Seth Stohs

It's a philosophy most teams use, including the successful teams. Each team is going to use 40-50 players in the big leagues every year. Depth is important. So, while not always popular among fans, they have to make some decisions based on the rules of the game including considering options, minor league deals, 40 man roster decisions, etc. to help get through the season. It's kind of the opposite of brainless. It's understanding the system/guidelines and trying to make decisions to get through a season winning as much as they can. I can't explain every single decision, but I know none of them is taken lightly.

I've never advocated mediocre vets first plan. I wrote a story on a veteran relief pitcher who has experienced some big league success for a couple of seasons who has a chance to make the opening day roster. Now that the Twins are winning, I have no problem with going with whoever they think will pitch better at any particular time in the season. If in April they deem that Kintzler/Abad will be able to get outs better than someone like Tonkin/Burdi/Chargois, then I say go with them. I also say that when they think the young guys are ready to be better than the veteran guys, then turn to them.

Updated to include Part 2, Prospects 31-35.

Unless he has a strong 2016 season at Kentucky, he cost himself a lot of money by going back to college, unless he's drafted in the top 25 picks or so. As a senior, right or wrong, he'll have almost no leverage. I could definitely see the Twins going after him again, unless bridges were burned.

With four picks in the top 80 or so, the Twins could conceivably get a couple of these guys. At Twins Fest, I talked to one Twins official who said that some junior college seasons are already getting underway, so they'll have people traveling for those. I talked to one Twins scout who said that there are many showcases now, including "sports bubbles" in the north which have become more popular. Shore and Boldt were both believed to be holding out for 1st round money, each stating clearly or more than subtly what their signing bonus needed to be. That's why both fell in that draft. Both could easily be first rounders this year. I'd think that Burdi could go in the 3rd or 4th round. Hockin sounds more like a late 2nd day type, though obviously a lot can happen in the next four months.

I think it'd be wise to have him play 2B, 3B, and SS in 2016, maybe even a handful of games at the different outfield positions. Nothing wrong with that. He may be able to hit better than Santana... maybe Nunez, and probably will... Defensively, I don't think he's as good at any of the positions as Santana or Nunez. At least not now.

Of course not... that's why Ryan added the "if they come in and earn it" part of the sentence. None of these guys are guaranteed anything... I think we can make some assumptions that some are more certain than others. It'd be like saying that Alex Meyer should move back to a starter full time because if he's just somewhere between where he was in 2014 and 2015, that'd be a solid starter. No, he's going to try for a bullpen spot in spring and may get another opportunity as a starter in Rochester. Clearly there wasn't a market for any of the three in the offseason (or I'm guessing they would have been OK with moving them), but they're too talented to give up on at 24-26. Worth giving a shot.

Why would the Twins curtail Park's progression by having him play less than half of the time, in a true platoon? I can see Arcia getting a day a week at DH, but they're going to want and need to play Park through his adjustment.

I think they're just trying to provide him with value and make him as valuable to the team as possible. As a backup, being able to play as many positions as possible is a good thing. I have no doubt he'll be a backup in the infield as well.

There are exceptions to everything. He's such a good guy that I hope that Walker can be an exception. There are concerns about more than just his contact rate and strikeouts.

I think Santana and Nunez are both near locks.

