Class Reunion: 3 Former Twins Who Might Fit On the 2024 Roster

[old nurse]

8 minutes ago, chpettit19 said:

Mitch Garver is a free agent and sure looks to have something left to offer. But, other than him, there really isn't anyone worth discussing. Oh, and it's Trevor May.

Damn autospell, don’t know why it keeps doing that on him. 

Graver played less than half seasons, with Texas and very little as catcher.  When healthy, you bet. The Twins end up using the dl far to often to want to add more players that will go there 

[chpettit19]

3 minutes ago, old nurse said:

Damn autospell, don’t know why it keeps doing that on him. 

Graver played less than half seasons, with Texas and very little as catcher.  When healthy, you bet. The Twins end up using the dl far to often to want to add more players that will go there 

Technically Garver played just over half a season this year, but I certainly understand your point. I wouldn't be offering him anything crazy, but the chances of the Twins making it through 2024 with only Jeffers and Vazquez catching games is miniscule. Garver as a DH/1B/3rd C option is intriguing to me even if it's not super high on my priority list.

[stringer bell]

2 hours ago, JD-TWINS said:

Hick’s revival year was a .258BA & a .4 WAR …….maybe a .8 WAR over a fully utilized season? We gotta have a couple guys in minors that can bring those numbers & play better defense.

Hicks' revival began as soon as he left the Bronx. His OPS for the Orioles was .806 (127 OPS+). He's still a capable outfielder who could play center on occasion and has always had much better platoon splits against left handed pitching. There's enough there to seriously consider acquiring him.

[DocBauer]

No on Sano for so many reasons.

No on Hicks as I think I'd trust Taylor more for the role needed and how he'd fill it, and Martin should be pretty close.

I do like the Odorizzi idea, which I've stated previously, on a milb with an opt out that, hopefully, gives an opt out until at least Jube 1st, if not July 1st. Both parties are familiar with one another,  he was a good fit when here, and it costs little to bring him in for insurance on a chance to prove he's OK and back after pretty much taking 2023. 

First priority is finding someone to replace Gray, if not Gray. And there are some OK and some good arms projected at AAA, but also a lot of uncertainty as some guys need to prove themselves still. So someone like Oddo on the cheap makes a ton of sense.

[Peter Labuza]

fwiw, Odorizzi never took the mound during the 2020 wild card series. I remember because this image is seared into my brain. 

 

[Linus]

43 minutes ago, stringer bell said:

Hicks' revival began as soon as he left the Bronx. His OPS for the Orioles was .806 (127 OPS+). He's still a capable outfielder who could play center on occasion and has always had much better platoon splits against left handed pitching. There's enough there to seriously consider acquiring him.

This. He’s been a decent right handed hitter he just really struggled from the left side. I’m quite sure he could be a plus fielder in one of the corner spots and be passable in center. Put him in the Garlick role and he would be an improvement. 

[weitz41]

Despite the Gallo season. Both Sano and Odrorizzi would make a lot of sense. Minor league deals with July 1st opt outs, sure sign me up. Depth is depth. They both have been way better then they're last run in MLB. Aloy can go right and very little can go wrong on Mlib contracts..

[Bodie]

4 hours ago, old nurse said:

Sano was last in shape about a decade ago.  

Even a decade ago he was carrying a lot of "baby fat".  Unfortunately, after a decade that has to be just called fat.

[specialiststeve]

Ummm...   Pass, Pass and Pass! 

[Nine of twelve]

Jake Cave might be available after tonight's game.

[SteveLV]

Sano, goodness no.

Odo, sure, on a minor league prove-it deal.

Hicks, meh.

Garver, absolutely.

Gibson, sure.

[JBK]

No way on any of them.  Who wrote this piece?   Slow day?

 

[weitz41]

What about Eduardo Escobar? 

[lecroy24fan]

16 hours ago, old nurse said:

Sano was last in shape about a decade ago.  

Not true. He's been round for years.

[Doctor Wu]

Not an exciting bunch of choices, but oddly, I think Sano might have the most upside. Pitchers coming back from surgery like Odorizzi strike me as too risky.  Hicks had a nice bounce-back stint with Baltimore, but we already have a bunch of outfielders that can do what he does. As some posters said, Sano at first base might not be too crazy an idea, depending of course on Kiriloff's status going into spring training, and what sort of deal you offer Sano, and double of course, what sort of shape he is in. Could by Joey Gallo redux, so I'd approach that plan with caution. But, I do like the idea of this article and if there truly ARE some ex-Twins who might help. I'd pass on the likes of Gibson and Cave (I'm still shocked he was on the Phillies post-season roster), and with Trevor May apparently retiring and Fulmer out for the year, not much is out there in the way of ex-Twins players. Of course if LaTroy Hawkins wants to try a comeback, I'm all in!

