The farm system: Swing and a miss

In 2004, the Twins opened the season with only two starters -- Shannon Stewart and Cristian Guzman -- who weren't developed by the Twins.

The Twins' Opening Day lineup on Monday, however, might have only four starters who were raised in their farm system -- Joe Mauer, Justin Morneau, Jason Kubel and Michael Cuddyer.

It appears the organization has hit a point where there aren't deserving prospects, especially position players, ready to step in.

The Twins don't spend like AL Central Division foes Detroit and Chicago. Which means they also can't afford draft "slumps" that other teams might overcome.

"If you do the research, nobody is perfect,'' said Mike Radcliff, longtime Twins scouting director in his first season as vice president of player personnel. "The bottom line is that you reach for that type of perfection, to be perfect in your first round, second round, third round or even the fours, [but] the real goal is to be better than everybody else.''

Here's how unsuccessful drafting has caught up to the Twins:

• In 1998, they drafted lefthander Ryan Mills with the sixth overall selection. Mills never threw a pitch in the majors. Worse yet, no one the Twins selected in the draft that year reached the majors with the club.

• In 1999, the Twins considered a group of players that included righthander Ben Sheets but instead selected outfielder B.J. Garbe with the fifth overall pick. Garbe never reached the majors.

• In 2000, the Twins selected righthander Adam Johnson with the second overall pick. Johnson's major league career was all of 26 1/3 innings.

That was $7.25 million in first-round bonus money up in smoke.

"That's a bad stretch for us, and it impacts us,'' Radcliff said.

To be fair, the Twins drafted Justin Morneau in the third round of 1999 and Jason Kubel in the 12th round of 2000. But that's it over a three-year span of drafts. Mauer, Jesse Crain, Pat Neshek, Scott Baker and other players currently contributing to the cause were drafted in later years. But the organization has struggled to draft a long-term solution at third base or shortstop, and the Twins always could use another power hitter.

In some drafts the Twins have tried to specifically fill those needs but have failed. Matt Moses and David Winfree, for instance, are being converted to outfielders after being drafted as third basemen.

"Obviously it runs in cycles for us,'' said Jim Rantz, Twins director of minor leagues. "We always felt our strength is in the pitching department in the minor leagues. We're waiting for the next [wave].''

Radcliff said the Twins try to strike a balance between drafting the best players available and drafting for need. Because they won't pay big money for free agents, the pipeline must be kept flowing.

"This is where the small-market thing really comes into play,'' Radcliff said. "We don't use it as an excuse overall, but where it really comes into play is the long-term progression of your farm system because we have to maintain it, develop it and have it running at a high efficiency so that it's spewing guys out all the time.''

The Latin American program hasn't helped much.

The Twins' Venezuelan Academy has produced Juan Rincon, Luis Rivas and Luis Rodriguez. Relief prospect Julio DePaula is the only player of note from the Dominican Republic.

"We should have gotten more out of our Latin system than we have,'' Radcliff said.

In recent years, the Twins have established good facilities in both countries and have improved their scouting. Team officials say they are willing to compete with other teams to sign top Latin teenagers. (Translation: They will spend more money on bonuses.)

"I remember going down there and telling the players, 'Thanks for being patient. We are trying to get new facilities,' " said Twins GM Bill Smith, who made frequent trips to Latin America to develop the program. "It was a process. Now we've got facilities. We got staff, and we are being productive.''

Third baseman Deibinson Romero and shortstop Estarlin De Los Santos, from the Dominican Republic, and catcher Wilson Ramos, from Venezuela, already have emerged as legitimate prospects.

The problem is that it could take several seasons for them to reach the majors. And the team needs help now. Homegrown help.