as to what he consumes in his home country." Of course that's the storyline, however thinly veiled it is. At this point, how and why don't matter. He's been paid, he's a part of the organization going forward, but the Twins will be without his services for the next 80 games. That leads us to his replacement, and there may be more reason for frustration here than any other. Not minutes after the news regarding Santana broke, Paul Molitor announced that it would be Mike Pelfrey replacing him in the starting rotation. Earlier in the week, Pelfrey was "demoted" to the bullpen after the club announced that he wound up finishing third out of three when it came to the fifth starter competition. Both Tommy Milone and Trevor May were given one last prove it start, while the club decided that Pelfrey was not a viable option. A temper tantrum ensued, which then turned more cordial as Pelfrey realized the writing was on the wall. Now, whether a by-product of timing or indecision, the Twins have contradicted their initial decision and skip over May for the sake of Pelfrey. With the decision, the unfortunate reality is not that Pelfrey is now a starter for the Twins. What happened however is Minnesota organizationally contradicted a decision they made just a week earlier. Suggesting that it was May, not Pelfrey who gave them a better chance to win, the move is a puzzling one. In fairness, Pelfrey was strong this spring, and looked more than capable. He's battled back from injury and looks healthy for the first time in years. With the upside of an average at best pitcher however, the Twins once again balk on a higher ceiling and go against what they had seemingly decided. From an overall pitching standpoint, the loss of Santana may actually provide long-term value. Although it is Pelfrey who gets the first crack, there are no two fluid rotation spots if pitchers should falter. Both Milone and Pelfrey become replaceable in the right circumstances. For the Twins, this means that both May and Alex Meyer could get looks sooner than initially anticipated. An 80 game suspension is virtually half of the season, and while I expected both prospects to be in the majors prior to that time, now it would seem certain. The development gained by having forced the Twins to accelerate them, should prove vital for both players advancement going forward. Looking at the team as a whole, Santana's loss probably doesn't hurt the bottom line as much as perceived. As I noted in an earlier post, despite the strong spring, there was plenty of reason for skepticism in 2015. Now without his services for half of the season, the greatest impact will likely be felt on the top end. I have had the Twins winning 79 games all offseason, and I'm going to stick with that number. Where the deficiency may be felt is in the club trying to elevate past that mark. If the Twins upside was surprising some and pushing for a wild card spot, they would need to win somewhere near 85 games. Considering the roster shuffle, that may now be a tall task. This club is still markedly better than a season ago, and I believe they remain out of the final spot in the AL Central. At the end of the day, Minnesota has just one spring training contest left before the end of the season. Losing a star offseason acquisition is by no means ideal, but it still doesn't launch the Twins into the ability level they have been in the previous four seasons. The shuffle should push for those trades from within to come a little sooner, and the Twins will no doubt be getting a good pitcher back on July 4. A poor decision, compounded by poor timing could spell disaster, but the Twins have some options. For more, check out Off The Baggy here. Follow on Twitter @tlschwerz

Yeah, I just can't seem to get behind the Indians. They are trendy, but I don't believe in so many of the reasons why. I think your middle paragraph perfectly equates to what the Twins should be expecting this year. I'd argue a bit higher ceiling for Gibson, but that's grasping at straws. However, I think even with the low ceiling, slightly above average is a good thing. The rotation has been abysmal, and if it can be slightly above average, the Twins will be in a good place.

