Cody Christie

Minnesota started this season with three catchers on the roster. Jason Castro caught Jose Berrios on Opening Day. Mitch Garver started the team’s second game. Fan favorite Willians Astudillo starred on Sunday afternoon. Each catcher offers a little something different and it’s hard to know how rookie manager Rocco Baldelli will utilize their strengths. How will these three catchers be rotated in the season’s early games?There seems to be three different options when it comes to rotating through this trio of catchers. Each one has its own benefits and downfalls. Let’s examine each one. Strict Rotation Using a strict rotation might be the pattern Baldelli will follow to start the season. Jason Castro got the Opening Day start. This made sense because he was a left-handed hitter and Corey Kluber, a right-handed pitcher, was starting for Cleveland. Castro was also the more veteran catcher and he was returning to the field for the first time since the knee injury that cost him all of last season. On Saturday, Mitch Garver, a righty, got the start. He was facing a right-handed pitcher in Trevor Bauer. On paper, it might seem like this isn’t a good match-up, since it would be a righty vs. righty scenario. However, Garver batted .288/.352/.454 against righties last season. To put that in perspective, his OPS versus right-handed pitchers was 177 points higher compared to when he stepped in against lefties. Sunday saw Willians Astudillo make his first start. He went 2-for-2 with two runs scored and two RBI. He also made a tremendous defensive play when he was backing up a play in foul territory. This means Castro will sit for a minimum of the end of Thursday until Tuesday’s series opener in Kansas City. If Baldelli is going to rotate through players, these early season off-days are going to make it tough for the catchers to get into a rhythm at the plate. Play Matchups A natural platoon seems to form with Garver being a right-handed hitter and Castro being a left-handed hitter. Baldelli could play the natural match-ups but this would put Castro on the field far more than Garver. As mentioned above, that might not always be the best option since Garver has some reverse splits. Garver is actually better than Castro at hitting right-handed pitching. For his career, Castro has hit .241/.326/.412 against righties. His OPS against lefties is 171 points lower. While a strict rotation might make some sense, Garver needs to be in the line-up against lefties. Garver doesn’t destroy the ball against lefties (.629 OPS), but his numbers are better than Castro's. Astudillo has been unreal at making contact during his big-league tenure. Through just over 100 plate appearances, he is hitting .368/.386/.547 with 10 extra-base hits. He also doesn’t have much of a platoon split. His OPS is .949 against righties (67 at-bats) and .893 against lefties (28 at-bats). Personal Catchers for Starters Some team’s like for a pitcher and a catcher to build rapport with each other. It certainly seemed like Castro was working well with Berrios. Berrios might have been able to make any catcher look good during Thursday’s game. If the Twins keep rotating catchers, Castro would catch Berrios and Garver would continue to catch Odorizzi. Astudillo caught the Pineda/Perez combo on Sunday. Gibson has yet to make a start, but it seems likely for Garver to catch him in the second game of the Royals series. Pitchers can get comfortable when the same catcher is working with them behind the plate. It seems likely that a personal catcher could be a luxury, but it seems unnecessary at baseball’s highest level. All of these players are professionals and have worked with a multitude of battery combinations throughout their playing careers. A personal catching system might naturally form from the catching rotation but it’s not a necessity. Castro’s contract expires at season’s end. Garver is coming off a strong 2018 campaign and he can’t reach free agency until 2024. Minnesota needs to see if Garver can be the team’s long-term solution behind the plate. As the season progresses, the team could continue with a rotation or ride the hot bat. Hopefully, Garver is taking the reins and showing he is ready to take the next step. If you were in the manager’s chair, how would you approach the catching situation? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. Click here to view the article

Opening Day can be filled with hope for almost every fan. Baseball’s long off-season is finally complete and meaningful baseball games will be played. Even with green grass at Target Field, there are still plenty of questions remaining to be answered about the current club.How will the bullpen be used? New manager Rocco Baldelli is the first MLB manager born in the 1980’s. His playing career was cut short, so he has been on the fast-track to his current position. He comes from the Tampa Bay organization that was the first to regularly use the opener strategy. It seems likely for the club to utilize this as just one in-game tactic this season. Baldelli hasn’t named a closer this season and that might be a purposefully strategy. Minnesota doesn’t have a “proven closer” on the roster. Twins coaches will be able to analyze match-ups and put pitchers in situations to succeed. Every relief arm will need to be ready to come into the game at any given point. Fans will have to wait and see how this strategy plays out. Can the young core take the next step? Eddie Rosario and Jose Berrios were two of the most valuable players on the Twins last season. Now they need some help from the other young core players. Max Kepler is going to be given the opportunity to lead-off this season, even though he has never batted in that spot at the big-league level. He seemed to make