Which Twins Role Players Will Write Themselves Into the Team's Future?

[Nick Nelson]

Image courtesy of Jordan Johnson-Imagn Images

In 2012, the Twins acquired a 23-year-old infielder named Eduardo Escobar, part of the return for two months of a severely diminished Francisco Liriano at the trade deadline. At the time, Escobar was not all that highly regarded, and his initial run with Minnesota in 2012 and 2013 (negative-0.2 fWAR in 80 games) did little to bolster his rep. 

To his great credit, though, Escobar developed into a highly useful player for the Twins. He didn't get much hype in an organization that was anticipating the arrival of premier prospects like Byron Buxton and Miguel Sanó, but Escobar was one of the team's better regulars over the next several years, posting solid offensive numbers as a versatile, shortstop-capable fielder. 

Escobar was amidst a career year in 2018 when the Twins cashed him in for Jhoan Durán in one of the best moves of the Derek Falvey era. Durán, much like Escobar, would become an example of how key contributors can be uncovered in unlikely places. They don't always have to be top draft picks like Buxton or high-profile international signings like Sanó.

Which brings us to present day. As the Twins rebuild and set their sights on future improvement, there's understandably a lot of focus on those top prospects who will hopefully help elevate the club over the next few years: Walker Jenkins, Emmanuel Rodriguez, Kaelen Culpepper and Gabriel Gonzalez, who made his Twins debut on Friday night against Boston.

There's also plenty of attention being paid to Royce Lewis and Matt Wallner — former top prospects whose ability to reboot and rebound in Triple-A feels very weighty at the moment. 

While these rising and reeling talents all plug away in the minors, there are a number of players currently on the MLB roster who are making their own cases to play a role going forward, as the team hopefully transitions into a more competitive state. 

Acquired via waivers, minor-league deals or low-scale trades, none of these players have anything promised. They need to fight for their MLB futures, and that's exactly what makes their stories compelling to follow this summer.

Kody Clemens
The Twins acquired Clemens in exchange for cash considerations last April, jumping the waiver line for a player who was potentially headed to the minors at age 28. He impressed enough over the remainder of the season to earn another chance this year, but had much to prove. 

He largely slumped through the first month, but Clemens has come on in a big way. He heated up in late April and is has an OPS over .800 here in May. While bigger names have fizzled, Clemens has sizzled enough to expand his role, best demonstrated on Friday night when started in right field and batted seventh against a left-handed starter at Fenway.

He's held his own against southpaws, which is one thing helping his case. Clemens has also been not just good but excellent defensively at first base, and he saw time at second as well before getting his first starting outfield nod over the weekend. That's the kind of flexibility that helps a good (if streaky) hitter and valued clubhouse presence stick around. 

Clemens is arbitration eligible for the first time in the coming offseason, and could be retained year-to-year at a reasonable cost through 2029. He's not gonna be a star but he could definitely be a stable roster fixture for a while.

 

Ryan Kreidler
Willi Castro is another example of the player type we're talking about. He was acquired as an unheralded minor-league free agent in 2023 — envisioned as a speedy light-hitting utilityman, if he made the team — but turned himself into a quality regular and even an All-Star. 

It's hard to look at Kreidler and not see the parallels. Both players ranked #7 in the Tigers system, per MLB Pipeline, before debuting in the majors. (Castro in 2019, Kreidler in 2022.) Both fell out of favor in Detroit after failing to hit in parts of four seasons. Both got scooped up by the Twins for essentially nothing.

Castro proved to be a find. And while it's still very early, Kreidler is trending in the same direction. He's already hit three home runs in 11 games with the Twins, which is more than he totaled (two) in 89 games with the Tigers. Much like a younger Castro, Kreidler offers considerable value if he hits at all, because he can play center field and shortstop. In fact, he's probably the team's best defender at short, evidenced by Derek Shelton's decision to start him there (with Brooks Lee at third base) over the weekend.

He's not going to maintain a 1.000+ OPS but the offensive bar for Kreidler to be a valuable multi-year roster asset is not high. He won't even be arb-eligible until after next season. 

 

Tristan Gray
Many middling talents like Gray never get much of an extended opportunity in the majors. The 30-year-old admitted to reporters ahead of this season that he was considering retirement before catching on with the Twins and holding down a roster spot. 

This is his chance. We'll see what he can do with it.

Gray's had some nice moments this year but overall hasn't been terribly effective. It can be hard when you're playing sporadically and constantly feeling like your roster spot is at risk. For now, the Lewis demotion lessens those impediments for Gray, whose spot should be secure and his role expanded in the coming weeks. 

