stringer bell

It’s early, but Garlick and Braxton have been rapping the ball. I wonder if both Rooker and Kirilloff start in St. Paul.

I think a non-roster infielder makes the Twins team to start 2021. Arraez is a good offensive player who plays an acceptable second base. I think he can be deployed occasionally in left field with little negative effect and can probably give a healthy Josh Donaldson a few days off at third, but he will be a defensive liability anywhere but second. I don't think Arraez is anything more than a stopgap at shortstop. With the departure of Marwin Gonzalez and Ehire Adrianza, the Twins have a hole to fill--finding competent and versatile defenders--Riddle, Romine and Lin all seem to fit the bill. Each would appear to have a different strength. Riddle having the superior glove at shortstop, Lin perhaps with the most offensive upside and Romine the most versatile and most experienced and a switch hitter. I think there is a position to be won by one of the three.

Very early. Still Columé did not look good.

Garver goes oppo. 1-0 Twins.

With a 26-man roster, there is room for five outfielders IMHO and I think Cave is pretty close to a lock to make the team. The question is whether he's third (starting left fielder), fourth or fifth. I suspect both Arraez and Kirilloff are ahead of Cave to be the "everyday" left fielder, with Cave a lock and then a competition for fifth OF, which would include Garlick, Broxton, Rooker or none of these. I don't see Rooker as a great fit to be a fifth OF, particularly since he hasn't played first base in years and the Twins have a full-time DH. Of course, this is presuming health and we know that injuries will happen.

Unless he gets a starting job, I don’t like Rooker as a fourth/fifth outfielder. I think it would really be tough for a guy accustomed to playing regularly to play once or twice a week. His best asset is his bat and I doubt there would be many opportunities to pinch hit. He’s not fast or a good fielder and not really versatile.

I think that as long as Kepler is around as a corner outfielder, Kirilloff will get his reps in left.

With the exception of left field, there are no real contests for starting positions for the 2021 Twins. If he doesn't start as the most frequent left fielder, Luis Arraez will get frequent starts in the infield. The major competition for roster positions will come down to backup outfielders, another utility infielder (particularly if Arraez gets a lot of starts in left) and perhaps a third catcher. I've seen posts suggesting that three rookies, outside of Alex Kirilloff, should get consideration for backup outfielder and utility infielder. That would be Travis Blankenhorn, Nick Gordon and Brent Rooker. The three have a combined total of 25 plate appearances in eight major league games. Rooker is a corner outfielder who played some first base early in his professional career, Blankenhorn has played second, third and left field and Gordon has divided his minor league time between second and shortstop. Ideally, the Twins could use someone to back up at all infield positions and left. In my opinion, none of the rookies here is a fit to be a bench player. None of these guys project as an above average performer in the field. It seems to me that asking inexperienced players to assume a bench role, starting no more than once or twice a week, is asking a lot. They are not used to the role and with the added pressure of proving they belong, I don't think it is putting a player in a position where he has a reasonable chance to succeed. If there is hope for a player to become a major league regular, I don't think bench roles are a good learning experience. The non-roster invitees and waiver claim Kyle Garlick would appear to be better fits for backup roles than the rookies who were in the Twins system, even if their upsides are limited. When injuries occur, the rookies would probably get a chance to get some regular playing time and have a more reasonable chance to prove their worth on the biggest stage.

I see a spot for a non-roster infielder like Riddle. Unless the club wants to move Polanco to short every time Simmons is out, there is a real need for a plus defender to back up on the left side. Gordon would also be interesting, but he hasn’t played third at all to my knowledge and I don’t know if he’s even average at short.

I've wondered if the backup shortstop will be Polanco or if there would be another SS on the active roster come Opening Day. As far as Arraez' playing time, I suspect he'll get plenty of ABs as the left fielder. If a manager tries to put a shaky glove in the field, left field is as good as any. I know it was a small sample, but Arraez played pretty well in the field at second last year. He still doesn't strike me as a true utility man. He seems stretched as both a third baseman and left fielder and he's definitely not a shortstop. I suspect that the field staff keeps a guy who can play above-average SS besides Simmons.

