Twins around Web: Articles you don’t want to miss

Gary A. Vasquez-US PRESSWIRE

Gather round the Hot Stove for Minnesota Twins info, speculation, rumor, and news to discuss during the long winter months.  Here are some of the week’s best online articles that you won’t want to miss.

Let’s start out with our MVL (Most Valuable Link):  Twins Transaction Page

Part of the main website for the Twins (www.twinsbaseball.com), this link is an easy way to keep up on moves made by the organization this offseason.

How to Fix the Twins by Phil Mackey / 1500espn.com

On Monday, Phil Mackey posted the first in a three-part series that purports to explain how the Twins can be “fixed” by the start of the 2013 season.  The three parts will focus on 1) the problem and the money, 2) the players involved in improving the team, and 3) how to get back to “relevancy”.  The link above is to part 1, and it’s a well-rounded look at the team.  While many assessments focus simply on starting pitching, this analysis includes defense, offense, salaries, and suggested trade chips.  Is the biggest surprise in the series that he expects to create a fix-it plan in three articles?  Part 2 was posted Tuesday evening.

Can the Twins Fix Their Starting Rotation In One Winter? by Bill Parker / twinkietown.com

It looks like everyone is in a “fix-it” mood.  This post had me until it mentioned Francisco Liriano.  Parker does suggest some plausible names and numbers for the 2013 starting rotation, but the suggestion that Bert Blyleven should once again start using the term “effectively wild” regularly makes me shudder.  I also think the author has undersold Terry Ryan’s ability to score big in the trade market.  However, it’s both comforting and sobering to see some concrete names put into the starting rotation; comforting to see evidence that the rotation can improve next year and sobering to see just how big a hill the GM has to climb to bring the team into contention in 2013.

Twins’ biggest needs to address:  pitching, pitching, and pitching by Joe Christensen / startribune.com

Joe Christensen addresses five key questions that the Twins will have to answer this offseason as they retool for 2013.  Not surprisingly, each question is related to pitching.  In some ways, it’s another “fix-it” article.  Christensen contributes some names of starting pitcher free agents, discusses relief pitching, and takes a look at Scott Baker and Kyle Gibson.

Beat reporter posts by Rhett Bollinger / www.twinsbaseball.com

There were quite a few newsworthy events that took place this week, and Rhett Bollinger had notes on each of them.  Check out these links to catch-up:

• Twins decline Baker’s option for 2013
• Blackburn has bone chips removed from elbow
• Twins sign Walters to minor league deal

Former Twin Mike Redmond leads off Marlins’ managerial interview lineup by Juan C. Rodriguez and Mike Berardino / posted at twincities.com

As a former catcher for the Twins, Mike Redmond‘s name was mentioned in passing when the team was making coaching changes over the last month.  Redmond was rumored to have interest in joining the staff.  Originally signed by the Marlins, it appears he has a strong chance at jumping into the role of major league manager next season.