2024 Minnesota Twins Opening Day Roster Projections: Injury Impacts

[JD-TWINS]

20 hours ago, DocBauer said:

I think the only real question is keeping Sands vs Staumont. I don't know that the Twins have to have that long man, but Rocco likes it when they do. It was pretty much a wasted roster spot last season, but last year was last year and who knows if that role will be needed or used more this season. Staumont, from what I've heard, seems to have full velocity back post surgery. But the results haven't been there according to the box scores. Unfortunately, I haven't had an opportunity to watch him so far this spring, so that's all I have to judge him on. Maybe he's thrown the ball well, been working on some things as pitchers do, and maybe he had some bad luck here and there.

But that's the one spot that I think is in flux still.

I agree - that last spot in the Pen is only one in question.

Seems to be prudent to go with familiarity out of the gate - Sands. It’s not a good idea to have a guy coming back from injury and have him be doubtful. Can’t imagine Staumont is very confident at this point. Give him 3-6 weeks in St Paul and have some positive results before putting him on the mound for Big Club. I get he’s got experience and probably chomping at the bit to be back in the Show but it’s a Team thing.

Everyone has looked decent and then not so good through Spring Training so it’s not all just in the past 3-4 weeks. Sands is a known, & a long guy in case of any of the starters having an early blow-up in April, is valuable IMO.

[stringer bell]

1 hour ago, miracleb said:

I think they need to find a way for Duarte to make the opening day roster.  He has had a better spring than many on the list and it seems like something started to "click" for him after the 2022 season!

It is pretty likely that DeSclafani will be on the 60-day Injured List, making the 40-man issue easy enough to get Duarte on the roster. Among the relievers with options currently projected to make it to Kansas City are Alcalá,  Funderburk and Staumont. One of those could be sent to St. Paul to make a place for Duarte. 

[stringer bell]

29 minutes ago, JD-TWINS said:

I agree - that last spot in the Pen is only one in question.

Seems to be prudent to go with familiarity out of the gate - Sands. It’s not a good idea to have a guy coming back from injury and have him be doubtful. Can’t imagine Staumont is very confident at this point. Give him 3-6 weeks in St Paul and have some positive results before putting him on the mound for Big Club. I get he’s got experience and probably chomping at the bit to be back in the Show but it’s a Team thing.

Everyone has looked decent and then not so good through Spring Training so it’s not all just in the past 3-4 weeks. Sands is a known, & a long guy in case of any of the starters having an early blow-up in April, is valuable IMO.

With an eight-man bullpen and pretty frequent off days early (as I'm looking at the weather reports, I wonder how many rainouts and snowouts the Twins might have early), I don't think a long man will be very necessary.

Cole Sands IMHO has fringy major league stuff and fringy major league command. When he has command, he has enough stuff to be okay, but when he's behind on counts and not hitting his spots, he is very hittable, hence his inconsistent results in the majors. The Twins can do better.

[ashbury]

On 3/22/2024 at 8:42 AM, bean5302 said:

when clubs start messing with that rest/recovery routine, you see injuries and ineffectiveness crop up. I don't have stats to back that up

First, this is the kind of thing that without data it's really hard to make sweeping generalizations.  Second, there's a good chance that cause-and-effect are intertwingled - maybe when you see clubs "messing" with routine it's precisely for the guys who are already perceived as being at risk for injury.

I remain convinced that injury proneness is an area of active research by clubs' analytics departments, and their methods and results are closely guarded secrets.

[stringer bell]

10 minutes ago, ashbury said:

First, this is the kind of thing that without data it's really hard to make sweeping generalizations.  Second, there's a good chance that cause-and-effect are intertwingled - maybe when you see clubs "messing" with routine it's precisely for the guys who are already perceived as being at risk for injury.

I remain convinced that injury proneness is an area of active research by clubs' analytics departments, and their methods and results are closely guarded secrets.

intertwingled--I don't know if that's really a word, but it probably should be!

[ashbury]

24 minutes ago, stringer bell said:

intertwingled--I don't know if that's really a word, but it probably should be!

Intertwined and intermingled.  I've always liked it.

[Danchat]

19 hours ago, mikelink45 said:

I'm not sure where your optimism for Sands comes from. I would see Simeon woods Richardson getting a shot at this roll

I'm not optimistic for Sands per se, but based on how much he was on the roster last year and how much Baldelli has said he wants length in the pen, it leads me to think he will spend quite a bit of time as the "clean-up" pitcher in the pen.

[USAFChief]

2 hours ago, stringer bell said:

intertwingled--I don't know if that's really a word...

If it isn't, it's a damn traveshamockery.

[TwinsDr2021]

On 3/22/2024 at 3:27 PM, jmlease1 said:

I would argue that our depth is superior to most teams, it's just that we also have more key players with injury history issues than most as well.

I love our infield depth. It's really impressive. we're in better shape than most teams at catcher with 2 options that would start for many teams (in part because people will assume Vazquez will rebound) and a prospect that looks ready for backup innings in AAA. We've got backups in place that can hold the fort immediately, and good PR/PH options.

What makes the Twins depth superior? The idea that Larnach, Miranda are really the players at their absolute best and not the players they have been? Sure they have Lee (unproven and most on here say isn't even ready) to back up 3B, SS, 2B and then who? for 1B it is Miranda and then who? in the outfield it is Larnach and then Martin. Yes the bench is good but if they move to starters then IMO not so much. As for starting pitching untested Festa (who I do like, but don't like the idea he has to step in and be good from the start) and a bunch of guys that haven't been good.

[jmlease1]

14 hours ago, TwinsDr2021 said:

What makes the Twins depth superior? The idea that Larnach, Miranda are really the players at their absolute best and not the players they have been? Sure they have Lee (unproven and most on here say isn't even ready) to back up 3B, SS, 2B and then who? for 1B it is Miranda and then who? in the outfield it is Larnach and then Martin. Yes the bench is good but if they move to starters then IMO not so much. As for starting pitching untested Festa (who I do like, but don't like the idea he has to step in and be good from the start) and a bunch of guys that haven't been good.

Our lineup can hit from 1-9 with no black holes with the projected starters, and quality/superior defenders at multiple positions. We have a quality bench with players that could start for other clubs. We have AAA depth in Lee, Martin, Camargo, Miranda, and Larnach. We have the ability to PH & PR players without disrupting our defensive alignments. That's depth.

Your comments on Lee don't match up at all with this board: most people here think he is ready, and you've had people suggesting all off-season ideas like moving Lewis to the OF or Julien to 1B to get him in the lineup. He's a top 25 global prospect, and having a guy like that in AAA is a huge benefit to the depth. 

If your expectation to have superior depth is having 2 guys like Lee at every position, then I don't know what to tell you.

[FlyingFinn]

Add Topa to the list of pitchers on the IL. Depth in the bullpen being tested early.