Can he show enough to convince the Twins he might be worth keeping around cheaply as a backup infielder or potential platoon partner? It's going to require his power showing up more consistently to offset a poor plate approach. Gray, currently away from the team on paternity leave, has just one extra-base hit in his 57 plate appearances.

Alex Jackson
The loss of Ryan Jeffers opens the door for Jackson to try and play his way into Minnesota's catcher setup in 2027. He's been stashed at Triple-A, third on the depth chart, up until the starter went down with a hamate fracture this past week, forcing the Twins to confront the reality of a Jeffers-less future behind the plate.

Jackson could be part of it. He's got MLB experience and is still two years away from free agency. Like Kreidler, he offers enough defensive value in a limited role to justify rostering without a great deal of offensive production. But he's got to at least hit a little, and the .527 career MLB OPS up to this point won't cut it. 

He posted a career-high 111 OPS+ in Baltimore last year and has flashed pop at Triple-A with the Saints, albeit with a .295 OBP. Jackson got the start at catcher on Friday (going 0-for-4 with three strikeouts) and figures to play semi-regularly over the next couple of months. Will he establish himself as a credible option to share time with Victor Caratini in 2027 after Jeffers presumably moves on?

The dilemma here is that if Jackson plays well enough to earn a spot in the team's 2027 plans, it decreases his odds of getting through waivers again when Jeffers returns. But you cross that bridge when you get there. 

Yoendrys Gómez
The advantage of having a wide-open bullpen, as the Twins do this year, is that you can audition intriguing arms and hopefully run into a few overlooked useful pieces along the way. In the past we've seen Minnesota use this method to come upon multi-year contributors like Brandon Kintzler, Casey Fien and Jared Burton.

The relievers who've rotated through their bullpen carousel so far this year, like Zak Kent and Garrett Acton, have failed to capture the imagination. Gómez, their latest waiver-wire pickup, is a little more interesting. I certainly don't want to blow out of proportion his tiny sample of work with the Twins, but in eight appearances, he's looked legitimately good with seven strikeouts and just one hit allowed in 6 ⅓ innings. His appearance in last Wednesday's series finale against Houston, striking out five of seven batters faced, was an eye-opener.

The fact that he's appeared on five different MLB teams since the start of last year could be viewed as a negative, a sign of his perceived dispensability, or a more positive indicator of the intrigue that numerous different front offices — including the Dodgers, Yankees and Rays — have seen in him. There's nothing stopping the Twins from giving Gómez a more extended look than any of those other clubs saw fit. 

 

The Twins whiffed on almost all of their minor-league bullpen signings, from Liam Hendriks and Andrew Chafin to Matt Bowman and John Brebbia, so they really could use a hit on a random find like Gómez. Or Cody Laweryson, or Eric Orze. This relief corps needs all the help it can get going forward.

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[Nshore]

I know we're not supposed to talk about Royce Lewis here, but I'm going to do it anyway.  If the guy gets going, it could transform the season.  How can a guy go from missing meatball fastballs (and everything else) in the Twins lineup to immediately hitting bombs for the Saints?  I don't get it.

[Coach Wheels]

I don't think Kriedler and Gray can both be viable keepers; pick one and move on. Clemens, with his versatility, is an easy to give a deal to for 2027, sometime after July 1st

[tony&rodney]

Timely article in that the role players have been picking up the guys who were expected to carry the team (Lewis, Wallner). Each of the guys mentioned and James Outman as well provide value when they play well. Right now the Twins are a little short of full time regulars. Hopefully within a couple of months a few players will step up to claim some positions. Until then we are seeing a strong effort from the players highlighted. 

Long term the Twins will hope to have a stronger base of regular position players and the list of utility players will dwindle. Of the players noted in the article, Clemens and Kreidler are ideal fits for the team. Both play numerous positions well. Kreidler can also run a bit. Escobar and Castro developed into fair hitters which may be the key to whether Clemens and Kreidler stick around for a few years. In St. Paul, Ben Ross could be a candidate for a role player in the near future. The bat is important though and we are seeing that the pitchers today are making life difficult for most hitters.

[mikelink45]

When I see Lewis, Wallner and Sano in the same article it makes me think about how many exciting prospects have fizzled.  Thankfully you also mentioned Buxton who finally seems to be a healthy star.  

Noah Miller was going to be really good, but he is really gone.  Chase Petty is with the Reds, Aaron Sabato is no longer thought of as star potential, but he is in AAA and doing well.  

