Minnesota Twins Power Rankings: March 17, 2014

TWO MORE WEEKS!  We're getting closer and closer to real baseball and the Twins are getting closer and closer to finalizing their Opening Day 25-man roster.  The Twins cut 8 players over the weekend, most notably Danny Santana, who we will talk about later.  Last week, I put Jermaine Mitchell in the 10 spot of the Power Rankings, noting his impressive Spring and lamenting his chances of actually making the team.  I don't want to make the 10 spot a jinx spot, so we're going to start with someone who won't get cut.  At least not again...

10.  Miguel Sano

Cut.  Get it?  Sano had successful Tommy John surgery this past week.  His surgery apparently went well and Sano is upbeat about the whole ordeal.  I read a chat with Jason Parks of Baseball Prospectus last week and he pretty much said that this surgery does nothing to change Sano's future and ceiling.  He'll miss a year, which totally sucks, but he'll come back and continue his charge to Minnesota.  If his rehab goes well, he could be ready for DH duties in the Arizona Fall League. 

9.  Luke Bard

Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press had a great report with some Minor League updates.  You can read the full report here.  I was happy to see that Luke Bard is making good progress in his throwing program and could soon be ready for game action.  He had labrum surgery this offseason and because of that and other injuries, Bard has only thrown 19.1 professional innings since being drafted 42nd overall in 2012.  Bard was one of the linchpins of the Twins' strategy to convert college relievers to professional starters.  Bard has the stuff, but might not have the health.  However, he could still emerge as a solid bullpen arm and he's still just 23.    

8.  Deibinson Romero

I'm not one to get wrapped up in Spring stats.  I'm not one to get wrapped up in AAA stats.  I'm not one to call for a person's job.  All that said, I want Trevor Plouffe to lose his job to the impressive Spring and AAA performer, Deibinson Romero.  Maybe not, but I know that sentiment is going to start to spread.  Romero has outperformed Plouffe this Spring.  He's younger, he's a better fielder and he has better plate discipline.  All of those things are true, but in each case, only slightly.  Romero also does not have Plouffe's power and has never performed at the MLB level.  While you can look at the two on paper and make the determination that Romero should get his shot, I'm not sure much would be different in the end. 

7.  Chris Herrmann

This impressive Spring performer is playing his way into a job with the Twins.  Herrmann is hitting over .400 this Spring and he's started to add first base to his defensive repertoire.  The Twins just cut Eric Fryer and now have just four catchers in camp.  That includes blog favorite Dan Rohlfing, who I sentimentally hope will earn a spot.  Herrmann looks more and more likely to be the actual backup catcher though.  Kurt Suzuki appears to be the starter, Josmil Pinto needs more at-bats than he would get as the backup and Herrmann can play outfield when he isn't catching.  Of course, the only catcher hitting better than Herrmann is Pinto, who probably should be the starting catcher in 2014.  Herrmann isn't really competing with Pinto, and Suzuki doesn't appear to be competing with anyone.  Herrmann seems likely to be on the Twins this coming season. 

6.  Minnesota Twins Promotions

If you want an inside look at how the Twins' front office selects their promotions and fan giveaways, this is probably the worst place to click.  If you like poorly-written screenplays with characters who aren't fully-formed, then this is a great place to click.  If you hate comedy and you'd rather read about the 14 most important Twins in 2014, then you can click here.  Basically, click everywhere and read a bunch of stuff I wrote before today.

5.  Eduardo Escobar and Danny Santana

With Pedro Florimon coming back on Monday, the Twins cut Santana so he could work on his defense in the Minors.  Santana was very impressive this Spring and appears confident that he'll be back in Minnesota within a couple of months (according to this Berardino report).  Eduardo Escobar has been as impressive as anyone, getting go-ahead hits in two games this weekend, handling shortstop like a champ and flashing a wonderful smile at every opportunity.  I outlined the Eddie 400 movement a few months ago and Escobar's Spring only reinforces everything I wrote at the time.  He should be the Twins' starting shortstop in April.  He won't be, but he should be.  If he falters, Santana could be ready.

