DocBauer

I like Bell. I like his signing in general terms. I just like him better as a DH than as a 1B. I wonder what his career WAR would be if he had spent less time at 1B? Until last season, he's had generally neutral splits. Solid bat for his career, usually good for 18-22 HR and 70-85 RBI. That's a useful bat. I'm still trying to figure out if he's going to be the primary 1B, or primary DH and they'll mix and match at 1B. Ugh! I don't blame him for poor roster construction. He's actually a solid add to the lineup by himself. I just don't know how they make all these pieces fit.

I have no problem with him begining this season as a SP. He needs the innings to not only work .ore on his command, hopefully harness the 2 newer pitches, nut he's still refining HOW to pitch. You can have great stuff, and even good control. But there is an element to setting up hitters that he's still learning. Even if he ends up in the pen, he's still working on the "knowledge" portion of pitching. While it would be awesome to have him as a rotation fixture at 24 or even 25yo, I'd be really happy for being a possible rotation fixture from age 26 to 32. That doesn't mean he doesn't still end up in the pen as a top set up man or potential closer. It might still happen. But he only gains command and experience by remaining a starter for now.

It's nice to have options. It's nice to have depth. But this is a mess. For the upteenth time, I don't dislike Larnach. He's a solid, ML LH hitter who could be a nice primary DH for someone who can play an OK corner OF once in a while. But he no longer fits with the Twins. He should be moved for whatever you can get for him: prospect, or packaged with a another internal prospect for a decent pen arm if possible. I believe Outman is 29yo or about to turn. He hasn't hit ML pitching for 2 yrs. So does his him having a good ST actually mean anything? I'd love to throw caution to the wind and just give E-Rod the job from day one and Roden can sit at AAA along with Jenkins and Gonzalez for nextqn up. But I don't think the Twins will be that brave. They'll want to give E-Rod a little more AAA time to make sure he's ready, and it helps with service time. So it should come down to Roden and Outman. I'm not down on Roden for a poor 2025 debut between two different teams and so little actual time played. Personally, I'd roll with the younger Roden, Martin sharing time and sort of functioning as the 4th OF, and risk losing Outman. I just don't see a future for Outman with the club, but I can see one for Roden. And if Roden doesn't step up, you have Rodriguez, Jenkins, and Gonzalez all sitting at St Paul just waiting. While not a perfect solution, that makes the most sense to me.

Does it really matter at the end of the day? But FWIW, a single outlier. 2 say 8th, 1 says 9th, and 2 others say 12th. So basically, we're at #10 when you dismiss such a vast outlier. I can live with that. But it's really just for conversation and fun. These not only change yearly, they also change mid season. I care about who makes it, and how well they do. Where they were ranked doesn't mean much to me at th3 end of the day.

Based on everything written in the OP, it's well within the realm of possibility. However, I don't see enough playing time for him to beat out the field. His hamstring is only a grade 1, so he's probably back on the field soon. But that puts him a couple weeks behind. Then, he probably needs a hot start and be up before the end of May in order to play enough to beat everyone else out. Possible, but again, he's going to begin a couple weeks behind everyone. Additionally, with Rodriguez having a great camp, on the 40 man, a little older, there's a very good chance he comes up before Jenkins. Also, what if Buxton is healthy again, Wallner has an OPS above .800 again, and Roden and Martin actually perform really well/solidly? Opportunity can also be a part of the ROY discussion. I'm betting he plays this season, and probably acquits himself well. But it will be too little, too late for ROY consideration. On the other hand, he'll be that much more experienced and ready to make a difference in 2027.

I'm not particularly a fan of Wagaman. And the roster is a construction nightmare. But how can you best make the pieces work? OF: Roden, Buxton, Wallner, and Martin INF: Lewis, Lee, Keaschall, Clemens, Wagaman, Bell, and X. C: Jeffers, and Caratini While Clemens and Wagaman are utility players, the roster as a whole is better served with them, and Caratini on occasion, handling 1B duty so Bell can focus on being the primary DH. When you don't have a true 1B, you make due. This allows for more speed and defense being added to the roster with Roden and Martin as combination starters and 4th OF options. However, there is no room for Larnach. If you accept Wagaman as an average 4 corner player with a solid bat against LHP...who seemed to improve at the end of 2025...he might just provide more usefulness than Larnach does. That might be the question that should be proposed; who is more valuable to the 2026 Twins, Larnach or Wagaman?

I have a belief that many fans suffer from the "what did you do yesterday" syndrom. And this is in regard to Ober. He had a poor 2025. He put up video game numbers in MILB, but was often injured as his body kept breaking down due to poor mechanics. He was a surprise add to the 40 man, and while nursed a bit his rookie season, he flashed and got better and better. Why? Because the Twins ironed out his mechanics to keep him healthy and tweak his offerings. And he became a really good #3 who occasionally threw like a #2. Chicken or the egg, did Ober have a bad hip that threw off his mechanics, or did he lose his mechanics and that induced a hip injury? Do we care? There was a recent article about Ober that I simply ignored. Why? Because I believe in the work ethic and pure stuff and production of this mountain of a man. If the hip feels good, and the mechanics are feeling right, I don't have to read an article questioning Ober. Have the Twins been a little slow with him this ST? You bet. They're just doing due diligence. They're doing the same with Ryan. Losing Lopez is going to be hard to overcome. Ryan and Ober are going to lead this rotation. And I'd rather have Lopez do that, of course. What I DON'T want is Ryan and Ober to feel they have to replace Lopez. I just want them to be their selves. It's up to SWR, Bradley, Matthews, and Abel to pick up the slack. And while ST is mostly about just getting ready for the season, we've seen some flashes that make us optimistic that the rotation might still be strong. And if SOMEONE cranks it up to another level...looking at Bradley, Matthews, and Abel directly...takes a step forward to move Ober back to being the #3 option, so much the better. But don't bet against Ober being what he had been the past few seasons.

