Riverbrian

I'm sure that Chief understands that there will always be a pecking order in the bullpen and whoever is at the bottom of the pecking order will be used less when possible. Cole Sands was probably at the bottom of that pecking order. However, In 2023... Cole Sands could be sent down. Even when he was up with the big club. He didn't just pitch in 6-0 mop ups. If Cole had bumps in the road. He will be sent down... the club doesn't have to keep absorbing the bumps. In 2025... Castellano can't be sent down. If he has bumps in the road... the club will have to absorb them. I agree with Chief... Any thought that we can just shelter him for a year in the bullpen to keep his talented arm will be near impossible. Any consideration that we can just absorb the bumps if there are bumps isn't ideal roster construction for a team that is claiming to be contending. Teams are using at least 3 bullpen arms a game almost every game. He will be brought to the mound in games still yet to be decided due to the unavailability of other bullpen options. With that said... I personally hope he makes the roster and pitches at least OK. I like the idea of young talent being prepped for major league work. But, I want the team prepared to cut bait if he is less than OK because he can't be sent down without arrangement with the Phillies.

My wife is always asking me "just what do you think you are trying to pull today". I don't know why she always asks me that. I assume it has something to do with age and hamstrings.

No matter what I complain about. I always go into a season optimistic. Teams come out of nowhere and surprisingly fall from grace all the time. It's a long season with twists and turns to come. The Cubs can still finish 160-2. Gotta battle one game at a time. I'm optimistic as I fill out my NCAA Tourney Bracket. Less Optimistic now because picking St. Francis to win it all was a bad choice by me. If I lack optimism... it is in regards to lack of adjustment when things are not going as planned. Poor Play has been allowed to continue too long too often. Yes... Margot is one example of what I mean.

I was sleeping in med school but I often wonder about sport to sport comparison. Football players are pretty good athletes... Typically Muscle Bound dudes who spend a lot of time in the weight room to get stronger. Montez Sweat checks in 260 and he ran a 4.4. I think I read somewhere that Montez caught and killed a Kangeroo. He makes into the lineup most every week other than a broken jaw in 2021. Do NFL players suffer more of these types of injuries than MLB players? Professional Soccer Players? Basketball? Hockey? I don't know the answer. Just thinking out loud. Whatever the answer is. My impression is that Baseball players get hurt and have been getting hurt since Justin Verlander invented the wheel.

Good post as always. I understand that this thread is about 2025 and not 2026 but let's take a look at 2026. Odds are that the Twins will lose the following players due to contract expiration: Vazquez, Bader, Paddack, Coulombe, Topa, France, Castro If you add in the 5 million less that Correa will make in 2026. That is about 38.6 million coming off the Books but it also means 7 replacements will be needed: 1 starter, 2 bullpen arms, 1 Catcher, 1 1B, 1 OF and 1 Super Utility Position player. I don't how much of that will be in eaten up in Arb Raises but with 12 players due raises, 30 million may be a fair guess. If Pay Roll is to remain the same. That leaves around 8 million to fill those 7 spaces. This is of course without any assumption that a new owner will be in place and any assumption that a new owner is going to raise payroll. It's not unreasonable to expect a honeymoon bump from a new owner but I don't know that you can plan for a new owner being in place or willingness to bump payroll. 8 million to fill those 7 spaces. That means without a shadow of a doubt that we will need development to fill the majority of those spaces. Those guys on the farm... are critical. Might as well get started on the development thing because if we don't... We are trading Lopez, Ober, Ryan or Duran just to free up extra money so we can sign Bader or France level types to fill some of those open spaces.

Lock? C'mon now and I say C'mon now with all due respect toward the Gasper the Friendly Ghost. Everybody should keep in mind that just 48 hours ago... Royce Lewis was a lock to make the 26 man roster out of spring training. Very soon, all 30 teams will have to cut down to 26 players to break camp. Some of those teams will spit out some considerations for our front office. Who knows... they may bite on someone. However, there is a reason the Twins traded for Gasper. There is a reason that he still has a 40 man spot. Somebody important likes him. And so far in spring training, which doesn't mean a ton, there is no reason not to like him. He looks like a hitter. It was pretty silly and naïve of the press to be hounding Marcus Stroman about being the odd man out or the Yankees rotation back in February. It turned out to be completely unnecessary to back Stroman into that corner. Make him into a bad guy. We got what 9 days to go before opening day. It is still too soon to declare locks or odd man out.

It's a shame... all we needed was 9 starters and 4 bench players and we were all set for 162 games. I'm shocked, shocked to find that injuries have happened in this clubhouse.

I think that Lee will start at AAA playing SS primarily. I think Castro will be starting at 2B against the Cardinals on opening day. I think... I don't know for sure.