More likely, Pedro Florimon will struggle through 500 PAs in 2014.  

4.  Phil Hughes

I'm going to make some Twins-related predictions next week and I've already got Phil Hughes penciled in for some lofty stuff.  I wasn't high on Hughes when the offseason started.  I ranked him 11th among free agent starting pitchers and I didn't want the Twins to go near him.  When he signed, I did more research and found reasons to like him.  When I selected him as the 10th most important Twins player in 2014, I did even more research and liked him even more.  You can read those reasons if you click the links.  Hughes has looked good in limited work this Spring.  I think he's going to have his best season as a starter and that his free agent contract will look great by midseason.  If you want a more detailed prediction, well, you'll just have to wait until next week.  INTRIGUE!

3.  Sid Hartman

Ha!  A Sid bobblehead!  My ad-wizards didn't come up with that!  It's a cool idea and I have to admit that Sid's is the first bobblehead I've actually wanted.  This coincides with Sid Hartman Day at Target Field on May 18.  Sid has become a bit of a caricature (a fun one, in my opinion) at this point, but he's a legendary reporter in this market and he deserves his day. 

2.  Chris Colabello

Colabello is going from "nice story" to "man, could this guy actually contribute?" in a hurry.  He has looked great this Spring and not just because he's grown his hair out.  He leads the Twins with 10 hits, he's hit 3 doubles and a home run and he's walked 6 times.  Colabello didn't impress me in 2013, but he did hit 7 home runs in limited at-bats.  He struck out a ton, but he was a rookie and he'd only played 89 games above AA.  The Twins don't have a lot of power and Colabello certainly does.  Jason Kubel has been terrible this Spring and might be washed up (although, Kubel is just a year-and-a-half older).  Could Colabello hit 25-30 home runs as a the regular DH?  I'll put it this way, I'd guess Colabello is more likely to do so than Kubel.  Doesn't that make him the guy?

1.  Glen Perkins

Super-duper Congratulations to Glen Perkins for signing a well-earned extension last week.  Perkins will be a Twin through 2017, with a team option for 2018.  Here's a breakdown of his deal:

2014 - $4.025 million

2015 - $4.65 million

2016 - $6.3 million

2017 - $6.5 million

2018 - $6.5 million (team option)

Those numbers in 2014 and 2015 are extremely reasonable figures for a closer of Perkins' caliber.  They're actually reasonable numbers for a closer of a much lower caliber.  Even in 2016 and 2017, when Perkins will be 33 and 34, the dollars look good to me. 

I am not a big "closer" guy, but I know value when I see it.  I hated Joe Nathan's big contract, not because I disliked Nathan but because the contract seemed to help handcuff the Twins from addressing more important needs.  This contract will handcuff no one and ensure that the Twins have a very good closer for the next four seasons.  I am very confident in Perkins' abilities in that role and I'm happy that the Twins will be able to avoid putting too much money into that spot for the foreseeable future. 

Two more Power Rankings this Spring!  I've got AL Central previews coming all week, so keep your eyes peeled for some fat analysis.  Have a great week, everyone!

Minnesota Twins Power Rankings: February 3, 2014

It was a quiet week in Twins Territory.  Nothing eventful occurred.  And yet, here we are, ready to get into some POWER RANKINGS.  Since I can't think of anything else to write, let's just start.  Lazy!

10.  Matt Guerrier

Matt Guerrier is back with the Twins, which means I'll have to listen to nearly every member of my family call him Matt Gurreeeer again.  This move makes a lot of sense to me.  Here are all the reasons why:

• Guerrier has been excellent over the past four seasons
• Guerrier throws really hard and generates strikeouts
• The Twins do not have any good right-handed relievers
• Guerrier does not have a negative walk rate trend
• Guerrier is young

Oh wait, those are all false.  The real reason why this move doesn't bother me is that it's a Minor League deal and that doesn't harm anyone.  Guerrier is probably just AAA depth/super nostalgia.  The bump in jersey sales won't hurt either.  

