Seth Stohs

I guess I'd be curious to hear if people really think that bullpens are changing much in baseball. I mean, the idea of starters going more than 6 innings often was done several years ago. I would 100% agree that the role of bullpens have changed markedly in the playoffs, but obviously using the top guys as much as they did in the playoffs last year is not even close to feasible during the season. I will also be curious to see how Chapman and Miller perform in 2017 after their usage in the 2016 playoffs, especially Miller.

And Billy Wagner was like 5-10. I'm not saying that Jay will become Miller or Chapman, in fact the odds are very much stacked against him. Those two are very rare. But Jay can be a very good reliever. If he becomes the next Glen Perkins, that would be huge and very valuable. And, mid-90s is very realistic for Jay.

The Minnesota Twins offseason is generally considered to have been very quiet. It would be difficult to dispute that too much. However, the Twins new front office was very aggressive in their pursuit of one free agent. By mid-November, just weeks after the new regime began, it was clear that the Twins were a serious player in negotiations for catcher Jason Castro. By the end of the month, Castro had signed a three year, $24.5 million deal with the Twins. As has been written about, ad nauseum, much of Castro’s value comes from the his work behind the plate. No need to go over there much here, but Castro has great pitch framing stats. He presents the ball well, but he’s also touted for working well with pitchers and calling a good game. His numbers indicate that he is average at controlling the running game. He also seems to give up a fair number of passed balls.However, we are here to provide predictions for the offensive side of the game. Castro was the Astros first-round pick in 2008 (10th overall) out of Stanford. He was an All Star in 2013 when he set career-highs in most statistical categories. The last three years have not been great offensively, particularly if you only look at batting average. He has hit .222, .211 and .310. However, he generally appears to have a good idea at the plate, and he has had ten or more home runs each of the last four years. So let’s get to it. Below you will find my predictions (or guesses, if you prefer) for Jason Castro’s 2017 season. Hopefully you will consider posting your thoughts and your predictions into the comments below. It’s always fun to take a look at the end of the season and see how our predictions look. KEY NUMBERS 30 - No, Castro isn’t going to hit for average, and he won’t be an on-base machine, but the last two years he has had 30 extra base hits and 11 home runs each year. He will occasionally show some pop in his bat. .149 - Castro only hit .231 against right-handers last year, but he hit just .149 against lefties. The American League Central Division has several quality left-handed starters (Carlos Rodon, Jose Quintana, Danny Duffy, to name a few), which is why it is important that the backup hit right-handed. Aside from Opening Day against Duffy, hopefully Castro will have limited plate appearances against southpaws. PREDICTIONS Jason Castro: 390 at-bats, .228/.302/.372 (.674), 20 doubles, 0 triples, 12 home runs. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- I think that Castro will play around 120 games, and obviously he’ll bat in the lower third of the lineup. It’s unlikely that Castro will hit even .250, but I think he can hit for a better average if he is used appropriately. He’s got a smooth swing, and he should continue to hit plenty of extra base hits. Now, a .674 OPS for a catcher would be pretty solid. I think coupled with his defense, it would be a successful season for the 29-year-old. YOUR TURN Your turn. Share your thoughts on and predictions on Jason Castro in 2017. We can take a look back at the end of the season and see how we did. Click here to view the article

Kind of... he was signed last summer after the draft. He had played at Valdosta State, but I think he was playing summer ball in Alaska when he signed.

It would be KEVIN Garcia, not former Dodgers outfielder Karim Garcia...

In fact, he's the top set up guy, and I would say that at the end of the year, he'll have been the team's top bullpen guy. He's definitely a lock.

With Haley, it's not about results in spring IF they believe he can be valuable down the road. They're not winning a division title, and probably not contending for a wild card, in 2017, so he's about whether he can provide value in 2018 and beyond. If they think he can, they should keep him around regardless of how he's pitched much of this spring. If they no longer see him with a future as a starter in the big leagues, they should send him back. If they're not sure, they should really try to work out a deal with Boston to keep him.