One arguement about Lee that just baffles me is his arm. I read one report that he has a weak/average arm. And then I read another that says his arms is just fine for 3B. Well, a 3B needs about as good of an arm as a SS, generally speaking, as many of his throws are just as long. WHAT I THINK I KNOW: 1] Lee just isn't a dynamic athlete. So range will always hold him back. The fact that he's worked hard on being "quicker" is great. Even 1 more step can help. Overcoming the temptation he recognizes to take an automatic step IN, by itself, may add a step of range. 2] I like his hands. I read all the complaints. But from what I've watched, he has really good hands. The only PROBLEM I've concluded with his hands is that playing 3 spots as an early career ML player is just a lack of experience at 2B and 3B. All 3 spots need a little different technique in fielding, and he's still a work in progress in that regard. 3] I think he has a nice, smooth, quick transition from glove to hand. Further, I've seen him make some off balance throws that made me wonder how he accomplished that due to the fact he's supposed to be a sub par athlete. I think he's surprisingly smooth in a short area, if that makes sense. Lee is NEVER going to be a great SS. I think average is very much achievable. And I'm OK with that for the immediate future. He either needs to excel as a defender, or improve his offense to remain at SS. IIRC, there were questions when drafted about remaining at SS. So I don't believe there is any surprise that his long term future is not a starting ML SS. Can he improve to average? I believe he can, and will this season. But IMO, it's his BAT that is the biggest question mark. Nick's OP reminds something I've been yelling about for months now. ROOKIE status is 150 ML AB. Lee entered 2025 at 172 ML AB. That means he entered 2025 BARELY above rookie status. But there are so many bashing his bat as an almost rookie seeming to believe he's already some kind of failure. I just find that ridiculous. Draft and prospect hype for a 24yo who struggled in his FIRST full ML season would be the cause I guess. Lee is a hard worker according to anyone who knows him. They hype of "best shape of his career" and a "different looking body" shouldn't be ignored as hyperbole for a 25yo entering his 2nd ML full season. Assuming he doesn't have what I now refer to as "Miranda disease", which is the feeling contacting every ball, even if it means weak contact, is a good thing...which Lee recognizes...he has the potential to be a .270-ish HITTER. While he doesn't have much speed, he would seem to be a legitimate 30 Dbls hitter. I'm not convinced his HR power is beyond mid to upper teens, but I'm OK with that considering Dbls power and the AVG and .320-ish OB % I think he's capable of. That's a GOOD ballplayer. If he does better, we can all celebrate. I rather dislike the immediate depth options. Is it possible Arcia has one more solid season in him? Maybe. It would be great if he did. Kreidler might have a great glove, and can even play CF well, but so far he's proven he can't hit his way put of a wet paper bag. Even in MILB he only hit around .230! Crazy as it may be, Gray offers the best bat of the 3, can play all 4 INF positions, and might be the best overall option. (Ugh). What really disappoints me is the lack of imagination from the FO. I'm not saying they would get it RIGHT, but why didn't they look for a trade move...possibly including Larnach...for SOMEONE'S Newman, Punto, or Castro who was 25-27yo with a solid glove and SOME talent and potential who might be blocked and needing opportunity? Wouldn't we love another Punto today as the backup SS/utility option? What's done is done. (Grr). Digging deeper, examining the depth, maybe it doesn't matter in the long run. There's at least a decent chance that K-Pepper is ready June or July 1st to debut and just be a better SS than Lee...even with improvement...to take over. Suddenly Lee is a super sub, especially if his BAT takes another step forward. That DOESN'T mean KP won't make mistakes. But he has more athleticism, quickness and speed, with a good arm, to be a better every day option. And Lee becomes a quality depth option across the diamond, and we can forget the names Kreidler, Arcia, and Gray other than being St Paul depth options. It's also possible that Schobel, building on his 2025, becomes another depth option that we might want to pay attention to. From there, a year or two from now, Houston might change the complexion again. Despite being a well built, athletic player, there are questions about his power. Considering his OUTSTANDING defensive potential, all he needs to do is just be the solid hitter he was in college, with decent XB pop, speed, and good base running, and a decent OB% profile. Houston is not a small individual. But I'm still not convinced he has POWER. But it would seem he at least has POP. That means the ability to crank 8-10+ HR, 30 Dbls, and a few Trips per season. He's also fast enough and smart enough to steal 15-20 bases a year. His HITTING profile suggests a solid AVG and OB%. At WORST he's a .250 hitter with .270 possible based on projection and a .315-.320 OB% on the low side. With his defense, even the low side of a .250 hitter with a .320 OB%, 30 Dbls, a handful of Trips, 8-10 HR, and 15 SB could make him a possible All Star player. If he can provide anything close to that, if not better, he probably moves Culpepper off of SS in a season or two. But that's not a BAD THING. Culpepper suddenly takes over 2B or 3B. Lewis maybe takes over 1B. Lee becomes a super utility spot where he plays daily. Keaschall is either entrenched at 2B, or maybe moves to 1B or OF. NONE of these options are a BAD thing. For the first thing in a long time the Twins actually have some depth where they have, potentially, a "decent" SS to start the season with a couple of really talented replacements in the near future. I just don't like the options opening day so much.

I've only seen hilights of him so far. Most of what I think I know comes from various media sources. But to have 4 above average pitches at 19yo...his age last season...have that many K's, and end the season at A+ is damn impressive. **Note: I believe hisnlistes weight is when drafted, I believe he's up around 175-180lbs now. You can work on control, and you can teach sequencing. But you can't teach lightening in an arm. The sky might be the limit if he stays healthy and harnesses his command. I have a soft spot for LH arms. And it's exciting to have Prielipp, Rojas, and Hill in the system. And I'm still holding out hope Carpenter takes a step forward this season. Not all will reach their ceiling. It's possible one ends up as a high leverage arm in the bullpen. But it's been a while since the organization had a collection of LH arms like this to work with, root for, and dream on.