Necessity is the mother of invention. Freddie Freeman and Pete Alonso drafted and developed as a 1B only is fairly rare. When you look at the primary 1B around the league you see a bunch of players who moved to 1B due to necessity when considering the context of the current team. As Jose Altuve learns to play LF this year... it's important to note that players move around all the time due to necessity and 1B is busy spot to slide into. Let's look at the projected primary 1B around the league: 1B exclusive throughout development: Red Sox - Triston Cases Royals - Vinnie Pasquantino Astros - Christian Walker - Primarily 1B but he did spend 2016 playing OF exclusively in Norfolk. Chris Davis was manning 1B at the big league level. Orioles released him - D-Backs picked him up for free at age 27 after the Reds claimed him and released him. Angels - Nolan Schanuel Yankees - Paul Goldschimdt Converted from other positions: A's - Tyler Soderstrom - Drafted as a Catcher in 2020. Played 1B and C almost equal amounts in the minors. Orioles - Ryan Mountcastle - SS and 3B early minors - Hit the big leagues as an OF White Sox - Andrew Vaughn - Primarily 1B in the minors - Played OF First 3 years in the majors due to the presence of Jose Abreu. White Sox won the AL Central with Vaughn as the primary LF so it worked out OK. Moved back to 1B after Abreu moved on. Guardians - Carlos Santana - Catcher for the first 4 years of his MLB career - Became the primary 1B in his 5th year at the age of 28. Tigers - Colt Keith - Broke in at 2B in the Major last year - Has never played 1B in his professional career. Mariners - Luke Raley - Played mostly OF - Although he has played some 1B almost every year in addition to OF in the minors and majors. Rays - Yandy Diaz - Primarily 3B - Played 3B, 2B and OF in the minors - Didn't become a primary until age 29. Did some light dabbling at 1B during age 26, 27 and 28 years. Rangers - Jake Burger - Played 3B - The Marlins were the first team to give him a 1B glove last year at age 28. Jays - Vlad Jr. - Played 3B exclusively in the minors and 1st year in the majors. That's just the American League - I can keep going and include the National League... but it will look the same. Necessity is the mother of invention. If you want a big body 6-3 Goldschmidt type 1B playing for you. It would be best if you draft and develop a guy like that. Otherwise the hole will be filled as necessity dictates... height be damned.

I'd be surprised if the organization was self sufficient next season.

Exactly... and on the pitching side. The begats have stopped as development has taken over.

Understood

Lots of begats going all the way back to the Old Testament.

What Solano, Taylor and Santana did for the Twins was nice. Decent... contributed to some W's in their single of year of service. No Complaints on any of the players but yet a concern remains. The concern is quite simply this: The yearly dependence upon players of this ilk. Taylor begets Margot, Margot begets Bader, Bader begets ??? Solano begets Santana, Santana begets France, France begets ???

No matter how strongly I feel about the questions you discuss in your post. You post a fair outline.

Sweet Destiny can be his new nickname. I wonder if he would mind. From your link... OMG... This quote struck me real hard. "If you go down the Mississippi River ... the river is littered with abandoned boats and jet skis," O'Connor said. "Somebody needs to do something about it." I could never imagine an abandoned boat and jet ski problem. Just another issue to add to the growing list of world problems that must be solved. World Hunger Abandoned Jet Ski's Finding a pillow that doesn't change from fantastic to uncomfortable on a given night.

Who knows what will happen but I'm guessing that Martin breaks camp with the club. Lee starts in AAA.

In regards to the game of baseball. This is one of the most important posts ever posted. I rank it right after... It's a dial not a switch.

This would be the only possible use of any cost savings in a Vazquez trade. And I believe that we are both correct in believing that there is next to no chance that all 10M would be moved and therefore available for such use at the deadline, unless a significant hurts to give up prospect was included in the deal.

You are correct. You can add Martin Maldanado with the White Sox to your Jackson and Hedges group. When you advance the playing time to around 300 AB's in 2024. There is a group of catchers that are in the Vazquez OPS ball park like Fortes, Lee, Heim and Rogers. I still contend that the 8 catchers identified by name by you and I are still "Lower bound". You are correct, there are a lot of catchers with MLB jobs with painful offensive production. Catchers have other responsibilities... I get that. It's a unique position in comparison to other positions on the field. I get that. I'll even recognize that Cleveland won the AL Central and made it to the ALCS championship game with two catchers that didn't hit very well. The Tigers traded their best hitting catcher Carson Kelly at the deadline and gave Rogers who was Vazquez like hitting the main job and they came on like a freight train to knock us out of the playoffs. I'll also recognize that Dusty Baker hung on to Maldonado like the Astros couldn't win without him. I recognize all of this. Yet my questions, concerns remain. How much do you want to pay for this particular package of catching ability? And how big of a drop off is it between this light hitting defensive catcher and the Option B who might OPS .500 if actually given the chance. What is the difference in the egg laid by the younger option and the egg laid by the experienced, older vet option. And the final question would be. When do you start the transition between experienced light hitting vet and younger catcher in need of that valuable experience? Actually one more question. Can you be trusted to initiate the transition in-house or must you rely upon another organization to break them in for you? The Next Guy up! Cartaya and Camargo. They are the next guys up. Ready or not... they will be necessary at a moment's notice. Ready or not... They best get them ready. I just can't shake my feelings toward the self created need to place an irreplaceable label on light hitting specialists. Innings eaters on the mound, specialists like the light hitting defensive catcher, the short side platoon bat. The Twins have done nothing to prepare for life beyond Vazquez other than work with coaches behind the scenes. So... yeah they must sleep in the Vazquez bed they made and I doubt the Mets want him anyway. I get what Jorgenswest is posing with his question. A part of me says... force it. Cut the security blanket and sink or swim with the pre-arb guys with full understanding of the potential eggs laid.

