What is it going to cost to sign Joe Mauer

I think it is pretty obvious that the Twins need to do everything in their power to sign Joe Mauer to a long term contract. The question is how much and for how many years. I don't think its clearcut I would not give him a 7 or 8 year contract because honestly we need to face the facts that he has been hurt 3 times if you count this kidney thing. He has 2 years and 23 million left on his contract he signed 2 years ago. Another problem is do you want to set a precident with Justin Mourneau because Mauer is going to want more money than the Twins gave Justin Mourneau. The Twins are going to have to decide if it will cause friction between the two if Mauer makes more than Mourneau even though Mourneau hits more homeruns and drives in more runs. I think the Twins will decide that yes because Joe Mauer does so much for the team. He is probably one of best pure hitters in baseball and defensively he doesn't have a rival. I think the right course of action would be to give Mauer a 4 year extension on top of the 2 years he already is signed for. It would be 6 years and 83 million total which is not much more than the total value of Mourneau's contract. Here is how I would do it.

• 2009: 10.5 mil
• 2010: 12.5 mil
• 2011: 15.0 mil
• 2012: 15.0 mil
• 2013: 15.0 mil
• 2014: 15.0 mil
• 2015: 20.0 mil team option

Sunday, March 8th

Yesterday the Twins were brought down to earth with a beatdown by the hands of the Pirates. They lost the game 8-1 and really wasn't even that close. There were a few positives, but many more concerns than good things from yesterday.

• Scott Baker after signing his new contract pitched 4 good innings and only giving up a solo homerun to Adam Laroche in 4 innings of work. From then on the only pitchers that pitched good was RA Dickey who pitched a shutout inning and Mike Gosling with 2/3 of a inning. Matt Guerrier, Jose Mijares, Ben Julianel, and Rob Delaney had outings they would like to forget.
• The Twins continue to struggle at the plate only getting 5 hits. Alexi Casilla finally got going with 2 hits in 3 at bats. Michael Cuddyer had a triple and scored on a sacrafice fly by Brian Buscher. Joe Crede continues to slump going 0-3 and now is 1-15 on the spring. Im not worried yet but he needs to get going.
• Today, the Twins travel to Fort Lauderdale to take on the Orioles at noon. Francisco Liriano gets his 3rd spring start today for the Twins. In good news Joe Nathan is expected to pitch in relief for the Twins. Hopefully, that will put to rest concerns about his shoulder.
• More good news for the Twins is the Twins could soon be getting back some of their WBC players. Today Canada with Justin Mourneau and Jesse Crain take on Italy with Nick Punto with the loser going home. Probably both countries will be eliminated by Monday and they can get back to spring training.

Beloit Snappers

Today I will have my final installment of my projected team rosters. Today I will be doing the Beloit Snappers who are looking for a better season this year.

C- Danny Lehman
1b- Jonathon Waltenbury
2b- Dominic De la Osa
SS- Esterlin De Los Santos
3b- Deibinson Romero
LF- Angel Morales
CF- Joe Benson
RF- Evan Bigley
DH- Michael Harrington

Bench
Drew Thompson
Nick Romero
Andrew Schmeising
Greg Yersich


Pitching
1. Carlos Gutierrez
2. Shooter Hunt
3. Dan Osterbrock
4. Bobby Lanigan
5. Brad Tippett

Bullpen
Closer- Michael Allen
Michael Tarsi
Santos Arias
Henry Reyes
Chris Anderson
Joe Testa
Curtis Leavitt

Twins Sign Baker

The Twins made a huge move to solidify their pitching staff for years to come yesterday when they inked Scott Baker to a 4 year 15.25 million dollar deal with a team option for the 5th season. This is how it breaks down:

• 2009: 750,000
• 2010: 3.0 million
• 2011: 5.0 million
• 2012: 6.5 million
• 2013: 9.25 million team option no buyout

I think its a no-brainer because if they had taken the arbitration rout i guarantee you he would of made more money and they can have him for his first free agency year at a cheap salary compared to what he will probably accomplish the last 5 years. All in all a good move by the Twins. It made me think who would I approach next if anyone about a long term contract.

1. Joe Mauer- another no brainer but I think its going to be a long process because they need to consider if it will hurt the team to pay Mauer more than Mourneau. However, I think it will end up getting done because I believe both sides want it to get done. However, I wouldn't expect it till next winter.

