Minnesota Twins Dynasty

[mBa89]

Ah, the beloved Twins, quintessential small-mrket team that makes good. A challenge on Mogul mode, but I feel I am up to the task. Feel free to post comments at any time.
Particulars:
Scorey/Rotochamp Universe
Mogul Difficulty
Start 2004

Goals:
Make the playoffs
Win the world series within 5 years

Anyway, on to the actual game. My first post will contain pre-season analysis. I am encouraged by a 24 Mil. projected profit margin, but several key players (notably Johan Santana) are in their final year of their contract, and I need to spend more on Scouting and my farm system. Looking for some dead weight to lose, the following players jump out:

Joe Mays 6.5 Mil 2 years
Henry Blanco 750K 1 Year
Todd Dunwoody 450K 1 year

In addition, there are many useless players making the minimum salary, and several players whom I feel can be replaced by cheaper, better alternatives:

Jacque Jones 4.35 Mil 1 Year -he wants too much money, need a more disciplined hitter.
Torri Hunter 8.42 Mil 3 years-I would be fine with keeping him, but hopefully I can improve here.
Shannon Stewart 6 Mil 3 years-doesn't bring enough to the table to justify 6 Mil.

I have the following standout prospects:
Joe Mauer C 78/97-starting catcher this year
Michael Ryan RF 70/83-starting RF this year
Lew Ford CF 76/81-possibely starting CF this year, maybe bench
Mike Cuddyer IF/RF 76/91-probably bench player/minors
Mike Restovich RF 68/78-probably will be traded
Jason Bartlett SS 63/83-I have my doubts, but may be SS of future
Rob Bowen C 64/83-Blocked by Mauer, probable trade
Terry Tiffee 3B 59/83-I need a better 3B prospect, since I likely won't resign Koskie
Justin Morneau 1B 72/100-Wowee! This guy's the future.
Jason Kubel LF 70/94-another blue-chipper! Yay!
Matthew Moses 3B 68/95-yup, Tiffee's gone.
Alex Romero LF 56/83-a question mark. We'll see how he does

Errol Simonitsch RP 61/76-not a bad pitcher. Definitely worth keeping.
There are several other marginal pitching prospects, and this seems to be a weakness. Next post contains my pre-season trades.

[mBa89]

I've been busy. Abandoning my goal of making the playoffs this year, and instead orienting myself towards financial dominence and youth that will, hopefully pay dividends in a year or two and put me in the WS, I have made several moves.

Henry Blanco (C), Jesse Crain (RP), Terry Mulholland (RP), Augie Ojeda (2B), and Shannon Stewart (LF) to Baltimore.
Jerry Hairston (2B) to Minnesota.

Analysis: Crain, Mulholland, and Ojeda, were all useless, while Stewart and Blanco were overpayed bench players. I'm happy with this trade, as it allows me to move Rivas, and replace him with Hairston, who has the perfect qualities for leadoff.


More trades coming next time I can post . . .

[mBa89]

More transactions . . .
Rivas is still expendable, and I have a hole in my rotation (Seth Griesinger? Wtf?), so I decide to go after Jerome Williams.

Matt Guerier (RP), Todd Dunwoody (LF), Joe Roa (RP), B.J. Garbe (CF), Michael Restovich (RF), Rob Bowen (C), Luis Rivas (2B), and Christian Guzman (SS) to San Francisco
Jerome Williams (SP) to Minnesota

Analysis: the only real losses in this trade were Bowen and Restovich. Bowen was blocked by Mauer, and Restovich was blocked by Ryan, Cuddyer, and Kubel. Jerome Williams is an excellent young starting pitcher with a five year contract. Plus, I drop 6 Mil. in useless contracts in this trade, and I replace Christian Guzman with a far better SS.

Next, I go after David Wright as my everyday 3B, making Corey Koskie expendable (since he has a 1-year deal anyway). Matthew Moses is a horrific fielder, so I expect him to transfer to DH eventually, anyway.