Rogers is just not the same Rogers we all loved and remember. But while he had poor numbers with the Reds to finish 2025, he was pretty damn good with the Cubs before the trade. He's going to be part of the 8th-9th innings. Here's hoping he has at least 1 more good season in him. Crazy as it might seem, Hendricks believes he's 100% and going to be ready opening day. He sat 93-95 in his 1st appearance. If he's 85-90% of his previous self, that's good enough to be good. Sands was very good in 2024. He was inconsistent in 2025, but seemed to flash his 2024 ability the last 2 months if you take away a 10 day run where he was awful. More consistency, he is a valuable set-up man. Unfortunately, Festa is fighting a shoulder issue that will slow him down for a few weeks. It's not considered serious, but he won't be ready for a while. Does this further the need for him in the pen for the future? Probably. But that won't be until May or June. Further, unfortunately, Lewis is also out for a few weeks. I'm really encouraged about him in the pen. But with no ML time, AND coming off his injury, we're probably talking June or July. The bullpen simply doesn't work with 4 LH arms. Funderburk has an option remaining. But he finished 2025 on a high note, and is having a good ST. But unless someone gets hurt, Chafin, Banda, and Rogers are solid in their role. I guess it's a good problem to have, but it doesn't fix the RH side of the pen. Hendricks, if he really and truly is ready, Sands, and 3 LH options doesn't complete the pen. With Lopez out, the Twins still might have placed Festa in the pen. But nobody else will be converted at this point. Does Orze have some upside after a solid debut in 2025? He'd better, though he does have options if someone throws better. Topa has had miserable results until his most recent performance. But was he just working on something in those poor performances? That's the kind of thing we don't know as fans. Based on experience, he's still probably in the pen opening day. Potentially, Orze and Topa make 7. Does Adams make it as an IP sacrificial lamb in the 8th spot to ride the St Paul shuttle? Maybe. But I'm not so sure it's that easy. Raya is simply not ready. He needs success at St Paul for a few months. But Klein has the velocity and repitore to surprise. I can see him making the club, or being a 1st call up. But almost every season the Twins uncover someone as a surprise. Altavilla is the early choice, but he's got competition from Hartwig and the recently acquired Key. I'd bet dollars to navy beans ONE of the veteran invites jumps up to take a spot. And I wouldn't be surprised at all if Klein just took hold of a job. The odds are against him for opening day, but the STUFF is there to be turned in to a really good pen arm. While not GREAT, you can close out a few wins with Hendricks, Rogers, and Sands as your top 3 guys. You've got LH depth to be deployed smartly in the middle innings. But man, losing Festa as an option really hurts what this bullpen might be. All the greater opportunity for Klein and the veteran signings to grab opportunity. If even ONE of them could be another Stewart, things really start to change. Suddenly the pen has 4 decent offerings, a couple LH to be used smartly, and you just need 2 RH arms that don't kill you. Maybe that's Topa, Orze, and Adams, etc. Just a couple arms for the 6th and 7th innings to not blow the game open most days. It's not hard to see a "competent" bullpen if Hendricks, Rogers, and Sands can perform. Again, you've got a couple LH arms to be used judiciously, but, even if things go right for the back end of the pen, you're still missing 2 solid arms for the middle innings. I guess the good news is enough arms to work through that you might find ONE that actually steps forward. I guess that's the best we can hope for at this point. In an IDEAL world, Klein or Altavilla or SOMEONE would take another step, kick butt and chew bubblegum, and be a 4th late inning arm to join Hendricks, Rogers, and Sands, to make a solid back end for the pen. At that point, honestly, with another couple of decent LH options on hand, you just need 2 RH middle men who don't stink. Who won't just go out there and blow games. It's a big ASK even IF we get an 85-90% Hendricks, the GOOD Sands, and a solid Rogers. Numbers of options is nice, but it means little if those options simply don't have the ability to produce. (Heavy sigh). The best we can hope for, at this point, is a couple of RH arms that step forward to at least fill the middle innings competently, with ONE surprise. I can see a path forward. Unfortunately, the path forward I see is a better pen come about June to July 1st when other arms, healthy, and more experienced in their role, are ready. I'm just hoping they can find enough arms on an upswing to just not suck for the 1st couple of months. I can see a path forward. I just hope a couple of surprises happen early to keep the team on a solid trajectory.

Maybe I'm just too much of an optimist, but I have a really good feeling about Royce heading in to 2026. I think he's an emotional/passionate player. I think he loves good vibes. And I think he's feeling that way today. Further, I think the hard work he's put in with his personal trainer is starting to pay off with a healthy 2nd half of 2025. His body has changed, he lost his swing, and by his own admission he was messed up at the plate. What I think gets lost is that despite average results the 2nd half of 2025 was the simple fact that his defense was solid, he was healthy, and so healthy that he began to run a bit, with success. The couple hilights I've seen so far coming out of ST is a more balanced, and confident stance and swing. He looks more like he's just "ready" for whatever is thrown. I honestly believe he's going to have his healthiest and best season to date. Let's not forget he's still only 26yo. This is not an old man. This is a relatively young player who has endured a TON of injury setbacks that mostly go back to TWO knee injuries, but who has flashed great potential at times. I say again, he doesn't have to be Superman to be a really good player going forward. I don't like the current roster construction, and I've been pretty vocal about that. But as bad as that construction is, were Larnach moved and Outman gone, the ENTIRE roster changes. While not great, Bell gets to DH more, and 1B becomes a combination of Clemens, Wagaman, and Caratini once in a while. Roden and Martin handle LF, and Roden can play all 3 spots, and Martin can also play a little CF if needed. So you are OK at 1B defensively, and have good LF defense. And Clemens and Wagaman can help cover some at 3B if Lewis is out, along with whoever wins the utility role. But depth changes, hopefully, around June or July 1st when K-Pepper is ready. Regardless of Lee improving with glove and bat, you have another talented option to add to the mix. He could debut as the SS for the immediate future and push Lee to a super utility spot, or he could debut as the super utility option. Down the road further, there is the possibility of Lewis moving to 1B, NOT because he isn't a good 3B, but simply because K-Pepper, Houston, and Keaschall are just a better mix at the other 3 spots and Lewis just makes sense at 1B. Or maybe Keaschall ends up at 1B, Lewis stays at 3B, and Culpepper maybe is the 2B. It's a GOOD PROBLEM to deal with. Further down the line, Winokur and Young could have a say in things. But Winokur is 2yrs from being ready, and Young is probably 4yrs away. So I'm just not going to get in to all of that. IMO, you don't have to squint to see Royce being on a path of physical and mental health that will have him playing 120-130 games in 2026. You don't have to squint to see a healthy Keaschall playing 2B daily and improving his defense week to week, month to month, as the season goes along. And while you might have to squint a little bit, it's not that hard to see Lee, with natural ability, instincts, and hard work, taking at least a small step with the glove and bat to become a viable contributor in the INF. Add in K-Pepper at some point, and the INF starts to look like the OF, which might be getting to explode as a talented and productive unit. But I honestly believe Lewis is FINALLY ready in body and mind to take the step forward we've all been longing for. Just remember, he doesn't have to be Superman to be good.