I'd hope not. He's pretty solid out there. They all have their moments. I saw Buxton drop a routine fly ball while I was in Ft. Myers. No worries, no need for alarm.

Have we heard that Justin Haley isn't an option for the bullpen? He hasn't pitched well, but he is still the pitcher that the current front office believes can be a potential MLB starter, they may want to keep him around. Right or wrong, that's the nature of the Rule 5.

Good stuff... Especially Rib City! Ha!

I was chatting with Tommy Watkins yesterday before I left, and actually we did kind of a Brian Dozier comparison. I told Watkins that Granite isn't the kind of guy that's going to jump out at you if you just watch a game. But if you watch him for a week, or over time, you start realizing all that he does for a team on the baseball field. Knows the strike zone, great approach. doesn't try to do too much, hits line drives, runs the bases very well, plays good defense with great range, and has an OK arm. Maybe 5 years ago, I was in Beloit talking with Tommy Watkins, and he said that Brian Dozier was the kind of guy that you didn't notice him a lot if you just watched one game, but if you watched him for a week, you would start appreciating all the things he can do on the field. Both have the ability to show leadership qualities in the clubhouse too... Obviously Dozier has become the type of player that you do notice if you watch one game. Granite, as Cody mentions, isn't going to hit 42 homers in his career, much less in a season, but he can still be an impact player... in a role.

