Seth Stohs

Yes.

The Blogs page doesn't have to be limited to baseball. It's a place anyone can blog. Granted, on a baseball site, it'll be interesting to see the comments.

Do we think that the coaching staff or front office or anyone is even looking at how a hitter did over the course of 2 games? No one cares about an 0-for-7 two-game stretch. Also, I'm pretty sure that the lineups for all three games were set before Thursday (subject to change only due to injury). So, whatever the lineup is tomorrow is because that was the plan, not because of two games of at-bats. Jeffers will start, for sure. My guess is they have an ideal scenario where Vazquez catches two, Jeffers catches one, Vazquez catches two, Jeffers catches one... but again, that's all determined before each series. Farmer has played in both games. Solano in one. Willi Castro may get a start tomorrow too. With a right-hander on the mound, but I wouldn't sit the lefties against him (Kepler, Larnach, Gordon, Gallo... and Castro).

On Friday morning, the St. Paul Saints announced their Opening Day Roster. On Friday afternoon, Bailey Ober will start the Opener in Toledo. Image courtesy of Rob Thompson, St. Paul Saints The St. Paul Saints are beginning their third season as an affiliate of the Minnesota Twins. However, it is their first season under new ownership. While the team starts the season with a weekend series in Toledo, their home opener will be on Tuesday against the Iowa Cubs. Tickets are still available on the Saints website for all six games. It should be a fun season with the Saints as they are loaded with prospects. Let's take a look at the Saints Opening Day roster. That way, you can go through your baseball card collection and find these players, then go to CHS Field and get them signed. Oh, and watch some really good baseball too! Coaching Staff Toby Gardenhire is back for his third season as the Saints manager. His hitting coach is recently-retired Nate Spears. Tyler Smarslok is the team's Defensive Coach and usually the first base coach as well. As all Twins affiliates do, the Saints have two pitching coaches. Cibney Bello is there for the third straight season. Peter Larson joins the Saints staff this year. He has quickly moved up the Twins organizational ladder. Pitchers Pitching wins, right? So that's where we'll start. Starting Pitchers: Jordan Balazovic, Randy Dobnak, Brent Headrick, Bailey Ober, Aaron Sanchez, Louie Varland, Simeon Woods Richardson. When we talk about the Twins starting pitching depth, this is where it is. If Bailey Ober is your #6 starter, your staff is pretty deep. However, Varland and Woods Richardson both made their major-league debuts late last year and they're likely Options #7 and #8. Aaron Sanchez made a few starts and long-relief appearances for the Twins last year. He is probably Option #9 at this point. He's obviously had some strong seasons in his long big-league career. Randy Dobnak appears to be healthy. It will be great for him to get some innings, find that control and command of his sinker again. He maybe starts out the season as the #10 option, but he could move up that list quickly. And Headrick made a really strong impression in his first spring training. He ended last year with starts at Double-A, so he just needs some time. While they certainly want Ober, Varland and Woods Richardson to start, the rest of the list could team with Cole Sands, Ronny Henriquez, Josh Winder and several from the below reliever list as the long-man out of the bullpen. That is the group that is really happy that St. Paul and Minneapolis are just miles apart. Weekend Rotation FRIDAY: Bailey Ober SATURDAY: Aaron Sanchez SUNDAY: Simeon Woods Richardson Relief Pitchers: Jose De Leon, Cody Laweryson, Trevor Megill, Oliver Ortega, Dereck Rodriguez, Connor Sadzeck, Austin Schulfer, Brock Stewart, Patrick Murphy (Development List) This is also an intriguing group of relievers. As you look at the list, who is the closer? However, there are a lot of guys who can pitch multiple innings, have experience as a starter and as a reliever, and could fit a role in the big leagues... where they have a pretty strong backend of their bullpen already. The most intriguing names on this list, at least for me, are Cody Laweryson and Austin Schulfer. They are both home-grown talents who have had a lot of success in their minor-league careers, as starters and as relievers. Schulfer's stuff impressed me. He's throwing a running fastball that sits 95-97 and a slider from the same release point that darts away from a right-hander at 90. He also has a pretty