Prospects 11-20

I am going to do my prospects 11-20 today and for review I will list my 1-10 for review.

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 years2009 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 Beloit10.

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.

11. Trevor Plouffe- He is someone that needs to take the next step in the organization. He is starting to be looked at as the dreaded utility infielder instead of the shortstop of the future. He had an up and down year between New Britain and Rochester. He needs to step it up this season as the everyday shortstop for Rochester. If not we need to look outside the organization because we don't have a lot of quality shortstops in the organization. 2009 outlook: Starting shortstop for Rochester.

12. Dustin Martin- He has really raised eyebrows after a good season in the AFL he has put together a very good spring. Honestly, he plays the wrong position because as good as he is he is blocked ahead and their are better players coming from the back. However, if something were to happen to an outfielder this year I think he would get the first callup. 2009: Start in Left Field for Rochester and be up with the Twins sometime during the year.

13. Chris Parmalee- I am pretty high on him because he has something not a lot of prospects have and that is power. I don't think he will ever be a .300 hitter but he will hit homeruns and that is what makes him special and will allow him to continue to rise in the organization. 2009: I think he will play the season in Fort Myers playing first base and some outfield.

14. Luke Hughes- He really showed me something by showing a power swing. I don't think his defense is good enough to be an everyday player, but I think by the end of this year he will be with the Twins.
2009: Start at 3rd base for Rochester then get callup to Twins in June.

15. Rene Tosoni- He is a very talented outfielder and if he wouldnt of gotten hurt he would of put up pretty impressive numbers. 2009: Start season playing right field for Fort Myers get midseason promotion to New Britain.

16. Anthony Swarzak- He really struggled last year at New Britain and then in August he got promoted to Rochester and took off. In 7 starts for Rochester he went 5-0 with a 1.80 era. After going 3-8 with a 5.67 era in AA. My only excuse for him is maybe he needed a new challenge. If he can continue what he did last year this year he might challenge for a roster spot with the Twins.
2009: Start all year for Rochester

17. Tyler Robertson- I don't know what to make out of Tyler he has Ace stuff but he can't seem to stay healthy. Last year for Fort Myers he went 5-3 with a 2.72era. If he could of stayed healthy he would of put up good numbers. The key is if he stays healthy he could take off in the organization.
2009: First half in Fort Myers and then promotion to New Britain.

18. Joe Benson- He is another one who has alot of talent but just cant seem to stay healthy. Last year in Beloit he hit only .248 but had 17 stolen bases. He has all the talent but he needs to put it together.
2009: Center Field for Beloit

19. Deibinson Romero- Another guy that needs to rebound from an injury riddled season to try to be the prospect he can be. He needs to reclaim his high prospect status.
2009: Start at 3b in Beloit

20. Mike Mccardell- He really came on after coming off the disabled list to be the Ace for Beloit. I think he will keep climbing and climbing charts for the Twins.
2009: Starter for Fort Myers

Position Battles

The Twins are pretty much set on who is going to come north with the team come April 6th. However, there is a few battles that everyone should keep their eye on the last couple weeks of spring training.

1. Who is going to be the Opening Day Catcher

1. Joe Mauer- of course if he is ready to go it will be him but its looking more and more like he won't be ready to go opening day. As today he is in Baltimore getting a second opinion.

2. Mike Redmond- He will probably start opening day but he is not a starter at his point in his career. I look for him to play more than he did last year but not starter amount.

3. Jose Morales- In my mind the most likely starter at catcher to start the season. He is adequte defense and a pretty good hitter to replace Mauer's bat.

4. Drew Butera- He is a longshot, but if they decide they want more defense he could be the guy because he is a very good defensive catcher. He is not a great hitter but defensively he is very good.

Last Bench Spot: Brian Buscher vs Matt Tolbert

1. I think its Buscher because he will be a very good bat off the bench. I think Brenden Harris can be the utility guy. I think the only way Tolbert goes north is if they only keep 11 pitchers and i dont see that happening.

Last 2 bullpen spots:

1. Jose Mijares has really taken himself out of the competion being out of shape, walking batters and having a hard time getting hitters out.