Keoni Cavaco is so gone I cannot remember him.  Trever Larnach is finally showing his skills and will probably be traded. Brent Rooker was first round with Lewis and he has become a very good player for the Sacramento team. 

Then there is Kirilloff - a real estate salesman, Tyler Jay, Nick Gordon, Kohl Stewart, Luke Bard. 

But we did hit with Berrios - now a Blue Jay and it was the same round we took Buxton.

In 2011 - Boyd, Michael and Harrison - three picks and we wiffed on all of them.  The draft before we took Wimmers. I will end with 2009 when we got Gibson - not a star but a good pitcher and Bashore (who?).

 

 

 

[Patzky]

1 hour ago, Nshore said:

I know we're not supposed to talk about Royce Lewis here, but I'm going to do it anyway.  If the guy gets going, it could transform the season.  How can a guy go from missing meatball fastballs (and everything else) in the Twins lineup to immediately hitting bombs for the Saints?  I don't get it.

He did the same thing when he got to St Paul after his injury. Pressure? Pitching quality explains some but he was missing so badly when he was up.. 

[GopherMike]

I'd rank them as follows:

Kody Clemens-- most believable

He's not a star, but he doesn't need to be. He has great defense at 1st, has some positional flexibility, left-handed power, and can be controlled through arbitration. He has a role and he sticks

Ryan Kreidler-- highest  "Willi Castro" upside

The defense is elite. He can play SS AND Center credibly. I don't think he'll ever hit like Castro...but I wouldn't be surprised if he sticks.

Yoendrys Gomez-- highest upside

The article is correct not to overstate the sample size, but his profile is interesting. He needs to keep his walks under control, but he can pitch currently in leverage situations to a degree almost nobody else in the bullpen has proven they can. I'm hoping for him.

Alex Jackson-- useful test but not a plan

His MLB track record is ugly and he's done nothing this year to prove otherwise. Maybe he sticks as a backup...but I'd rather that not be our plan today.

Tristan Gray-- least convincing

I like Tristan a lot. I'm glad he's having a moment. But he's also 30, the approach is rough, he hasn't realy forced anything, and the profile is much more thin than Kreidler or Clemens. He's a depth piece that is serving a function now...but I don't think he has any real longterm roster role. 

 

[GopherMike]

By the way I really like this article much more than the "what guy in AA that is on a Baseball Prospectus list should be helping us right now?" type.

These are the questions we should using the next 30-60 days to figure out, and it's part of what is making this Twins team fun to watch right now. 

[bean5302]

1 hour ago, Nshore said:

I know we're not supposed to talk about Royce Lewis here, but I'm going to do it anyway.  If the guy gets going, it could transform the season.  How can a guy go from missing meatball fastballs (and everything else) in the Twins lineup to immediately hitting bombs for the Saints?  I don't get it.

I think his work to change his approach this offseason has messed up his timing. He hit a couple bombs, but his approach in the first 3 plate appearances was trash. 2 of first 3 PA came against Cole Ragans who just overwhelmed Royce.

Lewis has struggled to catch up to fastballs. That's not the end of the world. Buxton looked washed for the first couple months of last year against fastballs, too. It happens, but Lewis has just been desperately hacking away at everything. He's got to learn to take what he's given.

[terrydactyls]

1 hour ago, Nshore said:

I know we're not supposed to talk about Royce Lewis here, but I'm going to do it anyway.  If the guy gets going, it could transform the season.  How can a guy go from missing meatball fastballs (and everything else) in the Twins lineup to immediately hitting bombs for the Saints?  I don't get it.

Having a small stadium in which to hit doesn't hurt.  There are not many 368 foot HRs in the majors unless the ball barely misses (or hits) the foul pole.

[bean5302]

13 minutes ago, GopherMike said:

...Ryan Kreidler-- highest  "Willi Castro" upside

The defense is elite. He can play SS AND Center credibly. I don't think he'll ever hit like Castro...but I wouldn't be surprised if he sticks...

No it's not elite, even if Twins Daily writers want to declare him to be the next coming of Ozzie Smith. There's nothing I can find in Kreidlers recent history to suggest he's anything more than adequate.

[karcherd]

32 minutes ago, terrydactyls said:

Having a small stadium in which to hit doesn't hurt.  There are not many 368 foot HRs in the majors unless the ball barely misses (or hits) the foul pole.

According to MILB his home runs were measured at 405 and 406 feet.  I know many want to trash Lewis on here, but at least be fair when you do it.  