Currently, the Minnesota Twins are less than a week away from kicking off their 2015 major league baseball season. Having hovered right around the .500 mark this spring, new manager Paul Molitor should have a good idea of the areas of strength, and where the team needs work. Heading north, the Twins will be looking to break away from the trend that is losing 90 games each of the last four seasons.More than in any other recent season, the 2015 Twins have both a respectable ceiling and a relatively high floor. Maximizing on opportunities will determine in which direction they trend. Last season, Minnesota vastly outproduced expectations on the offensive end. Getting key contributions from players like Danny Santana, Kurt Suzuki, and even Jordan Schafer, the Twins saw more runs scored than they could have imagined. Unfortunately, even with unexpected batting averages being inflated, the Twins failed to capitalize in the wins category due to poor pitching. There's no doubt that once again the mound was an area of focus this offseason, and the Twins appear to be in a better place. When looking at how high the Twins ceiling is for 2015, everything begins and ends with pitching. Although Ervin Santana was the club's only offseason addition, the staff looks retooled and competitive for the first time in years. Gone are the days of Cole De Vries and Samuel Deduno making the opening day rotation. Minnesota has a true ace in Phil Hughes, and he is backed by arms such as Kyle Gibson, Santana and Ricky Nolasco. Rounding out the rotation, Tommy Milone is more than capable of getting the job done as a fifth starter at the major league level. The improved pitching should only complement a lineup designed to score runs. Looking at the offense, there's no doubt the Twins will see some regression. Of the players mentioned above as breakouts, next to none of them should be expected to replicate their 2014 level of success. However, getting key contributions from players like Joe Mauer, Torii Hunter and Oswaldo Arcia in 2015 should make the regression less detrimental to the team's fortunes. Minnesota's lineup boasts at least five guys capable of 20-home run seasons, and solid pitching performances should not be wasted this time around. Trying to quantify the ceiling in the win/loss column is probably more assumption- based than anything. As it stands currently, I have the Twins coming in at 79-83. Should they have things break in their favor and maximize on their opportunities, an 86-win campaign would not be out of the realm of possibility. That win total should be good enough to get them near the top of the AL Central and into the wild card round as well. The Central is competitive as a whole, but the top has gotten worse while the bottom has gotten better. Minnesota can no doubt play with, and beat, any team in the division. So what if it all crashes and burns? Before thinking doomsday, there's no doubt that this Twins roster is built for regression. Handling, and overcoming, adversity is something that the 2015 Twins should be more than capable of doing. Once again, everything begins and ends with pitching, and that could be where the Twins find their breakdown. I have a hard time quantifying what the floor looks like for the Twins this season. They have a handful of options when and if guys go down, and each of the options is capable in a limited capacity. However, if Nolasco fails to bounce back, Milone struggles, and Gibson doesn't develop, Minnesota could be in some trouble. A rotation highlighting only Hughes again would be extremely detrimental to this club. Although I think Santana is going to be fine with the Twins, he does have a couple of concerning factors that could come into play. From a numerical standpoint, the floor isn't where it once was. If the Twins mid-point is the 79-83 record I referenced above, than the floor is somewhere around 73 games. I don't foresee the current roster construction, or state of the organization, producing a 90-loss team. The AL Central probably won't produce a 90-loss team this year, and if it does, I don't think it will be the Twins. While not yet ready to make a deep playoff run in Paul Molitor's first season as skipper, the Twins have to be excited about the place they are in. There's more good than bad, and things are trending upwards. Click here to view the article

Quite possibly two most important things to note: 1. Thanks for reading, I know that got long. 2. Certainty doesn't suggest quality. The Twins don't have the ceiling of other rotations, but they may have the fewest question marks. That's what I set out to look at.