2. Jason Kubel- They signed him to a 2 year extension and I think that is plenty because they bought out 1 free agency year so i think thats ok.

3. Justin Mourneau- he signed 6 year deal last year so he is good.

4. Alexi Casilla- I need to see more out of him before I would even consider it. Make sure last year was not a fluke. If he has another good year I would definatly consider signing him long term.

5. Nick Punto- they signed him for 3 years so he is good.

6. Joe Crede- My gut feeling says no matter how he does he is a one and done player for the Twins with Danny Valencia just about ready to take over. It will be interesting the outcry if he had a all-star season and the Twins let him go. Honestly, I don't see the Twins signing him long term no matter how he does this year.

7. Delmon Young- I need to see alot more to suggest signing him long term. I would probably need to see 2 good years in a row before i would pursue it.

8. Carlos Gomez- Same as Delmon Young

9. Michael Cuddyer- He is signed for 3 years and thats good enough for me.

10. Denard Span- Same as Alexi Casilla I need to see some more to make sure it wasn't a fluke.

11. Francisco Liriano- Honestly, I dont know that you can sign him long term because of his injury history. I think I would need atleast 2 year injury free years before i would consider it and even then your taking on a risk.

12. Kevin Slowey- I am almost ready to go after him but i need one more year because whats the hurry he only has 1 year of service time so if he has another good season I would sign him next winter.

13. Glen Perkins- I have no interest in signing him long term right now. He needs to improve to hang onto his rotation spot with Mulvey, Swarzak, and Duensing on his heels so no interest.

14. Nick Blackburn- same as Perkins

15. Joe Nathan- Signed for 3 more seasons so im fine with that.

16. Pat Neshek- I was ready to sign him but now the surgery changes all that like Liriano I need atleast 2 healthy seasons before i would consider extending him.

17. Jesse Crain- He is signed for 2 years and im happy with that because he needs to improve to keep job.

18. Matt Guerrier- He has 2 years left before he becomes a free agent and i think i would let him become one and see how he does.

19. Luis Ayala- He is one if he has a good year I could see the Twins extending him durning the season.

Thats all the players that I would even consider it let me know what you think.

Saturday, March 7th

Yesterday, the Twins continued their winning ways beating the Reds by a 3-0 score. I know this is redundent but the pitching continues to impress as they only gave up 4 hits.

• Glen Perkins got the start and went 4 innings and continues to impress only giving up 1 hit. In 9 innings this spring he has not allowed a run. I really think Perk is going to be the starter to make the biggest jump and compete with the top 3 for best pitchers this year.
• The bullpen really pitched good with Kevin Mulvey continues to make a case to make the team. Craig Breslow looks like he is ready for the season to start and has a roster spot locked up.
• The Twins didn't do much on offense again only scratching 3 runs again. Jason Kubel had an RBI single in the bottom of the 1st to get the team off to a good start. I would really like the Twins to get going offensively because right now we are really struggling with the bat.
• Got some good news though Joe Nathan threw batting practice yesterday and reported no discomfort and is scheduled to pitch on Sunday against Baltimore in Fort Lauderdale. Nick Blackburn reported his knee is feeling better so that is also good news for the Twins. Joe Mauer continues to plug along after having a minor setback so things are good on the injury front.
• Today, the Twins continue grapefruit league play as they host the Pittsburgh Pirates to Fort Myers. Scott Baker will get the start for the Twins. Also scheduled to pitch are RA Dickey and Matt Guerrier. Gametiem is at 12:05 in Fort Myers

Fort Myers Miracle

Here is the latest projections for the minor league rosters. Take a look at my Twins, Rochester, and New Britain rosters and let me know what you think.

C- Wilson Ramos
1st- Chris Parmalee
2nd- Steve Singelton
SS- Yancarlos Ortiz
3b- Garrett Olson
Lf- Yangervis Solarte
CF- Ben Revere
RF- Rene Tosoni
DH- Rene Leveret

Bench
Jair Fernandez
Paul Kelly
Chris Cates
Mark Dolenc


Pitching
1. Tyler Robertson
2. Deolis Guerra
3. Mike Mccardell
4. Alex Burnett
5. David Bromberg

Bullpen
Closer Danny Hernandez
Kyle Waldrop
Charles Nolte
Blake Martin
Steve Hirschfeld
Henry Arias
Danny Santiestian

Friday, March 6th

Yesterday the Twins improved their spring record to a very impressive 6-2 on the season. The pitching continues to impress as the pitching staff came within 4 outs of a combined no-hitter. However, the hitting continues to be a problem because the Twins had only 3 hits until the 7th inning. It's way early to be concerned about the hitting, but you would like to see some progress as the spring continues.