9.  Scott Baker

The Twins had no interest in Baker likely because they knew they had Guerrier on lock.  Baker barely pitched in 2013 and didn't pitch in 2012.  He's still just 32 and he had been effective prior to his major injury.  He signed a Minor League deal with the Mariners and if he can make the team, he could have a nice season in that pitchers' haven of a ballpark.  The Twins made it clear that Baker was not wanted in Fort Myers in February.  Perhaps they will have interest in him when he's older, throws softer and has a mess of bad seasons under his belt.

8.  Bronson Arroyo

Apparently Arroyo has received exactly the same amount of offers as I have this off-season.  I'm entertaining an offer to pitch for some kids who need batting practice.  Arroyo will probably get a better offer than that.  However, as the lack of offers pile up, Arroyo should become increasingly desperate.  If the Twins still want him, they might be able to get him on a one or two-year deal.  Arroyo would probably be the Twins' second-best starter, behind Ricky Nolasco.  He would certainly help the rotation, although he isn't young enough to help when the Twins are ready for actual contention.  Of course, the team could push a .500 record in 2014 with Arroyo in the fold.  Why not?

If I do agree to pitch for those kids, just know that this blog will be on hiatus for at least three years as I recover from a variety of arm and oblique surgeries.  In case you were wondering.

7.  Engelb Vielma

Baseball America had a report ($) a couple weeks back about Vielma and how impressed the Twins, and specifically Mike Radcliff, were with his defense. Then, Keith Law indicated that he considers Vielma to be his 11th best prospect in this loaded Twins system.  I have been counting down my top 30 Twins prospects at Puckett's Pond and I didn't consider Vielma for my top 30.  I did have him in the Honorable Mentions sections, just so I don't hurt his feelings. 

Vielma is just 19 and he's scrawy.  He also shares a birthday with my daughter, so that's cool.  He's an excellent defender and a speedster but he hasn't hit yet.  While I think Law's ranking is crazy high, only one of the two of us have actually seen him play in person.  That said, I doubt Law photoshopped any of the Twins players heads on bird bodies last year, so he had a lot more time than I did.  Vielma is a nice prospect and he's getting some mainstream love.  If he starts to hit, then LOOK OUT! 

6.  Russell Wilson/Tracy McGrady

Wilson chose football over baseball, a decision that looks pretty smart now that Wilson has a Super Bowl Championship under his belt.  McGrady reportedly wants to pitch next year, has been working out with Roger Clemens and apparently can throw in the 90s.  I love to talk about athletes from other sports playing baseball.  I'm fascinated by it.  I would love an exhibition where McGrady tries to strike out Wilson, then he has to catch a pass from him, then he has to catch an alley-oop from him, then he has to score a goal on him (hockey, not soccer) and then they bowl together because they've become such good friends. 

It really seems like a no-brainer.  Make it happen, someone.

5.  Some truly terrifying photos

Look, the current Twins are getting better, there's no doubt about that.  However, this iteration of the Twins needs to take a page from the late-80s, early-90s championship teams.  Thus, I went ahead an fixed a few of the more important Twins for the coming years. 

Here's Byron Buxton, uber-prospect and future MVP with Dan Gladden's hair:

Beautiful.  Here's Casey Fien with Juan Berenguer's mustache:

Tremendous...and intimidating.  And, just in case Phil Hughes can't hack it in the rotation, here he is with Jeff Reardon's beard, which I refer to as a Beardon.

And now we're all on the same page.  Those images should inspire you.

4.  Lance Berkman

The Big Puma retired last week.  This made me a sad panda.  I have long admired Berkman and his outstanding nickname.  Berkman was a beast too, finishing his career with a 144 OPS+.  He reached base in more than 40% of his career plate appearances.  He was enough of an outfielder to fake it in center for nearly a full-season's worth of games.  It's a shame that his career ended as it did, rife with injuries and jokes about his weight.  I think Berkman is a Hall of Famer, but I also think he has about a 1% chance of ever getting elected.  Grant Brisbee agrees and you know that I love him.  Read this and laugh at the pictures. 

