Jim Souhan disagrees with me.

Yesterday, I went out and made the claim that the Twins need to stand pat this year. The Star Tribune’s Jim Souhan penned an article yesterday in which he pretty much disagreed with everything I said. He makes some specific points that I figured I might as well address here, because why not? I have a one track mind. In keeping with Fire Joe Morgan protocol, Souhan’s remarks are in bold.
[Adam] Everett and [Mike] Lamb have been busts.

Everett wasn’t brought in to be a bat. He’s known as a wizard in the field. His real problem has been his inability to avoid injuries. As for Lamb, yes, so far he’s been a bust.

[Brendan] Harris didn’t stick at second base and could lose his shortstop job to Nick Punto, if he stays healthy and gets an occasional hit.

Harris has fallen off, surely, from last years numbers. I would say he didn’t stick at second because of the incredible rise of Alexi Casilla. And he has probably shifted to short because Everett has been hurt. That being said, he is still hitting .250. Punto hit .210 last year, but is hitting .288 this year. Like Everett, he’s constantly hurt, and by the way only has 59 at bats. His average is coming down, eventually.
[Livan] Hernandez is 8-4, but his ERA (5.23) is worrisome at best. [Craig] Monroe is hitting .211, and .113 against lefties, and his job is to hit lefties.

Sure, Monroe’s average against lefties is disappointing, but really, when you bring in a guy who hit .220 the year before, you are admitting that you want him solely to hit a homer or two, which he’s done, being third on the team in homers, despite having half the at bats. As for Livan, again, pretty much what should have been expected. He’s here to eat innings, not strike out 10 a game.

[Carlos] Gomez has been entertaining but erratic. And [Delmon] Young has been the biggest disappointment of all.

Agreed.

The Twins traded Matt Garza and Jason Bartlett for Young and Harris. If the Twins had not made that trade (and I liked the deal at the time) they would be in first place, perhaps comfortably.

Um, no.

… the improvement of several youngsters (Alexi Casilla, Jason Kubel and Gomez) has kept this team afloat.

I thought you didn’t like Gomez? But I’m here to have an honest debate, not be snarky. Sorry.

Lamb has no role with this team. The Twins signed him to a two-year deal worth $6.6 million. They need to try to trade him, or release him, despite the cost, if there are no takers.

Mike Lamb has made a career out of being a back up third baseman or utility player. And also, he has recovered from a .236 2005 to a .307 2007. Not that he’s had a full season in Minnesota yet, but I’m willing to wait. And really, 3.3 mil a year isn’t all that much.

The Twins can’t give up on Young’s talent at the age of 22, but they can lessen his negative impact on this team. They should call up Denard Span to share time with Young in left, and to spell Gomez and Michael Cuddyer.

I think it’s a little harsh on Young here, but I actually agree with this. I’ve liked what I’ve seen with Span when he was up recently. That being said, I’m not ready to anoint Span as the next Twins left fielder of Young.

I really don’t see that the winter was a failure as Souhan does, because it was executed with the future in mind. I think a bigger mistake would be shaking up this roster in order to make a huge push at the post season this year.