[karcherd]

Clemens is the only position player of this group that should have consideration for next year.  But only as a bench player, playing a couple of times a week or when there are injuries. 

Kreidler is not going to all of sudden turn into Castro or Escobar just because some want it to happen.  He couldn't even beat out Gray coming out of spring training.  I will enjoy his success when it happens but expectations are being kept low.

[LA Vikes Fan]

I enjoyed the article, but I just don’t think there’s much there. It all depends on one defines the word “future”. If that means this year and next only, Clemens is part of that future as a starter this year and reserve next year but that’s likely it unless he can hit a little better, like .260/.349/450. I don’t think he can. Kreidler can’t hit, but is younger and fields well enough that he could be a 2 to 3 year utility infielder if he could even hit .220. Gray and Jackson are already over  30 and once again, neither can hit. Gray is gone this year and Jackson may make it to next year because the Twins don’t have any other catchers but my guess is they trade Jeffers at the deadline and also trade for a catcher to match with Caratini.

The guy who has a chance to make it is Gomez. He will get a full year run this season barring injury and the Twins have no other viable options. At age 26, I could see him around for the next four or five years in a mid to high leverage role in the bullpen. I doubt if he’s the closer, but I think we could see him pitching a lot in the seventh and eighth in the next few years.

As an aside, it’s great to see the Twins doing exactly what they should do right now by auditioning players who could help them out in the future. Let’s see if Brooks Lee can play third base and hit well enough to be a lineup fixture in the five or six hole in the batting order. Let’s see if Gomez, Morris, Adams, and eventually Klein can be part of a bullpen. We are hopefully only a few weeks away from Culpepper coming up and playing shortstop for most of the rest of the season and maybe Lewis getting some run at first or second base. Can Prielipp, Abel, and Rojas start in a quality rotation? Can GG hit MLB pitching? How about Emma and Jenkins? We need to know the answer to most of these questions by the end of this season. If even half of them turned out to be yes, this could be a very fun and exciting team to watch. 

[ashbury]

4 hours ago, Nshore said:

I know we're not supposed to talk about Royce Lewis here, but I'm going to do it anyway. 

Stopped reading here. Thanks for the headsup.

[Brandon]

I did want to point out that whoever is coaching 1B defense needs a raise.  3 straight years of gold glove defense with 3 different players is very impressive.  He has helped make Clemens a valuable player to keep around as Clemens hits just enough but with great 1B defense and the ability to play other positions he becomes more valuable for the team and less of a risk of a slump.  (Because he can still provide value on defense when that happens). If he can maintain that 100-110 OPS then we may have a value find on our hands.  

If Kreidler is great defensively he won't need more than a ,680 OPS to be a valuable bench player.  At his price if he can continue to hit 90+ OPS with well above average defense he will be kept.

Bullpen:  Gomez, Lawyerson, and Orze, it seems like the pen has been much better lately and these guys are part of the reason why.  Banda has been on a run too.  He really has 4 implosions early in the season and 20 good appearances with quite a few in a row so he seems back on track too.  I think only Sands has a guaranteed spot next season so it's a wide open situation.  Orze seems like a great candidate to tock one down.  Gomez is trending that way too 

I noticed Outman was not included on this list.  He has been hitting since his 0-18 start to the season.  I don't see him sticking around but he does deserve credit for being solid even good since the bad start to the season.  How good is he defensively in CF?

Hopefully Alex Jackson shows just how much we need Jeffers and we extend him at the All Star break.

[terrydactyls]

3 hours ago, karcherd said:

According to MILB his home runs were measured at 405 and 406 feet.  I know many want to trash Lewis on here, but at least be fair when you do it.  

And the one he hit a couple days ago was 368 feet.

[Riverbrian]

Kudo's Nick... You are one of the best writers here. Great article... perfectly timed of for the who/what we should be watching right now. 

Kody Clemens. The guy hasn't actually felt the love from these pages. But... 19 home runs... in all his streakiness... in spite of his low on base percentage. 19 home runs... is nothing to sneeze at. His on-base percentage has come up... slugging has come down. But... the guy is battling. Go get em Kody! 

Ryan Kriedler... if he hits the baseball. If he surprises anyone and becomes a decent hitter. With this incredible opportunity that has been handed to him. If he demonstrates enough talent to consider keeping. 

Like you mentioned... he isn't Arb Eligible until 2028. If you can spare the 40 man space and 26 man space. 

