• Twins Send Five to Minor League Camp

    by
    Seth Stohs
    Published on 03-22-2012 08:29 AM
    10 Comments Comments
    On Thursday morning, the Twins sent their third batch of players to minior league camp. There were:
    • RHP Sam Deduno
    • LHP Phil Dumatrait
    • C Danny Lehmann
    • IF Ray Chang
    • OF Matt Carson
    None of these moves would be considered a surprise. Dumatrait spent a lot of time in the Twins bullpen in 2011, but with Glen Perkins and Brian Duensing already set in the bullpen and Matt Maloney's emergence, there wasn't room for him any more.

    Ray Chang was in the running with the likes of Pedro Florimon and Michael Hollimon and Sean Burroughs for the final roster spot, but of the group, he has had the fewest opportunities this spring.

    Interestingly, Chris Parmelee, Joe Benson, Liam Hendriks and Brian Dozier all will remain in big league camp a little bit longer. Parmelee is likely there as Morneau insurance. Hendriks is sticking around as Baker insurance. And, Brian Dozier is around because he's not on the 40 man roster and the coaching staff seems to want to see as much of him as they can before sending him to Rochester to start the season.

    The Twins still have a bunch of guys to cut to get down to 25, but with Opening Day just two weeks from tomorrow, there isn't much more time to impress. Including the return of Rule 5 pick Terry Doyle to the White Sox, the Twins now have 39 players remaining in big league camp.

    This article was originally published in blog: Twins Send Five to Minor League Camp started by Seth Stohs
    Comments 10 Comments
    1. thrylos98's Avatar
      thrylos98 - 03-22-2012, 08:53 AM
      I think that the pitching situation looks a bit clearer. The following are fighiting for 3 pen sports (and Hendriks might replace Baker). Asterisk denotes players on the 40-man roster. # denotes players out of options.

      Alex Burnett *
      Jared Burton
      Casey Fien
      Jeff Gray *#
      Liam Hendriks *
      Matt Maloney *#
      Jeff Manship *
      Kyle Waldrop *
      Brendan Wise

      With the 2 open spots already on the roster (and Nishoka's and Gray's also potentially open) I think that the team is in good shape at this point.

      I think Maloney will make the team, the rest being a toss-up with Burnett and Gray probably the least likely at this point
    1. J-Dog Dungan's Avatar
      J-Dog Dungan - 03-22-2012, 09:38 AM
      May I ask, why do you think that Gray is unlikely to make the team, especially since he is out of options? Another question, if the Twins had to choose, assuming that Swarzak (who hasn't pitched great this spring), Duensing, Capps, and Perkins are locks for the bullpen, who would the other three be? It seems like there is an epic struggle between Maloney, Waldrop, Manship, Fien, and Burton for those three spots. Also, who says that Swarzak, with having given up 4 ER in 5 2/3 innings this spring, is a lock for the bullpen anymore with the way Gardy and Smith are talking? Duensing, while still iffy at best against righties, has been a starter and could take over the long reliever/ spot starter role and Swarzak's impact would immediately diminish, and I think the twins are trying to find the best players they have instead of going with those who have been in the majors before.
    1. Mr. Ed's Avatar
      Mr. Ed - 03-22-2012, 10:12 AM
      Quote Originally Posted by thrylos98 View Post
      I think that the pitching situation looks a bit clearer. The following are fighiting for 3 pen sports (and Hendriks might replace Baker). Asterisk denotes players on the 40-man roster. # denotes players out of options.

      Alex Burnett *
      Jared Burton
      Casey Fien
      Jeff Gray *#
      Liam Hendriks *
      Matt Maloney *#
      Jeff Manship *
      Kyle Waldrop *
      Brendan Wise

      With the 2 open spots already on the roster (and Nishoka's and Gray's also potentially open) I think that the team is in good shape at this point.

      I think Maloney will make the team, the rest being a toss-up with Burnett and Gray probably the least likely at this point
      Swarzak is out options as well?
    1. J-Dog Dungan's Avatar
      J-Dog Dungan - 03-22-2012, 10:16 AM
      Unfortunately, I do believe that Swarzak is out of options, which is why he probably makes the team (even though Gardy and Ryan have said that being out of options isn't cause to keep you on the team this year)
    1. nicksaviking's Avatar
      nicksaviking - 03-22-2012, 10:17 AM
      I would say Swarzak, who is out of options, is more likely than Gray simply because the club has invested much more time in him. The rational may not seem just, but seeing as the organization has put so much effort and so many years into developing him, they're going to want to see definitive proof at the MLB level that it is not going to pay off.
    1. twinsfiend's Avatar
      twinsfiend - 03-22-2012, 10:43 AM
      Chang is clearly not viewed as ready for this year if they haven't given him as many opportunities in games as they have the other middle infielders. I think (based on some quotes I've seen) that Gardy really likes Dozier or maybe he is just posturing to put some pressure on Alexi because whenever Alexi is handed a job he seems to stink it up.
    1. thrylos98's Avatar
      thrylos98 - 03-22-2012, 11:08 AM
      Quote Originally Posted by twinsfiend View Post
      Chang is clearly not viewed as ready for this year if they haven't given him as many opportunities in games as they have the other middle infielders.
      Chang actually appeared in one more official game that Burroughs and he was out a bit when he hit his head earlier in the camp.
    1. roger's Avatar
      roger - 03-22-2012, 11:29 AM
      Quote Originally Posted by J-Dog Dungan View Post
      Also, who says that Swarzak, with having given up 4 ER in 5 2/3 innings this spring, is a lock for the bullpen anymore with the way Gardy and Smith are talking?
      Lets remember that several of those runs were when he came in to mop up the 10 run first inning of Doyle's start. He allowed several runs after not having adequate time to warm up.
    1. Fanatic Jack's Avatar
      Fanatic Jack - 03-22-2012, 01:17 PM
      I hope Michael Hollimon makes the roster as a bench player if Dozier won't. Why in the world has reliever Alex Burnett not been optioned back to Rochester yet. They can't seriously be considering him??
    1. Mr. Ed's Avatar
      Mr. Ed - 03-22-2012, 01:22 PM
      Quote Originally Posted by Fanatic Jack View Post
      I hope Michael Hollimon makes the roster as a bench player if Dozier won't. Why in the world has reliever Alex Burnett not been optioned back to Rochester yet. They can't seriously be considering him??
      He's bounced back with 2 good outings
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