Twins Make First Roster Cuts

I remember when Tom Kelly was here there was a general belief that AA was the key and AAA was not necessary.  A good prospect can make the leap from AA to the majors and I am ready to push the envelop and go for the really good arm.  Keep Romero until he proves he does not belong.  

 

Since it is not my team and not my dollars I am ready to drop any of those who have less talent and block his way.  Can anyone tell me Mejia has a higher ceiling than Romero?

 

This quote - "The top prospects generally jump from AA to the majors and skip over AAA completely. It seems like the once a guys masters AA baseball, teams deem them ready to play in the majors if they have a long term opening. They don't want to move this top prospect to AAA because they have their former major leaguer there in his position. They don't want to release the former major league player from their system in case they need him. Teams also want guys playing everyday, so that they are ready to come up when needed." describes what I think about the AAA promotion.  http://baseballguru.com/bunko/analysisbunko22.html 

Tom Kelly is the Voice of Yahweh for me. 

Even though I commented preciously about the fact that Romero must have a slim chance to make the team seeing as he wasn't among the fist cuts, I'd have to guess that slim chance lies solely in the bullpen.

 

The team has little use for a 5th starter for the first month or so, it would make some sense to look at him as a swing man for the time being, this would also help the team manage his innings. The bullpen is looking much better this year, but there's still no iron lock for the role of long man.

Long ago, before the earth's crust cooled, when Gondwana was still a super-continent and not a hamburger, big league clubs would often bring a rookie pitcher into the bullpen to watch and learn from reliefosaurs and older catchers. 

Today our fangles are new. Promising young arms are grown hydroponically in climate-controlled tubes, fed a nutritious paste of goo and press clippings. It may take a little longer, and the results may be no better, but we all must acknowledge that the newer process is, in fact, newer. 

I'm actually more surprised that Littel was sent down, and back to AA, where he dominated. They really did not give him a chance to pitch much against MLB hitters. I hope he makes it to AAA and the Twins this season.

It is a numbers game. Slegers - Gonsalves - Romero - Jorge are all ahead of Littel and will be in the AAA rotation. And this doesn't include Enns (probably in the bullpen) or Mejia (probably starting the season in AAA) or someone else that I have forgotten.

Littel being in AA is due to the Twins pitching depth in the upper minors and not where he necessarily should be.

I think it’s possible...if he’s lights out in Rochester. I mean if he goes and pitches 2 months in Rochester and has an ERA under 2, whip around 1 (or under), is averaging 9+ k/9, and has a batting average against around or under .200 then he might be up before we think.

I'd guess they have Romero on some kind of innings count.  Possible he stays in Roch through maybe July and then comes to Twins as a reliever for August, September and, hopefully, October.

Well if he was in the pen to start with they would be able to limit his innings better. If anything I'd think it would reduce his likelihood of injury if his innings are being moderated and his health is being monitored at the MLB level. 

Do you think the team doctor is significantly better with the Twins than Rochester? Why can't they monitor his innings in Rochester? Similarly, how does being in the bullpen make them better able to monitor his innings? I would think it would be harder since he'd be getting up and down much more often and even multiple times in a day. 

Moving to the bullpen didn't work out very well for May. Now that is a sample size of one, but since Romero is literally the best chance, some might say only chance given the FO's actions this offseason, of becoming our front line pitcher I'm inclined to be exceedingly careful with him. 

No need to rush Romero. He's our best chance of developing a front of the rotation starter, in the next year or so. The next two that are mentioned as possible front line starters are teenagers.

Well if he was in the pen to start with they would be able to limit his innings better. If anything I'd think it would reduce his likelihood of injury if his innings are being moderated and his health is being monitored at the MLB level. 

Are you suggesting that a pitcher with a history of arm problems starts the season in the bullpen and then moves to the rotation later? This sounds like the worst possible transition for him. 

If you want to limit his innings then let him pitch 125-ish in the rotation (AAA or MLB) and then move him to the bullpen down the stretch with no back to back days.

Looking at the "on the bubble" bench players, which ones are the best bets to go North with the team? Seems like that group would include Granite, Adrianza, Aybar, Vargas (most likely they try and trade him), and Grossman, Any surprise picks to make the team among the non-pitchers?

Looking at the "on the bubble" bench players, which ones are the best bets to go North with the team? Seems like that group would include Granite, Adrianza, Aybar, Vargas (most likely they try and trade him), and Grossman, Any surprise picks to make the team among the non-pitchers?

Granite has options so I think it would take an injury for him to get a spot.

Vargas has little value considering the Twins have two 1B, a 3B that should DH (or maybe play 1B), a backup OF that should only DH and a backup catcher that is better with the bat than the glove. The Twins will be lucky to get an insignificant PTBNL for him.

I also don't see how Aybar beats out the younger and likely better Adrianza.

Grossman might not be great in the field but he can at least play OF and imo that easily puts him ahead of Vargas. I am not sure if he is still on the team at the end of the season (in favor of Granite) but he will be there to start the season.

Romero heads to AA, which is a bit surprising. 

Romero heads to AA, which is a bit surprising.

 

As far as timeline goes, not talent, Mejia, Gonsalves, Jorge, Littell (also sent to AA) and Slegers are all ahead of him. I feel like I'm missing someone...

And if Duffey is optioned to be a starter he'd be in AAA too.