Long live the Big Puma.    

3.  Fans of the New Britain Rock Cats

Check out this article from Andrew Walter at Twins Fan from Afar:  Prognosticating:  2014 Rock Cats Opening Day Lineup

That lineup is stacked.  If you happen to be a Twins fan living in that region or a fan of a AA team for some reason, you have to get out to some games early in the season.  Sano isn't long for AA and Buxton probably isn't either.  If you take those two out, the lineup is still good, but it isn't exciting.  Minnesota will feel the excitement in a year or so, but for now we can just be happy for New Britain. 

2.  Eduardo Escobar

Things are going well for Mr. Escobar.  Just check out this tweet:

@bridman77 "Winter League Games 1/28 Escobar, SS, Twins 1-3, R, HR. 3 HR in the past 4 nights" fm this: http://t.co/DGSxmx3SvI
— William Lindeke (@BillLindeke) January 29, 2014

Of course, Jeff Moore, the person who wrote the linked article, also states that Escobar is "glove-only player with moderate bat-to-ball skills and virtually no in-game power."  Perhaps.  However, can I just remind you of this:

Support the Eddie 400.  He would support you.

1.  Mike Pelfrey

Yeah, not expecting this, were you?  Seth Stohs had a great article about Pelfrey last week.  You can read it here.  In it, Pelfrey basically won me over with his positive attitude and generally pleasant demeanor.  I've been critical of Pelfrey in the past, but this is a wonderful reminder that baseball players are human mammals and they have feelings.  Sometimes, those feelings give you feelings.  That's a good feeling.  I love many things Pelfrey said in that article and it diminished the ire I had felt previously.  Thanks, Seth!

We did it!  A slow news week is no match for my crippling need for symmetry and order.  Hopefully, the Twins will go completely ape this week and make crazy moves.  No matter what, I'll be back next week, countin' 'em down.  Have a nice week, everyone!  

Minnesota Twins POWER RANKINGS: January 27, 2014

Major shake-ups this week in the K-Slow POWER RANKINGS.  Our four-week number one is plummeting down the list because he is a freaking Judas and I hate him.  That's not true.  I don't know him, but he did betray me and the POWER RANKINGS and the entire state of hockey.  On the bright side, I don't have to retire the top spot forever.  Let's get to the rankin'.

10.  Masahiro Tanaka

Tanaka, you could have had it all.  I promised you the top spot in these rankings until you signed with the Twins, then I was going to retire the top spot in your honor.  Instead, you signed with the Yankees, meaning that 29 fan bases will loathe you, regardless of how cool you may be.  Oh, and good luck with that strikeout rate.  I notice it has dipped in each of your past three seasons.  Oh, but I'm sure it will jump back up as you transition to a much better league against much better hitters. 

I'm not bitter though.  Missing out on Tanaka could pave the way for a reunion with a high-strung pitcher with a spitting problem.

9.  Matt Garza

Crud.  Garza has reportedly agreed to a four-year deal with the Brewers.  The deal was reportedly done earlier in the week, but was reportedly finalized this weekend.  It is reportedly worth $50 million, or just a couple million more than the Twins paid for Ricky Nolasco.  Twins fans were reportedly upset, because the perception is that Garza is significantly better than Nolasco.  The peripheral stats might be close, but actual performance goes to Garza.  

I've seen some sentiment that the Twins should have signed Garza instead of Mike Pelfrey, as if the two are somehow related.  I tweeted that I wish the Twins had not moved to the Metrodome in 1982 and instead signed Garza.  That makes no sense, but as far as I am concerned, it makes just as much sense as trying to equate not signing Garza with signing Pelfrey.  Or maybe it isn't.  I haven't slept in days.  Of course, the reality is that the Twins still have tons of money to spend, so maybe they'll open up the pocketbook and upgrade a different position.

8.  Stephen Drew

Apparently, the Yankees are considering Drew.  Whatever, they already have all the other players.  There were some reports earlier in the month that indicated that Drew might need to take a one-year deal or move to second base or even third base.  And yet, the Twins still have Pedro Florimon penciled in at short for 2014 and some fat wads of cash just chilling in the basement of Target Field.  If you went to TwinsFest, you should have went down there.  Drew would be an offensive upgrade at short and is still pretty young. 