Heading into the offseason, the Minnesota Twins had six players who would be out of options heading into the 2016 season. Two were traded (Aaron Hicks, Chris Herrmann). One was DFAd (Josmil Pinto). There are three players who will report to spring training in two weeks needing to make the 25-man roster or potentially be lost on waivers. Will any of those three make the team, and what type of impact can they have in 2016? Prior to Twins Fest, General Manager addressed the media. Among several other comments, he mentioned the three guys who will be out of options. Image courtesy of John Rieger, USA Today Heading into the offseason, the Minnesota Twins had six players who would be out of options heading into the 2016 season. Two were traded (Aaron Hicks, Chris Herrmann). One was DFAd (Josmil Pinto). There are three players who will report to spring training in two weeks needing to make the 25-man roster or potentially be lost on waivers. Will any of those three make the team, and what type of impact can they have in 2016? Prior to Twins Fest, General Manager addressed the media. Among several other comments, he mentioned the three guys who will be out of options. “We do have three players that are out of options, three guys that I’m hoping will respond. Oswaldo Arcia, Michael Tonkin and Danny Santana. All three of those guys have a spot on this club if they just come in and earn it.” That makes sense. Any pre-spring training Twins Opening Day roster projection typically contains all three of those players. All three were once highly-touted prospects. They were the types of prospects that most wouldn’t have thought would need all three option years and get to this point. So while they had disappointing seasons in 2015, they are all young and still have a lot of potential. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Danny Santana Santana was added to the Twins 40-man roster in November of 2012. He spent the 2013 season in New Britain. He began the 2014 season in Rochester, but in the first week of May he was called up to the big league club. He replaced Mike Pelfrey on the roster, but less than a week later shortstop Pedro Florimon was optioned. A month later, Aaron Hicks was optioned to AA and Danny Santana became the everyday center fielder. He responded by hitting .319/.353/.472 (.824) with 21 doubles, seven triples and seven home runs. An unmaintainable BABIP and a questionable minor league track record (offensively and defensively) meant that he was due for some regression in 2015. However, no one could have predicted just how far Santana’s performance would drop. He hit just .215/.241/.291 (.532) in 101 games. He was basically handed the shortstop job out of spring training and was unable to recreate his 2014 success. Ryan also said that Santana would be making another position change in 2016. “We’re also going to move Danny Santana back into the outfield. We’ll see if we can resurrect Danny. He had a tough year this year. We like him. He’s got skills. Hopefully he will respond.” There has never been any question about Santana’s talent and athleticism. He will also be only 25 years old throughout the 2016 season. While no one thinks or expects him to put up the numbers he did in 2014, he can provide value to the Twins. Santana will likely spend spring training with time at all three outfield positions. While Torii Hunter will spend a lot of time trying to help Miguel Sano transition to right field, I would expect that he will also be working a lot with Santana at all three outfield positions. I think that Santana should still bring his infield glove and get some repetitions at shortstop, second base and even third base. And as Nick wrote yesterday, if Byron Buxton doesn't win the starting center field job out of spring training, Santana may be an option for that job again. Oswaldo Arcia Arcia was added to the Twins 40-man roster in November of 2011. He split 2012 between Ft. Myers and New Britain. In 2013, he began in Rochester but by mid-April, he was up with the Twins. In 97 games, he hit .251/.304/.430 (.734) with 17 doubles and 14 home runs. In 2014, he hit just .231/.300/.452, but he added 20 home runs, as a 23-year-old. Arcia had a very disappointing 2015 season. He played in just 19 games for the Twins and then hit under .200 in Rochester. He didn’t even get a September call-up, and frankly, he didn’t deserve one. He has his shortcomings. He doesn’t hit left-handed pitching. He strikes out too much and doesn’t walk enough. His defense in either corner outfield spot leaves much to be desired. However, that doesn’t mean that he can't provide value for the Twins in 2016, and maybe even beyond. He can play both corner positions. He has little range, but he catches most of what he gets to. He has a good arm. He can hit for a lot of power against right-handed pitchers. He also doesn’t turn 25 until a week into May. With the Twins committed to Miguel Sano in right field, it is likely that Arcia can get a game a week out there, allowing Sano to play some third base or DH. Arcia could be a powerful bat off the bench. If there is an injury in either corner, he could fill in. He would be a good platoon candidate though the Twins certainly aren’t going to put Sano into a platoon. Michael Tonkin After being drafted by the Twins in the 30th round of the 2008 draft, Tonkin signed and began his career as a starter. After spending half of the 2010 season starting for Beloit, he returned for a full season with the Snappers, pitching primarily out of the bullpen. That is where he returned in 2012, and that’s when things started to click. That year, between Beloit and Ft. Myers, he struck out 97 and walked just 20 in 69.1 innings. He was added to the 40-man roster following that season. In 2013, he pitched between New Britain and Rochester and made his big league debut in July. Since then, he has been back and forth between Rochester and the Twins. While he has dominated International League hitters, he has yet to find any consistent success with the Twins. In 102 games for Rochester, he has a 2.65 ERA and nearly ten strikeouts per nine innings. Part of the issue is that he hasn’t spent any real consistent, extended time with the Twins. While the 6-7, 26-year-old throws pretty hard, he has been inconsistent with his slider. Glen Perkins, Trevor May and Kevin Jepsen are lined up in the back end of the bullpen (or course May could theoretically still be used as a starter). Casey Fien looks to rebound. Fernando Abad is one of four left-handed relievers brought in on minor league contracts. Guys like Ryan Pressly and JR Graham will be competing for a spot in the big leagues. And, we all know the names of the hard-throwing relievers that could arrive by midseason. Tonkin isn’t guaranteed a spot, and yet, with his size and the velocity he has on his pitches, if he can gain some semblance of control of his slider, he could start the season pitching in the 5th and 6th inning and be relied upon later in games as the season moves along. --------------------------------------------------------- Being out of options is an interesting place to be for a player. It’s clear that the organization has seen enough to keep you on the roster through three optional seasons. Yet, the player is now in a position where he has to come to spring training ready to make the club. A couple of years ago, Chris Parmelee and Alex Presley were out of options and the team chose to put them through the waiver process at the end of spring training. Four years ago, Trevor Plouffe went to spring training out of options. He began the season as a bench player and less than two months later Danny Valencia was optioned and Plouffe became a starter. It can be scary, but it is a career crossroads that so many experience. As Ryan said, all three of these Twins players can win a spot in spring training. I would venture to say it is likely that all three will make the Opening Day roster unless spring training goes just brutally for them. But they can’t think that anything will be handed to them because even if they are removed from the 40-man roster, 29 other teams can watch them as well. So, what do you think? Will all three be on the Opening Day roster? View full article

