Minnesota Twins Roster Projection 2015 Version 2.0

Players like Nunez and Milone do nothing for me. Let the youngsters play! Not sure why the Twins felt they had to sign Milone when they already have a logjam going on.

I don't like Nunez involved because he can do only one thing well and that is run. That's it. and I would like to see James Beresford get a chance in the big leagues, even if it is a limited cup of coffee.

Milone instead of May is likely and also just ridiculous.

Smart commenters, everyone hating on Nunez together, I like it. No room for a second utility infielder on this team, especially one with limited defensive and offensive ability. he doesn't do either well, or even relatively well. The only plus skill he has is losing his helmet running the basees.

Doing the math with Seth's 25 man roster, looks pretty much like this:

 

(+Hunter-Willingham)+(Santana-Correia)+(Graham-Burton)+70 > 82 ?

 

They need to do better than that to be respectable...

Awesome math!!  Just wanted to point that out. That's all. Have a great day

I can't help but conclude that Tommy Milone is a reverse Phil Hughes.  Hughes had terrible numbers in Yankee stadium, but he had really good stuff and decent numbers everywhere else.  Good K numbers, a good HR rate everywhere else.  It was a great sign and logic.  Take the guy away from the terrible stadium, get decent numbers with a chance his confidence will explode and he will improve

Milone has a career 3.44 ERA and .699 OPS in Oakland.  He left 76.3% of his runners stranded there, thanks in part to cheap pop up outs.

On the road, he has a career 4.48 ERA and .785 OPS.  He strands only 69.3% of his runners.   Only 41 players had a higher OPS last year.

His upside is that of a 5th starter at best and he is 28 years old.  Why on earth would we give him the 5th starter role over two 25 year olds who have way more upside and are likely to outperform him? 

This appears to be a very tough concept for the Twins, but games in April count the same as game in July or August

Players like Nunez and Milone do nothing for me. Let the youngsters play! Not sure why the Twins felt they had to sign Milone when they already have a logjam going on.

Not not a big Nunez fan but don't really see any youngsters who are a better fit for what we are expecting from that spot.  They traded for Milone for a number of reasons not the least of which is that he is a veteran left handed pitcher with with proven major league track record.

What's going on   [if anything] with Danny Santana?   I didn't see his name in the box-score yesterday.

Seth, as it stands right now, I'd say you're right on.  I'd really like to see more youth on this team, but TR's spending is killing that idea.  Milone would make a lot more sense if the rest of the starting staff had more power in their fastball.  Hughes and Gibson would/may be more effective as well. 

 

 

Milone has a career 3.44 ERA and .699 OPS in Oakland.  He left 76.3% of his runners stranded there, thanks in part to cheap pop up outs.

 

On the road, he has a career 4.48 ERA and .785 OPS.  He strands only 69.3% of his runners.   Only 41 players had a higher OPS last year.

 

 

Hard time believing more foul territory helps Milone more than anyone else.   You point out how much higher his road ERA is but fail to consider it is better than Gibson, Nolasco (NL) and Santana's career road ERA's.   You are criticizing his worst split even though his road numbers are still about a run better than the rotation's ERA has been the last two years overall.   To me the big concern is his fastball.   Not because I think a guy needs to throw 95 to succeed but because I read that Milone's has dropped a couple years in a row now.   89 with a great change up and control is different than 85 with the same change up.     

Players like Nunez and Milone do nothing for me. Let the youngsters play! Not sure why the Twins felt they had to sign Milone when they already have a logjam going on.

What created the logjam was the Santana signing.   Nolasco's poor year didn't help.  I want May because I think he can be much better than a 5th starter but am not sold on Nolasco and don't write off Milone just based on 5 starts at the end of last year.  

Smart commenters, everyone hating on Nunez together, I like it. No room for a second utility infielder on this team, especially one with limited defensive and offensive ability. he doesn't do either well, or even relatively well. The only plus skill he has is losing his helmet running the basees.

Not a big fan of Nunez or Beresford but Punto is gone so who should take their place?   With Arcia and Hunter in the outfield the 4th outfielder will be used defensively late plenty often.   You can count on a pinch runner for Vargas regularly and you always want to keep at least one guy on the bench for injuries.  You want a bench guy with some pop and Escobar probably fits that bill but the only spot at the moment he would pinch hit for is a centerfielder.     Polanco would be good but you don't want him in a reserve role at this point.    I think Escobar will get a fair amount of infield rotation but otherwise I don't think Nunez or Beresford get much duty aside from late inning defense or pinch running so kind of a non issue.   Am I missing someone that would be better?   I don't care for those two and would maybe prefer another relief pitcher but if you are going to keep that many on the bench what are the alternatives?   