I had written previously that I would not sign Drew, but a lot of that had to do with a Tanaka/Garza pipe dream that appears to have ended.  Now, I'd go grab Drew, tell him he can stay at short, give him some of the cash wads and improve the offense.  Of course...

7.  The Eddie 400

The Eddie 400 picked up some mainstream steam this week, appearing on the front page of Twins Daily.  The post generated an impressive three comments, two of which appeared to in support of the campaign.  I've been horrible at promoting this idea of the past few weeks.  I had actually forgotten about it myself until I saw it on Twins Daily.  If you need a refresher, here's The Eddie 400, in all its glory. 

6.  Grant Balfour

In the inaugural edition of these rankings, I wrote about how Balfour was lucky to have failed his physical with the Orioles because the whole city of Baltimore smells like crab cakes.  I did later learn that this is not true, but Balfour ended up on his feet in the end.  Last week, he signed a two-year deal with the Rays and will take over as their closer/intense Aussie.  Without looking, how old do you think Balfour is?

36.  Did you think he was that old?  He looks great.

5.  Andrew Albers

The Twins were thwarted in their attempt to sell Chris Colabello to Korea for some fast cash.  They almost certainly would have used that cash to sign Tanaka, but Colabello had to be a real sick in the mud and want to stay in this country.  In an ironic twist (irony more in the way that everyone but English majors use it), the Twins lost Andrew Albers to the Hanwha Eagles in South Korea.  Albers was unlikely to be in the Twins rotation, at least to start the 2014 season, but he was a nice story last year and he did pitch relatively well with the Twins.  Ah well.    

4.  Kurt Suzuki

So this tweet pissed me off:

Terry Ryan said he's not sure yet who will back up Kurt Suzuki at catcher. Pinto, Herrmann, Fryer all options. #MNTwins
— Tyler Mason (@FSNtylermason) January 24, 2014

Nothing against Mason, he does a fine job.  Nothing against Suzuki really either, I just don't think he should be a starting catcher for any team that has ambitions of playing MLB baseball.  He's a fine backup and I liked his signing when I thought he would in fact back up and mentor Josmil Pinto.  As a starter, he's going to hit poorly, meaning the Twins will have at least two poor hitters in their lineup on a regular basis.  Of course, Pedro Florimon is good at defense, so he has some value.  Does Suzuki have defensive value?

3.  jorgenswest

Nope, Suzuki does not have defensive value.  An excellent post from Twins Daily member jorgenswest pretty much denies any narrative that indicates Suzuki's positive defensive prowess.  He's a poor pitch framer and pitchers seem to get worse when he catches.  You should read his post for more detail/analysis.

I am a big fan of jorgenswest's work.  I consider jorgenswest to be Twins Daily's pitch framing expert and his posts are insightful and highly analytical.  He doesn't blog too often, but he's a regular in the forums and provides great analysis using analytics in his forum posts. 

2.  Byron Buxton

Buxton was named MLB Network and MLB.com's number 1 overall prospect.  I could have written that sentence two months ago, long before the list was announced.  Buxton's placement was a foregone conclusion.  He's the best prospect in baseball and one of the best prospects of all-time.  According to Jim Callis of MLB.com, Buxton is a better prospect than Mike Trout was:

Buxton, Trout, Moore, Profar. @ndbrian: Rank the last four years number 1 prospects if they were all in the same rankings #mlbpipeline . . .
— Jim Callis (@jimcallisMLB) January 24, 2014

Buxton's lore just keeps expanding.  Twins fans shouldn't have to wait long until Buxton starts his MLB lore.

Update!  He was also named Baseball Prospectus' number 1 overall prospect this morning.  What a man!  