Although more often than not I put some thought into a topic before putting together a full fledged post, sometimes the topic just happens. This afternoon, a follower on Twitter posed a very interesting question. He asked, "Where do you see the Twins rotation amongst the AL Central competition." As recently as last season, it would be easy to quickly dismiss the thought and suggest they are dead last. Heading into 2015 however, it's not quite as easy. To understand the foundation the Twins stand on, we probably first need to comprehend what they are up against. Going in order of how I see the AL Central shaking out, let's take a look. Detroit Tigers I still hate the idea that the Tigers could win the AL Central, but looking at the White Sox and Indians, the Tigers still are where I lean. Although the Detroit offense should be impressive if it can stay healthy, this rotation is not at all at the same level as 2014. I'm not going to claim to know the order of any of these other rotations, but here is likely how the Tigers go: David Price Anibal Sanchez Justin Verlander (skipped while on DL) Shane Greene Alfredo Simon Last season, Price came over from the Rays and was welcomed rather uncomfortably. Sure, he posted a 3.26 ERA, but he also gave up more than four runs four different times in just 11 starts. There's no doubt he's deserving of the looming extension (and after losing Max Scherzer Detroit has to pay the man), but I'm not sure that brighter days are ahead. Anibal Sanchez is a constant injury risk, and while on he's great, the Tigers simply shouldn't rely on him at this point. I was of the belief that Verlander would bounce back this season, but he's showing signs of age before the season even gets going. I like Greene's upside, but there's still plenty for him to prove. Rounding out the rotation, a 33 year old Simon got paid off of his first year starting since 2011. His 4.33 FIP (fielding independent pitching) last season causes some real reason for concern. Chicago White Sox The White Sox are going to need their offense to show up, and I think it will. Their rotation has plenty of power at the top, but there's a significant cliff at the end. Here's who should be included: Chris Sale (beginning on the DL) Jeff Samardzija Jose Quintana John Danks Hector Noesi Sale and Samardzija are both quality pitchers and the White Sox should be fine there. Samardzija passed his regression test with Oakland (3.14 ERA in 16 starts) and should be counted on to continue the trend. From there however, things get uncertain. I like Quintana and think he can is a quality major league starter. He's young and he should only get better, if not for the next two, this is my favorite rotation in the Central. John Danks is rough, and as a 4th option even worse. He's getting paid, and the White Sox didn't want to go with the youngster Carlos Rodon yet. That will hurt them. Noesi is a back end of the rotation guy and is prone to blowups. He doesn't strike many out and doesn't miss enough bats. Knowing that Brad Penny is the option behind him, the White Sox are in trouble if they need to start shuffling. Cleveland Indians If you love the Indians to be a dark horse in the Central, and even the American League this year (and plenty do), it begins and ends with their rotation. Offensively, the Tribe should score, but they will need to be banking on the return of Kipnis and Swisher, while hoping that Moss and Brantley continue to perform. The biggest reason I dislike the Indians as a trendy team is that I don't buy their rotation: Corey Kluber Carlos Carrasco Trevor Bauer Zach McAllister TJ House Kluber is the reigning Cy Young. He's a stud, nothing to see there. The Indians will then give the ball to Carrasco, who's started just 54 games in his five year major league career. Last year he owned a 2.55 ERA but made only 14 starts. He had a 2.44 FIP a season ago, yet he had never posted a mark better than 4.10 previously in his career. Carrasco has also never thrown more than 134 innings in a season. It's too small of a sample size, and I just can't get on board. I like Bauer more than most, but the former top prospect is much to uncertain to rely on. He'll be lights out one night, and a walk machine the next. McAllister and House rounding out the group shouldn't excite anyone. Blame some poor defense (3.45 FIP/5.23 ERA) but McAllister didn't prove anything a year ago. House has a good deal of upside and should be expected to take steps forward, but his 3.69 FIP was actually worse than his ERA (3.35) and it will be interesting to see how he competes in his second year in the big leagues. Kansas City Royals If the Indians are the trendy pick, the Royals are anything but. I have them finishing at the bottom of the division and I just don't like their offseason at all. It's not that losing James Shields was detrimental, but the pieces they brought in as replacements should cause skepticism. Here is how the rotation should look: Yordano Ventura Danny Duffy Edinson Volquez Jason Vargas Jeremy Guthrie First, yuck. Second, the Royals rotation was recently ranked as one of the worst in the major leagues, and it's with good reason. Ventura may very well be a Cy Young candidate, but the cliff begins after him. Danny Duffy should be expected to provide quality again for Kansas City, but a 3.83 FIP and a 2.53 ERA suggest his surroundings were a large part of the reason for his success. Edinson Volquez coming over from Pittsburgh could get ugly quick. He owns a 4.44 career ERA with all but three seasons coming in the National League. He's posted an FIP under 4.00 only once, and that was size years ago. Both Jason Vargas and Jeremy Guthrie are on the wrong side of 30, with the former likely staring an ERA near 5.00 in the face. The fact that Joe Blanton believes he can crack this group on the back end is probably telling in and of itself. Minnesota Twins This brings us to the Twins (no I don't have them finishing last). While Minnesota's offense was in the top ten in runs scored a season ago, it didn't matter with the rotation bleeding runs. It's quite conceivable that the bullpen will be the culprit this season, but the rotation should have far more questions than answers. It's slated to look like this: Phil Hughes Ervin Santana Ricky Nolasco Kyle Gibson Tommy Milone Hughes was lights out last season, but for the most part, that could have been expected. His FIP (2.65) improved as it should have leaving Yankee Stadium. Although the outfield defense is expected to get worse, Hughes doesn't have to prevent a record amount of walks to improve. His 3.52 ERA leaves room to get lower, and he should once again be considered a staff ace. Of the group, Santana may actually be the wild card. While I'm excited by the signing, I noted that Santana actually concerns me a decent amount this year. The Twins need him to be good, and better than his trends suggest. Nolasco was billed as an innings eater and an ace when signed last offseason. that was a mistake by the Twins, and only compounded by the former Marlin pitching through injury. He's never going to be a top of the rotation guy, but an ERA right around 4.00 and a quality third starter should be expected. Gibson likely stands to take the biggest step forward this year. Settled into a guaranteed rotation spot, and another year removed from Tommy John surgery, Minnesota should expect more from their former first round pick. He's never going to strike a lot of guys out, but getting his K/9 up around 7.0 is fair and something that should lower his ERA into the high three range. The fifth spot is likely going to be the most fluid for the Twins. Milone isn't exciting, but you know what you're going to get. His 4.21 FIP average isn't going to be conducive to a low ERA, but Target Field should aid him just like the Coliseum. Healthy this season, he can give the Twins innings at a 4.10 clip until Alex Meyer or Trevor May is ready. While this became extremely long winded, I hope the point got across. There is no clear cut favorite when it comes to rotations in the AL Central. At the end of the day, the top dogs have more questions than answers on the back end. The Twins may not have the top tier aces, but they probably have more reliable quality throughout. Minnesota is not yet in a position to consider the rotation a strength, but if the Twins are going to shock some people, it will come on the backs of their starting pitchers hovering around their perceived potential. Get more from Off The Baggy here. Check out Ted on Twitter @tlschwerz

I have Arcia leading the Twins in home runs this year with right around 30. I think both him and Vargas have untapped potential, but it's going to take some developing. You definitely hit on it with your last comment there. The starting pitching is there, and the offense should produce. When turning the game over to the pen, things could get ugly, but this should be a vastly different Twins team.