I don't like that Nunez has moved into "given" status, but I will concede that there aren't many other options at this point. Unless someone like Beresford outplays him all spring - I think he's "in". You certainly don't want someone like Polanco riding the bench in Nunez's place, so if those are the options, I'd rather it be Nunez who "rots" while the young guys play full time at the lower levels.

It wouldn't make sense to have Hunter around to mentor Hicks if Hicks is in AAA, so I think he is a given as well.  I also am not a fan of Nunez, but I also don't see a better option at this point.  A young guy with lots of speed and limited upside would fit the role.  Any suggestions...or do you keep Chris Herrmann as a super duper utility role?

I have advocated a Schaeffer/Hicks centerfield platoon but maybe if Rosario shows a lot we go with a Rosario/Hicks platoon and late inning lead holding outfield defense of Schaeffer, Rosario and Hicks which might actually be slightly above average rather than dramatically below average..  So essentially 5 outfielders.   When Buxton gets here and Hunter is gone move Rosario to left and make Hicks the 4th outfielder with starts mostly against lefties.  .

Doing the math with Seth's 25 man roster, looks pretty much like this:

 

(+Hunter-Willingham)+(Santana-Correia)+(Graham-Burton)+70 > 82 ?

 

They need to do better than that to be respectable...

Need to subtract out Bartlett and Kubel also.

Hard time believing more foul territory helps Milone more than anyone else.   You point out how much higher his road ERA is but fail to consider it is better than Gibson, Nolasco (NL) and Santana's career road ERA's.   You are criticizing his worst split even though his road numbers are still about a run better than the rotation's ERA has been the last two years overall.   To me the big concern is his fastball.   Not because I think a guy needs to throw 95 to succeed but because I read that Milone's has dropped a couple years in a row now.   89 with a great change up and control is different than 85 with the same change up.     

Milone's IF fly ball rate is 16% higher at home. I think it plays a role in his splits.

Santana and Nolasco have an OPS of .757 and .755 on the road, versus Milone's .785.    Both of those guys have played a few seasons with different teams as well

Milone's IF fly ball rate is 16% higher at home. I think it plays a role in his splits.

 

Santana and Nolasco have an OPS of .757 and .755 on the road, versus Milone's .785.    Both of those guys have played a few seasons with different teams as well

Nolasco was almost completely in the NL which I believe deflates his numbers.    I want May to be the 5th pitcher.   I am ok with Santana.     I am even ok with Nolasco but I have just always felt Milone was dismissed because he doesn't throw as hard.    If after this latest surgery he can get just a couple mph back to where he was at his best I don't think he should be written off.  

There's no way they are going to keep a fairly well regarded prospect on the MLB team to be part of a platoon and not get the development of facing both sides. That's not unique to the Twins.

Especially when the side he hits well from would be against lefties.  Maybe we would call him up for that role during a pennant run

Catchers (2): Kurt Suzuki, Josmil Pinto (AGREE)
Infielders (7): Kennys Vargas, Joe Mauer, Brian Dozier, Trevor Plouffe, Danny Santana, Eduardo Escobar, Eduardo Nunez (AGREE, and I have no problem with Nunez. There are no better options, and what you want on the bench is a late game improvement in skill over at least one starter position in as many of these areas as you can - Defense, Speed, Power. Nunez will bring a speed improvement. The fact that he can play a few positions makes him useful. If only he also offered power and defense, too.)

Outfielders (4): Oswaldo Arcia, Torii Hunter, Jordan Schafer, Aaron Hicks (MOSTLY AGREE). I think if Rosario plays out of his mind this spring and Hicks struggles, Rosario pulls a Hicks (circa 2013) and goes north as the starter. Longshot, but a possibility. If Hicks plays nearly equal to Rosario or Hicks has a good spring, Hicks goes north as the starter. If both Hicks and Rosario flop in the spring, Schafer goes north as the starter and somebody like Robinson plays 4th OF.)

Starting Pitchers (5): Phil Hughes, Ervin Santana, Ricky Nolasco, Kyle Gibson, Tommy Milone (AGREE 1-4, DISAGREE 5. I think Milone would have to be perfect in spring training to go north. In my (meaningless) opinion, it is May's job to lose. He could lose it, certainly, but I think it's his. I think they are willing to cut Pelfrey loose unless he shows them perfection in spring, too. Meyers goes to AAA and is the first one called up when needed, assuming he shows his stuff.)

Bullpen (7): Glen Perkins, Casey Fien, Brian Duensing, Tim Stauffer, Caleb Thielbar, Mike Pelfrey, JR Graham. (1-4 AGREE, 5-7 DISAGREE. I don't think Thielbar is a lock, no Pelfrey in the pen, and Graham will be offered back or a trade will be worked out. If Thielbar is a lock, 2 of Pressley, Tonkin, and Oliveros)