good changeup that he can bring out at any time. Laweryson doesn't throw as hard. He probably tops out at about 92, but he's got a funky delivery and deception. He's got really good command and still is able to miss bats. Trevor Megill is the only pitcher in this group on the 40-man roster. We've seen what he can do, the good and the not-so-good, but this is just his second option, so it makes sense to just keep working with him. And then you've got several veterans with upside. Dereck Rodriguez started out as an outfielder in the Twins organization and transitioned to the bullpen. He eventually debuted with the Giants and had a nice rookie season. Since then, he's been on a few teams, and gets some opportunities. Last year, he had a couple of really good, long-relief appearances with the Twins. Then we've got the Dream Brian Dozier Package, aka Jose De Leon and Brock Stewart. Both 30-year-olds were top pitching prospects with the Dodgers seven or eight years ago, and their names were both said to be requested by the Twins in deals involving Dozier. Well, both have had injuries over the last half-dozen years, their prospect stars have burned out, but they both still have the kind of talent that make them intriguing as potential bullpen options or long relievers. And Oliver Ortega throws hard. Catchers: Jair Camargo, Chris Williams, Tony Wolters, David Banuelos (Development List) We might as well follow the pitchers with the guys who will catch them. Tony Wolters is the presumed Twins #3 starter and would be the guy called up should Christian Vazquez or Ryan Jeffers get injured. Jair Camargo quietly came to the Twins in the Maeda/Graterol deal. He became a free agent this offseason but quickly signed to return to the organization. Chris Williams is listed as a catcher. He may get some time behind the plate, but he will likely play a lot at first base and DH. David Banuelos is fantastic behind the plate and pitchers really like throwing to him. He'll get plenty of opportunities with the Saints. In addition, Andrew Bechtold could get some games where he dons the tools of ignorance as well. Infielders: Andrew Bechtold, Edouard Julien, Hernan Perez, Elliot Soto, Tyler White, Austin Martin (Injured List) Julien may have had to wait nearly two seasons after signing with the Twins to make his pro debut, but since the beginning of that 2021 season, he has done it all with the bat. He gets on base. He has some power. He's got goods speed. He uses the whole field. He strikes out, but those walks make up for it. He has done it at three minor-league levels. He has done it in spring training, and he has done it for Team Canada in the WBC. The final stop on the way to the Twins is some time with the Saints. But get to CHS Field quickly. He may not be there real long. Bechtold has one of the strongest arms in baseball, certainly in the organization. He ended the last season with the Saints and returns, likely to play primarily at third base. Tyler White got a lot of run in spring training at first base. Elliot Soto is back. And, when Austin Martin was diagnosed with a UCL sprain, the Twins signed veteran Hernan Perez to a minor-league deal. The 32-year-old has a lot of big league time, generally in a utility role, but he is a really good shortstop, so it makes sense to bring him in. At least until Brooks Lee is ready to move up. Outfielders: Mark Contreras, Kyle Garlick, Ryan LaMarre, Andrew Stevenson, Matt Wallner, Michael Helman (Injured List) Matt Wallner is the big prospect of this group. He was the Twins 2022 minor-league hitter of the year and ended the season in the big leagues. He will likely get some significant time in the big leagues in 2023 as well. Mark Contreras has had a couple of strong seasons the past two years, most of that time with the Saints. Good speed and power combo, along with terrific defense. As we know, Kyle Garlick provides outfield depth and a guy who absolutely mashes right-handers. Stevenson was added to the organization midway through spring training. He has spent parts of the past three seasons with the Washington Nationals. Michael Helman had a big breakout in 2022, half of the season with the Saints. He has really good speed and extra base pop, and he can play seven positions very well. He was invited to big-league spring training. Unfortunately, a hamstring injury meant that he didn't play and will start the season on the IL. TWINS DAILY TOP 20 PROSPECTS #5 - Edouard Julien #6 - Simeon Woods Richardson #9 - Louie Varland #10 - Austin Martin #11 - Matt Wallner #16 - Jordan Balazovic View full article