You gotta hope that some young prospects rise up and pressure that 40 an space so Kriedler is gonna need to be decent with the bat. He is decent defensively... I haven't seen the hyped up defense I've been reading about but he is clearly decent defensively. 

Tristan Gray is the same story as Kriedler. Kriedler has got to be good and so does Gray. As long as Lewis is down... It should be... Mr. Kriedler, Mr. Gray, Mr. Arcia. Let's move Brooks over to 3B and let's see what you got. The front office signed these guys for a reason. They see something that made them choose them as a safety net. Safety nets are always needed in the free falling sport of baseball. Role players... little platoons... they will be forced into the lineup eventually so you might as well staff it with as good as you can find. You rostered them... this was always going to be necessary. 

Alex Jackson: I'm pulling for him. It's not like the Twins organization catcher depth chart has eased the necessity for someone... anyone. The addition of Tait still leaves... in the meantime... immediate depth concerns.   

Yeodrys Gomez... Keep throwing him out there. That's a live arm... that's exactly what we should be searching for in the rebuild of this bullpen. Let's see if he can look like he did against Houston again. This bullpen needs to find the finds.

Edit: He scared the hell out of me this afternoon. He got a little cattywampus... he's got get that under control.  

Clemens is the most likely. Gomez I'd put him 2nd if he doesn't get cattywampus. I don't have a 3rd. 

[PatPfund]

On the pitching side, the Twins will need to keep throwing spaghetti at the wall to see what sticks. On the position side I can say positive things about a lot of these players, but I'd also say the fact we have so many (Kreidler, Gray, Clemens, Outman) shows the weakness of our everyday lineup. It would be a lot better if two of those (Outman and Gray?) go away soon, and if minor leaguers can't force that to happen in the next couple months it is a worse sign for our future than which role player is here longer term.

[JD-TWINS]

8 hours ago, GopherMike said:

I'd rank them as follows:

Kody Clemens-- most believable

He's not a star, but he doesn't need to be. He has great defense at 1st, has some positional flexibility, left-handed power, and can be controlled through arbitration. He has a role and he sticks

Ryan Kreidler-- highest  "Willi Castro" upside

The defense is elite. He can play SS AND Center credibly. I don't think he'll ever hit like Castro...but I wouldn't be surprised if he sticks.

Yoendrys Gomez-- highest upside

The article is correct not to overstate the sample size, but his profile is interesting. He needs to keep his walks under control, but he can pitch currently in leverage situations to a degree almost nobody else in the bullpen has proven they can. I'm hoping for him.

Alex Jackson-- useful test but not a plan

His MLB track record is ugly and he's done nothing this year to prove otherwise. Maybe he sticks as a backup...but I'd rather that not be our plan today.

Tristan Gray-- least convincing

I like Tristan a lot. I'm glad he's having a moment. But he's also 30, the approach is rough, he hasn't realy forced anything, and the profile is much more thin than Kreidler or Clemens. He's a depth piece that is serving a function now...but I don't think he has any real longterm roster role. 

 

Sunday evening……..After just 3 starts - ORLANDO ARCIA is going to have a place on the roster for a while. Defense at 2B has really elevated ……. odd to see a smooth defender at 2B.

1 hit - 2 hits - 3 hits in his first 3 games starting. Assuming he’d have to pass through waivers if he left the MLB roster ……. he’d be gone for sure.

Kreidler makes the plays at SS and keeps getting just enough hits to stick. …… ability to shift to OF as needed (& play well) is a big advantage for him in the roster.

With Clemens ability to play 2B if needed & Lee apparently taking up residence at 3B & Keaschall’s probable heavy playing time at 2B …………. it seems Kreidler - Arcia - Keaschall are the middle infield………. Gray may have a difficult time carving out a spot, even with Lewis in St Paul.

2 Catchers - Buxton - Larnach - Martin - Outman - Gonzales ……. Arcia - Lee - Bell - Clemens - Keaschall - Kreidler

Gray doesn’t seem to fit…….somebody gets exposed to waivers OR Gonzales goes back down.

 

[ashbury]

23 minutes ago, JD-TWINS said:

Sunday evening……..After just 3 starts - ORLANDO ARCIA is going to have a place on the roster for a while. Defense at 2B has really elevated ……. odd to see a smooth defender at 2B.

1 hit - 2 hits - 3 hits in his first 3 games starting. Assuming he’d have to pass through waivers if he left the MLB roster ……. he’d be gone for sure.