• Kevin Slowey was impressive again for the Twins going 3 perfect inning with 2 strikeouts. I was not high on him going into last season, but he has really proved me wrong. You could make an argument that he truly is the Twins ace right now and you wouldn't get a lot of argument from me. So there you go I admit I was wrong about Slowey. This spring he has pitched 5 shutout innings and looks like he is in midseason form already.
• The hitting was another story as the starters only contributed 3 hits. Thats not to say there wasn't some good hitting performances. Dustin Martin continues to impress this spring with 2 more hits to lead the Twins. Toby Gardenhire put the Twins ahead to stay with a rbi single in the 7th inning.
• Talk about a bad line for a pitcher. Dutch reliever Berry Van Driel faced 5 hitters and gave up 4 hits and walked a batter and gave up 3 runs.
• Today, the Twins host the Cincinnati Reds as they get back into grapefruit league play. Glen Perkins tries to build on his solid spring thus far. Also expected to pitch are Jason Jones, Kevin Mulvey, Anthony Swarzak, Brian Duensing, and Craig Breslow. Gametime is at 12:05 in Fort Myers as the Twins try to build on their very good 6-2 spring record.

New Britain Rock Cats

I am going to project who I think will be on the New Britain roster to start the season. I wasn't sure about the catching situation as you could tell by my Rochester projections. Everyone let me know what you think of this.

C- Drew Butera
1st- Whit Robbins
2nd- Brian Dinkelman
SS- Steve Tolleson
3b- Danny Valencia
LF- Juan Portes
CF- Brandon Roberts
RF- David Winfree
DH- Erik Lis

Bench
Matt Moses
Toby Gardenhire
Edward Ovalle
Allan De san Miguel

Pitching
1. Jeff Manship
2. Jay Rainville
3. Oswaldo Sosa
4. Yohan Pino
5. Cole Devries

Bullpen
Closer- Anthony Slama
Zach Ward
Kyle Aselton
Blair Erikson
Matt Fox
Bobby Keppel
Spencer Steedley

Thursday, March 5th

Yesterday the Twins played Pittsburgh in grapefruit action and lost a tough 2-1 outing to the Pirates. There were a lot of good things that happened and a few things to be concerned about.

• Francisco Liriano really bounced back in his second start after struggling a bit his first start. He pitched 3 shutout innings with 2 strikeouts. Liriano may not have the explosive stuff anymore, but I think he will be consistantly good for the season and really thats all you can ask for from a pitcher.
• The Twins were only able to put 4 hits together so I want to talk about is what they are going to do in the outfield. Yesterday the Twins played all 4 outfielders with Cuddyer at DH and Young in Left, Gomez in Center and Span in Right. If not done right there could be hard feelings and the chemistry could be hurt. However, as my colleague first suggested they can do a rotation where you play 4 games out of 6 a week so that everyone gets their playing time. Also, I know some people disagree with me but Jason Kubel in my opinion can not hit lefthanded pitching on a consistant basis so you sit him against left handers.
• I am not real concerned about Joe Mauer's recovery from offseason kidney surgery, however I am more concerned than I was after reading Joe Christensen's article about Mauer taking a step back in his recovery. So my question is if for some reason Mauer has to start the season on the disabled list who becomes backup catcher with Mike Redmond taking over the starters job. Is it going to be Jose Morales or Drew Butera. I know its not a big deal because they wouldn't play much but if Butera would get the call what does that say about Morales being skipped by Butera. I know that is a long way down the road and Mauer probably will be fine, however we should think about a plan B in case.
• Today, the Twins take on the Netherlands WBC team led by pitching coach Bert Blyleven. Kevin Slowey gets the start for the Twins today. Joe Crede is expected to play third base today so it will be interesting to see how he does. Gametime is at 1:00pm in Fort Myers.

Rochester Red Wings

I am going to project who i think will be the starting lineup for Rochester. I'm not real sure about the bench because i am not sure who was brought back as minor league free agents, but I will do my best and if i missed anyone let me know.