Yeah, I think what it all comes down to is the very easy understanding that while the current construction is less than ideal, the moving parts make it an area of promise. Promotions and progressions could quickly turn the pen into an area of strength. I'm a big fan of the strikeout types knocking down the door.

Wanted to somewhat feature Burdi and Reed as they've really excelled thus far. Zach Jones definitely is in that category. Salcedo got a decent amount of run this spring, and see Peterson as an option as well. I think we're in agreement that if things don't work out, but the wins are there, the Twins have options.

This morning, the Minnesota Twins sent Caleb Thielbar out of major league camp and back to Triple-A Rochester. With the move, the 2015 bullpen is set in stone at the major league level. Without a doubt the group has more questions marks than anything, but the potential may lie just beyond those questions. First, let's take a quick look at how the Twins will set up the relief pitchers for the coming year: Blaine Boyer-Middle Reliever J.R. Graham-Middle Reliever Mike Pelfrey-Middle Reliever Brian Duensing-Lefty Specialist Tim Stauffer-Long Reliever Casey Fien-Setup Man Glen Perking-Closer Woof! Ok now that we have that out of the way, only Glen Perkins would appear to be a pitcher that can be counted on. Assuming he's healthy, and that's probably somewhat of a sketchy assumption, Perkins will be one of the better closers in the American League. Outside of him however, the Twins have compiled a pen of relatively low-upside players, some in new roles, and some battling through regressing trends. So where does this potential come in? Due to the current construction of the Twins bullpen, the upside is actually within who's not a part of the Opening Day list, and how they could quickly push for time. Starting with the most exciting options, prospects Nick Burdi and Jake Reed have a lot to gain this season with the Twins. Both high selections in the 2014 Major League Baseball draft, Burdi and Reed have been deserving of the hype thus far in their professional career. After playing in the College World Series for the Louisville Cardinals, Burdi went on to continue lighting up radar guns for the Twins. Pitching through both Cedar Rapids and Fort Myers, Burdi had just one bad outing in 20 games (coincidentally it was his first). Across the two levels, he compiled a 16.8 K/9 while pitching to the tune of a 2.66 ERA. It's pretty safe to say that Burdi made easy work of the lower levels of the organization, and will be accelerated this season. Whether he starts in Fort Myers or Chattanooga, expect him to surface with the Twins sooner rather than later. If he can continue along the same path, he should become an option at the back of the Twins pen over the summer. Fien slipping up would likely cede chances to a Michael Tonkin type first, but it also opens the door for Burdi. In the earlier innings, the Twins find a middle reliever in Reed that they should be able to count on for years to come. Selected out of Oregon, Reed dominated Elizabethton and Cedar Rapids. He continued the trend in overpowering the Arizona Fall League as well, traditionally filled with top tier prospects. Reed owned an 11.3 K/9 in 20 games last season while walking just 0.9 batters per nine innings. Efficient and dominant, the Twins will be looking to get him to the big leagues in short order as well. Likely slated for Fort Myers, Reed may have the most to gain this year. With Pelfrey, Boyer, Graham, and even Stauffer all being relative question marks, the door should swing open. While Lester Oliveros, Logan Darnell, A.J. Achter and others reside in the higher rungs of the organization, it's Reed that the Twins can elevate the most with. Should he be able to replicate his 2014 season, Reed will get an early look from the Twins, and could be an asset to them down the stretch. Really, the biggest takeaway from the current bullpen situation is that it is going to be an evolving entity for the Twins. Like I mentioned yesterday with positional players, the Twins can control their own talent level from within. Should they find themselves competing in the middle of the year, with pitchers like Reed and Burdi looking strong, and the bullpen in rough shape, they immediately have internal options. The current bullpen structure should be good enough to keep what is an improved staff happy, but the Twins taking a leap will come on the promotion of their top tier prospects. Having made pitcher heavy selections in the first ten round of the draft last season, most with relief intentions, the Twins have plenty to gain by going down on the farm. Although the bullpen is worrisome right now, expect leashes to be short, and options to be plentiful. The Twins surprising this season is going to involve some gutsy decisions. Check out more from Off The Baggy here. Follow along @tlschwerz

Well done on banging the drumb of the voice of reason. Nice to have you aboard. Understanding that this team will be able to utilize revolving doors is a positive situation.

I understand that to a certain extent this is satirical, but it also is a common complaint. It's understandable to crave the top notch prospects you've heard touted, but baseball is a linear sport. Promotions take place at sensible times both for the player and the organization. The Twins top two prospects played virtually no games in 2014. This team is in a spot to surprise this season, but making a deep run is probably out of the question. Promoting top prospects right out of the gate because "we want to see them" is not a smart practice. Too often, baseball has the principles of other sports applied to it. This isn;t basketball. One player doesn't make a significant different in and of themselves, and sacrificing the long term goals for short term gains isn't a good practice.

