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Article: Monday Morning Roster Cuts
#1
Posted 24 March 2014 - 07:36 AM
#2
Posted 24 March 2014 - 07:54 AM
4 players still to go. Rohlfing is one, obviously. Either Bartlett or Presley is another. Scott Diamond/Kyle Gibson/Caleb Thielbar is the 3rd. Parmelee or Colabello is the 4th? My guess is Bartlett is let go, Thielbar is optioned, and Colabello is optioned.
#3
Posted 24 March 2014 - 07:54 AM
It will be tough to figure out which 2 position players head out with Rohlfing.
#4
Posted 24 March 2014 - 07:55 AM
Congratulations to Pinto. I like our two-car garage catching rotation.
I think Hicks is going to make the team. That should mean two spots for Colabello, Kubel or Parmelee. The last slot comes down to Diamond or Thielbar and Thielbar has options.
#5
Posted 24 March 2014 - 08:01 AM
#6
Posted 24 March 2014 - 08:01 AM
That should mean two spots for Colabello, Kubel or Parmelee.
Thinking more, this is really Kubel or Parmelee. Colabello has been hitting well, backs up 1B and platoons with the other DH.
Kubel has a better track record but is nearing the end of his career and is a poor defender. Parmelee hasn't really proven he belongs but still has some potential. This will be a tough call but my guess is Parmelee gets cut.
#7
Posted 24 March 2014 - 08:03 AM
What's the difference between being optioned and being reassigned to minor league camp?
Players who are on a minor league contract are by definition not on the 40 man roster and are just reassigned to minor league camp. Players on the 40 man roster have to stay with the team or can be "optioned" to the minors up to 3 times in their career.
#8
Posted 24 March 2014 - 08:05 AM
My guess is Bartlett is let go, Thielbar is optioned, and Colabello is optioned.
I agree with this.
If Kubel and/or Parmelee stink it up we can cut bait and bring up Colabello. I recall Diamond be okay once through the order and gets shelled the 2nd through. Maybe he can establish himself as a reliever. The only problem with this is that the bullpen will be made up of 3 Long Relievers (Swarzak, Deduno and Diamond).
#9
Posted 24 March 2014 - 08:06 AM
#10
Posted 24 March 2014 - 08:07 AM
#11
Posted 24 March 2014 - 08:09 AM
Thinking more, this is really Kubel or Parmelee. Colabello has been hitting well, backs up 1B and platoons with the other DH.
Kubel has a better track record but is nearing the end of his career and is a poor defender. Parmelee hasn't really proven he belongs but still has some potential. This will be a tough call but my guess is Parmelee gets cut.
While I agree that Colabello should head North, he is the one most likely to get optioned just because the can with out risking losing anybody.
#12
Posted 24 March 2014 - 08:11 AM
#13
Posted 24 March 2014 - 08:15 AM
So, you want to keep Kubel on the roster? Fine, I get it. He's two years removed from good production. Colabello deserves a spot with his production. Parmalee should be traded or be attempted to sneak through waivers. I'm just getting so sick of Gardy's unwillingness to adjust to modern baseball strategies (platooning, sabermetrics, etc.). Gardy is far too old school and in my opinion, this needs to be his last year.
#14
Posted 24 March 2014 - 08:16 AM
Not excited about Kubel making the roster, but he has enough history as a decent hitter that I'll let a SSS spring training record not be the deciding factor. I just hope he's on a short leash once the season gets going though. We have to transition to younger guys over mediocre veterans, so Kubel has to produce or move on.
4 players still to go. Rohlfing is one, obviously. Either Bartlett or Presley is another. Scott Diamond/Kyle Gibson/Caleb Thielbar is the 3rd. Parmelee or Colabello is the 4th? My guess is Bartlett is let go, Thielbar is optioned, and Colabello is optioned.
I agree that its a 3 battle scenario to go. Bartlett vs Presley, Diamond vs Theilbar vs (Gibson I guess), Parmelee vs Kubel
Of these I would keep Presley, Diamond and Gibson and the last one is a toss up but probably Kubel. Theilbar deserves to come north but this way we keep another potential starter a little while longer.
#15
Posted 24 March 2014 - 08:22 AM
Bartlett vs Presley
Bartlett makes little sense in the OF compared to Presley. Presley complements Hicks as a platoon and has much more defensive experience in the OF than Bartlett.
The Twins could grab another 4th OF off waivers from another team or make a trade (Diamond for De Aza?).
Edited by DJL44, 24 March 2014 - 08:24 AM.
#16
Posted 24 March 2014 - 08:42 AM
I'm glad the Twins aren't going with three catchers, but there will still be some linering hesitation by Gardy to pinch hit Pinto, so I think Colabello is nearly a given now as a RH bench option. That would leave one spot for Kubel or Parmelee, and while Kubel has history here, Parmelee has a long track record with this organization as well, I don't think they lose him simply to give the under-performing Kubel a token roster spot.
I agree with most everyone else that Bartlett and Tonkin also get the pink slips.
#17
Posted 24 March 2014 - 08:45 AM
Gardy still has Bartlett on the roster...why? Because he's a "veteran" and he's comfortable with him. He does this far too often and I'm getting so frustrated with it. I miss the days of Tom Kelly where he drops guys to the minors for not doing the little things (sac flies, sac bunts, hitting the other way, etc.).
Do we know Gardy has made this call? I think it's quite likely that FO listens to Gardy's recommendation but doesn't always make the call he wants. Several of these cuts, IMO, don't look like a Gardy call.
#18
Posted 24 March 2014 - 08:45 AM
#19
Posted 24 March 2014 - 08:49 AM
Gardy still has Bartlett on the roster...why? Because he's a "veteran" and he's comfortable with him. He does this far too often and I'm getting so frustrated with it. I miss the days of Tom Kelly where he drops guys to the minors for not doing the little things (sac flies, sac bunts, hitting the other way, etc.). Veterans are given far too much leeway in comparison to the youngsters and the veterans barely get blamed in comparison as well.
Well they gave Guerrier his walking papers. I was always under the impression that Gardy loved Guerrier. Seems like that would contradict this belief.
#20
Posted 24 March 2014 - 08:52 AM
I've given up fretting over Kubel making the team. I'd start with Colabello as the DH and allow Kubel to heat up in AAA before giving him the job, but I guess the coaching staff / front office feels Kubel can and will heat up. I'll defer to their judgement on that one.
I'll be interested to see if the Twins snag someone else's 4th OF off of waivers or if they are willing to use Bartlett as a super utility player. I just don't feel like Presley is making the team after his poor spring.