I just don't know enough about Rojas to accurately comment, other than what I read and hear about him. He was the principle GET in the Varland trade, and Roden was #2. I don't agree with him being pushed so quickly to AAA. It reminds me of when we got SWR and he was already in AA very young. And at that point, the Twins didn't want to demote him so they kept him at AA, and he struggled initially. The same thing happened with Rojas last year, just at a higher level. And he struggled for sure. His comment about getting used to a different ball affecting him shouldn't be automatically dismissed, though it sounds silly on the surface. But it is true that from AA on down they DO use a slightly different ball. For a $B dollar industry I still find that laughable. But I'm encouraged about his stuff. And from what I'm hearing, he's looking pretty good this ST and is developing nicely. But I'd say he's probably about 8th in line for a rotation spot, and I'm hoping that if needed, it won't be until the 2nd half of the season when he's had more time to adjust to the higher level and polish his stuff. I don't know that, generally speaking, it matters that your rotation has a LH in it. Good pitching is good pitching. But some opponents are heavy with LH bats, and sometimes, regardless of the opponents, a LHSP just provides a different LOOK to break up the rotation and give batters a different look. It's akin to not having 2 RHSP that are curveball specialists throwing back to back. The Twins seemingly have adjusted some of their draft approach, and trade thinking, to look harder at LH arms. And I applaud that change in approach. You still need LH arms for the pen, if a prospect doesn't turn out as a SP. Currently, the Twins have Prielipp, Rojas, Horn, Carpenter, and Hill as quality/interesting LH arms. The more numbers you have, the greater opportunity to find a legitimate LHSP for the parent club, as well as possible LHRP options. Rogers and Thielbar, for example, were never top prospects. But like other RH examples, they turned out to be quality pen options. Funderburk MIGHT be following that example based on his end to 2025 and a good looking ST so far. I still like the idea of Prielipp being developed as a SP. I'd still rather he becomes a quality SP, even at 25 or 26yo, rather than automatically become a reliever. To date he hasn't shown that he CAN'T be a future rotation member for the Twins. But it sure is nice to have greater QUANTITY of LH arms in the system to develop. Should Prielipp simply turn out to be a great RP, it's nice to have Rojas and Hill and others that might turn out to be rotation stalwarts. But then again, wouldn't it be outstanding if BOTH Prielipp and Rojas were legitimate SP for the Twins rotation? Here's hoping BOTH are healthy for all of 2026 and tantalize with their projection, but neither are needed to debut until July at the earliest.

Come on Zoll! Outman is 29yo and has ZERO future with the Twins. Even if you liked the idea of grabbing him in a bizarre trade that didn't benefit either team, Falvey will get the blame for Outman. Just move on! And then move Larnach for a decent pen arm packaged with a decent prospect involved, or, move him for a solid utility INF who can play SS and be a better option than what's on hand, or, just move him for a solid prospect. I DON'T dislike Larnach. I think he's a really solid strong side DH for a team lacking some LH OOMF in their lineup. And he can still play a competent corner OF here and there. He's just not a FIT for 2026 and beyond. NOW there's at least SOME clarity to put together a 13 man player roster from the mess that's on hand. CATCHER: Jeffers and Caratini. Trade Jackson for WHATEVER if someone is in need. Otherwise, he probably slips through waivers and you can offer him a deal to catch at St Paul. INFIELD: Lewis, Lee, Keaschall, and a combination at 1B of Bell, Clemens, and Wagaman. Bell now becomes the primary DH, with as few games as possible at 1B. Clemens is still a utility player, but 1B is better defensively with him starting a majority of games at 1B while still being a spot starter at 2B, 3B, and corner OF. There's nothing special about Wagaman. But he can, kinda sorta be a 3B and corner OF who can also be the starting 1B against LHP. And Caratini can also be part of the 1B rotation here and there. It's almost embarrassing that 1B is such a mess. But at least THIS lineup offers up the ability to allow Bell to be the primary DH, and make the most of the mess at 1B. And it also allows for a better OF construction. I just honestly have no clue who wins the utility spot as the 13th man. Kreidler has a great glove, can even help cover CF, but can't hit his way out of a paper bag. Any chance at all Arcia turns back the clock for 1 more year? Gray might be the best combination of defense and offense, which isn't saying much. OUTFIELD: With Larnach and Outman removed, we have Wallner in RF, Buxton in CF, and Roden and Martin in LF on a quasi-platoon situation. 1B is better defensively without Bell being the primary, and we've added better defense in LF than Larnach would provide. AND we make room for a pair of younger, faster, better defenders. Roden and Martin can give Buck a day off. Roden can also play a solid RF with a decent arm to give Wallner a day off. So while Roden might start most games in LF, he's also sort of the 4th OF with his versatility. Buxton has an injury that takes him out for 2 weeks? Rodriguez is already on the 40 man and comes up to fill that roster spot. *NOTE: I am assuming the Twins won't give Rodriguez an opening day spot. ALSO, there is no real blocking of Rodriguez, Jenkins, or Gonzalez since Roden and Martin, while interesting pieces themselves, are guaranteed nothing but opportunity to show they belong. I think both have the potential to have nice careers as utility options, HERE they get a chance to establish themselves and shine a bit. ROTATION: Ryan, Ober, and SWR are locks in my mind. This really shouldn't be debatable if everyone is healthy. Sim doesn't automatically make the rotation just because he's out of options. He's been really solid each of the last 2 seasons. He's also pretty young and still developing. And with a new splitter that he feels comfortable with, he was DAMN GOOD to close out 2025. But that doesn't automatically make him the #3 starter. There's never been a question about the STUFF Bradley, Matthews, and Abel have. TWO will round out the rotation with the third sitting in AAA the way Ober was in 2022. They WILL get their opportunity. I honestly have no idea which one to speculate as the "loser" in the competition. Behind those 6 comes Morris, and then a grouping of Prielipp, Rojas, and MAYBE Klein? I'm pretty sure he's on the BP plan. (I think he could excel as a reliever). BULLPEN: I really and truly have no idea why we have 4 LHRP on staff that all probably belong. The Twins want 3 and are betting someone gets hurt? Funderburk might have FINALLY taken the next step but they are willing to send him down simply because he has options? That's a piss poor way to make roster decisions. Regardless, 3 of the LH options will be on the opening day roster. Can't say I don't like that idea. Festa being slowed down currently due to a shoulder impingement eliminates him from the pen, for now, but also adds to his future in the pen. A high velocity arm come May or June? If Hendricks looks ready, he's on the club. If not, he's on the staff by April. He wasn't signed as a hopeful rebound arm. He was signed because they believe he'll be an actual contributor. It's time for Sands to take a step forward and be the RP he looked like in 2024, and parts of 2025. Topa has to TANK to not be at least a middle man. Orze is young enough to have potential for better. They traded for him for a reason. He probably makes opening day. The team seems to always find ONE diamond in the rough to make the club. I'm just not going to speculate which one of the current fliers on hand might make that move. So the pen is in massive flux. That's not a good thing. Too many LH options...not bad unto itself... and nothing close to too many RH options. IF we get a 85-90% Hendricks, and Sands takes a step forward, the pen suddenly takes on a different look of competance. But as of TODAY, the pen remains the biggest weakness. The rotation competition is interesting, and might provide greater dividends for the future. The position player roster is an absolute mess that can be resolved to a degree with parts that don't fit future construction like Outman and Larnach and allow the younger, more athletic players to get their chance. But the pen is not only a weak point, but also the most intriguing spot on the team to watch. I can state what I believe to be the best 13 position players to make the roster from a mess collection. And it's not hard to realize 2 of 3 talented arms are competing for the rotation. But it's damn near impossible to accurately figure out the 8 man opening day bullpen at this point.