1.  Chuck Knoblauch

Knoblauch was elected to the Twins Hall of Fame this past week.  He is a very deserving choice, as he provided the Twins with 37.8 rWAR over seven seasons as a good offensive and defensive second baseman.  He is one of the best players in franchise history and an exciting player in his prime.  Knoblauch's tenure with the Twins ended famously, but time heals all wounds.  I, for one, cannot wait until his induction:

Oh man, I'm going to throw so many batteries at Chuck Knoblauch when he gets inducted.
— Brad Swanson (@bridman77) January 24, 2014

Some people just can't let go.  In case you're seething right now, I was kidding.  I recycle my batteries.  Have a great week, everyone!

Brad Swanson doesn't know what power rankings are.  He is most proud of his 100% accurate semi-colon use.  He also buys a donut at the gas station 100% of the time.

The Eddie 400

If you've been reading this blog for the past few weeks, you are well aware that I have recently become obsessed with Eduardo Escobar.  Not in a weird way.  I just want to see more of him.  Not in a weird way.  I think he deserves more playing time.  Last year, Escobar received just 179 plate appearances, but also had one of the most memorable plate appearances of the season, when he laced a walk-off double to give the Twins their first win of the 2013 season.  That 1/179 exciting moments ratio led the team, I'm quite certain. 

Anyway, I think Escobar has something.  I see it when I watch him.  He just has an "it" factor that makes me want to look even closer.  Not in a weird way.  I think it's worth finding out if I am correct also.  Therefore, I am starting a campaign called "The Eddie 400," at least until someone finds evidence that he hates being called "Eddie."  I made a logo and at the end, I'll explain how you can also support this important promotion.

Before that, I want to make sure this is truly something that we all believe in.  Therefore, I have come up with a handful of valid reasons to give Eduardo Escobar 400 plate appearances in 2014.  Read on!

He's a switch hitter

This guy can bat right-handed and left-handed!  How impressive is that!  Some guys on this team can barely bat with their dominant hand, much less both.  In fact, last year he barely had a platoon split.  He hit roughly .270/.333/.430 from both sides of the plate.  Most of his damage was done at AAA, but he didn't get regular playing time in the Majors, which is totally not his fault.  DON'T LOOK AT HIS MLB SPLITS. 

He's always smiling

See, look at that winning smile!  He has an infectious personality, that is apparent.  Oh, you're not convinced with one picture.  Well, here's a photo collage I made:

See, winning smile.  It's prevalent.  This guy will make the clubhouse happier.  A happy clubhouse is a healthy clubhouse.  He won't be that happy playing once a week.  No one would be.  He certainly can't infuse the clubhouse with smiles from Rochester.

He has defensive versatility

It's not just that Escobar is good at defense, he also plays a lot of positions.  He's primarily a shortstop, but he can handle second and third too.  He can even serve as an emergency catcher!  I'm pretty sure he could play in the outfield too.  What versatility! 

Brian Dozier is the second baseman, but even he needs a day off here and there.  When he does, BAM, enter Escobar.  Say 10 games.  That's 40ish PAs; we're 10% to 400.  Trevor Plouffe needs days off too and he might need some DH time to boot.  BAM, more Escobar.  Say 25-30 games, 100 PA, and we're nearly halfway there. 

Hello Pedro Florimon.  I like you.  I even wrote about why I like you before last season.  Read it!  That said, hitting is not your strength and your fielding can be inconsistent.  BAM MORE ESCOBAR!!  If they simply split roughly 125 games, Escobar would get 60ish, with 200 or so PA and we'd be on the verge of 400 plate appearances.  See, Escobar's defensive versatility practically screams for more PT. 

He's vibrant

I can feel his charisma from my couch.  When he's on the field, he's vibrant.  When he's in the dugout, he shines.  When he's in the clubhouse, he...well I don't know because I'm not allowed.  When he's in Rochester, he's sad.  Just look at his face, even after being named player of the week:

Scroll up and look at the collage again.  LOOK AT IT!  Which Escobar do you want?

He's young

Escobar will be 25 next season.  He's two full years younger than Pedro Florimon.  I don't want this to become an indictment of Florimon, but we all know his shortcomings.  It's possible that Escobar has similar shortcomings, but he's two years younger so it's at least a bit more likely that he can develop and overcome those shortcomings.  You are what you are at 27; the World is your oyster at 25.  Think about it.

