Shane Robinson

Definition-- jour·ney·man \-mən\:

a worker, performer, or athlete who is experienced and good but not excellent

In the nomenclature of the game we have many names for the journeyman.

On competitive teams we typically use the more endearing terms: role player, utility man, pinch hitter, defensive replacement. But on a losing team we tend to describe them in less complementary ways: placeholder, seat warmer, has been.

The Twins desperately needed a good start this year to generate some enthusiasm following a stretch of four consecutive horrible seasons and a deflating development involving their top free agent acquisition just before Opening Day.

Unfortunately, the first week has played out in the opposite fashion. One could hardly imagine a worse start to this 2015 campaign, as the first week of games has seen the Twins win just one of seven. For the most part, this club hasn't even been competitive.

Some of the struggles are tied up in slumps that seem unlikely to extend much further. But this is a roster that was constructed sub-optimally from the start, as Twins decision-makers opted for veteran mediocrity over youthful upside in almost every possible instance.

With that plan blowing up in the worst way, how long will Terry Ryan, Paul Molitor and Co. stick to their guns? How patient can they be before implementing major shakeups to prevent things from getting out of hand?

In baseball, spring is a time of optimism, hope, and endless possibilities. With the regular season days away, and anticipation at its highest following a long and cold offseason, just about everyone is feeling the buzz. The potential. The freshness.

This year, we should be feeling that vibe more than ever. Things are moving in a legitimately positive trajectory, in terms of upcoming young personnel, and this is the healthiest I can ever remember the team being at the start of April.

Yet, when you scan the roster that Paul Molitor and his staff have settled on taking north, it's hard not to feeling a sense of puzzlement and deflation.

This morning, first year manager Paul Molitor announced the next handful of roster cuts for the Minnesota Twins. As the team whittles down its roster to 25 players prior to opening day a week from Monday, the group of Fort Myers is going to get smaller. With 31 players now left in camp, Molitor has six more players he must send packing. The latest round however may have caused more confusion than clarity.

At the beginning of this month, I projected the Twins Opening Day roster. When spring training begins, I’ll update that list. There are few questions marks in the roster. The fifth starter job will be up for grabs as well as a couple of bullpen spots. However, the centerfield job will certainly be one to watch.