Spring Training Usage Tracker: Roles Begin to Crystallize

[stringer bell]

Kreidler and Wagaman optioned this morning. That leaves Gray and Arcia for the utility infield spot. 34 remain in camp, so eight players need to be taken off the active roster. 

[mikelink45]

2 hours ago, Doctor Wu said:

There hasn't been much talk about Matt Bowman as a bullpen option. He's put up good numbers so far in spring training. Might he make the team?

Gone

[Patzky]

3 hours ago, CRF said:

Ready or not, here they come! It's gonna be a long season. 

Well yup. Can't wait to watch along with y'all. Missed that. 

[Bodie]

2 hours ago, thelanges5 said:

Matt Bowman per Matthew Leach:

Bowman has requested his release per the terms of his contract, which gives the Twins 48 hours to add him to the roster or grant it. So he has triggered the clause, but he is still in camp. 

Watched the game,  and Bowman specifically asked to pitch in the game after triggering the option. Not sure what that portends, but he obviously wants to play for someone - that, in and of itself, recommends him over about 2/3rds of last years roster!

[Fire Dan Gladden]

I would not be surprised to see a "closer by committee" situation. When there is no obvious option, you wait until someone grabs it.

[jmlease1]

I don't think Arcia not playing 3B in ST means much: He can probably slide over there without needing much prep, but Brooks Lee can slide down there if needed, and Clemens can fill in there too if/when Lewis gets hurt. Sure, these are not terribly compelling options, but if lewis doesn't hit at 3B this season we have bigger issues than who back him up.

I prefer Arcia to Gray by a lot. Gray looks like a rotten hitter and his defense doesn't impress me much either. Hopefully neither are used much...

The Larnach deal still baffles me. He'd better hit, because the roster spot is almost as valuable as the $5M.

I hope they're right about Outman. I don't think they are. I would love to be wrong, but I'd rather see Roden or Rodriguez in that spot.

[bean5302]

8 minutes ago, Bodie said:

Watched the game,  and Bowman specifically asked to pitch in the game after triggering the option. Not sure what that portends, but he obviously wants to play for someone - that, in and of itself, recommends him over about 2/3rds of last years roster!

Bowman hasn't been a full season guy on a roster since 2017. Doesn't strike anybody out, walks a lot of hitters. His spring training looked good so he might get a chance some place or he might wind up back in St. Paul on a MiLB contract.

[Nshore]

Being a Twins fan just before the season starts is like sitting in the beach house you've been told to evacuate just before the category 5 hurricane hits.

There must be greater baseball minds at work in the Twins' front office that fans can't hope to understand.

[TheLeviathan]

13 hours ago, HerbieFan said:

So SIX different players started in LF??  Sheesh

Having 6 left fielders is the same as having none.

[Senior Softball Guy]

 Larnach taking innings and AB's from Martin is concerning. Outman surely is on probation. I don't like Roden taking AB's from our top prospects. I think by May 1st we will look a lot different and...hopefully....not too buried in the standings.

[stringer bell]

19 minutes ago, jmlease1 said:

I don't think Arcia not playing 3B in ST means much: He can probably slide over there without needing much prep, but Brooks Lee can slide down there if needed, and Clemens can fill in there too if/when Lewis gets hurt. Sure, these are not terribly compelling options, but if lewis doesn't hit at 3B this season we have bigger issues than who back him up.

I prefer Arcia to Gray by a lot. Gray looks like a rotten hitter and his defense doesn't impress me much either. Hopefully neither are used much...

The Larnach deal still baffles me. He'd better hit, because the roster spot is almost as valuable as the $5M.

I hope they're right about Outman. I don't think they are. I would love to be wrong, but I'd rather see Roden or Rodriguez in that spot.

Clemens didn't play an inning of third base in ST or last season. He played some outfield last year, but it looks like the Twins prefer him at second base, while moving Keaschall to the outfield if such a situation happens. Arcia played equal amounts of second, short and third with Colorado, but had hardly played anything but shortstop in 2023 and 2024. He hasn't hit much since the first half of 2023. 

Agree on both Larnach and Outman. I've been suggesting giving Austin Martin a full-time run in left field to see what he can provide, making Outman superfluous and limiting Larnach to DH. 

[Jeff K]

36 minutes ago, jmlease1 said:

I don't think Arcia not playing 3B in ST means much: He can probably slide over there without needing much prep, but Brooks Lee can slide down there if needed, and Clemens can fill in there too if/when Lewis gets hurt. Sure, these are not terribly compelling options, but if lewis doesn't hit at 3B this season we have bigger issues than who back him up.

I prefer Arcia to Gray by a lot. Gray looks like a rotten hitter and his defense doesn't impress me much either. Hopefully neither are used much...

The Larnach deal still baffles me. He'd better hit, because the roster spot is almost as valuable as the $5M.

I hope they're right about Outman. I don't think they are. I would love to be wrong, but I'd rather see Roden or Rodriguez in that spot.

I can't see any GOOD reason why Outman was kept vs. Roden.  Roden played well; Outman did not.  Which is to say, that Outman played at his normal level.  I can't imagine there was any risk losing Outman if they optioned him.  Hell, I don't want him playing with St. Paul.  I really don't understand it.  And yes, no idea why they paid Larnach.  The Twins are blocking their good yound outfielders from the big club and that seems misguided.