His arm should be stronger/better the further removed he is from his surgery. But he doesn't need a cannon to be a good 2B. What I saw last year was a kid with all the athleticism, quickness, and speed to get to balls, but flubbed the mechanics of the position at times. Not only can that be worked on, but we have to remember he hadn't played 2B for over a year. So factor in that element, plus still building up his arm strength, plus the pressure of being a rookie, i expect to see a better version of him defensively this season, while continuing to grow in that spot. I greatly object to him playing the OF in 2026 as he needs all the time possible at 2B to smooth things out and continue improvement. Plus, the Twins aren't exactly hurting for OF candidates these days. I have heard lately that the idea of him possibly playing a little OF was more with the idea of late game moves and lineup flexibility. OK, I can understand that. But he should be THE 2B exclusively in 2026. Allowed to do so he might just settle there for the next 5-10yrs. Since it's been brought up, I see Keaschall mature and hold 2B. I see K-Pepper simply being a more athletic and better SS than Lee, even with Lee showing improvement with the glove, and hopefully the bat as well. But even with that being said, if Houston can be just a good, solid, ML hitter, his defense will make him the primary SS for years, possibly as early as 2027, but more likely in 2028. Lee, with continuing improvement with both bat and glove...my goodness, he was practically a rookie in 2025 with only 172 ML AB to begin last season...could be an excellent super utility player who could play almost every day between all 4 INF spots. K-Pepper could take over 3B, with Lewis moving to 1B. NOT because Lewis hasn't turned in to a good glove man there, but because it's just a better FIT for the INF to have the 4 best players in certain roles. And IF, for some reason, Keaschall just can't handle 2B...which I doubt...then he can move to 1B, and K-Pepper takes over 2B. There are moving parts there over the next couple of seasons, but they are GOOD moving parts, not desperate ones. And for further depth, it's possible one of Schobel or DeBarge can join Lee as nice utility player options, but with the ability to maybe play a little OF as well. I think the INF construction over the next couple of seasons could rival the intrigue of the OF/DH situation over the same time span. These are GOOD things!

The fact that he hit well in college, and in his inital pro debut, and has a history of a good eye and good discipline in regard to good BB and K numbers at Wake Forest, eases my concern about his ability to be at least a decent hitter. But I am concerned somewhat about the pop/power part of his game. I agree his HR totals i his final college season were at least partially a mirage due to Wake's small ballpark. But he's not a small guy at 6' 3" and 205lbs. He's about to turn 22yo, so there's probably room to add a little more muscle without slowing down. He's got the frame for it. I wonder if it's more of a swing adjustment to barrel the ball a little better? But he doesn't have to be a power hitter to have success. Just having enough power to be a good doubles hitter, with a couple triples here and there, would be enough as long as he can maintain that good BB/K mix. He runs the bases well, and can steal a few bases as well. If he could crank 8-10 HR per season that would just be icing on the cake. The glove is down right amazing. If he could hit even .250-ish with an OB above .300, stroke 30 Dbls...give or take...with a couple trips and a handful or so HR, maybe 12-15 SB with his defense, he could be a borderline All Star, even as a bottom of the order hitter.

I'm not a fan of Topa. I'm a fan of the 2023 Topa for Seattle, but that's not what the Twins got in the trade that included him. So far, with the Twins, he's an OK middle arm. And I don't put a lot of credence in ST for MOST arms because they are usually just stretching out and working on pitches. BUT Topa doesn't exactly have a long, productive resume. But EXPERIENCE is going to give him some rope. ALMOST every year the Twins uncover a gem for the BP. Sometimes it's a 1yr guy, sometimes it's a Thielbar or Stewart. So Topa is no lock. While 6 weeks or so of ST doesn't mean EVERYTHING, it can mean something. And it's WAY too early to dismiss ANYONE at this point. And experience matters to some degree. I'd absolutely LOVE to see Raya and Klein Just throw so well that Topa is jettisoned. But do we really trust that after 2 weeks of ST? We don't at this point. And it's actually pretty silly to have an OP about him at this point.