some strides in the right direction last season. Can he flourish as the team’s lead-off man? Miguel Sano and Byron Buxton are also entering a critical season. Both players struggled through most of last season. Reports were that Sano’s off-season regimen had him in great physical condition. A fluke injury during a winter league celebration means he will start the year on the IL. Buxton had a huge spring and seems poised for a break-out campaign. Is he ready to become the team’s next superstar? With Joe Mauer gone, who takes over as the face of the franchise? Veteran slugger Nelson Cruz was brought in to serve as a leader in the clubhouse, but he’s only on a short-term contract. Heck, Target Field already has a two-foot long hot dog named after him. Even with his presence, it will be key for a young player take over as the face of the franchise. Jose Berrios was an All-Star last season and he will make his first Opening Day start. On multiple platforms, I have discussed how I think he can take an even bigger step this season. He has a chance to finish in the top 5 in the AL Cy Young voting at season’s end. However, he only pitches every fifth day. Someone like Byron Buxton needs to be the face of the franchise. Buxton can impact every level of the game and it might be his time. Do the Twins have enough pitching? Twins fans are always clamoring for more pitching. This off-season Minnesota added the likes of Martin Perez to the back of the rotation and Blake Parker will get some important bullpen innings. Neither one of these players will exactly make fans get overly excited, so there are other parts of the staff to examine. Non-roster invitee Ryne Harper made the team out of spring training. He was tremendous this spring and the 30-year old will finally get an opportunity to make his big-league debut. Other than that, the Twins are hoping players from last year’s roster can adjust to new bullpen roles. Trevor May will be relied on in the late innings. Former top prospect Fernando Romero will start the year in Rochester to try to find his spot in the bullpen. No team can have too much pitching and there are some questions about Minnesota’s depth to start the year. What do you think about these questions as Opening Day begins? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. Click here to view the article

Cleveland has won the AL Central for three consecutive years, but that streak could come to an end this year. The Indians are coming off a year where they had a club-record $135 million payroll. Ownership decided it was time for a mass exodus of players, so there will be a lot of new faces in the Cleveland line-up. Could this open the division to other foes? Fans will have to wait to find out.Key Additions: Carlos Santana, Jake Bauers Santana played his first eight big league seasons in Cleveland before signing a three-year $60 million deal with Philadelphia. The Phillies traded him back to the Indians this off-season in a deal that sent Edwin Encarnacion to Seattle. Santana offers some more line-up flexibility since he is a switch-hitter and he can play multiple positions. Jake Bauers was also part of the Santana trade. He could start the year in the Indians outfield or split time with Santana at first base. He’s only 23 years old and he hit 11 home runs last year for Tampa. Since Tampa was willing to part with him, one has to wonder if they know something that others do not. Key Departures: Yonder Alonso, Michael Brantley, Edwin Encarnacion, Yan Gomes, Yandy Diaz, Rajai Davis, Brandon Guyer, Lonnie Chisenhall, Josh Donaldson, Melky Cabrera, Cody Allen, Andrew Miller, and Josh Tomlin. A team could field a pretty good squad with the players that left the Indians from the end of last season. Heck, you might be able to win a Wild Card spot with this crew. Cody Allen and Andrew Miller were key late inning pieces for the Cleveland’s recent success. Francisco Lindor and Jose Ramirez will drive the offense but there are plenty of holes in the rest of the line-up. What if one of their key pieces gets hurt? This club might not score a ton of runs and they are going to rely on their strong starting staff to keep games close. Potential X-Factors: Trevor Bauer Corey Kluber and Carlos Carrasco are going to be a strong one-two punch at the top of the rotation, but Trevor Bauer could be a difference maker as the club’s number three pitcher. He does some outlandish things on social media and has hurt his hand with a drone, but he could put together some solid numbers that help to prove he belongs with the top two Indians arms. FanGraphs Projected 2019 Record: 92-70 My Projected 2019 Record: 87-76 (Win Game 163 against the Twins) 2018 Record: 91-71 (1st Place AL Central, Lost ALDS to Astros) 2017 Record: 102-60, (1st Place AL Central, Lost ALDS to Yankees) 2016 Record: 94-67, (1st Place in the AL Central, Lost World Series to Cubs) Click here to view the article