[jmlease1]

15 minutes ago, stringer bell said:

Clemens didn't play an inning of third base in ST or last season. He played some outfield last year, but it looks like the Twins prefer him at second base, while moving Keaschall to the outfield if such a situation happens. Arcia played equal amounts of second, short and third with Colorado, but had hardly played anything but shortstop in 2023 and 2024. He hasn't hit much since the first half of 2023. 

Agree on both Larnach and Outman. I've been suggesting giving Austin Martin a full-time run in left field to see what he can provide, making Outman superfluous and limiting Larnach to DH. 

I'm sure the Twins prefer him at 2B, and I'm aware he didn't play there last season. But I suspect he'd pick up the glove and run out there in a minute if asked, and he'd probably be credible.

If Arcia is the backup infielder, it would be interesting to see whether they would have him slide in at 3B if Royce goes down or have Lee do it and move in Arcia at SS? neither is unreasonable, but I suspect it'll depend on how well lee is doing at SS...

I'd rather have Martin playing more in LF: he's got the ability to be quite good there defensively and can add on the bases. Larnach can't add anything but hitting. I'd also prefer to make Outman superfluous, but I could see them playing him in LF and DHing Larnach in order to justify keeping him. While I think Outman won't hit once we're past ST...I could be wrong? If he hits, he could add in LF too...I just don't think he'll hit and he'll linger on the roster until June...not hitting.

[DJL44]

I am actually shocked at how healthy the team appears to be going into Opening Day. That won't last two weeks into April.

[D.C Twins]

5 hours ago, CRF said:

Ready or not, here they come! It's gonna be a long season. 

So.....so.... loooong.

1. Let the kids play

2. Whenever things are particularly bad... remind yourselves that the New Pohlad told us that they were prioritizing being competitive this year. That will make you chuckle to yourself, I promise!

[D.C Twins]

 

5 hours ago, Doctor Wu said:

I'm sorry that Roden got bumped in favor or Outman, but the old "he still has options" factor no doubt played a big part in that decision. And yeah, meanwhile we still have Larnach for some reason. 

But...but... but....  if we DFA'ed him.... we.... we... might lose him! Ha!

[D.C Twins]

1 hour ago, Fire Dan Gladden said:

I would not be surprised to see a "closer by committee" situation. When there is no obvious option, you wait until someone grabs it.

"closer by committee because of no obvious option' 

Step 1 of the Pohlad 'we are prioritizing being competitive this year' strategy! 

[D.C Twins]

3 hours ago, DJL44 said:

They can't have Outman AND Kreidler on the roster together, can they? That's two bench players you would never want to actually use.

 

"Two bench players you would never want to actually use"

Step 2 of the Pohlad 'we are prioritizing being competitive this year' strategy! 

[Western SD Fan]

I found the secret Twins plans for the year!

 

[WarPath1211]

With Kreidler being optioned, that means either Gray or Arcia will be the backup infielder. I'm mildly surprised by this, as none of the 3 really hit this spring, so I thought they'd go Kreidler for defense by default. I'd give Gray the edge over Arcia simply because Gray is already on the 40-man roster, and somebody needs to be DFA'd to make room for Arcia. None of these 3 options inspired much confidence at the beginning of camp, and that hasn't changed now, so I'm a little ambivalent to who ultimately wins the job to be honest. It's an indictment on the infield depth of the organization that there are no more compelling options for a backup SS/3B (Clemens can play an acceptable 2B).

Wagaman being optioned is not at all surprising. He always faced an uphill battle of making the opening day roster given the amount of 1B/DH/suspect corner outfielder types around. And with Josh Bell and Victor Caratini both being switch hitters who hit lefties okay, there wasn't much of a niche for Wagaman to fill.

[Hubie29]

5 hours ago, Jeff K said:

I can't see any GOOD reason why Outman was kept vs. Roden.  Roden played well; Outman did not.  Which is to say, that Outman played at his normal level.  I can't imagine there was any risk losing Outman if they optioned him.  Hell, I don't want him playing with St. Paul.  I really don't understand it.  And yes, no idea why they paid Larnach.  The Twins are blocking their good yound outfielders from the big club and that seems misguided.

I think alot of decisions are being made due to the thought there won't be any baseball next year. They are saving service time. Might as run the has beens and never weres out there and lose 100+games this year. 

[tarheeltwinsfan]

How long of a leash does Ober have? He allowed 10 hits today against Boston in 4 innings. 

[ashbury]

7 hours ago, TheLeviathan said:

Having 6 left fielders is the same as having none.

So now we need a seventh?

[stringer bell]

I see Arcia as the likely winner of the utility infielder. Gray has an option and Arcia did not activate his opt-out. Arcia's numbers don't look bad after 3-4 day at Jet Blue. .273 BA, .761 OPS, only one K, and his defensive ratings last year were still all right. Gray has done nothing to show he should be in the majors.

[Blyleven2011]

Its the same every year , twins break spring training with players that have no options that did not earn a roster spot because of it ... 

Every year they break camp without the best players in the eyes of the fans , as one member posted here today ,  the organization has more baseball smarts than the average Joe fan ...

My average Joe prediction is the twins will finish the season in the high 90's for losses  , it's not whether you win or lose , ITS HOW YOU PLAY THE GAME...