Link?

Michael Cuddyer had limited range (and Sano is probably faster) and made the routine plays and had a strong arm (Sano's is stronger)... Obviously we'll find out, but if he can be similar to that, he's a 4+ WAR player.

I'll throw my hat in the ring ... hopefully others will... these are just my thoughts, based on reading, numbers, and talking to people... C: Turner - so good all around including the art of working with pitchers. Runner-Up: Navarreto. 1B: Mauer - as seen above, there isn't a lot of competition in this category defensively. And, he's solid. 2B: Beresford - 3B: Plouffe - not a lot of competition here either. I think TJ White is solid. SS: Vielma - probably not close when it comes to hands, range, arm, leadership, etc. LF: Rosario - arm, range, routes... very good. CF: Buxton - elite range, arm... RF: Joe Benson - probably the #2 CF, though he's good in the corners too. (OF: If I did just the top three outfielders, I might go with Buxton, Benson and English.) Pitcher: Tim Shibuya, but I would put Kyle Gibson up there with anyone too.

OK.... Mientkiewicz... gotchya... That's constructive, since he's been retired for how long? Let's consider 1st base options in the organization: MLB: Mauer, Park AAA: Vargas, Rodriguez AA: Hicks, Haar Hi-A: Vavra Low-A: Wiel, Minier EST: Diaz, Kendrick Pretty clear that Mauer is the best defensive option in the organization. In fact, the one closest to him is probably Max Kepler...At worst, Mauer is a league average defensive first baseman.

Really high. He won't have a ton of range (though probably more than most people think), but he'll make the routine plays. Seeing him at Twins Fest, he's strong, and there isn't a lot of body fat. The adjustment has nothing to do with his weight. It has everything to do with knowing where to throw, not trying to do too much, etc.

Well, he won't be the starter so if he can post a .600 OPS and play really good defense for 40 games a season, that works for me.

A big 28... that's apparently old! Ha! I'd put Dozier as well at 2B because Polanco isn't very good defensively at 2B either.

I liked that one too. Ha! He's a great dude!

Quality defensive backstop. It was pretty clear that was an area they were trying to improve, and with Murphy and Hicks, they did that.

Cabbage just got there on Tuesday this week. The others have been there for quite some time. I enjoy these updates too. I have 5 weeks before I get to be there for a week.

Let's start a new thread... 2016 Hammond Happenings, or something like that...

He hasn't been a great hitter in the minors, but no need to worry about 32 at bats in a debut season either. Important Piece? Probably not, but a 3rd catcher is important for any team to have.