Chicago missed out on the Manny Machado sweepstakes but there are plenty of other up and coming stars on the southside of Chicago. Even though the White Sox lost 100 games last season, there is hope for some of their young core to take the next step. Winning the division might not be out of the question in 2019, but the White Sox are building a core that could compete in the years to come.Other American League Previews AL West: Houston, We Don’t Have a Problem AL East: New York State of Mind Central Intelligence: Clawless Tigers Central Intelligence: Rebuilding Royals Key Additions: Alex Colome, Kelvin Herrera, Ivan Nova, Yonder Alonso, Jon Jay, James McCann Chicago’s bullpen might be its most improved part. Colome and Herrera have combined for over 100 saves the last two seasons. This includes Colome’s league leading 47 saves in 2017. Ivan Nova is a familiar name as a former Yankees pitcher, and he looks to take over the veteran role in a young White Sox rotation. As will be clear in the Indians preview tomorrow, the Tribe dumped as many pieces as possible this off-season. This included Yonder Alonso who could help Jose Abreu in the middle of the line-up. Jon Jay was brought in to help lure Manny Machado to Chicago but that didn’t work out. Instead the club will add an everyday corner outfielder that isn’t projected to have that much pop. Key Departures: Miguel Gonzalez, James Shields, Avisail Garcia Nova takes over the rotation role left vacant by James Shields. Shields led the AL in losses last season with 16. He pitched over 200 innings for the first time since 2015 but he posted a 4.53 ERA and a 1.31 WHIP to go along with a 154 to 78 strikeout to walk ratio. Garcia’s was not tendered a contract even though he was an All-Star in 2017. Last year in Chicago, he hit .236/.281/.438 with 19 home runs and 49 RBI in 93 games. Gonzalez only pitched in three games last season and allowed 17 earned runs in 12.1 innings. For his career, he has a 4.06 ERA in over 880 innings pitched. Potential X-Factors: Yoan Moncada He was once considered baseball’s best prospect, but he is coming off a season where he had over 200 strikeouts. He finished the year hitting .235/.315/.400 with 17 home runs and 32 doubles. He could be a difference maker in the line-up if he can finally put it all together at the big-league level. His batting average has been in the tank since making his big-league debut but he is only 24-years old, so there is still time for him to take the next step. FanGraphs Projected 2019 Record: 70-92 My Projected 2019 Record: 74-86 2018 Record: 62-100, (4th Place in the AL Central) 2017 Record: 67-95 (4th Place in the AL Central) 2016 Record: 78-84 (4th Place in the AL Central) Click here to view the article

Kansas City’s front office has followed a similar formula during the last decade or so. They build their team through the draft and trades. When players are nearing free agency, they deal away veteran players. This cycle repeats and there end up being some long rebuilding years. It might seem like eons ago, but the Royals made back-to-back World Series in 2014 and 2015. In the midst of a rebuild are the Royals trending upwards? Or is the club due for a second straight 100-loss season?Other American League Previews AL West: Houston, We Don’t Have a Problem AL East: New York State of Mind Central Intelligence: Clawless Tigers Key Additions: Billy Hamilton, Chris Owings, Brad Boxberger, Homer Bailey Billy Hamilton fits nicely with Ned Yost’s style. He can play great defense and he’s one of the best base-stealers in the game. Having Hamliton in the same division as Byron Buxton means baseball’s two fastest players will see each other multiple times this season. Chris Owings was once a top prospect in Arizona but he’s hoping to find himself in a new city. Brad Boxberger should get some key outs in late innings. He should split closing duties with Wily Peralta. Homer Bailey could slide into the back of the rotation, but Kansas City might want to see what they have in some younger arms. Key Departures: Mike Moustakas, Lucas Duda, Alcides Escobar, Jason Hammel Mike Moustakas was one of the key pieces of the 2015 World Series Championship. The Moose was the second overall pick in 2007 and he made two All-Star Games with the club. Another key piece, Salvador Perez, will miss the season after having Tommy John surgery. His leadership on the field will be greatly missed this season. Alcides Escobar had been a regular starter in KC since 2011. Last year his OPS was almost 40 points lower than his career average. Lucas Duda was traded away at last year’s trade deadline and he ended up in camp with the Twins this spring. Jason Hammel struggled through two seasons in KC. His ERA was almost 5.60 in over 300 innings. Potential X-Factor: Whit Merrifield Kansas City locked up their 30-year-old second baseman to a four-year, $16.5 million contract this off-season. He has led the AL in steals in each of the last two seasons. His 192 hits were tops in the AL last year. He ranked in the AL’s top-10 for WAR last season, which put him higher than Jose Altuve and Giancarlo Stanton. Merrifield might not make the top-5 but he could move up that list with improvements this season. Could Merrifield take over the leadership role left vacated by Perez? Or will the Royals need other pieces to take the next step? FanGraphs Projected 2019 Record: 68-94 My Projected 2019 Record: 67-95 2018 Record: 58-104, (5th Place in the AL Central) 2017 Record: 80-82 (3rd Place in the AL Central) 2016 Record: 81-81 (3rd Place in the AL Central) Click here to view the article

Ron Gardenhire was stepping into a tough spot when he took the managerial position in Detroit. Beyond Miguel Cabrera, the line-up is full of relatively unknown players. Gardy might have to harken back to his early years in Minnesota when he was able to turn a rag-tag group of young players into the cream of the crop in the AL Central. Detroit won four straight AL Central titles from 2011-14. Can Gardy steer them back in the right direction?Other American League Previews AL West: Houston, We Don’t Have a Problem AL East: New York State of Mind Key Additions: Josh Harrison, Jordy Mercer, Matt Moore, Tyson Ross Josh Harrison, a two-time All-Star, will take over at second base. The Pirates declined his $10.5 million option and Harrison signed with Detroit on a one-year, $2 million deal. He can play multiple positions, but he figures to get the majority of his time at second base. During the last three seasons, he has hit .270/.317/.398. Jordy Mercer joins the Tigers from the Pirates organization. He hopes to fill the middle