IaFan1

I just don't understand the high marks given Travis Blankenhorn. We the fans keep hearing about his potential. But the stats don't bare any of that out. He's had 4 years in the organization and has yet to have a breakout season. He strikes out a ton. Doesn't hit for average, has a little-not a lot of pop and average speed. I hope this is the year that he puts it all together. But I don't see where he merits a #18 ranking.

I would not trade a young potential star for 2 years of Realmuto. I'm very comfortable with the Platoon of Garver/Castro.

Good Analogy. Brian Harper is one of my favorite Twins of all time. He should be in the team Hall of Fame. (along with Shane Mack)

Enjoyable reading. I cringe when I think of Sano at 1st base. The little I saw of him over there he looked clumsy and awkward. I'd leave him at 3rd base for as long as it can be tolerated and then he'd become 100 game a year DH for me. Spot starts at 1B & 3rd till he shows me he can stay in shape and be an average defensive player at either or both.

Your basically getting Oswaldo Arcia's bat with better defense. Extremely disappointed that Kepler hasn't taken a step forward. A .224 BA is pitiful.

Certainly the success of 2019 will hinge a large part on the hopeful comebacks of Miguel Sano and Byron Buxton. Without a resurgence by them we will see pretty much the same as this year at around 78 wins. Well unless we sign Manny Machado. Ha. The pitching can be put into three groups. Major League Capable, Solid prospects and Fringe prospects. For starters I placed Berrios, Gibson, Pineda and Odirizzi in the 1st group, Mejia, Gonsalves, Romero, Thorpe in the 2nd group and Fringe starter are DeJong, Littell, Slegers, Stewart. I still don't see a number one starter in that group and I think that will haunt the Twins every year until they develop, sign a top FA or trade for that type of pitcher. A la Jack Morris. In Relief the group is filled with Fringe pitchers. MLB capable I listed May and Rogers. That's it! I guess you could say Moya and Vasquez are solid prospects. But look at this long list of fringe prospects we need to help next year, many of whom have ML experience and haven't shown a lot. Busenitz, Drake, J. Reed, McGill, A.Reed. Add in a couple of prospects that have done well all the way up the ladder only to get their cup of coffee and look lost. John Curtiss, Alan Busenitz, and Tyler Duffey. How has our pitching from the minors to the majors turned so many good arms to fringe prospects. I'd be getting with my analytics staff for help on answering that if I was Falvine. So turning to position players the outfield will be the same as the beginning of last year if they are healthy. Team MVP Eddie Rosario in LF, Buxton getting what may be a last chance in CF and Max Kepler in RF as we wait for the long hoped for breakout season that just hasn't happened. Jake Cave has won a spot on this roster and will have to be the backup plan to Buxton if he becomes the bust that he was this year. I think Robbie Grossman has earned another year for the Twins unless some trade brings in a Solid DH option. I sure don't want to see anymore of the Taylor Motters, Johnny Fields, or Ryan LaMarres on a Twins roster. If we can't do better then that you will never win more then 78 games. The infield has to start with Sano at 3B. I guess a lot of that will depend on him coming in to the season in shape and healthy. Like Buxton, he can be a star or a bust. It's up to him. I still like Polanco at SS. And his bat is a real boost at the position. I'd rather not sign a SS that hits .215 and move Polanco to 2B even if the SS can field the hell out of the position. I'd really be taking a long, long look at Luis Arraez in spring training. This man is a hitting machine. And if you can get production at second and short you really add to your offense. Otherwise I guess you could look at bring back Forsythe on a one year deal. I think the Twins need to commit to Tyler Austin at 1B. His D would be tough on fans after watching Mauer scoop everything over there the last few years. But again I am trading a Bat for a little defense. Austin looks to be 30 homer guy and that is what you want at 1st base. If he can hit .260 he'd have close to 100 RBI's to go with those homers. Sure he will strike out. But isn't that ok in this day and age if the guy can hit those homers? Ehire can be our Super Utility along with C-Super Utility Willans Austudillo. At Catch we have a nice platoon if Castro comes back healthy. Otherwise I think Mitch Garver has shown he can be an everyday catcher and help a lot with his bat. As usual you hope you have some surprises in the Minors that push their way to the Twins. Guys like Tyler Jay, Luke Raley and Cody Stashak who when he was switched to the BP he performed really well. We have some nice prospects to offer up in trade for a top pitcher. Guys other then Lewis and Kiriloff, like Nick Gordon, Brent Rooker, Zander Wiel, Steven Gonsalves or Trevor Larnach. So I hope the Twins are active in free agent BP market this year and sign one decent bat.

Ozzie Guillen, Doug Mientkiewicz, or Tommy Watkins would be in my mix of possibilities.

The easiest pick for the panel in any of the categories. I really think Kirilloff has star potential. And unlike so many Twins star prospects I think he will come up and take right off. Just think if Buxton, Sano and to a lesser degree Kepler has come close to their potential and in a couple of years you add Kirilloff and Royce Lewis to the mix with Rosario, Polanco and Tyler Austin. And others like Jeffers, Rooker and Luis Arraez waiting for their chance. It might still happen. And if it does, what a fun time it will be for Twins fans.

"Up a couple of levels, the light hitting Luis Arraez brought his boomstick as the Lookouts left the field victorious." I wonder if Luis Arraez is asking himself what he has to do to get a little respect. Lifetime .330 hitter. Sure only 6 HR's, but only K's once every ten at bats & a .383 OBP. I would think he will pass Nick Gordon on the depth chart. And him playing 2B for the Twins next year is not all that far fetched.

This is a really good feature at Twins Daily.

The Twins have a core of young pitchers to go with Berrios in Romero, Graterol and Gonsalves. Why break that up for 2 years of a good catcher. I'm all in with Mitch Garver. And with Sano and Buxton failing badly I am not going to trade potential stars in Alex Kirilloff or Royce Lewis. Even as this year has been a fail it's easy to see a quick turn around in a year of two if Sano and Buxton get right and you have Lewis, Kirilloff, Gordon and Rooker knocking on the door.

I just don't understand what happens in this organization. We have 3 guys (Sano, Buxton, Kepler) that were hyped to no end as the cornerstones of a long competitive stretch. Other organizations that had hyped players in the same time frame, like the Cubs, Nationals, Astros and Dodgers, had their guys come up and take off. In Minnesota we have 3 busts. Thank goodness for Berrios and Rosario. Let's be honest here. Sano has become Delmon Young, Buxton just can't hit period and the regression of Kepler is maddening. If the next wave of Kiriloff, Lewis and Rooker all bust, then there is something inherently wrong inside this organization.

Kiriloff is the bright spot. Not to much to excited about after him and Royce Lewis. So many disappointments on this list.

Berrios,like most of the Twins top prospects that have made there way to MLB, is overated. He is a #3 at best. Maybe a #4.

Enjoyed this report. Good job.