C- Jose Morales
1b- Brock Peterson
2b- Matt Macri
SS- Trevor Plouffe
3b- Luke Hughes
Lf- Luis Matos
CF- Jason Pridie
RF- Dustin Martin
DH- Alejandro Machado

Bench
Steve Tolleson
Tommy Watkins
Joe Gaetti
Jeff Christy

Pitchers
1. Brian Duensing
2. Anthony Swarzak
3. Kevin Mulvey
4. RA Dickey
5. Jason Jones

Bullpen
Closer- Ben Julianel
Rob Delaney
Mike Gosling
Armando Gabino
Tim Lahey
Sean Henn
Ryan Mullins

Wednesday, March, 4th

Yesterday the Twins played the Puerto Rican World Baseball Classic team in Fort Myers and defeated them 3-2. There are several notes from the game that I thought that were noteworthy.

• The Twins pitchers continue to impress this spring as Scott Baker bounced back from a tough first start by throwing 3 shutout innings. I was also impressed with Kevin Mulvey, who I think has a shot at the last bullpen job if Philip Humber were to falter, pitched a good inning. The only one that was not very impressive was Anthony Swarzak who gave up 2 runs in his only inning of work and if it not for a wonderful defensive play by Danny Valencia would of given up more so that is a little disappointing.
• Joe Crede got his first hit and first rbi's as a member of the Twins. Jason Kubel seems ready for the season going 3-3 at the plate for the Twins.
• The real only concern was Carlos Gutierrez getting roughed up for the Puerto Rican team. If you didn't know Gutierrez is a Twins prospect playing for Puerto Rico in the WBC. He only lasted 2/3 of an inning and gave up 2 runs and 3 hits. Even though it was a rough outing it was a good test for Gutierrez because most of the starters were still in the game so he can go back and see what he needs to work on. I expect him to start the season in Fort Myers, but could move quickly.
• Today, the Twins travel to Bradenton to take on the Pirates. I would not expect the Twins to take very many starters today considering its a nice bus trip up there. Francisco Liriano makes his 2nd spring start and tries to rebound from a tough first start. RA Dickey, Craig Breslow, Jose Mijares, and Bobby Keppel are scheduled to pitch in relief today. Gametime is at 12:05pm.

Mock Draft 4.0

1. Detroit Lions- Matthew Stafford QB Georgia
2. St. Louis Rams- Eugene Monroe OT Virginia
3. Kansas City Chiefs- Aaron Curry LB Wake Forest
4. Seattle Seahawks- Jason Smith OT Baylor
5. Cleveland Browns- Brian Orakpo LB Texas
6. Cincinnati Bengals- Michael Crabtree WR Texas Tech
7. Oakland Raiders- Jeremy Maclin WR Missouri
8. Jacksonville Jaguars- Malcolm Jenkins CB Ohio State
9. Green Bay Packers- BJ Raji DT Boston College
10. San Francisco 49ers- Vontae Davis CB Illinois
11. Buffalo Bills- Everette Brown DE Penn State
12. Denver Broncos- Mark Sanchez QB USC
13. Washington Redskins- Andre Smith OT Alabama
14. New Orleans Saints- Rey Maualuga LB USC
15. Houston Texans- Darius Butler Cb Connecticut
16. San Diego Chargers- Chris Wells RB Ohio State
17. New York Jets- Knowshawn Moreno RB Georgia
18. Chicago Bears- Hakeem Nicks WR North Carolina
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Michael Johnson LB Georgia Tech
20. Detroit Lions- Brian Cushing LB USC
21. Philadelphia Eagles- Darius Heyward-Bey WR Maryland
22. Minnesota Vikings- Michael Oher OT Ole Miss
23. New England Patriots- James Laurinitis LB Ohio State
24. Atlanta Falcons- Brandon Pettigrew TE Oklahoma St
25. Miami Dolphins- Brian Robieske WR Ohio State
26. Baltimore Ravens- Clay Matthews LB USC
27. Indianapolis Colts- Terrence Cody DT Alabama
28. Philadelpia Eagles- William Moore S Missouri
29. New York Giants- Percy Harvin WR Florida
30. Tennessee Titans- Peria Jerry DT Ole Miss
31. Arizona Cardinals- Lesean Mccoy RB Pittsburgh
32. Pittsburgh Steelers- Ciron Black OT LSU

weekend update

The Twins had a solid weekend going 1-1 to bring their spring record to 4-1.