infield hole left by Jose Iglesias. Over the last three seasons, he has hit .254/.324/.387 while averaging 10 home runs and 25 doubles. According to SABR’s Defensive Index, he was the third worst defensive shortstop in the NL last season. Matt Moore and Tyson Ross signed one-year pacts in Detroit, and they will fight to be in the rotation. Moore was once considered one of the best pitching prospects in the game. Over the last three seasons, he has posted a 5.20 ERA and a 1.46 WHIP. Tyson Ross has put up similar numbers over the same stretch with a 5.21 ERA and 1.44 WHIP. However, Moore has pitched 270 more innings than Ross. Key Departures: Victor Martinez, Alex Wilson, James McCann, Jose Iglesias Victor Martinez retired at the end of last season and that leaves a hole in the Tigers offense. James McCann leaves a spot open behind the plate for Greyson Greiner to take over. Wilson pitched 60 innings or more in each of the last four seasons, but he wasn’t tendered a contract. Since 2015, Jose Iglesias has started a minimum of 119 games at shortstop. He was an All-Star in 2015. Cincinnati signed him to a minor league contract at the end of February. Due to an injury, he will get to begin the year as a starter for the Reds. Potential X-Factors: Nick Castellanos It’s no secret that Detroit has been trying to deal Castellanos this off-season. He will be a free agent at season’s end. That being said, he is coming off a year where he hit .298/.354/.500 with 23 home runs and 46 doubles. Entering his age 27 season, he might be playing for a decent off-season contract. He’s played third base in the past, but he has shifted to the corner outfield in recent years. Corresponding with that shift has been a much-improved offensive player. His slugging percentage has been .490 or higher in each of the last three seasons. Can he be part of the solution in Detroit? Or will a hot start from Castellanos result in a trade before the deadline? FanGraphs Projected 2019 Record: 66-96 My Projected 2019 Record: 63-99 2018 Record: 64-98, (3rd Place in the AL Central) 2017 Record: 64-98 (5th Place in the AL Central) 2016 Record: 86-75 (2nd Place in the AL Central) Click here to view the article

The AL East seems destined to have multiple playoff contenders in 2019. There’s even a chance that both wild card clubs come from this division. Boston is coming off the World Series crown. New York coming off their own 100-win season and they might be the favorites for the division. Tampa is in a second tier but could still make the playoffs. Toronto and Baltimore are waiting on younger players to put it together. Can Boston repeat? Or will the Yankees be crowned Beasts of the East?Other AL Previews AL West: Houston, We Don’t Have a Problem Boston Red Sox Boston has a legitimate shot to be the first repeat World Series champion since the Yankees won three-straight from 1998-2000. Mookie Betts is coming off an MVP performance and JD Martinez is one of the best hitters in the game. Andrew Benintendi and Jackie Bradley Jr. join Betts as arguably the best outfield in baseball. Just don’t tell the Yankees. Realistically, the line-up doesn’t really have a hole from top to bottom and their bench adds depth as well. On the mound, Chris Sale needs to be back to his healthy self. David Price looked great in the postseason, but will that transition to the regular season? The bullpen might be the one thing preventing a Boston repeat. Craig Kimbrel and Joe Kelly are gone, and Steven Wright was suspended for 80-games. Matt Barnes will take over closer duties and he has a career 4.14 ERA. A strong line-up will keep the Red Sox in the division, but the pitching staff has some questions. New York Yankees While Boston’s bullpen is cloudy, New York’s bullpen might be one of the best in baseball history. Aroldis Chapman, Dellin Betances, Zack Britton, Adam Ottavino, and Chad Green make it seem like the late-innings are all but locked down in the Bronx. In the rotation, Masahiro Tanaka hasn’t exactly been a work-horse, as he has never pitched 200 innings in a season. Luis Severino’s shoulder is a question mark. This means James Paxton is going to need to acclimate to New York in a hurry. New York’s line-up is anchored by power hitters Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton. Former Twin Aaron Hicks rounds out a terrific trio of outfielders. Gleyber Torres, Gary Sanchez, and Miguel Andujar add depth to the line-up. Troy Tulowitzki is trying to fill in for Didi Gregorius. Could the former Rockies star provide some magic before Gregorius returns? New York’s offense and bullpen should separate them from the pack, and they should win the division for the first time since 2012. Tampa Bay Rays Tampa Bay is coming off a 90-win season, and it could be tough to run with the big dogs ahead of them in the AL East. Cy Young winner Blake Snell is joined at the top of the rotation by Charlie Morton and Tyler Glasnow. All three of these pitchers will be relied on heavily if the club is going to make any kind of run at a playoff spot. The Rays official depth chart only lists three players in the rotation and then a bunch of arms in the bullpen. Tampa created the opener strategy last season and it seems likely for the club to use this strategy again in 2019. Mike Zunino will take over behind the plate after years in Seattle. He joins a young core that includes the likes of Willy Adames, Austin Meadows, Yandy Diaz, and Avisail Garcia. Younger players can be a fickle bunch. Sometimes they can come together, find some magic, and put together some great performances on the field. Other times, they can get into prolonged slumps. Tampa can’t afford a slump in a top-heavy AL East. Toronto Blue Jays Toronto’s biggest excitement this season will come when Vladimir