I guess I'm going to go against the grain here. I think Pablo likes being a Twin, he's super classy, super smart, works is butt off, and is a natural leader. He's already locked in for 2027. Period. But if I were to bet on a pitcher coming back from a 2nd TJ surgery...not all that uncomon these days...to return to previous form it would be Pablo. I'm probably more engaged with the idea of an extension for Ryan, but that is a different discussion. If Lopez was excellent in 2027 upon his return, he might be worth the qualifying offer. And that wouldn't be a lot more than his '27 salary. And if he didn't re-sign, you get a draft pick. But again, maybe a re-sign of Ryan makes more sense, and just wait and see if Lopez is worth the QO at the end of 2027. BUT, I could see offering him something like $15M for 2028 with escalators, and a larger deal for 2029 with an out clause. For him, it means guaranteed $ for 2028, and the opportunity for a different deal in 2029. Basically it means buying 1 more year of FA in case 2027 takes him a while to get all the velocity and command back. He then throws in 2028 with $15M+ due to escalators, and can then opt out for a better deal at that time. It's a risk/risk for both sides. But I can reasons for both sides to like that deal. And it would make sense to me. The "good news" is neither side has to even think about this for months! NO HYPERBOLY, but the Twins DO currently have arms in SWR, Bradley, Abel, and Matthews...and others...that have the talent and opportunity to make a statement in 2026. So the entire context of an extension could change during the upcoming season. We are in a very nice "what IF" scenario with those arms in addition to Morris, Prielipp, Rojas, and a couple even younger arms that may climb the ladder in 2026, to make this a moot point. It's not crazy to see SWR's new splitter to work for an entire season, raising his bar. It's not crazy to see Bradley or Matthews or Abel to take the next step. And it's not crazy to see Morris and Rojas, and maybe Prielipp to take another step forward and make 2027...maybe even the first half if not the 2nd half of 2026...interesting and exciting. That might coincide with position players debuting for greater excitement in the same time frame. Again, maybe an extension for Ryan is a better focus to lead the staff? I have, do, and will ALWAYS OBJECT to the "THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A PITCHING PROSPECT" mantra? Who the hell ever came up with something so silly? Of course they're prospects! That's like saying there are no OF prospects because all prospects don't make it. Just RIDICULOUS stuff! Losing Lopez absolutely sucks! And I simply can't paint a nice picture and sell it for anything. But if there IS a silver lining, it might be OPPORTUNITY for SWR, Bradley, Matthews, and Abel to KNOW it's THEIR TIME to shine. And it might always be pretty, but 2026 is an opportunity for ALL of them to prove they belong. The talent is THERE. Do they take a step forward is the question. We have Lopez for 2027. That's locked in. Same for Ryan and Ober. It's an unknown today about the future of all 3 of them. So the OP is really early in the time frame. I can see a really good reason to re-sign Lopez for at least one additional year. But I can also see where maybe Ryan is the better choice for an extension. And I can see a collection of really interesting arms already throwing that could change the entire collection of rotation arms for 2027 and 2028. Once again, I can see many reasons to give Pablo some kind of deal. But the good news is we don't even have to deal with this for almost a year.

I absolutely love this kid! He's big, strongly built, has a nig time arm, and from interviews I've seen he's just a quality young man. HS kids seldom debut the year they are drafted. The Twins did have a couple position kids get a week in after they signed, but that's it. Even college arms seldom do anything but work at the complex initially and debut the next season. His ERA was high in his debut rookie season of 2024, but his BABIP was crazy, and his K numbers were very good. And then to be promoted as a 19yo to A+ in 2025 was indicative of his potential, but also the improvement he obviously made during the offseason and instructional league. And while it was only 3 starts, he really flashed. If he can change the shape of his 4 seamer a bit and work in a solid 2 seamer, all he has to do is just be healthy and a late promotion to AA as a 20yo wouldn't be out of question. If he hadn't already thrown and shown some good stuff/results, I could understand objections as to being ranked this high. But prospect lists are about talent, potential and projection. And he's already shown enough of that to not be dismissed despite the bone spur that messed up his season. For me, personally, he's never been out of sight out of mind. He is absolutely one of the best arm talents in the system. Any setback due to injury or poor performance could see him slide this season. But good health and even solid, not great, development would keep him in the top 10. Absolutely one of my favorite prospects to watch and root for in 2026.

With a poorly constructed player roster, you have to examine NEEDS as well as what you CAN do with what's on hand and forget about what could have been. This team needs better defense and more speed, while maintaining offensive production...hopefully adding more...while not blocking the younger talent. CATCHER: Jeffers is the clear #1, with Caratini as a really solid #2, who can also help a little at 1B, which adds to roster flexibility. INFIELD: Lewis, Lee, and Keaschall are at their respective spots, at least for now. 1B is an embarrassing mess. So what can I you do with it? You can let Bell DH as much as possible, and use Clemens and Wagaman as a 1B platoon, with Caratini as a reserve option when needed, and Bell as a seldom used option. This improves your defense at 1B. This doesn't mean Clemens and Wagaman can't/won't play other positions...they can and will...but you can sort of make lemonade out of lemons most days by going the platoon route and getting every drop of offense you can between all 4 of your options. OUTFIELD: Outman has no future, and has no current value either, based on his past couple of seasons at the ML level. Based on defense and injury history, the Twins would want Larnach at DH. But isn't that where Bell fits best? And with Rodriguez and Jenkins ready, or nearly so, Larnach doesn't have a long term fit. And remember adding defense and speed? That's where Roden and Martin come in as part of the LF situation. Roden can also play RF, cover CF, even play some "emergency" 1B, while Martin can also help cover CF, and can be an "emergency" option at 2B. Neither Martin nor Roden have anything left to prove at AAA. Both offer more speed and better defense than Larnach, are both provide offensive potential that is different than Larnach, but it's there. And while they both might be replaced by Rodriguez/Jenkins in the near future full time players, they have quality depth potential and usefulness. It's time give them opportunity. (They are also less expensive than Larnach, and at least slightly younger). Clemens and Wagaman can also play some corner OF as needed, so only carrying 4 rostered OF isn't really an issue. And if something happens and Buxton is out for a couple weeks? Well, you have 2 CF options in ST Paul that happen to be 2 of your top 4 prospects. This is not a well constructed roster. But it does offer a little bit of flexibility nonetheless, and offers up more speed, and better LF defense than we've normally had as of late. The 13th man, backup SS/utility should be the only job really up for grabs, assuming the team doesn't want to break camp with Rodriguez. All 3 options there are less than desirable. And I'm still holding out some small hope someone better comes along. But may the best man win the job to complete the opening day roster. I still believe the 2nd half is going to look rather different than the 1st half. But what the roster should look like for opening day seems pretty obvious to me.

Gradual ramp doesn't mean he won't be ready. But if he's good to go for short stints, more and more he looks like a potential quality pen arm. I'm still questioning his velocity. I've watched him a lot and have seen him sit at 94-95 and touch 97. As a 1 IP I'd bet he hits 98-100. He still needs to refine his secondary stuff, but he reminds me a lot of past relievers who flashed as starters but turned out to be outstanding RP. I still say that's where he ends up. And maybe this is a progression for HIM and the Twins to see his future.