2. I think Philip Humber if he does even an ok job the rest of the spring will make it because he is out of options.

3. The last spot is interesting with the Twins having to decide if they want a second lefty or if they want to bring Jason Jones or RA Dickey up north. If they go with a second lefty they have Mike Gosling, Sean Henn, and Brian Duensing to pick from. I think Gosling and Henn are journeymen that wouldn't really help so I think I would go with Jason Jones. It wouldn't surprise me that they would keep Gosling or Henn to take the load off Craig Breslow. Whatever the case I think Jose Mijares will be back up with the Twins by the middle of May and be dominant when he gets into shape.

Everyone let me know what you think

Thursday, March 12th

Yesterday the Twins finally got their hitting going accumilating 17 hits against the Orioles in a 4-3 win. Michael Cuddyer and Jason Kubel each had 3 hits. Joe Crede finally had his first grapefruit league hits going 2-4. The Twins pitchers continue to get ready for the season as Glen Perkins got the start. Perk went 3 innings and gave up 2 runs and wiggled out of a bases loaded jam in the 3rd inning. Nick Blackburn came in relief and pitched a clean 4th inning. Blackburn will make his return to the starting staff on Sunday against the Marlins. Joe Nathan struggled a bit giving up a run in his one inning of work.

• The Twins got some good news on Joe Mauer front. It was revealed that he has inflammation in his back. The good news is this has nothing to do with his kidney surgery. The plan is they are intensifying his anti-inflammatory medicine hoping to get the inflammation out. If the medicine work he might be ready for opening day. My feeling is take care of it and if it takes 2 weeks great. If it takes a month thats fine too just take care of it so we won't have to worry about it in July and August.

• Today the Twins bring in their 10-3 spring record to Bradenton to take on the Pirates. Scott Baker gets the start for the Twins. Gametime is at 12:05pm this afternoon.

Mauer backup plans

Joe Mauer is having an MRI today to determine why he is still having back discomfort more than 3 months after surgery for a kidney obstruction. I am not going to pretend like I know what a kindney obstruction is but everything I have heard says he should be close to returning by now and he really is not. I read the Star Tribune this morning and it said the only time he has pain is when he runs so they don't think its real serious. However, there is a big chance that he will have to start the season on the DL and if that is the case I think the Twins have 3 choices what to do with the catching situation.

1. They could sign Ivan Rodriguez to a 1 year contract and that way they would have a veteran who can hit on a regular basis. He has not been very good the last couple years and I don't think it is a good idea to sign him for maybe a month. So when Mauer comes back in a few weeks what do you do with Rodriguez he will not be happy being a backup. With all the info I think I would pass on Pudge.
2. They could make Mike Redmond the starter and bring either Jose Morales or Drew Butera north as the backup. I think Redmond could do a fine job as the starter, but I am not sure how his body would react from going from 2 games a week to 4-5 games a week. You need to remember Reddog is 38 years old and the last thing you need is to get him hurt.
3. The third and final option is what I would do. I would bring up Jose Morales and make him the starter on Opening day. I would not do it like they did it last year where Mauer played 4 games and sat 2. I would have Morales play 3 games and Redmond play 3 games. You could keep both catchers fresh and you could get good production out of the catcher position until Mauer gets back.

The Twins had yesterday off and kept their spring record at a very good 9-3 on the spring. Today the Twins continue grapefruit league play as they take on Baltimore in Fort Lauderdale. Glen Perkins will get the start as he tries to continue his strong spring. In good news Nick Blackburn will come in relief today in his first work since having to be skipped because of knee soreness. Gametime is at 12:05 between the Twins and the Orioles.

• Justin Mourneau, Jesse Crain, and Nick Punto will be returning to camp after Canada and Italy were eliminated from WBC competition. It will be good to have them back and get them ready for the season.
• Anybody watch that Netherlands-Dominican Republic game last night. All I can say is wow the intensity of the game was amazing. It was almost like a playoff game. When it started I was not a big fan of the WBC, but I have to admit I have changed my mind and really enjoy it. The drama between the US and Canada was awesome. Nothing though was as intense as last nights game. After the game Harold Reynolds said it was it was the biggest upset in Baseball history. I really can't argue with him looking at the all-star roster of the Dominican compared to the kids on the Netherlands. All I know is I will be rooting for the Netherlands in the next round.

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.