Ideal Playoff Roster

[DaveW]

The Twins have a ways to go obviously, but 0.5 games out...end of August...never too early to think about this. What is your ideal roster for the Twins for the playoffs:

 

Mine:

 

SP: Hughes

SP:Gibson

SP: Duffey

SP: Milone

 

Comments: Yikes. This rotation could be ugly if Hughes doesn't come back strong and Gibson can't figure it out overall. However, the upside isn't that bad, Hughes has the "stuff", Gibson has shown flashes and Milone/Duffey have both looked pretty damn good overall in the rotation.

 

Wild Card: Berrios gets called up and dominates, takes the place of whichever pitcher is pitching the worst heading into the playoffs (prob the best case scenario for the Twins)

 

CL: Perkins

SU: Jepsen

SU: May

MRP/LOOGY:Cotts

MRP: Fien

MRP:Pelfrey

LRP: Graham or Duensing or Boyer or whoever.

Comments: I still maintain Pelf would be damn great in the pen. Maybe that makes me a dreamer, but I'm not the only one. I feel "ok" about this pen potentially.

 

Lineup:

1. Hicks RF

2. Mauer 1B

3. Sano DH

4. Dozier 2B

5. Plouffe 3B

6. Rosario LF

7. Buxton CF

8. Suzuki C

9. Escobar SS

 

Comments: Looks like a winner to me.

 

 

 

Bench:

1. Polanco UTIL INF/PR

2. Hunter PH

3. Pinto (PH/Emergency Catcher, you don't need a true "back up catcher" in the playoffs)

4. Kepler PH

5. Vargas/Santana/Robinson/whoever.

 

Comments: Gotta have some BATS on the bench. Robinson really has no reason to be on the roster at that point, nor Nunez or Hermann. Get guys who can actually present a threat at the plate. Santana as the 25th guy could be the perfect "super UTIL" for anyone PH that then needs a D replacement.

[Ncgo4]

1. Buxton. CF

2. Dozier. 2B

3. Kepler. 1B

4. Sano. 3B

5. Walker. DH

6. Rosario. RF

7. Hicks. LF

8. Suzuki. C

9. Escobar. SS

 

Mauer, Hunter & Plouffe off the bench. Walker behind Sano protecting our rookie who by then will have 25 HR's and 75 RBI's.

[mikecgrimes]

Hate the guy but at this point no reason not to trade for Pierzinski unless somehow you can get someone better.  Would prefer a .260+ hitter with average or better defense, but a bat at that position would be a huge plus.

[Platoon]

TR is going to have to change his stripes drastically for any of the above to happen. There's about 6 days left in Aug, and play off rosters have to be set by then. It normally takes him a week to put a guy with a broken leg (let's wait and let the swelling go down first) on the DL!

[Kirby_waved_at_me]

Calling up Berrios before the playoff rosters are set is probably not going to happen. The Twins seem content to have Berrios pitch as the AAA Ace in the playoffs for Rochester. Berrios is still waiting to be added to 40 Man Roster, yes?

 

I also would be realty surprised to see anyone from AAA up before the September dates at this point. I would like to see Vargas or Arcia or Kepler called up to at least have the option of a power hitting bench bat, but I don't think it is in the cards for 2015.

 

Ideally my playoff roster would have at least one pinch hitting option off the bench, my preference would be Kennys Vargas since he's a switch hitter and if I'm not mistaken has been performing well since his demotion.

 

Who is the #1 starter right now? I think Duffey has pitched the best in the last 2 starts, but my guess the first playoff game starter would have to be Hughes (if healthy).

[nicksaviking]

I'd love to see the Twins make the playoffs and make a postseason run.

 

I really don't like the starters this team will have to throw out there for a Wild Card play-in game though, particularly if it's against the Yankees.  I think the team's best chance is to run out the guy who's been getting the most swing and misses at the time.  Otherwise those wily vets are just going to do what they always do to the Twins, foul off the pitches on the corners until the pitcher leaves something in the middle of the plate.

[Shane Wahl]

 

The Twins have a ways to go obviously, but 0.5 games out...end of August...never too early to think about this. What is your ideal roster for the Twins for the playoffs:

 

Mine:

 

SP: Hughes

SP:Gibson

SP: Duffey

SP: Milone

 

Comments: Yikes. This rotation could be ugly if Hughes doesn't come back strong and Gibson can't figure it out overall. However, the upside isn't that bad, Hughes has the "stuff", Gibson has shown flashes and Milone/Duffey have both looked pretty damn good overall in the rotation.

 

Wild Card: Berrios gets called up and dominates, takes the place of whichever pitcher is pitching the worst heading into the playoffs (prob the best case scenario for the Twins)

 

CL: Perkins

SU: Jepsen

SU: May

MRP/LOOGY:Cotts

MRP: Fien

MRP:Pelfrey

LRP: Graham or Duensing or Boyer or whoever.