• Saturday the Twins defeated the Yankees 7-3 for their 4th straight win this spring.
• Francisco Liriano got the start and wasn't very sharp giving up 3 runs in 2 innings against the Yankees A lineup. I am not putting too much into it since it was his first start of the season and something to work on. I look for him to improve every start and will be ready to go April 7th.
• Brian Buscher and Delmon Young continued their strong start to spring training. Buscher had 2 hits and 2 rbi's while Young was 3-3 to improve to 6-7 this spring.
• The Bullpen really pitched well pitching 7 shutout innings in relief of Liriano and looked good.

• Yesterday the Twins suffered their first defeat of the spring dropping a tough 2-1 defeat to the Red Sox to even their series at 1-1 in the battle for the Mayor's cup in Fort Myers.
• Kevin Slowey got his first start of the spring and was very impressive going 2 hitless innings puncuated by a strikeout of David Ortiz.
• Glen Perkins came in for Slowey and pitched 3 shutout innings and was very impressive himself. Thus far this spring he has pitched 5 shutout innings and I look for Perkins to make the biggest jump of any starter this season. I am very high on Glen and expect big things for him and the Twins.
• In a game where there wasn't much hitting the bright spot was a rbi single by Deibinson Romero in the 8th inning. I look for him to rebound himself this year after a injury plagued season and some doubts about how high of a ceiling he really has.
• The Twins have today off and the next few days they have games against a couple teams from the World Baseball Clinic.

The Twins got a scare this weekend with Joe Nathan pulling out of the WBC because of shoulder soreness. It appears that he will be ok, but it is something that is worth keeping an eye on because we really don't have a replacement if Nathan has to miss any regular season time. They would probably have to move Jesse Crain or Luis Ayala into the closer role and that definatly a drop off. He might pitch on wednesday against The Netherlands WBC team, so it is something to keep track of because he is probably the most indespensible player on the whole team.

Saturday, Febuary 28th

Twins 5 Yankees 4

Twins 3-0

• Scott Baker made his first start of the season and was not very impressive giving up 3 runs in 2 innings of work. I am not concerned at all about the start because it was his first game of the year and he is just getting into form. He will be ready to go on April 6th.
• Jason Kubel hit his first homerun of the spring yesterday. I really think Kubel is just coming into his own at the plate and will be a big contributer this season.
• Danny Valencia had an up and down day for the Twins. He had 2 more hits, but had a key error that got the Yankees within 1, however he finished the game with a nice play on a slow grounder to finish the Twins win. I think Valencia will hit no matter where he plays the key is how good his defense is because the Twins don't put up with a lot of errors. I think he will be fine, but its something to keep track of.
• Today the Twins travel to Tampa to take on the Yankees in the home and home series. Francisco "The Francise" Liriano gets his first spring start against the yankees. Joba Chamberlain gets the start for the Yankees. Gametime is at noon, however I wouldn't look for the twins to bring very many starters to the game so it should be interesting to see how the prospects do today

Opening day Roster

Here is my projection for the opening day roster. I expect that they are going to keep 12 pitchers and 13 position players. There is a possibility that they could keep 11 pitchers and 14 position players but i really don't expect it.

C- Joe Mauer- If he stays healthy probably will win 3rd batting title.
1b- Justin Mourneau- will try to get his homerun total back over 30
2b- Alexi Casilla- will try to show last year was not a fluke
SS- Nick Punto- will try to hit enough to keep his defense in the game
3b- Joe Crede- if healthy will hit enough to help the team
Lf- Denard Span- hoping to avoid the sophmore slump
CF- Carlos Gomez- needs to improve plate discipline to improve
RF- Michael Cuddyer- needs to stay healthy
DH- Jason Kubel- hopes to build on best year of career last season

Reserves
Mike Redmond- one of best backup catchers in the game
Delmon Young- will play alot and hoping he improves his power numbers.
Brenden Harris- will be utility guy who can play 2nd,3rd, and short
Brian Buscher- big bat off bench who will be backup at 3rd and 1st.


Pitchers
1. Scott Baker- needs to stay healthy whole year and could win 15 games
2. Francisco Liriano- sky is the limit for him if he stays healthy
3. Kevin Slowey- I was wrong about him he will be most consistant
4. Glen Perkins- I look for him to make the biggest jump
5. Nick Blackburn- Mr. Consistancy that needs to keep ball down

Bullpen
Joe Nathan- Best closer in game needs to rebound from tough second half last year.
Luis Ayala- I really think he will rebound this year and be top setup guy.
Jesse Crain- will be inconsistant like usual
Matt Guerrier- will be good if not used to much
Jose Mijares- I look for him to be the late inning lefty and be dominant
Craig Breslow- very solid and will contribute just like last year.
Philip Humber- very tenuous at best but probably will make it cause he is out of options.

