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[khans2k5 [enjin:6608728]]

Twins cut outfielders Max Kepler and Ryan Sweeney

We optioned Kepler and cut Sweeney

[longstrangetrip [enjin:6600564]]

Twins cut outfielders Max Kepler and Ryan Sweeney

We optioned Kepler and cut Sweeney

The Twins haven't lost any of their enthusiasm for Kepler. He didn't have a great spring at the plate, but apparently continued to look terrific in the cage and the outfield. I think we will see him in the bigs sooner than later...probably first call up if any OF gets hurt or Arcia or Buxton struggle.

Sweeney is finally healthy and has a chance to catch on with another team. It's odd that a guy that big has so little power though.

I know it's just spring training, but I'm excited about the starting pitching so far. Santana threw 6 scoreless 2-hit innings today to follow great 6-inning outings the past two days by Milone and Nolasco. Milone, Gibson and Santana all have ERA's under 2.5, and Monster assures me Hughes will be fine because it's an even year. Only Duffey hasn't been sharp, but I think he starts the season in Rochester.

[Jester1534]

Twins cut outfielders Max Kepler and Ryan Sweeney

We optioned Kepler and cut Sweeney

The Twins haven't lost any of their enthusiasm for Kepler. He didn't have a great spring at the plate, but apparently continued to look terrific in the cage and the outfield. I think we will see him in the bigs sooner than later...probably first call up if any OF gets hurt or Arcia or Buxton struggle.

Sweeney is finally healthy and has a chance to catch on with another team. It's odd that a guy that big has so little power though.

I know it's just spring training, but I'm excited about the starting pitching so far. Santana threw 6 scoreless 2-hit innings today to follow great 6-inning outings the past two days by Milone and Nolasco. Milone, Gibson and Santana all have ERA's under 2.5, and Monster assures me Hughes will be fine because it's an even year. Only Duffey hasn't been sharp, but I think he starts the season in Rochester.

LaVelle E Neal 3 said on Barriero today that he thinks that Duffey will be sent down. He believes the Twins will keep Nolasco till June and then try to trade him for a left handed relief pitcher. Then the would bring up Berrios or Duffey depending on who's pitching better.

On a side note anybody excited about Mauer early spring numbers? I believe I saw the Rays game yesterday he's hitting .320 with 3 bombs.

I also was thinking about this too today while I was driving. I expect this team to fight for a wildcard spot this year, but let's say we get off to a really rough first half but Mauer has a great year at the plate. Would you guys want to trade Joe Mauer?

[longstrangetrip [enjin:6600564]]

Trading Mauer is difficult, jester, because of his bloated contract. We would probably have to cover at least half of his salary to get another team to bite, and I don't think the Pohlads would want to do that. I'd rather keep him for the last couple years of his deal. He's a plus glove guy now at first, and even though he doesn't hit like a first baseman or #3 hitter, he can be a very good #2 hitter. He is off to a pretty good spring so far. His average (.267) is almost exactly where he finished last year, but he seems to have a little more pop. And more importantly he only has 3 K's so far in 30 ABs, much closer to his historic numbers and about half last year's rate. It lends some credence to his contention that he wasn't seeing the ball in the sun last year.

I think Trevor Plouffe is poised for a great season. He's hitting ..361 with 4 HRs so far, and really seems relaxed and confident at the plate. There has been a lot of talk the past 2 years about trading him or moving him for Sano, and that had to have weighed on his mind. The Twins' having confidence in him has to be a relief for him.

Gibson gets the start today against Pittsburgh. It would be great to see him pitch 6 effective innings like Nolasco, Milone and Santana have the past 3 days.

[Monster]

I just don't see the Twins trading Mauer. We all know know the hometown angle all that stuff and it's a big reason why I just don't see it happening and I think that stuff is fair. If the Twins were really serious about moving him because it made baseball sense...if the Polads had to cover a big chunk of his salary to make a move...well they are gonna have to pay him that money either way so why not? Basically it comes down to the reality that if the Twins trade Mauer some team would have to send them back something worthwhile. That seems unlikely. Like LST said his defense last year at first seemed at least above average so it's possible he improves there more this year and if Mauer finds himself even a little more than he did last year at the plate he could be an effective player the next 3 years of his contract. The money is a sunk cost now but I still think he could be worthwhile to the Twins who are stuck with him. There can easily be some positive stuff left for Mauer's career here.

[JasonIsDaMan [enjin:7981157]]

The hardest part of a Mauer trade is his full no-trade clause. Yeah, it's easy to say he wouldn't want to go elsewhere because he is from the Cities, but it goes deeper than that. If he goes elsewhere, he's just another guy. He isn't on every other commercial, and no one cuts him any slack in public if he's having a bad year.

Although I would love to see what would happen if he ended up in Boston, had a season like the one he had last year, and then ran into Melissa Leo's character from "The Fighter" at the grocery store. Wouldn't be quite as pleasant as an overpaid guy from Boston having a bad year for the Twins and then running into Betty White's character from "The Golden Girls".

[khans2k5 [enjin:6608728]]

Who's going to take on Mauer as their 1B at his cost or even at a decent chunk of his cost? If he was a good option there'd be no reason for us to trade him, but he's taking up a power bat spot without the power bat. That alone is going to dry up most of the market and his contract would finish off the rest unless we paid most of it which we shouldn't do because you never get back a good enough player to warrant paying most of a guy's salary for someone else. The only realistic option would be flipping him for another albatross contract and just praying that guy gets closer to living up to his deal which is a huge gamble.