IMO, this really isn't hard. It's only difficult if Zoll is a Falvey clone vs being his own man. #1 move] You just rid yourself of Outman and quit pretending he's a tremendous defender with potential to provide power and speed at the ML level. He is NOT a FIT for 2026 and the future. Martin and Roden can give Buxton days off. Period. If...baseball gods please NO...Buxton has a serious injury and has to go to the IL...2 of your top 4 prospects arw sitting at AAA and waiting for opportunity. #2 move] Larnach isn’t a bad ballplayer. But he needs to be on a team that could really use a decent LH bat at DH, and part time OF. The return almost doesn't matter. IDEALLY, the return would be another team's version of Varland...a disappointing SP who needs to convert to the pen...OR...a Newman/Reboulet/Punto/Castro utility with some potential that might be blocked. Regardless, Larnach doesn't FIT with the poorly constructed team the Twins are now. Get what you can for him. The OF should be Buxton, Wallner, Roden and Martin to start the season. There is at least some potential here, and more athleticism and defense. And I've already mentioned covering CF. The Catcher position is SET. And that's a really good thing. But it also affects the INF. NO Larnach is not a bad thing. Jeffers can DH once in a while against LHP with Caratini catching. Also, Caratini can play a little 1B, along with Clemens and Wagaman being a sort of platoon at 1B. That allows Bell to spend more time as the DH. Again, NOT an ideal roster construction, but you can see how a rotation at 1B allows Bell to spend most of his time at DH. The biggest problem in a weirdly constructed player roster is the utility player needed. If you want a glove and are willing to live with a hole in your lineup akin to when the NL had pitchers hitting, Kreidler is your man. I mean, can he even hit .200?? Arcia used to be a glove first player with a bat that didn't embarrass at least. But is there anything left? Gray doesn't offer much more than anyone else, but his bat might be better than both Arcia and Kreidler. And that's a pretty low bar. IF the FO is smart enough to keep the BEST position players available, the OF will be Buxton, Wallner, Roden, and Martin. That's the best combination of talent and upside. And nobody is blocked. Jeffers and Caratini settle CATCHER, with Jeffers DH once in a while, and Caratini playing a few games at 1B. OF: Buxton, Wallner, Roden, and Martin INF: Lewis, Lee, Keaschall, Bell, Clemens, and Wagaman. As poorly constructed as this roster may be, there is a reality where it makes some sense and can work. Even allowing for the ridiculous nature of platooing at 1B, But currently, there's NO solid utility player to be the 13th man. And that's kinda ridiculous. Not saying I'm a fan, but Gray is looking pretty solid as a guy who won't embarrass himself at the plate or in the field. IF Zoll isn't a Falvey clone, he will remove Outman AND Larnach for roster and future sake. That should only leave 1 spot open at utility player/backup SS. Is that player currently rostered? Could Gray be the most "balanced" option? Or could we see another late move?

Not worried about Wallner this early and only 5 AB. He spent the offseason developing a somewhat different approach. But it sure is nice to a healthy Rodriguez really stepping up. Same with Roden! I think he could have a nice career as a 4th OF who can also play some 1B, which is something I hope he still works on. But for now, I'm just hoping he earns the LF job in camp. While he doesn't have loud tools, he has a nice collection of them to do a little bit of everything. And I'm with @jmlease1in regard to Outman. He's simply been bad since his surprise rookie season. And his defense with the Twins to finish 2025 didn't exactly inspire. And he turns 29yo in May. What exactly does he bring to the Twins to warrant a spot? Roden and Martin are younger, have much more potential, and both can help give Buxton a day off. And when 2 of your top 4 prospects are talented CF and already at AAA, there's just no reason for Outman to be on the team. And I seriously doubt anyone grabs him if waived. But even someone did, the St Paul OF is CROWDED already. And while I like Larnach and think he's a pretty solid ballplayer, I still don't see where he fits on THIS team. By their own admission, the Twins need more speed and athleticism and better defenders. Martin and Roden give you that in LF/OF. While Bell is targeted to be the 1B, I still think Clemens, Wagaman, and a little Caratini might play as much, or more, 1B than Bell. And while it's a weirdly assembled roster, that can actually work, with Bell being the primary DH. Keeping Larnach...much less Outman as well...removes at least one of Martin and Roden, if not both. So you suddenly have a poor LF defender...who the Twins prefer to DH...yet again, and a guy who can't hit his way out of a paper bag. Someone give the FO another cup of coffee or a Red Bull to WAKE UP and realize you can have an imperfect roster, or a horrible one. That being said, I can still see Larnach having a role as the LH DH for a different team, who can still play some corner OF, on a fairly cheap deal. Agaon, he's not a bad ballplayer. He has value. And all I ask back is an interesting arm, or an interesting utility INF who can cover SS. Can he bring back the next Punto or Castro? Or maybe another teams version of Varland who needs to be converted to the pen? It's not a big ask. Buxton, Wallner, Roden, and Martin is just a lot better than Buxton, Wallner, Larnach, and Outman. Did you cringe there? I know I did. In regard to the pitching side of things, a few opening games means very little. But flashing early is a hell of a lot better than looking bad! Rojas faced an actual ML lineup and was great. Maybe the Jays weren't wrong to promote him so aggressively? The fact that he struggled at AAA because the ball is different sounds weird, but it is true that AAA uses the same ball as MLB, and AA and below use a slightly different ball. That remains weird and stupid IMO. It's a billionaire establishment for goodness sake. All levels should use the same damn ball! Abel faced a ML lineup and flashed. Bradley had a solid debut. And while Prielipp was inefficient, he more or less got the job mostly done in his ST debut. You simply can't get overly excited after 1 appearances for these young arms. But again, looking good is much better than looking bad. In all honesty, I'm 60yo, and have been a Twins fan since around 5-6yo just listening to games with my dad. A few years later, age 10 or so, I became a fanatic. I read every newspaper and magazine I could get my hands on to follow the Twins, and the MILB system. Star Trib, Baseball Digest, the Sporting News, and whatever Rag I could get my hands on. In 50 years or so as a Twins fanatic...God bless my soul, lol...there has been ONE TIME, in the 80's when the Twins had a prospect list of quality arms that were the envy of half the league. That was Baumgardner, Gasser, Nivens, Banks, Pittman, and Sontag. Forgive me for exact spellings. CRUSHING DEFEAT as a fan when that collection never turned out. I'm being long winded I know. Sorry, not sorry. POTENTIAL really isn't a dirty word. Ignoring, for a moment, that the Twins made Lopez and Ryan better, and developed Ober. And also ignoring the collection of 2026 arms at A÷ and A- that are SUPER talented, or, about to debut after the '25 draft. I honestly can't recall the Twins having this much TALENT on hand. Talent that doesn't make it is wasted hopes and dreams crushed. I get it. But SP or Bullpen, when is the last time you could see this much POTENTIAL of arms for the Twins? While the silver lining for Lopez's injury is crushing overall, it DOES open up opportunity. Ryan leads the team, Ober is healthy again, SWR and his new splitter takes him up another notch, Bradley, Matthews, Abel are all very talented. Who takes a step forward? And i haven't even mentioned Festa for the pen, or the potential of Prielipp, and Rojas. It wasn't that long ago where Morris...vastly underrated...might be among the Twins top pitching prospects. Again, cool the brakes a bit on the arms so early in camp. But it's also easy to dream on so many good arms taking a step forward.