Comments: I still maintain Pelf would be damn great in the pen. Maybe that makes me a dreamer, but I'm not the only one. I feel "ok" about this pen potentially.

 

Lineup:

1. Hicks RF

2. Mauer 1B

3. Sano DH

4. Dozier 2B

5. Plouffe 3B

6. Rosario LF

7. Buxton CF

8. Suzuki C

9. Escobar SS

 

Comments: Looks like a winner to me.

 

 

 

Bench:

1. Polanco UTIL INF/PR

2. Hunter PH

3. Pinto (PH/Emergency Catcher, you don't need a true "back up catcher" in the playoffs)

4. Kepler PH

5. Vargas/Santana/Robinson/whoever.

 

Comments: Gotta have some BATS on the bench. Robinson really has no reason to be on the roster at that point, nor Nunez or Hermann. Get guys who can actually present a threat at the plate. Santana as the 25th guy could be the perfect "super UTIL" for anyone PH that then needs a D replacement.

 

Spot on, though I do like O'Rourke has a lights-out LOOGY. It wouldn't be bad to have two of those, one for the seventh and one for the eighth. Your point about the catcher spot is a good one, though I certainly think Suzuki is going to need to be pinch hit for.

[Kirby_waved_at_me]

If it does come to pass that the Twins are facing the Yankees in the playoffs this year, I hope the Twins can rely heavily on the young guys. Maybe Duffey should start that game just because he hasn't had the opportunity to soak in the "we can't beat these guys" message that seems to permeate the Twins Clubhouse.

 

Sano was able to show in the last series that he doesn't have that same curse / stink on him that other guys in the clubhouse have.

[jimmer]

Minnesota Twins (64-61)

 

Why they're legit: After pounding the Rays 11-7 on Tuesday, they've righted the ship again with their fifth straight win. ... Miguel Sano is a scary man: .287/.397/.592, with his 12th home run already -- in 45 games. He's a rookie but he has given the Twins a legit cleanup hitter. ... Brian Dozier has 26 home runs, on pace again to score 100-plus runs. ... They're 52-1 when leading after eight with reliable closer Glen Perkins. ... Maybe Byron Buxton's time is now. ... Nobody seems to think they can win, which means they'll probably win. ... OK, so they don't strike guys out, but they don't walk anybody, with the fewest free passes issued in the league.

 

Why they're not legit: They were 20-7 in May, but they're under .500 in every other month. ... The advanced metrics say the Twins have had a lot of good luck in their sequencing and have exceeded their projected win total by 10 due to that "luck" (some prefer to call it clutch). ... We get it: Torii Hunter, great leader and all, but he's hitting .172 since July 1 with four times as many whiffs as walks. Why is he still in the lineup nearly every day? ... The rotation has the second-lowest strikeout rate in the majors. Strikeouts are good. ... Ervin Santana was supposed to provide a lift but he has been terrible, with a 5.53 ERA in 11 starts.'

 

http://espn.go.com/blog/sweetspot/post/_/id/62118/breaking-down-the-american-league-wild-card-race

 

One of the guys in the video says Molitor is the guy who has turned this around.

 

[awinter]

 

1. Buxton. CF
2. Dozier. 2B
3. Kepler. 1B
4. Sano. 3B
5. Walker. DH
6. Rosario. RF
7. Hicks. LF
8. Suzuki. C
9. Escobar. SS
 

Replace Walker with Plouffe, then slide Plouffe down to 7th. The way Rosario has been hitting, I would trust him to protect Sano more than anyone else on this team.

 

I like the idea of putting our two hot outfielders next to each other in the lineup. I also like the idea of getting Kepler on the playoff roster, but until he proves he can hit big league pitching, I wouldn't let him bat 3rd. I think I would call him up before September, start him everyday and let his performance dictate where he hits. If he falls flat, stick him on the bench, let Mauer bat 8th and slide everyone else up one spot.

[sorney]

 

The Twins have a ways to go obviously, but 0.5 games out...end of August...never too early to think about this. What is your ideal roster for the Twins for the playoffs:

 

Mine:

 

SP: Hughes

SP:Gibson

SP: Duffey

SP: Milone

 

Comments: Yikes. This rotation could be ugly if Hughes doesn't come back strong and Gibson can't figure it out overall. However, the upside isn't that bad, Hughes has the "stuff", Gibson has shown flashes and Milone/Duffey have both looked pretty damn good overall in the rotation.

 

Wild Card: Berrios gets called up and dominates, takes the place of whichever pitcher is pitching the worst heading into the playoffs (prob the best case scenario for the Twins)

 

CL: Perkins

SU: Jepsen

SU: May

MRP/LOOGY:Cotts

MRP: Fien

MRP:Pelfrey

LRP: Graham or Duensing or Boyer or whoever.