Guerrero Jr. makes his much-anticipated debut. The team will keep him in the minor leagues until they can pick up an extra year of service time because the Blue Jays don’t have much of a shot to compete this year. Bo Bichette, another top prospect, will also make his debut in 2019. For now, the likes of Justin Smoak, Kevin Pillar, and Kendrys Morales will hold down the fort. Marcus Stroman and Aaron Sanchez will lead the rotation. Stroman is looking to bounce back after pitching to a 5.54 ERA and a 1.48 WHIP. He also failed to reach 200 innings pitched for the first time since 2015. Sanchez has pitched fewer than 150 innings the last two seasons combined. Toronto hopes the 2016 version (192 IP and a 3.00 ERA) of Sanchez shows up again. Toronto has a great farm system, but the players are just starting to emerge this season. Baltimore Orioles If you think things got bad in Minnesota in recent years, think about the Orioles losing 115 games last season. That’s a whole lot of nothing happening at Camden Yards. Manny Machado was dealt away and found his way to San Diego this off-season. Chris Davis and Mark Trumbo can hit for some power, but Davis is coming off a horrific season at the plate. Dylan Bundy, Andrew Cashner, and Alex Cobb are at the top of the rotation. Those three arms might be able to keep Baltimore in some close games. However, it seems more likely for this team to be on its way to another 100 losses. What do you think about the AL East? Can the Yankees beat out the Red Sox? Does Tampa have enough for a Wild Card spot? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. Click here to view the article

Houston is coming off a 103-win season and the Astros have won the AL West in two consecutive seasons. Oakland and Seattle were in the playoff hunt last season. Los Angeles has the best player in the galaxy, while Texas seems destined for a second consecutive 90 loss campaign. Can anyone catch Houston? Or will the Astros be crowned kings of the Wild West?Houston Astros The Astros won the World Series two years ago and are coming off a franchise record 103 wins. Houston’s lineup and top starting pitchers are among the league’s best. This is just one of the many reasons the club will be at the top of the AL for the third consecutive year. It’s crazy to think how deep this lineup is with the likes of Carlos Correa, George Springer, Alex Bregman, and Jose Altuve. Gone from the rotation are Charlie Morton (free agent) and Lance McCullers Jr. (Tommy John surgery). Justin Verlander and Gerrit Cole are a strong one-two punch and the team added Wade Miley to be the club’s number three pitcher. While the club might not get to 100 wins, it’s Houston’s division to lose. Oakland Athletics The As won 97 games last season and no, that’s not a typo. Oakland rode a strong offense built around a lot of power to a surprising playoff berth. Matt Chapman, Khris Davis, Matt Olson and Stephen Piscotty are all capable of hitting 25+ home runs. Former top prospect Jurickson Profar is going to try and find himself by the Bay. Former Twin Robbie Grossman could also play a role in the outfield. Last season, Oakland’s biggest weakness was their rotation. The club is scheduled to start the year with Mike Fiers, Marco Estrada, Brett Anderson, and Frankie Montas. That’s not exactly a murder’s row of a rotation. Can the bullpen bail them out for the second consecutive year? Oakland will take a step back this season but could contend for the second Wild Card spot. Los Angeles Angels Mike Trout just got paid and he is well worth the price of admission. Unfortunately for Angels fans, there isn’t much else to get excited about in LA. Shohei Ohtani certainly brought some excitement last season but he had Tommy John surgery so his two-way playing will be limited to DH duties. Albert Pujols isn’t getting any younger, so Justin Bour was brought in for first base. A few new acquisitions could help the club. Jonathan Lucroy could add something behind the plate, but he’s been trending in the wrong direction offensively. Cody Allen add some stability to the late-innings. Matt Harvey and Trevor Cahill could surprise at the back-end of the rotation. New manager Brad Ausmus could guide LA to a wild card but don’t count on it. Seattle Mariners The list of players departed from Seattle’s roster could form the core of a strong roster. Robinson Cano, James Paxton, Nelson Cruz, Edwin Diaz, Jean Segura, and Mike Zunino are all gone. Seattle is in rebuild mode and the team’s above them on this preview should be able to beat up on what’s left of the Mariners. Edwin Encarnacion joins the club, but it was only to help trade away players like Carlos Santana and Jean Segura. Jay Bruce, Mitch Haniger, and Dee Gordon are still in the in the lineup. Kyle Seager will start the year on the DL. Felix Hernandez is only 32, but he has a lot of miles on his arm and has struggled recently. Seattle won’t be focused on winning this year. Eyes are on the future. Texas Rangers There’s not much in Texas except a whole lot of rebuilding. Joey Gallo can clobber the ball. Elvis Andrus and Rougned Odor form a decent middle infield. Their top prospects don’t figure to get much time in Arlington in 2019. This leaves players like Shin-Soo Choo, Asdrubal Cabrera, and Hunter Pence to fill-in until other younger players are ready to take over. Former Twin Lance Lynn is scheduled to be the number two starter. Let that sink in for a minute. The good news is there should be plenty of long balls for fans to catch if they sit through the Texas heat. Also, the club should end up with a top draft pick next summer. What do you think about the AL West? Can anyone catch Houston? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. Click here to view the article