Over the past week, we sent a 2023 predictions survey to all Twins Daily writers. We also posted a similar survey in the Twins Daily forums and promoted it on Twitter. Earlier today, we shared the results of Part 1 (Wins, Division rank). In Part 2, we are handing out preseason awards. Image courtesy of William Parmeter 24 Twins Daily writers responded to our survey, while approximately 110 Twins Daily readers or Twitter followers responded. Will they have any Silver Slugger or Gold Glove Award winners? Who will be their top hitters and pitchers? With Questions 1-3, we discussed predictions for how many Wins the Twins will record and where they will finish in the AL Central. Today, we'll discuss our 2023 preseason picks for some Twins awards. Question 4: Will the Twins have any Silver Slugger Award winners for the 2023 season? If so, who? Nine of the 24 Twins Daily writers (37.5%) wrote that the Twins would not have a Silver Slugger winner. 48 of the 110 fan respondents (43.6%) agree that the Twins hitters will be shut out. Nearly half of the writers believe Carlos Correa will win at shortstop. Eight think Byron Buxton will win, though we didn't ask them to specify if he would win as an outfielder or a DH. The Twins Daily respondents agreed with the writers. About 25% think Correa will be the top-hitting shortstop. Buxton received nearly 13% of the vote. After that, several players received one or two votes. Jose Miranda came in third in voting by both groups. He's undoubtedly been crushing the ball this spring. Question 5: Will the Twins have Gold Glove Award winners for the 2023 season? If so, who? The results are different on this one. 42% of our fan respondents don't think the Twins will have Gold Gloves. Just three of the 24 Twins Daily writers (12.5%) think the Twins will be shut out of the Gold Glove hardware. The respondents chose Carlos Correa on the most ballots, 33%, followed by Byron Buxton (21%) and Max Kepler at 13%. Michael A. Taylor and Christian Vazquez also fared well among fans. Byron Buxton led the voting for the Twins Daily writers with ten votes. The only question will again be whether or not he gets enough time in the outfield. Correa appeared on one-third of 'ballots.' Max Kepler (6) and Taylor (5) each have a shot in the outfield as well. Question 6: Who will be the Twins' top rookie in 2023? He was the talk of spring training, so it is no surprise to see Edouard Julien at the top of both rankings. He received nearly 50% of the TD writers' votes and just over 50% of our respondents. Royce Lewis came in second place on both lists. He can come off the 60-Day Injured List at the end of May. He will likely have a couple of weeks of rehab under his belt, so by June 1st, Lewis could be optioned and spend some time in St. Paul, or if things are going well, that's the earliest he could return to the Twins. Louie Varland ranked third on the writers' list, while Brooks Lee took that spot on the respondents' ranking. Others that received votes in this category are Simeon Woods Richardson, Matt Wallner, and Cole Sands. 2023 Top Twins Rookie (Preseason): Edouard Julien. Question 7: Who will be the Most Improved Twins player in 2023? This can be a very interesting category. "Most Improved" can mean something different to different people. Could it be a young player who just got a cup of coffee getting more opportunities? Could it be a player returning from injury or after a disappointing season? As I reviewed the Twins Daily writer ballots, the first eight I looked at were different. Twenty-four voters, and they listed nine different players. However, Trevor Larnach received one-third of the votes. On the other respondent ballots, Larnach and Max Kepler each were mentioned by 27 people. Others who received more than a few votes include Jose Miranda, Joey Gallo, and Ryan Jeffers. 2023 Most Improved Twins Player (Preseason): Trevor Larnach. Question 8: Who will be the Twins' top starting pitcher in 2023? The Twins have six starters for five spots this season which unfortunately means that Bailey Ober is starting the season with the Saints, where he will team with Louie Varland and Simeon Woods Richardson. So who will be the best? Both sets of voters were in agreement on this one. Pablo Lopez will be the Twins' top pitcher this season, receiving about half of the votes. The fans ranked Joe Ryan second and Sonny Gray third, while our Twins Daily writers flip-flopped those two. 2023 Twins Top Starting Pitcher (Preseason): Pablo Lopez Question 9: Who will be the Twins' top relief pitcher in 2023? No surprise here. And frankly, no surprise that the 'vote' was this lopsided. Jhoan Duran received 23 of 24 votes from the Twins Daily writers and 99 out of 110 from the respondents. Griffin Jax (5) and Jorge Lopez (3) also received votes. 2023 Twins Top Relief Pitcher (Preseason): Jhoan Duran. Question 10: Who will be the Twins' top hitter in 2023? The names here won't surprise you. Of the Twins Daily fans, Carlos Correa received 49 votes. That was followed by 29 votes for Jose Miranda and 22 votes for Byron Buxton. The Twins Daily writers arrived at a tie. Correa and Buxton each received ten votes. Miranda received the other four votes. 2023 Twins Top Hitter (Preseason): Carlos Correa. As the season begins today, please leave your predictions for these awards in the COMMENTS below, and discuss your thoughts on the players. View full article