The Twins are less than two weeks from packing up from Ft. Myers and heading north to open the 2017 season. There are currently 48 players on the Twins spring roster which means they have a lot of decisions and transactions to make in the next week to ten days. As I am leaving Ft. Myers, I’m going to try to piece together a projection for the Twins opening day roster. Opinions are mine and certainly subject to change in the coming days.So here is my third attempt at projecting the Twins Opening Day roster… I encourage you to read my thoughts, develop your own and then post your thoughts and projections in the comments below. THE HITTERS Catchers (2): Jason Castro, Chris Gimenez Jason Castro will be the primary catcher. He will likely catch 110-120 games, so the question will be who can start behind the plate in the other 40-50 games. Mitch Garver didn’t get much opportunity again this spring, but the manager likes his game. He was sent down on Saturday, his first option. Murphy hasn’t actually played much either. He’s got one option year remaining. Gimenez feels like the leading candidate to be the backup catcher. Veteran leadership plays into that. His ability to play a couple other positions helps. Infielders (5): Joe Mauer, Brian Dozier, Miguel Sano, Jorge Polanco, Eduardo Escobar The starting infield is set. Joe Mauer will start most often at first, with Brian Dozier Jorge Polanco and Miguel Sano also starting. None of those are at all surprising. Jorge Polanco’s defense, at least from my opinion, seems to have improved so far this spring, and really in the last three weeks or so. The throws have been more consistently solid. Escobar is competing with the likes of Ehire Adrianza, Tommy Field and Bengie Gonzalez for the primary utility infield job, but he would certainly still be the favorite. Adrianza is, however, out of options, and Field is not on the 40-man roster. Could the Twins have a second utility infielder? Still in the game: Ehire Adrianza, Tommy Field, Matt Hague, Bengie Gonzalez Outfielders (5): Eddie Rosario, Byron Buxton, Max Kepler, Robbie Grossman, Danny Santana Like the infield, the starting outfield is also pretty well set. Rosario has been starring for Puerto Rico in the WBC. Buxton and Kepler are parts of the next core of Twins players and will get every opportunity this year. So, the question really becomes the fourth outfielder. I will contend and assume that Grossman will be on the roster, and he has played a lot of outfield this spring, especially with Rosario gone. And yes, I fully expect Danny Santana to make the Opening Day roster. He is getting a lot of playing time and making starts all around the diamond. Many readers (or at least many of those who choose to comment) aren’t big Santana fans. At the same time, he can hit a little, and he can play adequate defense at six positions. That is kind of the definition of a 25th man. Still in the game: Drew Stubbs, JB Shuck Designated Hitter (1): Kennys Vargas I haven’t had the DH position on its own in the past, but I think it’s worth its own discussion. Kennys Vargas has been the favorite, but he went to the WBC and hasn’t played much. The Twins did get the fourth year option for him, so it’s entirely possible he starts in Rochester. Byungho Park is no longer on the 40-man roster, but he came to spring training healthy and he has hit well this spring. He has a much better walk-to-strikeout rate and looks more comfortable. And, I wouldn't be opposed to a scenario in which Robbie Grossman is the primary DH. You could keep an extra outfielder around, and you can get DH at-bats for Mauer, Sano and even Dozier or other guys in need of a game off from the field. In that scenario, any one of the extra infielders or outfielders would be added. I still think Vargas remains the favorite, but he’ll likely have to show something in the two final weeks of spring training. Still in contention: Byungho Park, Matt Hague, Ben Paulsen POSSIBLE LINEUPS Primary lineup versus RHP: Byron Buxton CF, Joe Mauer 1B, Brian Dozier 2B, Miguel Sano 3B, Max Kepler RF, Kennys Vargas DH, Eddie Rosario LF, Jason Castro C, Jorge Polanco SS Versus LHP: Byron Buxton CF, Robbie Grossman LF, Brian Dozier 2B, Miguel Sano DH, Kennys Vargas 1B, Max Kepler RF, Eduardo Escobar 3B, Chris Gimenez C, Jorge Polanco SS. Byron Buxton, Brian Dozier, Miguel Sano, Max Kepler and Jorge Polanco are the guys I want in the lineup almost every day. Kennys Vargas is in both lineups, but I would use the DH spot to also give “half days off” to guys like Dozier and Mauer and Grossman as well. THE PITCHERS Starting Pitchers (5): Ervin Santana, Phil Hughes, Kyle Gibson, Hector Santiago, Jose Berrios The first four will be in the starting rotation on Opening Day. We’ve known that for months. The question remains, who will be the fifth starter. Ten days ago, the answer “Trevor May” was becoming much more likely as he was pitching well. Unfortunately, May has a torn UCL and will miss the 2017 season. I still think that Jose Berrios maintains a slight lead for the fifth starter job. He had a solid performance in his first WBC start, and he could be the starter for Team Puerto Rico in the championship game, if they get there. Still in contention: Tyler Duffey, Justin Haley, Ryan Vogelsong, and Adalberto Mejia. Tyler Duffey has made starts the last couple of years. He was terrific in 2015, and he really struggled in 2016. His two-pitch mix would likely play better in the bullpen. Justin Haley struggle again on Sunday, giving up four runs in just two innings. As a Rule 5 pick, much more goes into the decision of whether or not to keep him on the roster than just his performance on the mound. Ryan Vogelsong made a start this week and topped out at 88 but many are impressed with his veteran-ness. Adalberto Mejia’s start this week was very impressive, striking out 11 batters in just 3.2 innings. He’s the “prospect” of this group and has some really good stuff. He’s close. Bullpen (7): Brandon Kintzler, Ryan Pressly, Matt Belisle, JT Chargois, Taylor Rogers, Craig Breslow, Tyler Duffey. Brandon Kintzler will go into the season as the closer. Matt Belisle and Ryan Pressly will certainly be set up men. Taylor Rogers has secured one of the left-handed bullpen spots. With Mike Berardino’s reports that Craig Breslow is likely to be added to the 40-man roster early this week, it also appears that the second left-hander job has been determined. As I’ve written many times before, JT Chargois should never spend another day in the minor leagues, but I don’t think he’s a given yet. He needs to find a way to improve his efficiency and be more consistent. So there are six spots taken for a seven-person bullpen. That means there is just one more spot, and there are a lot of options. So my prediction for today is that Tyler Duffey will be the seventh reliever. His inability to add a third pitch has continued, and his fastball/breaking ball combination could be elite working an inning or two at a time. Also, with the other six, there really isn’t a guy who can go more than two innings. Duffey could do that when needed. Others in Contention: Michael Tonkin, Justin Haley, Ryan Vogelsong, Ryan O’Rourke, Buddy Boshers. We’ll see how the final roster cuts come. Some are still quite clear, while others could become really, really interesting over the next ten days. What are your thoughts? What does your roster look like? Click here to view the article

I would say probably pretty highly for his scouting acumen, and such... But we need to remember that Deron Johnson ran the drafts... Not Terry. Johnson's already been "promoted."