A big thank you to everyone that sent in mailbag questions throughout the off-season. It has been fun to write on a variety of baseball related topics. This concept has generated some great discussion here at Twins Daily. With the season starting, I will be shifting away from the mailbag and diving into some regular season stories. Thanks again to everyone that submitted questions. Enjoy the off-season’s final mailbag article. Baseball’s new rules are certainly going to take some adjustment time. The three-batter minimum for pitchers is going to be one of the toughest adjustments but there are some ways to avoid the problem. An end of an inning can also signal the end of a player’s time on the mound. This could be helpful for the LOOGY (left-handed one out guy). If there are two outs in the inning, come in and get the out you need, and your day will be done. “I think without question it is the most significant strategic on-field change relative to the changes that were announced,” Falvey said. “That one’s going to be interesting for a subset of players. We’ve all long thought that there might be a player that’s a left-on-left situational guy and you worry a little less about his exposure against right-handed hitters. Well, that will change.” There are going to be situational players that are hurt by this rule. Front offices are going to have to change roster construction and managers are going to have to change what they do on the field. I don’t like that it takes away a strategy from teams. I also don’t think it will save that much time, since the ultimate goal is to speed up the pace of play. Minnesota is slowly whittling down the roster. Over the weekend, Tyler Duffey was optioned to Triple-A and Chase De Jong was reassigned to minor league camp. Monday saw Tomas Telis, Brian Navarreto, and Randy Cesar sent to the backfields. This left 41 players in camp including 21 pitchers. There are also 10 non-roster invitees among the 41 remaining players. If I was creating the roster today… Rotation (5): Jose Berrios, Kyle Gibson, Jake Odorizzi, Michael Pineda, Martin Perez Bullpen (7): Trevor May, Blake Parker, Taylor Rogers, Trevor Hildenberger, Adalberto Mejia, Matt Magill, Addison Reed Catchers (3): Jason Castro, Mitch Garver, Willians Astudillo Infielders (5): CJ Cron, Jonathan Schoop, Jorge Polanco, Ehire Adrianza, Marwin Gonzalez Outfielders (4): Eddie Rosario, Byron Buxton, Max Kepler, Jake Cave DH (1): Nelson Cruz This will leave some players like Michael Reed open to waivers. Reed has the possibility of latching on with another team as a fourth outfielder, but it wouldn’t surprise me if he made it through waivers. On the offensive side of things, Adam Rosales has been having a great spring. Tom wrote about him as a possible winner of the Sire of Fort Myers. He’s 35-years old and the Twins seem to have some younger options ahead of him on the depth chart. Lucas Duda could have a shot too, but CJ Cron and Tyler Austin are ahead of him. The most likely non-roster choice might be on the mound. Ryne Harper has been outstanding this spring and Minnesota’s bullpen could offer him an opportunity. A player like Trevor Hildenberger has options left. Addison Reed has seen some rough spots this spring. Harper has certainly looked like he has earned a big-league job. Things are definitely going to be different in the Twins clubhouse this season. Spring training already saw some of those changes with workouts and schedules changing. Baldelli is not that far removed from his own career. This should help him relate to his players. He’s also coming from a Tampa organization that was very forward-thinking. As far as leaders in the clubhouse, Nelson Cruz was signed to fill some of that veteran leadership role. He’s been one of the best home run hitters of the last decade and he brings instant credibility. Kyle Gibson is a strong leader in the rotation, and I think he could serve in that capacity for the entire pitching staff. Minnesota is entering the Byron Buxton and Miguel Sano era, so it would be nice to see them take on leadership roles as well. What are your thoughts on this week’s questions? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. Click here to view the article

Opening Day is a little over two weeks away. Even with the mounds of snow that continue to grow, they believe there will be baseball played at Target Field on March 28. I’ve been to every home opener at Target Field and I have been at something like 15 of the last 16 home openers for the Twins. It’s not happening this year. No number of puffy vests could change my mind. That being said, there are still some things that need to be decided about the club. Let’s open the mailbox and see what the people have sent in. Dallas Keuchel would be a strong addition to the Twins rotation, but I don’t think it is going to happen. I truly don’t understand why he is still a free agent. Houston’s front office knows him the best, but they haven’t bitten the bullet on adding him back to staff. There must be more to the Keuchel situation. There are some health and durability concerns about Keuchel, especially if he wants a long-term deal. He’s only 31 and he has a Cy Young, four Gold Gloves, and two All-Star appearances. He’s not going to pitch the same way he did in 2015, his Cy Young year, but he could be a nice number two or three pitcher on a contending team. At this point, it seems like his agent might be waiting for a key injury to a starting pitcher to drive up the Keuchel cost. When it comes to the final rotation order, some of the pieces are already decided. Jose Berrios has been named the team’s Opening Day starter. It seems likely that weather will impact some of the team’s early season games and the club wouldn’t need a fifth starter for the first couple of