Comments: I still maintain Pelf would be damn great in the pen. Maybe that makes me a dreamer, but I'm not the only one. I feel "ok" about this pen potentially.

 

Lineup:

1. Hicks RF

2. Mauer 1B

3. Sano DH

4. Dozier 2B

5. Plouffe 3B

6. Rosario LF

7. Buxton CF

8. Suzuki C

9. Escobar SS

 

Comments: Looks like a winner to me.

 

 

 

Bench:

1. Polanco UTIL INF/PR

2. Hunter PH

3. Pinto (PH/Emergency Catcher, you don't need a true "back up catcher" in the playoffs)

4. Kepler PH

5. Vargas/Santana/Robinson/whoever.

 

Comments: Gotta have some BATS on the bench. Robinson really has no reason to be on the roster at that point, nor Nunez or Hermann. Get guys who can actually present a threat at the plate. Santana as the 25th guy could be the perfect "super UTIL" for anyone PH that then needs a D replacement.

Love it, but there is ZERO chance they sit Hunter in a playoff game....right?  I mean they brought him in for *veteran-ness* and *leadership*.  Since he'd be the only one with playoff experience, they would start him.  Sigh.....

[Mike Sixel]

 

I'd love to see the Twins make the playoffs and make a postseason run.

 

I really don't like the starters this team will have to throw out there for a Wild Card play-in game though, particularly if it's against the Yankees.  I think the team's best chance is to run out the guy who's been getting the most swing and misses at the time.  Otherwise those wily vets are just going to do what they always do to the Twins, foul off the pitches on the corners until the pitcher leaves something in the middle of the plate.

 

I'd call up Berrios (put him in the bullpen or rotation NOW), and do a bullpen game, with Berrios, Peflrey, and maybe Milone told they will get 2-3 innings max, and have them THROW.

 

The one game playoff is built to be a bullpen game. You get time off before the next game, and you don't need all your starters/pen in the playoffs to come anyway.

 

If they had a better bullpen, I'd go straight bullpen game, frankly.......

 

The only change I'd make from this roster is to call up Berrios, and not sure who I'd send down.....

[Brock Beauchamp]

 

I'd call up Berrios (put him in the bullpen or rotation NOW), and do a bullpen game, with Berrios, Peflrey, and maybe Milone told they will get 2-3 innings max, and have them THROW.

 

The one game playoff is built to be a bullpen game. You get time off before the next game, and you don't need all your starters/pen in the playoffs to come anyway.

 

If they had a better bullpen, I'd go straight bullpen game, frankly.......

 

The only change I'd make from this roster is to call up Berrios, and not sure who I'd send down.....

That's an interesting concept. Attempt to "break" the format by intentionally turning a single game playoff into a bullpen game.

 

I'm not sure if I'd advocate that approach but it's an interesting one and something that deserves consideration, for sure.

 

What would a single game playoff look like if the Twins went May, Milone, Berrios, bullpen? It would definitely keep the opposition off-balance.

 

May brings in the right-handed heat to start the game. After going through the lineup once, you rotate over to a soft-tossing lefty, then put in another hard-throwing righty the third time through the lineup. Hand it off to the pen and call it a day.

 

That approach would have to increase the Twins' chances of winning. How would hitters react going from May to Milone? I can't imagine it'd be easy for them.

[Mike Sixel]

Many on line experts that are less "old school" have suggested it best be managed as a bullpen game. I'm not a genius here.......

[DaveW]

They can still sneak Berrios or anyone into the playoff roster even if they aren't on the 25 man roster on sept 1st. Santana getting suspended opens up a spot automatically as would any well timed "injury".

 

Maybe Berrios can be our K Rod this postseason? I'd still prefer he starts though...

[DaveW]

Love it, but there is ZERO chance they sit Hunter in a playoff game....right? I mean they brought him in for *veteran-ness* and *leadership*. Since he'd be the only one with playoff experience, they would start him. Sigh.....

I would platoon him and Rosario.

[olivia11]

This is what I see happening in a possible WC game...

 

1. Buxton (v. RHP) or Hicks (v. LHP)  CF

2. Dozier 2B

3. Mauer 1B (Mauer has been very clutch in RISP and I don't see them moving him from his #3 spot)

4. Sano DH

5. Plouffe 3B

6. Rosario LF

7. Hunter RF (Zero chance they aren't playing Hunter in a possible playoff game)

8. Suzuki C

9. Escobar SS

 

PH/PR/Defensive Upgrade option: Hicks or Buxton

PH: Vargas

PR/UTIL: Nuñez

PR/UTIL: Robinson (I really don't see the Twins getting rid of Robinson or Nuñez guys so late)

C: Hermann (will need for when PH for Suzuki)

 

*I would like to see Kepler up here, but I don't see it happening in time.