I guess I would argue that Ben Revere being in the big leagues for nine years says a lot. And, while he was bad the last couple of years, his best years came with the Twins and provided a lot of value. I would then say that they traded him at just the right time too.

15 of the 21 players drafted ahead of Gibson in 2009 have a bWAR less than his. So... as much as we'd like an "ace" or an All Star hitter, it's just not gonna happen very often. Even with "first round picks." Four of those 21 never got to the big leagues, and four others have a negative bWAR in very brief MLB time.

Tweet from Doogie:

I've talked to Gonsalves quite a bit since heading down. He's doing fine. He's been playing catch, and I believe his first on-mound time will be on Monday, but they plan on him making his first start in Chattanooga (probably) if he gets his pitch count up. If not, he may stay in Ft. Myers for an extra couple of days to make one more appearance down there first. Ynoa... well, he'll start in Extended, and probably go to E-Town, but it is also possible he could move up to Cedar Rapids in May/June as guys like Wells, Thorpe, Romero and others have in recent years.

Twins Daily has learned and confirmed that Tyler Jay has been moved to the bullpen going forward. A couple of sources have verified the change. We will have much more on that, and several other minor league notes today.When the Twins drafted Jay with the sixth overall pick in 2015 out of the University of Illinois where he was used almost exclusively out of the bullpen. At the time, the Twins and many other teams felt that the left-hander's pure stuff and four-pitch mix was reason to give him an opportunity to start. After signing, he jumped straight to Ft. Myers where he pitched out of the bullpen the rest of the season. Last year, he began the season in the starting rotation of the Ft. Myers Miracle. He had his ups and downs but he had some very good moments too. In one game, he threw eight shutout innings, allowing just two hits and a walk to go with 11 strikeouts. Overall, he was 5-5 with a 3.10 ERA in 13 starts for the Miracle. In 69.2 innings, he walked 21 and struck out 68. He moved up to Chattanooga to end the season. He made two starts and a couple of relief appearances before being shut down due to an injury in his neck. He missed the final month of the season rehabbing. Had the season lasted a couple more weeks, he likely would have returned. He came to camp with the idea he would be starting. It was a mutual decision to move Jay to the bullpen exclusively, and it’s something he enjoys and thrives in. It’s likely we’ll see his fastball readings back into the mid-to-upper 90s, and his slider can be a weapon. It is very possible that the Jay could be as good as Glen Perkins was during his three All-Star seasons. As a reliever, he is likely to move much more quickly. Earlier in the week, the Twins announced that Randy Rosario would be moving to the bullpen as well. In both cases, the pitchers were happy with the decision. WBC RETURNS The three Twins minor leaguers from Australia who participated in the WBC for their country have returned. Lachlan Wells has thrown a couple of bullpens and worked in the AA game on Friday afternoon on the back fields. In the game, he took a line drive off of his biceps. He stayed in the game and this morning told me that it’s fine. In fact, he threw another short bullpen this morning. Todd Van Steensel, full beard and all, has also returned. Aaron Whitefield has had a busy year. He reported to Ft. Myers for extended spring training last April. Following his terrific showing in the GCL, he participated in the World Cup for Australia. Then he returned to Australia where he again played for the Brisbane Bandits. He said the plan was just to play half of the season, but the team was competing for a playoff spot and wanted to defend its Claxton Shield title. Whitefield kept playing and Brisbane topped Melbourne for the repeat. Right after that, he joined the Australian WBC team and they played in several games in Korea and then in Seoul, South Korea. Within a day of of the end of their run, he returned to Ft. Myers. He got one day to try to move past jet lag, and now he’s going full go. Reynaldo Rodriguez and Yohan Pino also returned and are working with the Rochester work group. Pino started on the mound for the team on Thursday. WBC ENTHUSIASM I have thoroughly enjoyed chatting with the players from Puerto Rico during the team’s WBC run. I chatted for a good