weeks. Behind Berrios, Kyle Gibson seems like a logical number two pitcher. From there, things get murky. Michael Pineda, Jake Odorizzi, and Martin Perez are the next three in line for starting spots. Odorizzi got crushed in his last Grapefruit League start but he might have been working on some specific pitches. Perez has some experience in relief so he could start the year in the bullpen. A couple more rough starts and Odorizzi could switch places with Perez. Twins Opening Day Rotation Jose BerriosKyle GibsonMichael PinedaJake OdorizziMartin Perez (begins in the bullpen)Minnesota has focused on power this offseason, but I don’t think it is enough to reach the 350-home run mark. Last year, the Yankees hit 267 home runs and that was the most in big league history. Minnesota ranked 23rd with 166 home runs. Only five teams in MLB history have hit over 250 home runs and that might have been what you meant. With Minnesota’s revamped line-up, I believe the club can crack the 200-home run mark. This would put them near the top-10 in the league. Most of the Opening Day line-up should have the potential to hit 20 home runs or more. Also, Nelson Cruz certainly helps any club’s home run total. In the last week, the Twins announced some family friendly pricing on items at concession stands in Target Field. Unfortunately, there are only two stands with these family friendly prices. Target Field still lets fans bring in any outside food that they want as long as it is in an appropriate container. I took advantage of this policy multiple times when I lived in the Twin Cities. Unfortunately, I think Twitter allows fans to be negative when it isn’t necessary. People can hide behind their computer screens or their phones and complain about things that don’t have that much of an impact on them. The Twins made an effort to lower prices at Target Field. They didn’t have to do it. If you don’t want to wait in the lines, bring in your own food or go to a more expensive stand. I love the food options at Target Field. I only make it to a couple games per year so I’m going to buy the food I want and pay full price. What do you think about this week’s questions? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. Click here to view the article

Snow continues to pile up. My snow blower was brand new this year and it’s already asking for an early retirement. Reports from Fort Myers say there is less snow near the Gulf of Mexico. Maybe all of Twins Territory can relocated to Florida for a couple weeks. While we have all been stuck inside, there were some great questions sent my way. Follow me on Twitter so you can be part of the next Twins Daily mailbag. Last year, the Twins signed players late into the spring as free agents were still available. Last week the club added Marwin Gonzalez, which might have seemed like a stretch at the beginning of the off-season. Instead, he was available and fell into the Twins laps. This is a phrase that has been thrown out multiple times by the front office. So… could a pitcher fall into the team’s lap? Dallas Keuchel was the top free agent starter on the market, and he has yet to sign. As a 31-year old, he is coming off a year where he posted a 3.74 ERA and a 1.31 WHIP in 204.2 innings. It seems logical that plenty of teams would be interested in his services. My guess is he ends up back in Houston to solidify their rotation. That being said, it sounds like he was good friends with Gonzales during their time in Houston. Maybe a reunion could be in the works. The Minneapolis Star Tribune doesn’t believe Keuchel will be coming to Minnesota. It seems most likely for the team to start the season with the current pitchers on the roster. Gio Gonzalez does little to excite me as a free agent. Last year as a 32-year old, he posted a 4.21 ERA and a 1.44 WHIP in 171.0 innings. He could be a nice veteran presence at the back of the rotation, but I’d rather give those innings to a younger arm. Minnesota will start the year with Jose Berrios, Kyle Gibson, Michael Pineda, and Jake Odorizzi occupying the top four spots in the rotation. Innings that could be allotted to Gonzalez should go to the likes of Martin Perez, Adalberto Mejia, Kohl Stewart, and Stephen Gonsalves. Even with the strong reports about Stephen Gonsalves, I doubt there is any way he makes the team out of spring training. The early weeks of the season are full of extra off-days and Minnesota will likely have some weather delays, sine the Home Opener is scheduled before the calendar turns to April. With that in mind, the club won’t need a fifth starter near the beginning of the year. This allows the team to carry an extra bullpen arm or an extra bat for the bench. Without an injury to one of the top starters, there is almost no chance Gonsalves breaks camp with the club. He will start the year in Rochester and be only a phone call away. I would love to buy into all of the Byron Buxton spring training hype. Unfortunately, spring training numbers mean little for the regular season. It’s great for his confidence to be finding consistent success, but fans haven’t seen him put it all together at the big-league level. Until he can do it consistently with the Twins, there will be a lot of fans that wonder if the Twins made the right choice with Buxton. However, many fans were disappointed with Joe Mauer for the majority of his career and he could end up being a Hall of Fame player. Earlier this off-season, I identified Buxton’s emergence as one of the keys to 2019. I still believe that to be true. He could end up being an All-Star. He could end up struggling. It seems more likely that he falls somewhere in the middle of those two extremes. This question took me the longest because of all of the options. Some of the options that popped into my head were