Over the past week or so, we sent out a 2023 Twins predictions survey to all of the Twins Daily writers. A similar survey was posted in the Twins Daily forums and promoted on Twitter. Here is part one of the results. How many Wins will the Twins have, and where will they place in the AL Central? Image courtesy of William Parmeter 24 Twins Daily writers responded to our survey, while approximately 110 Twins Daily readers or Twitter followers responded. The majority of the questions were related to the Twins 2023 season. How many wins will the Twins have this season? Will they have any Silver Slugger or Gold Glove Award winners? Who will be their top hitters and pitchers? We asked other questions but will get to those in Part 2 later today and other topics we will write about throughout the season. So, in Part 1 of our 2023 predictions, we want you to leave a Comment where you answer the three questions below. How many Wins will the Twins have this season, and where will they finish in the division? Question 1: How many Wins will the Twins have in 2023? For the Twins Daily writers, I asked what the Twins' record will be. Those that have followed me for the 20 years that I've been blogging about the Twins will probably be surprised to learn that of those 24 Twins Daily writers, the 82-80 record that I predicted for the Twins was the lowest of the group. In my opinion, I think that it will be very interesting to see how the fact that the Twins won't be playing 78 games against the AL Central anymore. I personally think that it will mean that the winner of the AL Central will not be much over .500. But... that's why they play the games, right? 50% of Twins Daily writers said the Twins will win between 86 and 89 games in 2023. Surprisingly 37.5% (9) think the Twins will win 90 or more games this season. Just three had them winning between 82 and 85 games. Now, 110 Twins Daily readers responded to this question. Fifty-six of them predicted the Twins to win 86-89 games, one game over .500 if you will. Just 19% (21) of TD readers put the Twins at 90 or more wins. Just eight of the respondents think that the Twins will win 81 games or fewer. So, overall, the Twins Daily prediction is 87 wins for the 2023 Twins. Question 2: Where will the Twins finish in the American League Central? While 75% of Twins Daily writers think the Twins will take back the division crown in 2023, 59% of the fan respondents think the Twins will win the division. 37 of the 110 respondents predicted the Twins to finish in second while eight thought they'd finish in third place. The other 25% of the Twins Daily writers have the Twins finishing in second place. Question 3: Which team will win the AL Central? Interestingly, between questions two and three, one of the Twins Daily writers decided that the Twins would finish second instead of first. Seventeen had the Twins winning the division, five picked Cleveland, and two picked the White Sox. Fan respondents remained consistent. Sixty-five (of 110) predicted that the Twins would finish in first place and win the division. Thirty-eight think the Guardians will finish in second place, while the White Sox received just seven. To summarize, Twins fans and Twins Daily writers think their favorite team will win the division. Shocking, I know. Those two groups also found consensus, agreeing that the Detroit Tigers and Kansas City Royals will not win the division in 2023. Your Turn In the COMMENTS below, please tell us how many Wins the Twins will have in 2023 and where they will finish in the AL Central. Will they win the division? View full article

I just don't understand why people are so worried about this. If healthy, which we all know if a big IF, they're going to be allowed to go 95-105 pitches most times out. How many innings will that be? Hopefully 6-7, even 8. Probably not in the first weeks of the season, but once they get going a bit. If they're healthy... Obviously Maeda may have to work up a bit. They'll be careful with him. They'll certainly be watching Mahle's velocities, I'm sure. Ryan didn't pitch in 2020, pitched quite a bit in 2021 including the weird schedule due to the Olympics, and last year he was out a month with Covid and wasn't the same for weeks after that. I really feel like how they handled things last year was appropriate. It will certainly be different this year. I they are healthy.