One more 40-man move will have to be made for Shoemaker. Who gets the axe this time? Garlick would make sense or else Gibaut.

I think Broxton will have a chance to make the Twins Opening Day roster, particularly if the Twins are playing the service time game with Kirilloff. Personally, I don't think Rooker is a fit for infrequent playing time, such as the right handed half of a platoon. Given the Twins'lineup, chances for pinch hitting are few. Further, a bench option that has good speed and defensive ability in the outfield provides some needed elements. I would expect that someone not on the 40-man makes the 26-man and, to me, Broxton provides strengths that most other backup candidates don’t offer. He certainly can't just show up and be expected to make the team in April. If he doesn't make the team, he could benefit from going to St. Paul and showing what he can do.

Keon Broxton was signed to a minor league contract today by the Twins. He does offer some things that the Twins could use in a backup outfielder--good speed (possible pinch runer), plus defense and a right-handed bat. Especially if Kirilloff and Arraez are spending a lot of time in left field, it would figure that using Broxton as a defensive replacement might make some sense. Broxton has never hit much and he'll be 31 for most of the coming season, but I think the Twins'prospective bacup outfielders really lack speed and defense and none really figure as a fill-in for Buxton. If he can provide anything offensively, he might be a good fit for the 2021 Twins.

Trade makes sense. Wade will be better than expected for the Giants, but they get pretty good potential in Anderson. I do like what the FO is doing.

OK. The front office has done great (regular season results) so I guess I’ll give them the benefit of a doubt, but so far they have not been imaginative or aggressive and they have lost much more than they have brought in during free agency. I’d consider Happ a third tier starting pitching free agent signing.

It was a terrible season to try to incorporate so many new defensive players. Many teams have run into being decimated at one position or another, as the Vikings did at linebacker. I didn't think that they were much more than a .500 team, but they have a good deal of skill position talent. They'll have to strengthen the defense and improve the special teams and be more consistent on offense. It's been an every other year team in the playoffs, so maybe everything will break right for them next year.

I think Arraez is more stretched at SS than Polanco and is, if not a better offensive player, at least a more vital offensive player. Yes, the Twins used him at short, third and left, but I think Polanco would be better suited to a utility role.

Wondering about Freddy Galvis. He's a switch-hitter who has handled both second and short over the years and only a year removed from being a regular. Still seems to have the wheels and range to be a competent middle infielder. He's also had some time in the outfield and third base.

Cruz' second half of 2020 (30 games) was very ordinary. Does that matter to anyone? 2020 was such a strange year maybe it shouldn't count for much, but then again maybe his insanely good stats in July and early August shouldn't count for as much either. I'd like to see Cruz with the Twins in 2021, but I do think a second year shouldn't be guaranteed.

Sure. My point is that Cousins is mediocre (average) and given that the Vikings would need to be elite on both sides of the ball to compensate for an average QB. Teams have won with less talent overall, but with a top QB.

A big part of the reason that Cousins has the stats he has is that he has one of the top running backs in the NFL. Cousins has had very good success with play-action because of Cook and probably has had second half success in part because defenses have been worn down by an elite running attack. I think in the end a QB such as him keeps the team mediocre. If their defense was Top 10, they could be a threat in the playoffs. With a good defense and an elite quarterback (Mahomes, Rodgers, Wilson) they could be a Super Bowl team.

Also, catchers are given predictable days off—day game after night game, one game of a doubleheader—and often are paired with a particular starting pitcher. Sometimes managers are able to dovetail a platoon split with other priorities, but sometimes it doesn’t work out that way.

From memory, I believe Chuck Schilling was acquired by the Twins and never got into a game (in the early 60s).

I probably was at the same series. I remember thinking the highly regarded Twins team didn’t have any more prospects than Kane County. I sat next to Berríos in the stands. Vogelbach looked really pudgy and I thought there was no way that he would make the majors.

I don't pretend to know as much about pitching as the Twins braintrust. I'm certain they'll add pitchers and I expect those pitchers will fit well. I kind of like a couple of the center fielders who were cut loose, as well as maybe our old friend Danny Santana (listed as a first baseman). If Santana could be considered acceptable in the infield and corner outfield, he would be a replacement for Marwin and add some speed.