Twins sign journeyman Joe Smith

[Rosterman]

Twins added a veteran arm to their bullpen with the signing of Joe Smith.

 

I'll let Baseball Trade Rumors give you his recap.

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2022/03/twins-to-sign-joe-smith.html

 

The pen is an interesting world looking at it from the outside. The Twins still have no viable closer. So it looks like a return with Rogers in that roll. Thielbar and Duffey, for all intent and purposes, will be the setup guys. Smith has a veteran chance of making it, and the Twins will stay with Alcala (who might be a closer in the future).

 

That leaves pick-up Cotton, to battle it out with Thorpe, Jax, Garza and maybe Stashak for three jobs. Moran is a possibility, but has option available and I wish they had given him more of a shot last year with the up-and-down so he could work on things. Spring training will be important to him. The Twins also have Faria, Hamilton and the lefty Coulombe on the Saints roster that could be a part of the team sooner than later.

 

I don't mind Jax and Thorpe in the pen, if they work out, as both should be able to pitch multiple innings (or once thru the batting order). They offer that goodness you need if a starter only goes five innings (and both Bundy and Ober might be in that arena this season). With the short three-week season, and no games necessarily going on the secondary site, be interesting to see how all the guys get the work needed.

[notoriousgod71]

They will now have to forfeit their next 5 first rounders for this illegal contract.

[Rosterman]

Bad enough they need to find a 40-man spot!

 

Twins are goiing to suddenly discover they have too many rookie pitchers on the 40-man and not alot of wiggle room (hummmmm...would anyone really claim Dobnak?).