Big fan of him looking so strong this spring. He probably could have been kept instead of a couple different options the Twins went with as well. He's not an exciting option out of the pen, but he should eat good innings for the Twins

Currently, the Minnesota Twins are less than a week away from kicking off their 2015 Major League Baseball season. Having hovered right around the .500 mark this spring, new manager Paul Molitor should have a good idea of the areas of strength, and where the team needs work. Heading north, the Twins will be looking to break away from the trend that is losing 90 games each of the last four seasons. More than any other recent season, the 2015 Twins have both a respectable ceiling and a relatively high floor. Maximizing on opportunities will determine which direction they trend in. Last season, Minnesota vastly outproduced expectations on the offensive end. Getting key contributions from players like Danny Santana, Kurt Suzuki, and even Jordan Schafer, the Twins saw more runs score than they could have imagined. Unfortunately, even with unexpected batting averages being inflated, the Twins failed to capitalize in the wins category due to poor pitching. There's no doubt that once again the mound was an area of focus this offseason, and the Twins appear to be in a better place. When looking at how high the Twins ceiling is for 2015, everything begins and ends with pitching. Although Ervin Santana was the club's only offseason addition, the staff looks retooled and competitive for the first time in years. Gone are the days of Cole De Vries and Samuel Deduno making the Opening Day rotation. Minnesota has a true ace in Phil Hughes, and he backed by arms such as Kyle Gibson, Santana, and Ricky Nolasco. Rounding out the rotation, Tommy Milone is more than capable of getting the job done as a 5th starter at the major league level. The improved pitching should only substantiate a lineup designed to score runs. Looking at the offense, there's no doubt the Twins will see some regression. Of the players mentioned above as breakouts, next to none of them should be expected to replicate their 2014 level of success. Getting key contributions from players like Joe Mauer, Torii Hunter, and Oswaldo Arcia in 2015 should make the regression less detrimental however. Minnesota's lineup boasts at least five guys capable of 20 home run seasons, and solid pitching performances should not be wasted this time around. Trying to quantify the ceiling in the win/loss column is probably more assumption based than everything. As it stands currently, I have the Twins coming in at 79-83. Should they have things break in their favor and maximize on their opportunities, an 86 win campaign would not be out of the realm of possibility. That win total should be good enough to get them near the top of the AL Central and into the Wild Card round as well. The Central is competitive as a whole, but the top has gotten worse while the bottom has gotten better. Minnesota can no doubt play with, and beat, any team in the division. So what if it all crashes and burns? Before thinking doomsday, there's no doubt that this Twins roster is built for regression. Handling, and overcoming adversity is something that the 2015 Twins should be more than capable of doing. Once again, everything begins and ends with pitching however, and that could be where the Twins find their breakdown. I have a hard time quantifying what the floor looks like for the Twins this season. They have a handful of options when and if guys go down, and each of them is capable in a limited capacity. However, if Nolasco fails to bounce back, Milone struggles, and Gibson doesn't develop, Minnesota could be in some trouble. A rotation highlighting only Hughes again would be extremely detrimental to this club. Although I think Santana is going to be fine with the Twins, he does have a couple of concerning factors that could come into play. From a numerical standpoint, the floor isn't where it once was. If the Twins mid-point is the 79-83 record I referenced above, than the floor is somewhere around 73 games. I don't forsee the current roster construction, or state of the organization, producing a 90 loss team. The AL Central probably won't produce a 90 loss team this year, and if it does, I don't think it will be the Twins. While not yet ready to make a deep playoff run in Paul Molitor's first season as skipper, the Twins have to be excited about the place they are in. There's more good than bad, and things are trending upwards.

Right, at the time you got a fringe prospect for a has been starter. Liriano did little for the White Sox and has gone on to ressurect his career elsewhere. Escobar isn't great, and he'll regress some this year, but he's a solid utility man.

I think it's tough for people to separate optimism for an upcoming season from their disdain from past seasons. You have to be blind not to look at the current 25 man roster as it stands and not see considerable improvement year over year of the past four. The Twins have four 90 plus loss seasons because they started out in such a bad place. The 25 man is in a competitive state from the get go, and instead of having to trade or pull from outside of the organization, the Twins stand to get better this season by calling up internal options. I'm not quite at 85 wins, I have them at 79. However, I don't see an AL Central team winning 90 games, or losing 90. The Twins could definitely squeak into the wildcard if everything breaks their way, but the floor is also relatively high as well.

