40 Man Roster Management For 2022

[Otwins]

If you do not put Dobnak on the 40 man does the team that selects him have to take the contract also. As bad as he pitched this year I doubt anyone would take him if they have to pay the contract.

[twinkiesfan11]

Barring any trades I’d protect (referencing your chart):

 - 40 Man locks: 17

 - Prospect Locks: 6

 - Notable Rule V: 6

 - Less Notable Rule V: (Vallimont, Javier, Palacios, Moran) 4

- Middling veteran/prospect: (Rooker, Gant, Stashak, Thorpe) 4

- Fringe Prospect: (Gordon, Jax) 2

Leaves one spot for the rule v draft. 
 

This means Rijo, Funderberk and Maciel are exposed to the rule v draft. Also allowing everyone from the likely gone plus Refsnyder, Cave, Astudillo, Smeltzer, Garcia, Coulombe, Burrows and Garza DFA’d.

 

[Danchat]

50 minutes ago, Rosterman said:

For trade and free-agent replacement spots, you keep guys that may then get thru waivers and you try and resign, like perhaps Thorpe and Garza, for example. The pain of releasing a guy from the 40-man is that any team can claim him (in their respective order).

Yeah, I am aware of that, but I am pre-empting the FA additions that will happen and highlighting who will get DFA'd from them. So 5 of those guys would not be a part of the initial DFA purge.

[Danchat]

31 minutes ago, twinkiesfan11 said:

Barring any trades I’d protect (referencing your chart):

 - 40 Man locks: 17

 - Prospect Locks: 6

 - Notable Rule V: 6

 - Less Notable Rule V: (Vallimont, Javier, Palacios, Moran) 4

- Middling veteran/prospect: (Rooker, Gant, Stashak, Thorpe) 4

- Fringe Prospect: (Gordon, Jax) 2

Leaves one spot for the rule v draft. 
 

This means Rijo, Funderberk and Maciel are exposed to the rule v draft. Also allowing everyone from the likely gone plus Refsnyder, Cave, Astudillo, Smeltzer, Garcia, Coulombe, Burrows and Garza DFA’d.

 

Nice, I like your picks. Going with 10 Rule 5 prospects seems pretty crazy... 3 of them being SSs. I just can't justify giving a spot to Javier, and if another team claims him and teaches him how to hit, well, good on them. It doesn't look like that's going to happen here.

[Mike Sixel]

I don't see a good reason to protect Rooker.....I could be wrong, but I'd rather Larnach be the DH/OF, with Martin in left, or Ref dude whose name I can't spell. Or Donaldson at DH and Miranda or Arraez at third. Or Arraez at DH. 

[TopGunn#22]

Wow !  I'm late to the party.  I missed all this when it was first put together.  Tremendous work.  Now that trades have been made and we're seeing how various players are performing when they come up (would really like to get a couple looks at Ryan) this is an insightful look at what the 40-man could look like and whether we would have a spot to pick up a player (ala Johan Santana).  A couple players I've been very hopeful for have been Wander Javier and Brent Rooker.  Alas, it appears Rooker will never be anything close to Will Clark/Raffy Palmiero (other SEC Triple Crown Winners) and Wander Javier's bat just doesn't seem to be coming around.  Those are two spots I'm willing to open up to other players.  It will be interesting to follow this thread to see how things unfold.

[twinkiesfan11]

9 hours ago, Danchat said:

Nice, I like your picks. Going with 10 Rule 5 prospects seems pretty crazy... 3 of them being SSs. I just can't justify giving a spot to Javier, and if another team claims him and teaches him how to hit, well, good on them. It doesn't look like that's going to happen here.

Yeah - I'm running with the assumption that Miranda, Ryan and Moran are on the active roster by the end of the season so it's more like 7 prospects to me. I have a hard time giving up on Javier quite yet, he's just lost so much development time and there are so few legitimate shortstops in the organization right now. I don't disagree that using a 40 man roster spot on him is kind of a waste either, just glad I'm not in the position to actually have to make that decision!

[4twinsJA]

Thought Rooker was a lock for next year, but really struggling at the plate lately. He started hot but scouting must have figured him out. Rooker below average defensively, Refsnyder looks to be better option. Why keep batting him second in lineup?

[ToddlerHarmon]

I don't know whether 5 open spots are necessary, so I'd keep Thorpe and hope a reliever or two settles in and becomes worth keeping

[beckmt]

Let me help you.  Off your latest update, only thielbar would be questionable.  All 6 of the prospect locks I agree with, total is now 22 - 23.  Likely gone would keep Minaya and hope to resign Pinella (total 24 - 25) Middling veteran prospects would keep only Refsnyder, Gant, and do not know on Cave and Edgar Garcia, but for now (total 26 - 27).  Fringe prospects only Jax, maybe Garza Jr (to early to predict). total (28-29). All 6 top eligable prospects (total 34 - 35), Baddoo list, Palacios, Moran, (total 36 - 37). This could change some as the season goes on, but is my best guess at this time.