Matthew LeCroy (C), Alexander Smit (RP), Alex Romero (LF), Terry Tiffee (3B), Alex Prieto (2B), Adam Johnson (SP), Seth Griesinger (SP), and Evan Meek (RP), to NYM

David Wright (3B) to Minnesota

Analysis: Wow! Nobody I regret losing much, as Tiffee is now blocked by several prospects, and LeCroy was overrated. And in return I get possibely the best young 3B in the game!

Corey Koskie is now expendable, and I have a hole at short.

Brian Wolfe (RP), Denard Span (CF), Corey Koskie (3B), Jose Offerman (1B), and Boof Bonser (RP) to Arizona.

Alex Cintron (SS) to Minnesota.

Analysis: Koskie is the only major-league caliber player I give up, and he was making 4.5 Mil and in a contract year. In return, I get a solution to my SS problem. He sure is better than Guzman.

I still have to get rid of Joe Mays, and I would like a SS prospect, as Cintron only has a three-year deal.

Joe Mays (SP), Adam Harben (RP), and Jason Bartlett (SS) to Detroit
Tony Giarratano (SS) to Minnesota

Analysis: we swap SS prospects, with me getting a four tool player with a good eye, and him getting a prospect that I consider marginal. As an added bonus, I shed 7 Mil. in payroll.

I am still looking to improve offensively on Jacque Jones and Torii Hunter.

Jacque Jones (LF) and Colby Miller (RP) to Philadelphia
Jason Michaels (LF) to Minnesota

Analysis: Michaels is a solid, cheap young hitter who is much more disciplined than Jones, and does not get a raise until 2006. The only disadvantage to this trade is the loss of Jones' outstanding defense.

and . . .

Torii Hunter (CF), J.C Romero (RP), and Carlos Pulido (SP) to Oakland
Mark Kotsay (CF) to Minnesota

Analysis: shedding payroll while adding a more disciplined, excellent defensive center fielder. Kotsay will hit .290 with a .350 OBP. And, I get rid of Romero, an overrated reliever in his contract year.

Finally, the only trade that I regret . . .

Aaron Fultz (RP) to Los Angeles
Robin Ventura (1B/3B) to Minnesota

Analysis: I may end up needing Fultz, but I wanted a bit of depth behind Morneau and Wright.

In addition to these trades, I signed several free agents. Matt Franco gets a 2-year deal to be my DH until Moses is ready, while Mike Crudale, Carl Sadler, and Dave Coggin come cheap and help bolster a weak bullpen. Chad Kreuter buys time in the minors for another prospect, and can play if Mauer gets injured.

All in all, my Opening Day lineup is this (up to 85 from 71):
Jerry Hairston 2B (79/80)
Mark Kotsay CF (83/83)
Alex Cintron SS (81/91)
Justin Morneau 1B (72/100)
David Wright 3B (75/94)
Jason Michaels LF (81/81)
Joe Mauer C (78/97)
Michael Ryan RF (70/83)
Matt Franco DH (74/74)

Bench: (rating 83)
Mike Cuddyer RF (76/91)
Nick Punto 2B (68/78)
Robin Ventura 1B/3B (70/70)
Lew Ford CF (76/81)
Chad Kreuter C (67/67)
And prospects . . .

Rotation: (rating 85)
Johan Santana (95/95)
Brad Radke (83/83)
Jerome Williams (78/89)
Kyle Lohse (74/77)
Carlos Silva (74/83)

Bullpen: (rating: 50)
Closer: Joe Nathan (81/81)
Setup: Carl Sadler (71/78)
Short: Mike Crudale (76/81)
Middle: Juan Rincon (71/78)
Long: David Coggin (75/79)
Alt: Joe Beimel (71/74)

I have cut payroll by about 20 Mil., but I still hope to be competitive this year. More updates tomorrow.