In 2006, the Minnesota Twins sported a rookie pitcher that ended up bursting onto the scene and making an All Star appearance. With a devastating slider and blistering fastball, Francisco Liriano flew under the radar for a very small period of time. Unfortunately, the excitement wouldn't last, as injury would take away his 2007 and part of his 2008 season. Fast forward to 2012 and the Twins had watched what once was an undoubted ace, turn into an up and down starter that was fueled only by his own doubt. Going nowhere fast, the Twins decided to flip Liriano to the Chicago White Sox midseason, and that's where this all begins. An afterthought prospect, Eduardo Escobar, was all the Twins could get in return for their starter who owned a 5.31 ERA at the time of his departure. Signed as an amateur free agent in 2006, Escobar broke into the big leagues with the White Sox in 2011. Playing in just nine games, it wasn't until 2012 that Escobar got some regular playing time at the big league level. Over his first two seasons as a Twin, Escobar played in just 80 games for the club. Even while possessing a seemingly low ceiling, the returns didn't warrant opportunity even on a team losing 90 games. Last season however, things changed for Escobar and the Twins. Over the course of 133 games, Minnesota employed Escobar as a utility man. He played all over the field, logging time at five different positions not including designated hitter. The bulk of his run came at shortstop, but Escobar had become the Twins every day utility man. On top of being versatile in the field, Escobar mocked his career .255/.300/.365 line by slashing .275/.315/.406. His six home runs and 37 RBI were important additions from a player not necessarily synonymous with those statistics. Looking around a room of baseball experts, you'd be hard pressed to find someone willing to bet on the Venezuelan infielder continuing his run. Now through 11 spring training games, Escobar appears poised to pick up right where he left off in 2015. He has hit two home runs, driven in 13 runs, and is slashing .333/.333/.528. Looking through the leaders in the Grapefruit League, only the Miami Marlins Michael Morse has plated more runners. Although the strikeout to walk totals aren't where the Twins would necessarily like them to be, Escobar has also looked to have an improved focus at the plate. As the Twins head north, Escobar will once again be in his standard role. Despite competing for the starting shortstop position, Minnesota stands much more to gain by employing him all over the diamond. It would seem that gone are the days of Twins subbing in defensive only utility men. Escobar has the ability to both hit and field, and he has shown that he can be an asset to the club in both categories. With spring training statistics being what they are, it's unfair to draw too many conclusions from the early performance. Having no history to go off of, 2015 is Escobar's chance to prove that the offensive prowess wasn't a fluke. No matter what though, the Twins are ready to cash the check they received for Liriano, and Eduardo Escobar is putting it together at the best possible time. For more, check out Off The Baggy's official site. Or follow on Twitter @tlschwerz