[Vanimal46]

Probably worth reviving this excellent thread now that we are at the bitter end of the season. 

[Danchat]

1 hour ago, Vanimal46 said:

Probably worth reviving this excellent thread now that we are at the bitter end of the season. 

Thanks, though I was planning on doing an update to it this weekend. Things have changed considerably the past few months, and I am interested to see the opinions on who should be 40 man protected.

[Twinfan603]

All 6 of the Fringe Veterans should be gone. Get rid of Smeltzer, Barnes, and Burrows. Choose between Minaya & Garza Jr. (I prefer Garza). Colome, Simmons, and Law shouldn't be back. Move Heaven & Earth to trade at least 1 of Sano/Donaldson/Kepler.

Move Jax to the bullpen, his stuff can play up better there. Set Gordon as your 26th man. Give Rooker 1 more look in 2022 to make sure you don't get burned. Thorpe is the last guy either cut/saved, although I personally don't have hope of him ever becoming anything more than a AAAA pitcher.

Moran is already on the 40, so not sure which of the other lesser known prospects NEED to be added. If anyone from there, I'd say Rijo would be the most likely to get selected. Palacios still seems like a long-shot to get picked to me, since he was so mediocre for most of his minor league career before 2021.

With Thorpe, that puts you at 35 spots. Go sign 2 relievers, 2 starters, and a SS. Trading Donaldson and/or Sano gives you the funds to sign a legit #2 starting pitcher. Miranda would take over at 3rd, or Kirilloff at 1st. Rooker/Garver/Jeffers take the majority of early season DH responsibilities.

[Vanimal46]

1 hour ago, Twinfan603 said:

All 6 of the Fringe Veterans should be gone. Get rid of Smeltzer, Barnes, and Burrows. Choose between Minaya & Garza Jr. (I prefer Garza). Colome, Simmons, and Law shouldn't be back. Move Heaven & Earth to trade at least 1 of Sano/Donaldson/Kepler.

Move Jax to the bullpen, his stuff can play up better there. Set Gordon as your 26th man. Give Rooker 1 more look in 2022 to make sure you don't get burned. Thorpe is the last guy either cut/saved, although I personally don't have hope of him ever becoming anything more than a AAAA pitcher.

Moran is already on the 40, so not sure which of the other lesser known prospects NEED to be added. If anyone from there, I'd say Rijo would be the most likely to get selected. Palacios still seems like a long-shot to get picked to me, since he was so mediocre for most of his minor league career before 2021.

With Thorpe, that puts you at 35 spots. Go sign 2 relievers, 2 starters, and a SS. Trading Donaldson and/or Sano gives you the funds to sign a legit #2 starting pitcher. Miranda would take over at 3rd, or Kirilloff at 1st. Rooker/Garver/Jeffers take the majority of early season DH responsibilities.

I think you have a very sound and realistic plan. I’m looking forward to reading Danchat’s update over the weekend so I can contribute as well. 

The only thing that comes to mind is potentially moving one of Arraez or Polanco while the other takes over 2B full time. Like you I would try like hell to trade at least one of Donaldson and Sano to free up cash. If we have to eat more than 50% of their remaining contract to get a decent prospect in return, then I’d walk away and keep them. I go back and forth on Kepler… 

[jmlease1]

it's interesting figuring out 40-man management this year. In my head I got up to 34 pretty quickly, and you have to leave some room for FA...

We definitely have some fringe guys that could be designated for assignment. I think if you're trying to shield off from the Rule 5 you protect pitchers with upside and position players with defense that plays now on the fringier guys?

[Twinfan603]

3 hours ago, Vanimal46 said:

I think you have a very sound and realistic plan. I’m looking forward to reading Danchat’s update over the weekend so I can contribute as well. 

The only thing that comes to mind is potentially moving one of Arraez or Polanco while the other takes over 2B full time. Like you I would try like hell to trade at least one of Donaldson and Sano to free up cash. If we have to eat more than 50% of their remaining contract to get a decent prospect in return, then I’d walk away and keep them. I go back and forth on Kepler… 

I agree on Arraez being moved. He has value now, I don't think you'll get burned too bad by trading him but you'll get good value back at the same time. With Austin Martin in the fold, I don't see how you can keep Polanco and Arraez long-term, especially if you re-sign Buxton.

There just aren't enough spots and you need to balance offense, defense, and injury risk with everyone.

[Danchat]

I'm going to start a new thread for the 40 man discussion, so look forward to that. Also, I see that Squirrel has also engaged in a very similar topic here in a blog, so give that a look if you haven't yet.