JAN
30
Minnesota Twins 2008 Top Ten Prospects
Posted January 30th ago via ArmchairGM
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The Twins at this point in time find themselves caught between the inevitable rock and a hard place. When long-time GM Terry Ryan resigned this past September after 13 seasons on the job, he took with him a track record of building through the draft. Almost immediately, his replacement, former assistant Bill Smith, traded the Twins #1 prospect (Matt Garza) and the team's starting shortstop (Jason Bartlett). Granted, the player(s) they received back are all ML ready players, but former #1 pick Delmon Young was exiled from Tampa despite finishing second in the Rookie of the Year voting because of off-field issues involving his manager and teammates. How will this play out in the Minnesota clubhouse, a team almost as young as Tampa? Then Smith, on the eve of the General Managers Meetings in November, made it known that for the right package, ace lefty Johan Santana could be had in trade. Pending free agency at the end of 2008, Santana had turned down a four year, 80 million deal from the Twins. In his defense, Smith has held steadfast in his demands for Santana, he wants ML caliber players, and alot of them. Despite their financial constraints and their less than stellar market value, the Twins surprised some people by signing outfielder Michael Cuddyer and first baseman Justin Morneau to long-term deals. The Twins do not have any bargaining chips in their system, so any movement will have to be off the ML roster, which is why Smith is so adamant about who he gets in return on any deal, there is no one in the system ready to play at the ML level.   1) Nick Blackburn, 25, RHP, draft and follow, 2001 A slow developer, Blackburn repeated each Class until 2006, at which time he underwent two knee surgeries and missed most of the season. Healthy in 2007, he began to show the promise the Twins had placed in him,  which included a dominating stint in the Arizona Fall League after the season. Blackburn throws five pitches, a plus fastball and change, a curve, and cutte...

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