half-hour with Dereck Rodriguez, who I’d mentioned is an alternate for Team Puerto Rico. He has been joined for each Puerto Rico game by about a dozen other Twins minor leaguers from the island. Nelson Molina told me that it’s very exciting to watch his friends and countrymen. Brian Navarreto started mentioning the players on the roster that he played with going back to Little League and it was quite a few. Edgar Corcino is from Bayamon and is friends with Jose Berrios, Francisco Lindor and Javier Baez. Of course, they all know the Twins contingent of Berrios, Hector Santiago, Eddie Rosario and Kennys Vargas. SIGHT IS GOOD Brian Navarreto also told me that he had LASIK eye surgery in the offseason and is still working back. He hasn’t been catching every single day. However, he also noted that he can see the ball so much better at the plate and even behind the plate. It’s also fun talking to pitchers who have been caught by Navarreto. They say that he calls a good game, works very hard, controls the running game and is just very good to work with. SIGHT IS GOOD, PART 2 On Friday, Travis Harrison went 3-4 with a couple of very loud hits. I noted that he is now wearing glasses on the field and at bat. Following the game, I asked him about it and he said that doctors said he needed a small prescription, and it was his first day with the glasses. It was a good first day. BULLPEN IMPRESSIONS I’ve watched quite a few bullpens, and they’re always fun. It’s fun to see what people throw, how hard they throw, break on pitches, what they’re working on and more. Two guys have thrown bullpens that really stuck out to me. Huascar Ynoa is very young. He was our Twins Daily short season minor league pitcher of the year. The youngster, whose brother Michael pitches for the White Sox, throws really hard. He also showed a very good, sharp breaking ball and a solid changeup. Again, it was one bullpen, but it was very good. The other one that was terrific in the bullpen was Kohl Stewart. I don’t know why he doesn’t strike out more, but he throws really hard, and I’m told that the ball is very heavy, which explains the lack of hard contact. His breaking pitches looked very sharp, and I saw an at least average changeup. While I did drop him in my Twins prospect rankings this year, he clearly has the ability to be an above average big league starter. One bonus pitcher of note is Tyler Wells. The tall (6-8) right-hander throws pretty hard, maybe hitting 93-95. However, he also showed a very good breaking ball mix in his outing on Saturday afternoon on the back fields. He showed a slower, 12-6 curveball, and a sharper slider that darts in on a left-hander. Definitely one to watch this spring in Cedar Rapids. EMPTYING THE NOTEBOOK Here are just a couple more notes: Has anyone ever seen Twins 3B prospect Chris Paul and Eagles Quarterback Carson Wentz in the same place? They look identical, at least facially.Mitchell Kranson was the Twins ninth-round pick last year out of Cal-Berkeley. He did very little catching his last couple of years in college, but the Twins saw that it was a good place for him. He played all over the diamond, third base, outfield, first base, anywhere. His bat played anywhere. Since the end of last season, he has dropped 25 pounds without losing any muscle. He worked with a trainer twice a day and ate a strict diet.Alex Kirilloff was watching the Twins minor league games this afternoon.That’s it for today. Please feel free to ask questions as you like. I’ll try to answer as I have time. Click here to view the article

Completely different players. You are correct. I think Palka fits more into the DH category. But, if there were a long-term injury of a Twins starting outfielder, they could just call up whichever one is putting together more production at the time. Obviously if it's CF, it'd be Granite over Palka.

Spring Training has very little to do with the stats in 2.2 innings. It's as much about bullpens and such and working on stuff...

He's worked with Major League pitchers for the last month. He'll likely be the one to catch them in minor league games if they use pitchers down there. He'll be ok. It was interesting to hear him mention to me that pitchers wanted to throw to him this spring, even more than when he was a non-roster guy. He'll be fine. Granite is far above Palka in the Twins thinking. I would agree with that. Goodrum has been a utility player for a couple of years already, so yes. (A utility guy that plays most every day somewhere)