That's... what... they do... (I mean, every team does and uses it, but we've seen this front office more than happy to make changes to the fringes of the 26 and 40 man rosters.

Yeah, no one has any faith in Pagan. That's been a topic for about 11 months now... But there isn't a team or organization that would take Danny Coulombe over Jorge Lopez. And Hoffman looked good this spring, but it was like 2-3 outings... and he's got an opt-out.

Only if they're hurt... but if those guys are hurt, they'll go to Ober and then Varland and then SWR... Those guys would eat some innings as well.

Jorge Lopez?? Compared to Danny Coulombe?

Coulombe definitely doesn't have more upside than Sands. Sands throws much harder, has much more spin and break... Not saying he'll put up the numbers or even be as effective, or even have the same role... but just based on upside, Sands has more. Coulombe is a nice lefty reliever. He had a nice camp. He is a solid contributor. But his spring performance may, or may not mean he's 'locked in this year.' Others who put together great spring trainings, like Coulombe's, and made the Twins Opening Day roster.... Aaron Thompson, Matt Maloney, Dusty Hughes. I didn't know about Coulombe's opt-out. That definitely changes things, but I don't know that it should affect or alter the front office's thinking. Then again, I don't disagree on the comment on Pagan!

Darren Wolfson was first to report it, but Orioles' beat writer is also on Twitter saying that he has heard it too. The Twins have reportedly lost left-handed reliever Danny Coulombe to the Baltimore Orioles. More to come. Image courtesy of William Parmeter One thing that the Twins have added to their organization this past offseason is depth, and depth all over the diamond. That included left-handed relief pitching, at least until Monday afternoon. As Darren Wolfson first reported, the Twins have lost veteran Danny Coulombe to the Baltimore Orioles. data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw== Coulombe had a tremendous spring for the Twins again this year. He struck out 13 batters over ten innings and gave up only an unearned run. However, with lefties Caleb Thielbar and Jovani Moran around, Coulombe was reassigned to minor-league spring training on Sunday. He deserves to be in the big leagues, so in reality having an arm like that at Triple-A provided the organization with depth. According to Orioles' beat writer Dan Connolly, Coulombe was able to opt out of his Twins deal if there was "a team willing to give him a 26-man roster spot. And it appears the O's are willing to do so." data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw== The O's will have to make a move. It was announced that former Twins farmhand Tyler Wells would be in the Orioles' starting rotation rather than the bullpen. data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw== Because of the agreement, when Coulombe and his representatives learned that the Orioles were interested, they were able to opt-out. In other words, the Twins will not receive any compensation in return for Coulombe. In addition, it is assumed that right-hander Jeff Hoffman will invoke the opt-out clause in his contract on Tuesday and become a free agent. Hoffman, who signed as a minor-league free agent just a month ago, flashed a strong fastball in his outings, but he was reassigned to minor-league camp last week. That potentially means two veteran relievers with a lot of big-league service time lost. However, that doesn't mean that the Twins are in a bad place in terms of depth. Cole Sands is starting the season as the long reliever (pending any deals, of course). Josh Winder and Ronny Henriquez will start the season on the Injured List but could be ready for a bullpen role in the near future. Trevor Megill is at Triple-A as are non-roster options such as Jose De Leon, Randy Dobnak, Austin Schulfer, Aaron Sanchez, Oliver Ortega, Brock Stewart, Patrick Murphy, Dereck Rodriguez, Blayne Enlow, and several of the starting pitchers in Triple-A if needed. As for left-handers, the options would include Sean Nolin and Jordan Brink, as well as a sleeper contributor for 2023 (in my opinion), Kody Funderburk. Brent Headrick could get bullpen looks if needed. Two tough losses, but depth is good. And frankly, Jovani Moran needs to get this opportunity. If you are looking for any positives to this transaction, I guess it could be that after the next Gleeman and the Geek episode or two, we won't have to hear the Twins Geek mispronounce his last name anymore. #LittleThings What are your thoughts on the loss of Danny Coulombe, and potentially Jeff Hoffman too? Leave a COMMENT below. View full article

Yup... I'm disappointed for Ober, but it is the right move. Ober's the 6th guy, then Varland #7, then SWR at #9, then probably Sanchez at #9 That's pretty solid depth. I'm with you on Castro. While his OPS has been in the low-to-mid 600s 3-4 years, he hit .340something in the shortened 2020 season... and he can play everywhere, and he's only 25. That said, they will miss Polanco and Kirilloff.