This morning, first year manager Paul Molitor announced the next handful of roster cuts for the Minnesota Twins. As the team whittles down its roster to 25 players prior to opening day a week from Monday, the group of Fort Myers is going to get smaller. With 31 players now left in camp, Molitor has six more players he must send packing. The latest round however may have caused more confusion than clarity.Among the roster moves this morning, the Minnesota Twins elected to send out position players Eddie Rosario and Aaron Hicks. Both outfielders will head to Triple-A Rochester to begin the 2015 season. Relief pitcher Mark Hamburger was also optioned, as well as starter Trevor May. Both pitchers will also head to the Red Wings. With the moves, it was also announced that Tommy Milone would open as the Twins fifth and final starter, with Mike Pelfrey transitioning to the bullpen. No matter how you break it down, Saturday was by far the most integral day of roster shuffling the Twins have seen thus far. With the plethora of decisions made, the roster is taking shape. That being said, there's no doubt that a few of the moves made cause confusion. Starting with the outfield, particularly center field, both Hicks and Rosario were sent packing. Thus far during the spring, we have heard that neither Hicks nor Rosario would stick with the club in a rotational capacity. Either one would be named the starter or both would be sent packing. The curious part of the equation is that those sentiments seemed to be in unison with one another. It was thought that either Rosario or Hicks would start, as it never appeared likely that Jordan Schafer or Shane Robinson were viable candidates. That brings us to where we are now. The Twins are heading into 2015 with opportunity to outperform expectations. No one is banking on them being a playoff team, but if all things break right, they could squeak in. That being said, the upcoming season is about figuring out who you have to pair with the arrival of the talented youth on the way. Rosario still very much remains of that latter group, but the problem is Aaron Hicks. Hicks, a former first-round pick for the Twins, has struggled mightily at the major league level. After an impressive 2013 spring training, he was promoted to the starting role from Double-A, despite being more of a tools prospect than in the refined category of a Byron Buxton. Last year, for the first time in his career, a demotion allowed him to progress through both the Double-A and Triple-A levels. He did so while hitting for average, getting on base, and playing solid centerfield defense. Today's move suggest the Twins aren't looking to substantiate that at the major league level and the big question is why? Figuring out what Hicks has to give you prior to turning Buxton and Rosario loose seems to be an integral thing to unlock. Doing so out of the gate with a strong end to the 2014 season made the most sense. Now it would appear the Twins have created more questions than answers. In moving on from Hicks to start the season, Molitor is giving the center field job to Jordan Schafer and Shane Robinson. He has said he will "play matchups" but that it won't be a straight platoon situation. While that's great in theory, by and large, that is what will take place. The problem there is that a platoon is designed to allow a batter to exploit his talents against a certain type of pitcher. Neither Robinson nor Schafer possess any real ability at the plate. Schafer owns a .229 career average, and was under the Mendoza line last season before coming over from the Braves. Sure he hit .285 for the Twins, but there's no way the production is sustainable. As an outfielder owning a UZR (Ultimate Zone Rating) of -8.4, he's not someone you ideally want starting in center, either. On the other side of the equation, Robinson fooled no one with a breakout season at the plate. He spent much of 2014 in Triple-A for the Cardinals. His career UZR of 7.8 is indicative of his billing as a defensive outfielder, but his career average suggests he's virtually a guaranteed out as well. At the end of the day, Molitor and the Twins appear to have looked past Aaron Hicks at this juncture and that may result in them getting another opportunity to do so. Looking at the mound, the rotation has been set. As Mike Pelfrey heads to the pen with Milone rounding out the rotation, the Twins know who will be in the rotation to start the year. Pelfrey voiced displeasure, suggesting he was told he would be given a chance to start, and that he didn't believe he'd be destined for the pen. This morning, he went as far as saying if there are clubs who believe in him as a starter, he would be open to moving on. To be fair, the competition likely never included Pelfrey from the get go. While he posted a sub 2.00 ERA this spring, 13.2 innings were never going to be enough to provide any information that multiple years of bad starting pitching wouldn't overshadow. Trevor May pitched well, and despite his rough outing on Friday, he was always going to be in an uphill battle. Milone is a proven commodity and pitched well on a solid Oakland team. Minnesota should expect him to return to that form this season. Despite being upset about his new role, Pelfrey actually could extend his career this way. With the ability to perhaps push the radar gun to around 97 in a less stamina-related role, he could overpower hitters to a greater extent. With Wade Davis as the prime example, if Pelfrey can follow that path and become even close to Davis' level, the Twins stand to gain a lot with this decision. Should Palfrey be focused on starting, the Twins could look to the Mets, Blue Jays, and maybe even the Red Sox as options as trade partners. The problem is that a bad starting pitcher is probably going to net them less value in a trade than the value of finding out what they have by having him relieve first. At the end of Saturday, we know a lot more about how the Twins will look when they head north. Some of it is easy to agree with (sorry Pelf, the pen is home now), and some doesn't make sense (Hicks now becomes a bigger question mark than he was before). As the Twins embark on their last week in Florida, look for the backup catcher role to be determined and Eduardo Nunez to continue to be evaluated. Let's hope we aren't having another frustrating discussion involving Kennys Vargas later this week. The Twins are at the mercy of injury when it comes to Josmil Pinto, and if they have to bring Chris Herrmann north because of it, so be it. That being said, lets shoot for a bit higher ceiling with the rest of the decisions, all right brain trust? For more, check out Off The Baggy's official site. Or follow on Twitter @tlschwerz Click here to view the article

Not mastery, but I'd argue if you aren't going to use that as a springboard to find out what's there now, you likely never will. The decision is basically the Twins believing Hicks' ceiling is lower than a guy added as a NRI for the sake of defense. It may be true, but would have liked to see that substantiated out of the gate in 2015. It's tough to exceed expectations to an extent that matters when you set them at the floor.

I guess I would dispute him not showing readiness last season following the demotion. He slashed .291/.387/.441 across AA and AAA after he was sent down. 2014 was the first time Hicks was successively pushed through both levels. As much as he shouldn't have been expected to blossom in 2013 off of a strong string, his numbers progressing on the farm should have weighed more than a less than spectacular spring. At the end of the day, this team has the opportunity to exceed expectations. That being said, finding out what fits going forward and pushing the ceiling should be the goal. By not taking Hicks (or Rosario for that matter), the Twins did accomplish nothing. Schafer is not a defensively sound centerfielder, while Robinson is. Neither of them can hit however, and the ceiling along with the long term viability on the roster is not there for either guy. A week ago, Molitor suggested Hicks or Rosario as the starter noting that neither would play in a 4th man role. Now, they will head north with a platoon of one defender, no hitters, and no ceiling. It figures out nothing with Hicks going forward, and when Buxton arrives, the time to figure out anything is over. Thanks for reading though!

