2016 FORMER TWINS IN MAJORS TEAM

[Rosterman]

A few former Minnesota Twins are playing across the diamonds of Major League Baseball this summer. The overall roster will seem less than stellar. But kudos to all who made the cut. It seems the Twins have been especially good in creating backup catchers and centerfielders.

 

Catchers A.J. Pierzynski (Braves), Drew Butera (Royals), Chris Herrmann (Diamondbacks), Wilson Ramos (Nationals) and Eric Fryer (Cardinals).

 

Infielders Danny Valencia (A's), J.J. Hardy (Orioles) and Chris Colabello (Blue Jays).

 

In the outfield a slew of former Twins centerfielders: Ben Revere (Nationals), Denard Span (Giants), Sam Fuld (A's), Aaron Hicks (Yankees), Carlos Gomez (Astros).

 

And designated hitters David Ortiz (Red Sox) and Kendrys Morales (Royals).

 

Not too many former pitchers made the cut, especially starters for the rotation: Matt Garza (Brewers), Mike Pelfrey (Tigers), Francisco Liriano (Pirates), R.A. Dickey (Blue Jays), Vance Worley (Orioles), Pat Neshek (Astros), Jeff Manship (Indians) and Liam Hendriks (A's).

 

Two former Twins are managing teams: Chip Hale (Diamondbacks) and Pete MacKanin (Phillies).

 

And quite a few former players are coaching this season: Henry Blanco (Cubs), Lee Tunnell (Brewers), Rick Sofield (Pirates), Roberto Kelly (Giants), Rusty Kuntz (Royals), Paul Sorrento (Angels), Tim Teufel (Mets). As well as Jacque Jones and Chris Speier (Nationals), Don Cooper and Mark Salas (White Sox), Dave McKay and Mike Fetters (Diamondbacks), Marcus Jensen and Ron Washington (A's), and Vic Rodriguez, Bob Kipper and Carl Willis (Red Sox).

 

Minor league rosters have yet to be released, but expect to see any of the following still looking for a return to the majors:,Alexi Casilla, Matt Carson, Rene Rivera, Scott Diamond, Lester Oliveros, Sam Deduno, Anthony Swarzak, Yohan Pino, Alex Presley. Pedro Florimon, Chris Parmelee, AJ Achter, Andrew Albers, Matt Capps, Neal Cotts, Josh Roenicke, PJ Walters, Doug Bernier, Shane Robinson, Blaine Boyer and Josmil Pinto.

 

Possibly booked, again, for independent call are names like: Caleb Thielbar, Rene Tosoni, Sharon Martis, Erik Komatsu, Sean Burroughs, Pedro Hernandez and the hanging around forever Lew Ford.

 

Will have a list compiled as well of former Twins minor league guys, in a future positing. Minor league rosters haven't been set. Then later on, independent league rosters will be set.

 

And, we still have Joe Nathan, Justin Morneau, Kyle Lohse and possibly even Johann Santana looking for a chance to comeback!

[Twodogs]

Not too many former pitchers made the cut: Matt Garza (Brewers), Francisco Liriano (Pirates), R.A. Dickey (Blue Jays), Vance Worley (Orioles), Pat Neshek (Astros), Jeff Manship (Indians) and Liam Hendriks (A's).

 

 

 

Former PItcher Mike Pelfrey is slated to be 4th in the Detroit Tigers Rotation I believe??

[ScrapTheNickname]

I enjoyed your lists. Nice work.

[old nurse]

Craig Breslow is still pitching, landing in Miami

[Heinie Manush]

Zack Jones Rule 5 loss.  Not on the Brewers roster.  Do we get him back or did they stash him away on the DL?

[Squirrel]

 

Zack Jones Rule 5 loss.  Not on the Brewers roster.  Do we get him back or did they stash him away on the DL?

Yes ... he's on the DL.

[gil4]

 

Not too many former pitchers made the cut, especially starters for the rotation: Matt Garza (Brewers), Mike Pelfrey (Tigers), Francisco Liriano (Pirates), R.A. Dickey (Blue Jays), Vance Worley (Orioles), Pat Neshek (Astros), Jeff Manship (Indians) and Liam Hendriks (A's).

 

Liriano got the opening-day win for Pittsburg - 6 IP, 3 H, 0 runs, 10 K, 5 BB

[Tovar12]

 

Liriano got the opening-day win for Pittsburg - 6 IP, 3 H, 0 runs, 10 K, 5 BB

Why did we ever get rid of Liriano?

[Seth Stohs]

 

Why did we ever get rid of Liriano?

 

We needed a long-term answer at shortstop?

 

 

[Danchat]

 

Why did we ever get rid of Liriano?

At the time it seemed like a good decision. He wasn't going to re-sign with the Twins. And as an unexpected bonus, they got a starting SS out of him.

[Rosterman]

Yeah, Breslow, like Fryer, were la minute adds from spring training invites.

 

Looks like Zack Jones starts the season on he DL (and gets major league money). Supposedly he could spend the whole season on the DL. If he doesn't get 90 days of active service time, he goes back. But at that point, an arrangement might just want to be made. Keeping the player disabled all season can be costly (full major league salary with no play) Of course, rehab time in the minors can happen.

[USAFChief]

Why did we ever get rid of Liriano?

I argued long and hard for extending Liriano. Would've been cheap.

[USAFChief]

We needed a long-term answer at shortstop?

I'm going out on a limb, but I'm confident the Twins didnt view Escobar as a long term answer at SS when they made the trade. They didnt even view him as the short term answer.