We knew it would happen. None of us thing that he is a minor leaguer. However, on Sunday, the Twins officially optioned right-handed starter Bailey Ober to St. Paul for the start of the season. Three other players were re-assigned to minor-league camp meaning just 32 players remain in spring hoping for one of 26 spots. Image courtesy of William Parmeter The Twins will open their season on Thursday afternoon in Kansas City. After making four roster transactions on Sunday morning, it appears their Opening Day roster is pretty well set. Of course, the Twins front office will be talking to other teams about trades as well as watching the waiver wire, so it is obviously subject to change. Heading into spring training, we knew that the Twins had six potential starting pitchers for five Opening Day rotation spots. Would all six of them stay healthy through the spring schedule? Would they consider a six-man starting rotation? Well, the most important thing for the Minnesota Twins is that all six managed to stay healthy. Unfortunately for Bailey Ober, it means that he will have to start the season with the St. Paul Saints. In 2014, Ober was the national Freshman of the Year at the College of Charleston after he went 10-3 with a 1.52 ERA over 106 2/3 innings. That summer, he played for Team USA and hurt his elbow. He had Tommy John surgery and missed the 2015 season. he returned in 2016 and was drafted but chose to go back for his senior season. Following that 2017 season, the Twins made him their 12th round pick. Since then, two things have held true. First, he has pitched incredibly well. Just a look at ERAs by minor-league level are impressive: 2.43 in the rookie league, 3.62 in Low-A, 0.99 in High-A, 0.38 in Double-A, and 3.51 in Triple-A. Over 31 starts for the Twins the past two seasons, he is 5-6 with a 3.82 ERA. In 148 1/3 innings, he has 147 strikeouts with just 30 walks. This spring, he made three starts in big-league games and gave up no runs and no hits over six innings. He walked two and struck out six batters. However, the other truism of Ober's career is that he has missed a lot of time due to injury in the past. He has had some elbow concerns and the Twins have been very careful with him, knowing his potential. When he debuted in 2021, the Twins were very cautious. He was often limited to 60 pitches, or 75 pitches. Why? Because of his injury history, and because he did not pitch at all in 2020 due to the pandemic. In 2022, Ober posted a 3.21 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP over his 11 starts and 56 innings. Unfortunately, he had a groin injury that limited his availability. As fans, I think we can understand the pecking order, but I think that we can say that while acknowledging that Bailey Ober is and should be a big leaguers. And we know that over the course of the season, Ober will make a lot of starts for the Twins as well. In addition, Aaron Sanchez was reassigned to minor-league camp on Sunday. That leaves these five as the Twins starting pitchers on the Opening Day Roster: Pablo Lopez, Sonny Gray, Joe Ryan, Kenta Maeda and Tyler Mahle. Let's jump to the bullpen. The Twins also reassigned left-hander Danny Coulombe to minor-league camp. The veteran southpaw signed a minor-league deal with the Twins in 2020 after missing the 2019 season with an arm injury. He has pitched in 41 games for the Minnesota Twins over the past three seasons. This is the fourth consecutive season that Coulombe has signed a minor-league deal with the team. And this spring, he was incredible. He pitched in seven spring games. In nine innings, he gave up only an unearned run on eight hits and four walks. He had 13 strikeouts. The very clear assumption is that, unless there are more moves coming, Jovani Moran will make the Opening Day roster. The bullpen will consist of eight pitchers. With the moves on Sunday, there are 10 pitchers for those eight spots. On Saturday, the Twins reassigned Jeff Hoffman to minor-league camp, and it is believed that he will opt out of his deal on Monday. There are no more non-roster