Kirby Puckett’s eye injury, Justin Morneau’s concussions, and Joe Mauer’s concussions. All three of these injuries deprived Twins Territory of some tremendous years of Hall of Fame caliber baseball. My answer might be a little off the beaten path, but I am going to say Francisco Liriano’s Tommy John surgery in 2006. I fully believe the Twins could have won the World Series that season had Liriano stayed healthy. No team was going to beat Liriano and Johan Santana multiple times in the same series. It might have been one of the most dominant one-two punches in playoff history. I think Liriano’s arm injury deprived the Twins organization of their third World Series title. I think the Twins have made it clear this off-season. They don’t want to be known as the club that battles their tails off. They want to hit home runs and they want to hit a lot of home runs. Minnesota’s 2019 roster is going to hit the ball over the fence and the club is going to strike out a lot. This might be good and it might be bad, but it’s a far cry from the Nick Punto days back in the Metrodome. Thanks to all of those that submitted questions this week. Leave a COMMENT with your own answers to all of these questions. Click here to view the article

In the last week, the Twins have gotten things up and running in Fort Myers. The club played their first few games on their Grapefruit League schedule. Minnesota also made a splash by signing super utility player Marwin Gonzalez to a two-year contract. It’s tough to know where he will fit in the line-up, but he can play almost anywhere so he should still get regular at-bats. There were certainly some interesting questions in this week’s mailbag. Let’s head to the mailbox and open some mail. Baseball players certainly have some concerns with how the system is currently being run. Over the last two winters, teams have not been willing to give veteran players long-term contracts. Even the highest rated free agents have been on the market all the way until spring training began. According to USA Today, “The conditions players feel are suppressing their earning power – a luxury tax that serves as a de facto salary cap, a heavy reliance on analytics that leads to wage suppression, a segment of ownership disincentivized and perhaps ambivalent about winning – aren’t going away until then, if at all.” Teams have also manipulated service time of their top prospects to delay them reaching free agency. Players would like to reach free agency after five years, arbitration after two years, and for the minimum salary to be raised. To make this kind of change, the players are going to have to give something up. Players are getting frustrated and some are even preparing for a looming strike. It took baseball a long time to come back from the last strike. Hopefully, it won’t happen again. Free agency sure has taken on a different feel over the last two off-seasons. Bryce Harper and Manny Machado had to feel good about reaching free agency at such a young age. Still, it took until February for either of them to sign. With the way organizations approach spending money, I didn’t think anything will change with how clubs spend money next off-season. Names like Paul Goldschmidt, Xander Bogaerts, Nolan Arenado and Justin Verlander could all be on the free agent market. Goldschmidt and Verlander are already in their 30’s. Arenado might be the most prized free agent but there is talk of him signing a long-term deal with the Rockies. Bogaerts is good but he isn’t in the same realm as some of the other names on this list. Until the player’s union can force some changes, free agency is looking less appealing for veteran players. When it comes to the pitch clock, I think it is what it is. Players and teams need to get used to the idea because Major League Baseball is going to have a pitch clock. Younger players are getting used to the clock in the minor leagues so that will help the transition. I truly believe it will become something that fans and players don’t even notice. It will just become a transparent element of the game. Commissioner Rob Manfred’s focus on pace of play will certainly continue to be part of the game moving forward. I think a pitch clock will impact the length of games, but I don’t think it will be a significant impact. Baseball will continue to need to address at things like pitching changes and mound visits. Players can also take some of this on themselves. Pitchers can get the ball back on the mound and pitch right away. Batters can stay in the box and wait for the next pitch to come. Pitch clocks are just part of the steps MLB is going to take to speed up the game. Cleveland is vulnerable for the first time in years. I think the Twins can be in contention all the way into September. That being said, some of the young core needs to take the next step. I think Byron Buxton is going to have a breakout season and he will be the team’s lead-off hitter for a post-season run. So, let’s see what the line-up could look like: Potential September 2019 Line-Up 1. Byron Buxton, CF 2. Jorge Polanco, SS 3. Nelson Cruz, DH 4. Miguel Sano, 3B 5. Eddie Rosario, LF 6. Marwin Gonzalez, 1B 7. Jonathan Schoop, 2B 8. Max Kepler, RF 9. Mitch Garver, C The newly signed Gonzalez could fit into a few different spots in the line-up. I thought about putting him at first or second. Former first-round pick and top prospect Alex Kirilloff could hit his way into the line-up by September as well. I’d hope the team is giving more at-bats to Garver than Jason Castro in September since Castro will be a free agent. However, the team will likely be using both catchers and riding the hot bat. What do you think about this week’s questions? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. Click here to view the article