[Shaitan]

 

Why did we ever get rid of Liriano?

6 IP, 5 BB

[Shaitan]

I think Boyer made the MIL roster.

 

Rivera sure had a career year in 2014 and fell fast.

[Seth Stohs]

 

I'm going out on a limb, but I'm confident the Twins didnt view Escobar as a long term answer at SS when they made the trade. They didnt even view him as the short term answer.

 

There might have been a little sarcasm in my comment. 

[Rosterman]

 

I think Boyer made the MIL roster.

 

Rivera sure had a career year in 2014 and fell fast.

That must be their answer to not having Zack Jones able to pitch. The former pitcher roster just gets more and more bizarre.

 

[Riverbrian]

I argued long and hard for extending Liriano. Would've been cheap.

Nice scenery around Pitsburgh and Liriano was needing a change of...

 

Ended up in a place called Ray Searage Pennsylvania.

[ThejacKmp]

Why did we ever get rid of Liriano?

If I recall, the twins made a similar/identical offer to liriano in free agency and he turned it down. I'm not generally someone who puts a lot of faith in changes of scenery but liriano was smart to make a change.

[gil4]

 

I'm going out on a limb, but I'm confident the Twins didnt view Escobar as a long term answer at SS when they made the trade.

My guess is that even now he has at best a month-to-month lease on the position.

[Blackjack]

 

Why did we ever get rid of Liriano?

Here in MN he was a head case, so inconsistent but you knew with the talent that he had that he'd go someplace and succeed. There was an interesting article in SI a few weeks back about the Pittsburgh pitching coach, his pitching  philosophies, and the players whose careers he's resurrected.

[Thrylos]

 

If I recall, the twins made a similar/identical offer to liriano in free agency and he turned it down. I'm not generally someone who puts a lot of faith in changes of scenery but liriano was smart to make a change.

 

And the Twins would have been smarter to have made the change the made after 2014  a good 6-7 seasons before... 

I suspect that the Twins players needed more of a change of scenery than just Liriano...

[bird]

 

Why did we ever get rid of Liriano?

 

 

Liriano was pretty lousy at the time, and you know, with the Twin's "win now" attitude.....

[ThejacKmp]

 

And the Twins would have been smarter to have made the change the made after 2014  a good 6-7 seasons before... 

I suspect that the Twins players needed more of a change of scenery than just Liriano...

 

Very confused by this. I assume its some phone correcting?

 

What change are we talking about after 2014? How does anything in 2014 have to do with Liriano - he was gone years before 2014 and whatever change was made then.

 

Not sure what the second part means either. It's gibberishy but I think you're saying that many Twins players would do well if they left, not just Liriano? Not sure that that is true, for Liriano I think it was more just the huge expectations he had after his first year and the up and down years he had after that - sometimes a guy just needs to start over in a new city with a fresh narrative.

[USAFChief]

 

Very confused by this. I assume its some phone correcting?

 

What change are we talking about after 2014? How does anything in 2014 have to do with Liriano - he was gone years before 2014 and whatever change was made then.

 

Not sure what the second part means either. It's gibberishy but I think you're saying that many Twins players would do well if they left, not just Liriano? Not sure that that is true, for Liriano I think it was more just the huge expectations he had after his first year and the up and down years he had after that - sometimes a guy just needs to start over in a new city with a fresh narrative.

I'm guessing he's referring to the regime change in the dugout after the 2014 season.

[ThejacKmp]

 

I'm guessing he's referring to the regime change in the dugout after the 2014 season.

 

Ah got it. I guess I don't remember Liriano leaving with crystal clarity but I don't think there was a lot of bad blood ala Garza. He was just up and down with us and the Twins traded him at the deadline and then made an offer in the offseason but he was pretty clearly looking for somewhere new. It seemed amicable and not at all Gardy-centric but again, it's been awhile.

[ThejacKmp]

So a team of former Twins would be as follows:

 

Lineup
LF Span
RF Hicks
CF Gomez
DH Ortiz
SS JJ Hardy
1B Morales
3B Valencia
C Ramos
2B Casilla

 

Not a bad lineup though Casilla at 2B is a bit rough.

 

Bench
AJ C
Revere OF
Colabello 1B/OF
Florimon MI

 

Again, weak in the middle infield and 3B – JJ Hardy going down would be disastrous for this team. But decent depth for any injuries in the OF, catching or at DH/1B.

 

Starters
Liriano
Dickey
Garza
Pelfrey
Worley

 

Liriano is nice at the top but after that it’s pretty shoddy. And in the case of injury, yick. PJ Walters to the rescue!

 

Pen
Hendricks
Neshek
Manship
Boyer
Nathan
Oliveros
Cotts

 

The pen would be a major issue. Picking names for the back end was brutal and Nathan being an early choice is not ideal.

-------------------------

Overall, this is maybe the first former Twins team in a while that isn’t better than the current Twins team. Progress! The lineups are probably somewhat even but the current Twins have a better bench, rotation and pen.

[bird]

Nah, the pen would be just fine. We'd coax Randy Choate out of retirement.

[diehardtwinsfan]

 

If I recall, the twins made a similar/identical offer to liriano in free agency and he turned it down. I'm not generally someone who puts a lot of faith in changes of scenery but liriano was smart to make a change.

 

This is correct.  they were going to lose him.  They got something of value from the WhiteSox in exchange.

[dxpavelka]

 

Why did we ever get rid of Liriano?

A legitimate question with the benefit of 20/20 hindsight.  Of course, at the time, the majority of the fan base were asking "Why did we wait so long to get rid of Liriano?"