Don't know how accurate it is but I saw this the other day. https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/twins-willi-castro-lined-up-to-see-bulk-of-2b-reps/ If Castro is indeed the bulk 2B (if we break camp healthy). One of Julien or Lee can't come north out of Ft. Myers. I'd assume Lee because I don't think Lee will get a 26 man roster spot if he isn't the primary or bulk guy at a position and Castro is the 2B primary/bulk dude. I shouldn't assume but I assume that Jeffers, Vazquez, France, Castro, Lewis, Correa, Larnach, Buxton and Wallner are locks. And I assume that Miranda and Bader are also locks. That leaves two spots. If Castro is the bulk guy at 2B. In my mind... that makes Martin almost a lock because he can move around and play other positions and he can short side one of the two left handers that I consider locks. The last spot goes to ??? Julien or Gasper??? I don't think it will be Emma or Keirsay and that's what we have on the 40 man. I can't see any of the NRI's or someone not on the 40 man at this time getting the last spot. We have the DH spot to play with... we have plenty of guys who can play in the OF. Both Julien and Gasper are left handed... the other two 40 man options are both left handed and that produces the interesting question: What does Rocco do with a non-primary or non-bulk guy who hits left handed because hitting left handed the past couple of years... means bulk guy due to 75% of pitchers being right handed. I wouldn't rule out the possibility of all three (Lee, Julien and Gasper) not breaking camp and the Twins picking up some currently unknown guy released from another organization. Which of course costs a 40 man spot and someone making room. Canterino to the 60?... Castellano sent back to the Phillies? I may be assuming right now but I'll sit and watch knowing that possibilities still exist and I may be close or way off.

I had to scroll through a couple of pages of Mr. Bean just to find him standing in a field of something yellow. Normal people would have just taken an image off the first page... I want you to know that you are worth that type of effort. Can't or Won't? There are many who honestly believe they can't. I fear it's won't. I feel that because .575 is such a tremendously low bar to clear. Your farm doesn't have to produce Adley Rutschman... your farm just had to produce Jose Trevino. The market hasn't snuck up on anyone. The catching price tag has been inflated for many years now. I've been talking about it on Twinsdaily before covid. I've said... don't over pay for catching... grow your own. They play 100 games a year at most, they get hurt often and most of them don't hit much anyway. I get that there must be a difficulty in production across the league driving those prices up. But, other organizations are producing extra while the Twins front office has produced two major leaguers. Jeffers and Rortvedt. Better coaching? Sharper Draft Focus on the position? What is going on with development? Are expectations too high in regards to the handling of staff. Is defense the most important thing at the position? So important that a bat like Vazquez is not replaceable. If So... Work on defense... if working on defense isn''t working... Work harder. Develop that defensive guy who can't hit. Draft that defensive guy who can't hit. It will save you millions. You don't have to develop Will Smith... You can develop your own Fortes and it will save you millions. I don't blame them for signing Vazquez for 30 million at the time. It was an over pay but they put themselves in that position. Jeffers just had back to back years of .670 and .648 OPS with defensive questions and the defensive wizard Gary Sanchez was going away. It's ok to make a mistake in free agency just like it's OK to buy a boat with a hole in it if you didn't know about the hole. It's not OK to double down on it, take it to the lake and not try to swim to shore and here we are again. Staring at another free agent purchase in the off-season because we can't or won't.

I didn't think of that. I'll go speak with Jayce.

Riverbrian: Can I have a Guitar? Dad: How many hits have you produced? Riverbrian: Well... Umm... (Pause)... None Dad: Bob Dylan he produces hits Riverbrian: OK... I see. If I was Bob Dylan.. you would buy me a guitar. Dad: I would not Riverbrian: Why Not Dad: Bob Dylan already has one

I'm already making plans to draft Wallner in my fantasy league in rounds earlier then he is projected to go. If I don't get him in that league... I'm going to join an auction league just to draft him at a higher dollar amount than his listed value. If I don't get him in either of those leagues... I will join a fantasy hockey league and figure out how to draft him in that sport.