guys, so let's figure out who is yet in play. Twins Opening Day Bullpen: Jhoan Duran, Jorge Lopez, Griffin Jax, Caleb Thielbar, Jovani Moran, Emilio Pagan, Jorge Alcala, Cole Sands. Presumably Josh Winder and Ronny Henriquez will begin the season on the Injured List as neither has pitched this spring due to injury. Alright, let's jump to the offensive side of roster. We know that Jorge Polanco, Alex Kirilloff, and Gilberto Celestino will start the season on the Twins IL. Catchers: I don't need to spend too much time on this position. Christian Vazquez and Ryan Jeffers will split the time behind the plate. Tony Wolters remains on the spring roster as a non-roster guy, but he'll be assigned to the Saints unless something unfortunate happens. The Twins announced that Kyle Garlick has been reassigned to minor league camp on Sunday, just hours before he doubled off of lefty Chris Sale and the Red Sox. So, the position players on the Opening Day roster appear set as well. Infielders: Carlos Correa, Jose Miranda, Kyle Farmer, Donovan Solano, Willi Castro Outfielders: Byron Buxton, Michael A. Taylor, Max Kepler, Joey Gallo, Trevor Larnach, Nick Gordon. The semi-surprising name on the list is non-roster Willie Castro. The club will need to add him to the 40-man roster on Thursday, but there is an open spot after Dennis Santana was claimed by the Mets a week ago. The 25-year-old from Puerto Rico has spent much of the past four seasons with the Detroit Tigers. He's got 303 games and 1,092 plate appearances in the big leagues. While his career numbers are just .245/.292/.381 (.673), he can play all over the infield and outfield. And that can be said for several of the players that will be on the Twins opening day roster. With Jorge Polanco out, we could see Nick Gordon, Kyle Farmer, and Donovan Solano could all get time at second base. With Alex Kirilloff out, we could see Solano, Farmer, Jose Miranda, and quite a bit of Joey Gallo at first base. So, let's put a fun summary Opening Day Roster list here, and then feel free to discuss it in the comments. (again, pending transactions) Catchers: Christian Vazquez, Ryan Jeffers. (2) Infielders: Carlos Correa, Jose Miranda, Kyle Farmer, Donovan Solano, Willi Castro. (5) Outfielders: Byron Buxton, Michael A. Taylor, Max Kepler, Joey Gallo, Trevor Larnach, Nick Gordon. (6) Starters: Sonny Gray, Pablo Lopez, Joe Ryan, Tyler Mahle, Kenta Maeda. (5) Relievers: Jhoan Duran, Jorge Lopez, Griffin Jax, Emilio Pagan, Jorge Alcala, Cole Sands, Caleb Thielbar, Jovani Moran. (8) Injured List: Alex Kirilloff, Jorge Polanco, Gilberto Celestino, Ronny Henriquez, Josh Winder. (5) 60-Day IL: Chris Paddack, Royce Lewis. (2) Share your thoughts. View full article

Hearing that the opposite is true. Hope not, but fairly likely.

Another topic he was very willing to speak about... And, you'll certainly want to listen to the whole thing, but we did want to kind of time stamp some interesting topics so people can jump to those spots for a quick hit.

When I was reading through this yesterday to schedule it... when I read Torvald the Bleak, I literally spit out the water I was drinking. That is so funny!

I'm pretty sure they communicate to the best of their ability with the Pohlad family... And, they need to be careful with how much they say. There is no upside to them giving timelines, but people keep wanting an exact date. For me, the player will be ready when he is ready. No two people are the same, and they don't necessarily heal in the same timeline. So I chose to look at it like they're ready when they're ready.

Hopefully @Cody Christie will come in and answer some of these questions. I think, for some reason, he just uses like the Top 30 Prospects, presumably because Baseball America will have the tool ratings... Chris Williams absolutely has more power than Lee and Lewis. That said, I think Lewis can be a 25-30 homer per year guy in the big leagues. I don't think Lee will hit for as much power as Lewis unless he alters his swing just a little. But Williams isn't a Top 40 prospect by most evaluators.