If Twins keep 11 pitchers Matt Tolbert makes the team either Jose Mijares or Philip Humber does not make the team. However, I would be very surprised if they don't keep 12 pitchers. Let me know what you think

2009 top ten prospects

Spring Training has started so its time to get back in the groove of blogging. I plan on giving my top 50 twins prospects and start with 1-10 today. Hope you all enjoy

1. Aaron Hicks- He has all the tools that you look for in a prospect. He truly is a 5 tool prospect and with a little seasoning will be patrolling an outfield spot for the twins by 2012.

2009 outlook: Centerfielder for Elizabethton

2. Ben Revere- It was a close one between Hicks and Revere for that top spot. Ben Revere is the most accomplished hitter in the whole twins organization. He reminds me of a young Kenny Lofton. His only real weakness is he does not have a very strong throwing arm and that could hold him back a bit. If it was up to me i would move him to 2nd base where you could appreciate his hitting skills and not have to worry about his throwing arm.

2009 outlook: Centerfielder for Fort Myers

3. Wilson Ramos- Every year Ramos seems to be getting better and better. He calls a great game with a good arm along with being a good hitter with some power. His only problem is Joe Mauer blocking his way to the majors. However, just like with all good players the Twins will find a place for him to get his bat in the lineup. I am very high on him and think he will be the DH in 2 to 3 years and be a very good hitter for years to come.

2009 outlook: Starting catcher at New Britain

4. Danny Valencia- Danny really came on last year to catch the eye of many scouts. He is now the 3rd baseman of the future and the future could happen as early as September if not sooner. He is a very accomplished hitter who will hit for some power with a very good glove. I think the Twins search for a 3rd baseman since Gary Gaetti has ended and Danny Valencia will be the 3rd Baseman when Target Field opens and beyond.

2009 outlook: Start the season in New Britain and get a promotion in May to Rochester and will be one of the September callups for the Twins.

5. Angel Morales- I am very excited about Morales I think he has the biggest upside of anybody in the organization. I think he will be the centerfielder for the Twins in 2012. He is another 5 tool player much like Hicks but with more power as evidenced by his 17 homeruns in Elizabethton last year. The only thing about him is he is so young you don't know how he is going to develop and how long he will take but he is definatley someone to keep your eye on because I believe he will be a keeper.

2009 outlook: Centerfielder for Beloit

6. Deolis Guerra- I know a lot of people have soured on him because of last year, but I still expect big things out of him. You need to remember he is one of the youngest players on Fort Myers and the Mets pushed him to much and screwed up his mechanics. I would rather take a step back like he did last year and fix his mechanics then have him go the same way and break down in a couple years. I expect him to be the comeback kid in the organization this year. I think you will see why we wanted him so bad in the Santana trade and will find out why people think he will be the ace of the staff in a couple years

2009 outlook: I think he will start out in Fort Myers and get a callup to New Britain at the all star break.

7. Kevin Mulvey- I think Kevin is a very solid prospect who doesn't get the due he deserves. He is as steady as they come and last year was about as consistant a starter as the Red Wings had. He reminds me of a young Kevin Tapani and he will be the first pitcher called up in case of injury and won't dissapoint.

2009 outlook: Will be the Ace for Rochester and sometime during the year will join the Twins.

8. Carlos Gutierrez- I am pretty high on Carlos as a pitcher. With his sinkerball I think in a year he will have hitters pounding the ball into the ground at Target Field. The only thing about him is he better as a Starter or as a reliever. I believe you could go either way and it would not be a problem but i like him more as a starter because their is more value there. Either way I think Twins Fans will know him very soon.

2009 outlook: Start the season in Fort Myers and get called up to New Britain at the all star break.

9. Shooter Hunt- I think Shooter could be very good for the Twins. He has dominant stuff when he has everything going. The only problem is his control because in the Twins organization if you walk people you won't be with us long. However, I do think he will get that under control and don't fool yourself when he doesn't walk batters he is one of the most dominant pitchers in the whole organization.

2009 outlook: Starter for Beloit

10. Jeff Manship- I really like what he does as a pitcher. I think all he needs as innings to show how good of a pitcher he is. He adjusts well when given new challenges. Like when he got promoted to AA he struggled right away and then he adjusted and did very well. He has 3 very good pitches and I think he has a future with the Twins.