 

SP: Hughes (if healthy) starts a WC game; if not I think you go with Gibson

Other SP (who can be put in if Hughes/Gibson doesn't look good after the first couple innings): Duffey, Milone

 

MRP (exclusive LOOGY role): O'Rourke 

MRP: Cotts 

MRP: Boyer (could be really solid again if used in correct role and after getting some rest on the DL)

MRP: Fien

SU: May

SU: Jepsen

C: Perkins

 

Bullpen could be really sold if SP can at least go 5 or 6 solid innings and Moliter/Allen use them in their correct roles.

 

(And I'm pretty sure you don't have to include a Rule 5 pick (Graham) on playoff roster.  Right?)

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

They can still sneak Berrios or anyone into the playoff roster even if they aren't on the 25 man roster on sept 1st. Santana getting suspended opens up a spot automatically as would any well timed "injury".

Maybe Berrios can be our K Rod this postseason? I'd still prefer he starts though...

Berrios would have to be on the 40-man roster on Sep. 1st, though, to be eligible to be a postseason injury replacement.

 

K Rod was added to the Angels' 40-man roster on August 31, 2002, although he wasn't promoted to the 25-man roster until mid-September.

[sorney]

 

I would platoon him and Rosario.

I'd bench-bat him

[Willihammer]

 

Berrios would have to be on the 40-man roster on Sep. 1st, though, to be eligible to be a postseason injury replacement.

 

K Rod was added to the Angels' 40-man roster on August 31, 2002, although he wasn't promoted to the 25-man roster until mid-September.

Yeah, I would be surprised if he added Berrios now. Seems like he would have done it already if he was going to do it this year.

[nokomismod]

I'd love to see Berrios called up soon and if he does well, he could be the starter in the Wild Card game.

 

SP:

Berrios

Milone

Duffey

Pelfrey or Hughes (if Hughes is healthy)

[gocgo]

 

1. Buxton. CF
2. Dozier. 2B
3. Kepler. 1B
4. Sano. 3B
5. Walker. DH
6. Rosario. RF
7. Hicks. LF
8. Suzuki. C
9. Escobar. SS

Mauer, Hunter & Plouffe off the bench. Walker behind Sano protecting our rookie who by then will have 25 HR's and 75 RBI's.

Kepler is in AA and while raking there, his coach has indicated that he isn't ready to be an average hitter in the bigs yet.  He'd probably struggle with big league hitting.  I can't see putting that into a playoff lineup.

[Brock Beauchamp]

 

I'd love to see Berrios called up soon and if he does well, he could be the starter in the Wild Card game.

Even if Berrios makes the club and helps the team in September, you don't put a do-or-die game on a rookie with a month of MLB experience. That's asking too much from the kid. Go with a more established player.

[Shane Wahl]

Bullpen game sounds fantastic. It would have to be disguised as a regular start for something though.

[nicksaviking]

 

Even if Berrios makes the club and helps the team in September, you don't put a do-or-die game on a rookie with a month of MLB experience. That's asking too much from the kid. Go with a more established player.

 

You'd have to be crazy to do that.  A rookie should have two months of starting experience minimum to start a playoff series:

 

http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/NYA/NYA200910070.shtml

[SwainZag]

 

You'd have to be crazy to do that.  A rookie should have two months of starting experience minimum to start a playoff series:

 

http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/NYA/NYA200910070.shtml

To be fair that was Baker's start, but he was used in Game 163

[Rosterman]

Suddenly talking about Polanco, Pinto, Vargas and whomever. You have to add before the 1st, and thus drop someone from the 25-man via waivers (which is still a process) and then asisgn them to the minors and then recall them September 1. 

 

I don't see the Twins doing any of that. They have Hughes, Boyer and Hicks on the DL and if not activated before the first, they could still push someone off the roster. Which is why the contemplating of adding Boyer back before the 1st in mind-boggling. You don't need to do this.

 

And, yes, the Twins jsut need a four-man rotation. 

 

September will be intersting to see how the "bench" is workd into the status. Can Pinto catch. Will Hunter rest more than not. Do we see Arcia and do we see him in the outfield. 

[Mike Sixel]

I wonder if someone got hurt now....would they wait until after Sept 1 or later to put them on the DL to figure out who to add, based on playoff needs?

[nokomismod]

Even if Berrios makes the club and helps the team in September, you don't put a do-or-die game on a rookie with a month of MLB experience. That's asking too much from the kid. Go with a more established player.

Good point, but I guess other than the maybe of Berrios being that "ace", I'm not sure which of the number 3 or 4 starters I would use. Right now, I would say Milone would give the Twins the best chance for a quality start.

[Mike Sixel]

I say bunk on the "don't start a rookie" thing. I just don't buy that Berrios couldn't handle it for sure, that is an awfully factual sounding statement for an opinion.....