Kreidler makes the plays at SS and keeps getting just enough hits to stick. …… ability to shift to OF as needed (& play well) is a big advantage for him in the roster.

With Clemens ability to play 2B if needed & Lee apparently taking up residence at 3B & Keaschall’s probable heavy playing time at 2B …………. it seems Kreidler - Arcia - Keaschall are the middle infield………. Gray may have a difficult time carving out a spot, even with Lewis in St Paul.

2 Catchers - Buxton - Larnach - Martin - Outman - Gonzales ……. Arcia - Lee - Bell - Clemens - Keaschall - Kreidler

Gray doesn’t seem to fit…….somebody gets exposed to waivers OR Gonzales goes back down.

 

I would give serious consideration to optioning Keaschall to AAA to work on the defense.

[HerbieFan]

All Victor Caratini has shown me through the first 1/3 of the season is that he's basically Vazquez part 2.  I don't understand why Jeffers hasn't been signed.  Tait is a top prospect, but he's just that - a prospect.  There are exactly zero catchers in the organization that look like they could come anywhere close to what Jeffers is.

[GopherMike]

1 hour ago, HerbieFan said:

All Victor Caratini has shown me through the first 1/3 of the season is that he's basically Vazquez part 2.  I don't understand why Jeffers hasn't been signed.  Tait is a top prospect, but he's just that - a prospect.  There are exactly zero catchers in the organization that look like they could come anywhere close to what Jeffers is.

Because it's going to take an ass-ton of money. 

[Twins GFP]

13 hours ago, HerbieFan said:

All Victor Caratini has shown me through the first 1/3 of the season is that he's basically Vazquez part 2.  I don't understand why Jeffers hasn't been signed.  Tait is a top prospect, but he's just that - a prospect.  There are exactly zero catchers in the organization that look like they could come anywhere close to what Jeffers is.

Jeffers agent is Scott Boras. Boras clients do not sign extensions. Players choose Scott Boras because the only thing that really matters is getting the most money from whoever will pay it..

[Twins GFP]

Clemens and Kriedler both bring value to a team. They can both play average to above-average defense at multiple positions. The difference between those two and Willi Castro is at the plate. They don't need to be Buxton offensively, but if they can be adequate, the defense carries them. Ideally they both play extremely well so one of them can be flipped at the deadline.

Gray is a stop-gap and probably will not last the season.

Jackson is fungible. Even if they lose him, MiLB is littered with defense-only catchers that can be had for relatively nothing.

Gomez's stuff and age, along with nobody pushing him for a spot, should give him a fairly long runway to see if he can put it together.

[bean5302]

19 hours ago, terrydactyls said:

And the one he hit a couple days ago was 368 feet.

Seems like Brian Dozier hit about 100 career home runs at 350 feet. Target Field left-corner is 339, left-center is 377.

[terrydactyls]

1 hour ago, Twins GFP said:

Jeffers agent is Scott Boras. Boras clients do not sign extensions. Players choose Scott Boras because the only thing that really matters is getting the most money from whoever will pay it..

That is a very true, but also a very sad, comment.  Just how much money is enough?  Jeff Bezos money?  Or do you turn that down in search of Elon Musk money?

[ashbury]

4 hours ago, Twins GFP said:

Jeffers agent is Scott Boras. Boras clients do not sign extensions. Players choose Scott Boras because the only thing that really matters is getting the most money from whoever will pay it..

2 hours ago, terrydactyls said:

That is a very true, but also a very sad, comment.  Just how much money is enough?  Jeff Bezos money?  Or do you turn that down in search of Elon Musk money?

[Mike Sixel]

18 hours ago, HerbieFan said:

All Victor Caratini has shown me through the first 1/3 of the season is that he's basically Vazquez part 2.  I don't understand why Jeffers hasn't been signed.  Tait is a top prospect, but he's just that - a prospect.  There are exactly zero catchers in the organization that look like they could come anywhere close to what Jeffers is.

Because Jeffers will want a ton of money and this ownership group is cutting payroll? 

I'll be happy to be wrong about Clemens, but I still have doubts. I like Kriedler as defensive sub for the next few years if he hits at all. I don't need to see Gray more..

[Mike Sixel]

3 hours ago, terrydactyls said:

That is a very true, but also a very sad, comment.  Just how much money is enough?  Jeff Bezos money?  Or do you turn that down in search of Elon Musk money?

It's sad Jeffers wants to get paid more? He's not close to those guys, come on. It's sad the billionaire owners who didn't work for the money at all, but inherited it, won't pay going rates.