2009 outlook: Start the season in New Britain and finish the season in Rochester.

2009 Mock Draft 4.0

Detroit Lions- Matthew Stafford QB Georgia- Lions need to start over at QB and he is the best overall and when you get a chance at a franchise QB you have to pull the trigger.

Mock Draft 3.0

1. Detroit Lions- Sam Bradford QB Oklahoma



2. St. Louis Rams- Andre Smith OT Alabama



3. Kansas City Chiefs- Michael Crabtree WR Texas Tech



4. Seattle Seahawks- Michael Oher OT Ole Miss



5. Cleveland Browns- Aaron Curry LB Wake Forest



6. Cincinnati Bengals- Greg Hardy DE Ole Miss



7. Oakland Raiders- James Laurinitis LB Ohio State



8. Jacksonville Jaguars- Eugene Monroe OT Virginia



9. Green Bay Packers- Terrence Cody DT Alabama



10. San Francisco 49ers- Matheew Stafford QB Georgia



11. Buffalo Bills- Malcolm Jenkins CB Ohio State


12. Denver Broncos- Rey Mauluga LB USC


13. Washington Redskins- Jason Smith OT Baylor


14. New Orleans Saints- Sean Mays S USC


15. Houston Texans- William Moore S Missouri


16. New York Jets- Mark Sanchez QB USC


17. Chicago Bears- Percy Harvin WR Florida


18. Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Knowshawn Moreno RB Georgia


19. Detroit Lions- Ciron Black OT LSU


20. New England Patriots- Vontae Davis CB Illinois


21. Minnesota Vikings- Jeremy Maclin WR Missouri


22. Atlanta Falcons- Peria Jerry DT Ole Miss


23. Miami Dolphins- Darrius Heyward-Bey WR Missouri


24. Indianapolis Colts- Brandon Spikes LB Florida


25. Arizona Cardinals- Chris Wells RB Ohio St


26. San Diego Chargers- Duke Robinson OG OKlahoma


27. Philadelphia Eagles- Ebin Britton OT Arizona


28. Baltimore Ravens- Sen'derrick Marks DT Auburn


29. Pittsburgh Steelers- Everette Brown LB Florida St



30. New York Giants- Brian Cushing LB USC


31. Tennessee Titans- Jermaine Grisham TE Oklahoma


32. Carolina Panthers- Myron Rolle S Florida State

Mock Draft 2.0

Here is my latest mock draft for the 2009 NFL draft now that we have a good idea where teams will be drafting. I will be projecting underclassmen who i think will come out.

1. Detroit Lions- Sam Bradford QB Oklahoma

2. St. Louis Rams- Andre Smith OT Alabama

3. Kansas City Chiefs- Michael Oher OT Ole Miss

4. Seattle Seahawks- Matthew Stafford QB Georgia

5. Cleveland Browns- Aaron Curry LB Wake Forest

6. Cincinnatti Bengals- Eugene Monroe OT Virginia

7. Oakland Raiders- Michael Crabtree WR Texas Tech

8. Jacksonville Jaguars- Terrence Cody DT Alabama

9. Green Bay Packers- Michael Johnson DE Georgia Tech

10. San Francisco 49ers- Mark Sanchez QB USC

11. Buffalo Bills- Greg Hardy DE Ole Miss

12. Denver Broncos- James Laurinitis LB Ohio St.

13. Washington Redskins- Jason Smith OT Baylor

14. New Orleans Saints- Taylor Mays S USC

15. Houston Texans- Malcolm Jenkins Ohio St.

16. San Diego Chargers- Rey Maualuga LB USC

17. New York Jets- William Moore S Missouri

18. Chicago Bears- Jeremy Maclin WR Missouri

19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Knowshawn Moreno RB Georgia

20. Detroit (Dallas)- Ciron Black OT LSU

21. Arizona Cardinals- Chris Wells RB Ohio St

22. Philadelphia Eagles- Jermaine Grisham TE Oklahoma

23. Minnesota Vikings- Percy Harvin WR Florida

24. New England Patriots- Vontae Davis CB Illinois

25. Atlanta Falcons- Peria Jerry DT Ole Miss

26. Miami Dolphins- Brandon Spikes LB Florida

27. Baltimore Ravens- Darrius Heyward-Bey WR Maryland

28. Philadelphia Eagles(Carolina)- Ebin Britton OT Arizona

29. Indianapolis Colts- Sen'Derrick Marks DT Auburn

30. Pittsburgh Steelers- Duke Robinson OG Oklahoma

31. Tennessee Titans- Everette Brown LB Florida St

32. New York Giants- Brian Cushing LB USC

Twins thoughts

I have been doing some thinking the last couple days about the Twins and thought it was a good time to write about it to see what all of my readers think about this.