[Brandon27]

Throw another former twins player in ring jose berrios 🤔

[old nurse]

25 minutes ago, lecroy24fan said:

Not true. He's been round for years.

A decade ago

[Trov]

If you can bring Sano in on a minor league deal why not.  Worst case he gets released and you are not out anything.  Best case, he is healthy not out of shape and has some kind of resurgence.  You do not need to commit a roster spot to him.  There are some in his situation that did this later in their careers and had a year or two of great baseball.  

Hicks I would be skeptical on.  He is aging, he had a surge over short period of time, but as stated he had long stretch of bad ball before that.  I am not bringing him on anything than a minor league deal invite to spring.  

Odo, similar a minor league deal invite to spring to see if healthy and can help.  I do not bring him in on major league roster because he could be cooked. 

[twinstalker]

Lots of comments (namely, who cares whether someone was once a Twin?), but I'll just lay this one out:  If I had to endure Odorizzi for another season, at least and thank gawd there's a pitch clock.

[miracleb]

Every spring Sano would show up at spring training and the story was that he put on muscle and lost 10 lbs.....until after 5-6 years....he was 60 lbs heavier!   LOL!

[jmlease1]

Odorizzi did some good things for the Twins, but he's very much a "5 and Fly" pitcher even when he's healthy, and he hasn't had a great track record of health the last several years. On a minor league deal? Sure, he'd be nice depth to have in AAA if he's reasonably healthy, but I suspect he's not interested in anything but a MLB deal and I'd prefer we not go in the bargain bin for a 5th starter over Varland. I mean, that should be the minimum standard for a FA pitcher: better than Varland (and I'd like them to think more about ceiling than floor).

Hicks would be interesting if I felt more confident about his ability to play CF. yes, he played about half his games there last season and the O's ran him out there quite a bit...but his D wasn't good and he's only been a quality defender out there once in his last 4 years. If we bring in an OF, they're going to have to be capable of playing CF without worry, like Michael A. Taylor did this year, as insurance against Buxton getting hurt again. It's too risky to rely on Castro to be the backup CF all the time, despite him doing yeoman's work out there and learning the position on the fly. The bat might be a solid fit, but the glove seems a little too iffy.

Sano is a flat-out no. Twins have better options in-house to fill 1B and there's just no reason to bring back a guy who flunked out here and didn't play last season at all. I don't even want him on a minor league deal; would much rather have Severino get that time in AAA learning 1B. 

[rv78]

Lots of former Twins being thrown out there. Let's keep 'em that way. Maybe all of their brothers or cousins deserve a look tho..  Travis May is intriguing. Mitch Graver is an unknown. Jock Caved In and his buddy Jock Odor-izzi just stink. Miguel Stamos is looking for a new TV show. Aaron Ticks would just bug me. Kile Gibsen is no Kirk Gibson. Eddildo Escobar and Eddi Rosesarno can't come close to Everyday Eddie. La Tor-tuba some day, might come out of his shell and play Sweet Music with Frankie. 

[Mydaughterhastwins]

No on all 3.  I was never a big fan of Miguel Sano, however (and I know you can bend statistics all sorts of ways but just sayin),  he has appeared in more games, had more hits, hit significantly more HRs, had more rbi, slugged higher, had a better OBP, and hit for almost the same BA, than Byron in the almost the same amount of time.  Alas, he was terrible in the outfield (37 games)!!!   Prayin for Buck to have just one healthy season.

[FanSince1961]

No.  And it IS personal.  Just stop it.  TOTALLY ridiculous.

[RpR]

13 hours ago, Nine of twelve said:

Jake Cave might be available after tonight's game.

LOL -- Jake (Charlie Hustle) Cave is one player whose ability just dropped every year, from a very strong start.

I am amazed that he has very good numbers in Right Field,  better than Wallner, but his bat faded away quickly.

So many Twins rookies have done/are doing that, it just took Sano longer and his fielding was meh on his  best year.

[theBOMisthebomb]

🎵🎶 Just say no to Sano. Just say no to Sano. Just say no to Sano. Just say no to Sano... 🎵🎶

[stringer bell]

11 hours ago, Doctor Wu said:

Hicks had a nice bounce-back stint with Baltimore, but we already have a bunch of outfielders that can do what he does. 

What Twins outfielder hits left handed pitching? Hicks is essentially the same age as MAT, by the way. 
 

Hicks had a .970 OPS vs. LH pitching last year and has a career .758 OPS vs. lefties. Byron Buxton’s OPS against left handers last year was .627.