This morning, first year manager Paul Molitor announced the next handful of roster cuts for the Minnesota Twins. As the team whittles down its roster to 25 players prior to Opening Day a week from Monday, the group of Fort Myers is going to get smaller. With 31 players now left in camp, Molitor has six more players he must send packing. The latest round however may have caused more confusion than clarity. Amongst the roster moves this morning, the Minnesota Twins elected to send out position players Eddie Rosario and Aaron Hicks. Both outfielders will head to Triple-A Rochester to begin the 2015 season. Relief pitcher Mark Hamburger was also optioned as well as starter Trevor May. Both pitchers will head to the Red Wings as well. With the moves, it was also announced that Tommy Milone would open as the Twins fifth and final starter, with Mike Pelfrey transitioning to the bullpen. No matter how you break it down, Saturday was by far the most integral day of roster shuffling the Twins have seen thus far. With the plethora of decisions made, the roster is taking shape. That being said, there's no doubt that a few of the moves made cause reason for confusion. Starting with the outfield, namely centerfield, both Hicks and Rosario were sent packing. Thus far during the spring, we have heard that neither Hicks nor Rosario would stick with the club in a rotational capacity. They would either be named the starter, or would be sent packing. The curious part of the equation is that those sentiments seemed to be in unison with one another. Either Rosario or Hicks would start, as it never appeared likely that Jordan Schafer or Shane Robinson were viable candidates. That brings us to where we are now. The Twins are heading into 2015 with some opportunity to outperform expectations. No one is banking on them being a playoff team, but if all things break right, they could squeak in. That being said, the upcoming season is about figuring out who you have to pair with the arrival of the talented youth on the way. Rosario still very much remains of that grouping, but the problem is Aaron Hicks. Hicks, a former first round pick for the Twins, has struggled mightily at the major league level. After an impressive 2013 spring training, he was promoted to the starting role from Double-A, despite being more of a tools prospect than the refined category of a Byron Buxton. Last year, for the first time in his career, a demotion allowed him to successively progress through both the Double-A and Triple-A levels. He did so while hitting for average, getting on base, and playing solid centerfield defense. Today's move suggest the Twins aren't looking to substantiate that at the major league level and the big question is why? Figuring out what Hicks has to give you prior to turning Buxton and Rosario loose seems to be an integral thing to unlock. Doing so out of the gate with a strong end to the 2014 season made the most sense. Now it would appear the Twins have created more questions than answers. In moving on from Hicks to start the season, Molitor is giving the centerfield job to Jordan Schafer and Shane Robinson. He has said he will "play matchups" but that it won't be a straight platoon situation. While that's great in theory, by and large, that is what's going to take place. The problem there is that a platoon is designed to allow a batter to exploit his talents against a certain type of pitcher. Neither Robinson nor Schafer possess any real ability at the plate. Schafer owns a .229 career average, and was under the Mendoza line last season before coming over from the Braves. Sure he hit .285 for the Twins, but there's no way the production is sustainable. As an outfielder owning a UZR (Ultimate Zone Rating) of -8.4, he's not someone you ideally want starting in center either. On the other side of the equation, Robinson fooled no one with a breakout season at the plate. He spent much of 2014 in Triple-A for the Cardinals. His career UZR of 7.8 is indicative of his billing as a defensive outfielder, but his career average suggests he's virtually a guaranteed out as well. At the end of the day, Molitor and the Twins appear to have looked past Aaron Hicks at the juncture that may result in them getting another opportunity to do so. Looking at the mound, normalcy has likely been achieved. As Mike Palfrey heads to the pen with Milone rounding out the rotation, the Twins know how things will start. Palfrey voiced displeasure suggesting he was told he'd be given a chance to start, and that he didn't believe he'd be destined for the pen. This morning, he went as far as saying if there are clubs who believe in him as a starter, he would be open to moving on. To be fair, the competition likely never included Palfrey from the get go. While he posted a sub 2.00 ERA this spring, 13.2 innings were never going to be enough to extrapolate any information that multiple years of bad starting pitching wouldn't overshadow. Trevor May pitched well, and despite his rough outing on Friday, he was always going to be in an uphill battle. Malone is a proven commodity and pitched well on a solid Oakland team. Minnesota should expect him to return to that form this season. Despite being upset about his new role, Pelfrey actually could extend his career this way. With the ability to push the radar gun to around 97 in a less stamina related role, he could overpower hitters to a much larger extent. While Wade Davis is the golden example, if Palfrey can follow that path and become even close to that level, the Twins stand to gain a lot with this decision. Should Palfrey be focused on starting, the Twins could look to the Mets, Blue Jays, and maybe even the Red Sox as options. The problem is that a bad starting pitcher is probably going to net them less in a trade, even if that team needs an arm, than what they would find out by having him relieve first. At the end of Saturday, we know a lot more about how the Twins will look when they head north. Some of it is easy to agree with (sorry Pelf, the pen is home now), and some doesn't make sense (Hicks now becomes a bigger question mark than he was before). As the Twins embark on their last week in Florida, look for the backup catcher role to be determined, and Eduardo Nunez to continue to be evaluated. Let's hope we aren't having another frustrating discussion involving Kennys Vargas later this week. The Twins are at the mercy of injury when it comes to Josmil Pinto, and if they have to bring Chris Herrmann north because of it, so be it. That being said, lets shoot for a bit higher ceiling with the rest of the decisions alright brain trust? For more, check out Off The Baggy's official site. Or follow on Twitter @tlschwerz