This morning I was going through my prospect list and when I think they will be ready to help the Twins. I admit I was being shortsighted when it came to Casey Blake. To sign him to a 3 year deal with an option is really stupid and I was the one who was all for it. The reason is Danny Valencia everything I have read and heard from him that have seen him live tells me that by signing Casey Blake we would be blocking the top infield prospect in the whole organization from taking his rightful spot at 3rd base for the Twins. I really believe Valencia is going to be ready to take over 3rd base for the Twins on opening day 2010 when the Twins move into Target Field. I really think it is a blessing that the Dodgers overpaid for Blake because with Valencia's talent he would of found a way to get onto the field and we would be stuck with a 6 million a year utility guy. Teams like the Yankees and Red Sox can afford that but not the Twins we will always be somewhat limited in payroll so we cant afford it. I really believe that Valencia is the future for the Twins and they should not block him. However, if the Twins can find a 1 year option at 3rd base by all means i would do it. I would go back to Seattle to see if they are any more serious about trading Adrian Beltre because he would be perfect because he is a very good player and after the season they can let Beltre go and get the 2 draft picks. I would only look at 3rd basemen that are free agents after 09 because after that the future will be now for Danny Valencia.

Am I the only one who thinks that now is the time to start locking up some of these players long term before they can even sniff free agency. I have heard the names of Baker, Kubel, Liriano, Slowey and such but the guy that I really believe that we need to get signed before he can even think about free agency and that player is Joe Mauer. He is the most indispensible player on the team. I know he has 2 years left on his contract, but if you wait until next year at this team he may decide he will want to wait and become a free agent. I think you can argue that Joe Mauer is the best player in the game with 2 batting titles already in the bank and teams like the Yankees and Boston starving for a phenom at catcher. So if im the Twins I dont let him even think about leaving Minnesota I would lock him up for 6 more years. By doing that you have one less thing to worry about and you guarantee the 1-2 punch of mauer and mourneau for atleast the next 5 seasons and that totally makes sense. Don't get me wrong I would also try to lock up Scott Baker and Jason Kubel also. I would wait on Liriano for another year to see if we are looking at the Franchise or just a good Francisco Liriano. I would also like to see another year of Kevin Slowey to prove last year was not a fluke.

Lastly, looking at the farm system and who we have at the major league level we need to start thinking about the future of our outfield. We have quite a few outfielders taht I think are going to be ready by then and there are only 3 positions so we need to decide what to do with them. Look at the names that are projected as starters in the big leagues.

Denard Span
Delmon Young
Carlos Gomez
Michael Cuddyer
Aaron Hicks
Ben Revere
Angel Morales
Jason Kubel

That is 8 outfielders for 4 spots and yeah i know some of those guys will not be ready for a few years so you dont have to worry about it quite yet. However, eventually the Twins are going to have to deal with the situation. My view is probably trade Delmon Young because for whatever reason Gardy is not a fan of Delmon Young and it will just cause problems in the clubhouse. When Michael Cuddyer's contract expires after the 2010 season i would let him leave. I may be in the minority here but i view Carlos Gomez as a future star for the Twins who will learn better plate discipline. I think Aaron Hicks will be the crown jewel of the organization in a couple years I look for him to supplant Gomez in Center in 2011 and move Gomez to left field. I see Angel Morales as a star also that will be running right field beginning in 2011. I really believe with his bat and speed and being that he has played there before i see sooner or later Ben Revere to return to 2nd base for the Twins and Alexi Casilla moving to short. When it comes to Denard Span if he has another good year this year I would keep him until Hicks and Morales are ready to join the Twins then trade him. In retrospect I see our starting lineup in 2011 as

C Joe Mauer
1st Justin Mourneau
2nd Ben Revere
SS Alexi Casilla
3b Danny Valencia
LF Carlos Gomez
CF Aaron Hicks
RF Angel Morales
DH Jason Kubel

Everyone let me know what you think on this