He's arbitration eligible in 2015

Tick Tock.  That's Escobar's free agency clock and it is ticking away dangerously.  Escobar has now been on an MLB roster in 3 different years.  He has played 125 games.  He's out of options and approaching arbitration.  If the Twins don't figure out what they have in Escobar this season, they'll never know.  I'm not sure they can deal with that kind of regret.  Regret is a powerful emotion. 

He's popular and beloved

I found an article from Mike Berardino last March that has some really great Escobar-related quotes.  I'll just share them without comment. 

Twins General Manager Terry Ryan:  "He's a pretty good baseball player, it looks like to me," Ryan said. "He's got some energy. He can steal a base. He's all right."

Former Twins reliever Luis Perdomo:  "I don't like snakes, but I like Escobar," Perdomo says. "He's a pretty good guy, a funny guy. He's happy all the time, never angry."

Also, we find out in that article that Escobar is close friends with the Guillen family.  BONUS POINTS!

Here are some quotes from another article, this one from ESPN, after Escobar was traded to the Twins:

White Sox DH Adam Dunn:  “He’s such a good kid,” Adam Dunn said. “He’s such a good part of this team. He keeps everybody loose and we really enjoyed having him. He’s a lot of fun. They’re going to really enjoy him over there.”

White Sox OF Jordan Danks:  “He’s definitely going to be missed,” Jordan Danks said. “When I first signed in ’08, he and I came up together so I’ve played with him pretty much at every level. He’s the same guy that I met whenever I first signed. He’ll be sorely missed.”

White Sox Manager Robin Ventura:  “I think it’s a little tough in here after a good win like this because Escobar’s a big part of what we’ve been doing,” Robin Ventura said. “It’s more than just numbers and how you play, it’s the attitude he brings. It’s a tough one team-wise. He’s kind of like a little brother or a son to most guys.

The Twins love him too, remember the "C'mon" story?  Here's the Berardino article and I'll just give you one Gardenhire quote for free:  "I don't know what he says half the time, but I love him," Gardenhire said Sunday. "He just entertains me. He's one of the happiest guys I've ever seen at the ballpark. Always smiling, always laughing."

Everyone loves this guy, now let's let him play some baseball!

Final quote, from the first article and from Escobar himself:  "When you're happy, be happy. You get a base hit in the game, be happy. I'm always happy playing."

I love him.

Finally, why not?

Really, what do the Twins have to lose?  Games?  They've done that already.  Plenty.  Why not see what they have in the guy they traded Francisco Liriano for?  Escobar is billed as a solid, if not better defender.  Florimon is a great defender, but could Escobar be better?  One thing I know for certain, Escobar is just as likely to post a 68 wRC+ as Florimon did last year.  Plus, he's two years younger, has a winning smile, is loved by his teammates and manager, and I already made the logo. 

There's simply no downside here.  The 2014 Twins aren't making the playoffs, so why not see what they have in Escobar?  It's a shark move.  The New Terry Ryan that wears a leather jacket makes shark moves.  It just makes sense. 

Now that you are 100% convinced, you can show your support for "The Eddie 400" in a number of ways. 

• Get the logo tattooed on your forehead.  If not your forehead, your stomach, but then you have to keep your stomach exposed at all times.
• Create leaflets and hand them out to friends, co-workers, and anyone who looks angry on the streets.
• Fly to Venezuela and inform his hometown; gather their support.
• Change your name to "Eduardo Escobar."  Purchase business cards.

If those ideas don't suit you, perhaps you could just download the logo from above and make it your Twitter or Facebook or whatever avatar?  Tell your friends about Eddie.  Post on the Twins' Facebook wall.  Tweet at Dave St. Peter.  Do everything humanly possible to create awareness of this important campaign.

Together, we can ensure that Eduardo Escobar gets 400 plate appearances in 2014.  I can't do this alone.  I need you.  Not in a weird way.