With all due respect to all other position player prospects currently within the Twins system, Jenkins and Rodriguez are the two that have actual, All Star, 4 WAR type of potential. And that's the reason he's never been traded for additional/other talent to this point. A few months ago, I changed my line of thinking concerning the handling of Rodriguez. Some were calling for him to be moved up and given a spot ASAP. I argued against that, giving him a little more time to settle in at AAA first. I then changed my mind due to a disappointing 2025, and various arguements about the direction the Twins should be taking. I looked at the way the Brewers handled Chourio, promoting him quickly, living with mistakes and some bad performances, but then figuring it out and taking off. (NOTE: I'm NOT saying Rodriguez is Chourio). Considering talent and projection, I've argued if he had a good winter...which he did...and had a strong ST...and he's off to a good start...then run with him. Since he's only got 1 option left, I'd rather see him earlier rather than later, to see what MLB is like, and then send him down earlier rather than later for a re-set IF needed. That's not going to happen for 3 reasons: 1] Despite performing well and putting up good numbers EVERYWHERE he's played, when healthy, I can still see being patient with him and giving him a greater dose of AAA experience to "ready him up". 2] Good, bad, right or wrong, the Twins still have Larnach on the team, along with Outman (groan), and Roden. If nothing else beyond a poorly constructed roster, they might want to give Roden an opportunity to see what he can do to open 2026. 3] The truth is a little more MILB time shouldn't hurt his development, and it will also offer up an additional year of service time. What really impressed me about his interview is not just the hard work he's put in, but that he seems to have a real and mature GRASP of his failings, even though he's a TOP prospect, to RECOGNIZE clearly what he has to work on. A] Build up his body to hopefully avoid injury. B] Not just recognize that every level sees pitchers with better control, but that his previous patient approach will need to be adjusted and instead or ALWAYS working the count to his favor, he might have to swing earlier at better strike zone offerings. IMO, that's a pretty smart kid who clearly recognizes what he needs to be working on. We often debate the FLOOR and the CEILING of a prospect. Interesting that we don't have a useful term for middle ground. Maybe 2nd floor? Lol Like ALL prospects, Rodriguez could wash out. (I don't believe that will happen). But there is a world in which he only HITS at a .230-ish level, with a decent OB% around .320, but can hit 20-30 HR, not to mention 30+ DBls, and steal double digit bases, while providing quality defense anywhere in the OF. That's a hell of a ballplayer! But there's also the potential...probably not over night...where he finds the balance of patience and aggression to be a .250-.260 HITTER with an OB% closer to .350 with all that power and speed and defense to be a legitimate All Star difference maker. I'm excited to watch him, even though I'm not expecting a ROCKET RIDE to outstanding production from DAY ONE. Same with Jenkins. But BOTH are going to debut this season. BOTH can make a real difference in 2026 and beyond...no pressure, lol. 2026 is not a "now or never" prospect. It just means he had a single option left. MAYBE when he gets the call he's ready to stick around despite a few bumps in the road. MAYBE he comes up, displays his talent, but needs a short re-set at AAA to take what he's seen and get ready for his next call up. His lack of options is only due to being such a talented young kid that if the Twins DIDN'T protect him a couple years ago, another team would grabbed him in a minute, stashed him on their roster, and then put him back in MILB and control him for a couple years to develop in THEIR system. IF the Twins are smart, they will still find a trade of Larnach for SOMETHING. And that's not because Larnach is a bad ballplayer. He has value, just not with the 2026 Twins team. Outman will be OUT because he has no FUTURE VALUE to the Twins AT ALL! To begin the season, Wallner is in RF. Buck is OBVIOUSLY the CF. Martin and Roden play in LF, can cover CF when Buxton, needs a day off. Your 1B situation is still somewhat dysfunctional, IMO, depending on Clemens, Wagaman, and Caratini to assemble a puzzle of production to keep Bell at DH as much as possible. But it's so obvious how Larnach just doesn't FIT with this roster, and the best options. I guess you run with your 1B options as is for 2026, despite my previous objections. But WHY IN HELL would you base the 2026 roster on EGO rather than talent, and future production? Rodriguez, Jenkins, and Gonzalez are ONLY blocked if Zoll is a Falvey clone. Outman is out come final cuts. MAYBE he signs with the Saints. Larnach needs to be gone. Roden and Martin start the season as part of the OF with better defense, more speed, and Roden at least provides some POP potential. Suddenly, there is a better defensive LF, with CF/RF options on the roster, but ZERO blocking of a better player like Rodriguez. Martin and Roden get a month or so to show what they can do, and do they have a future in a Twins uniform. Rodriguez is already knocking on the door. Is the FO listening?

IMO, they should proceed as if Lopez wasn't injured, in regard to the bullpen. If they've really been thinking that one of their arms is a better fit for the pen, they should go ahead and do so. EXAMPLE: IF they believe his build, stuff, 1 time through the rotation quality numbers, and a shoulder issue in 2025 marks Festa as a better fit for the pen, then do it. You can't change your entire staff nuilding approach due to 1 injury, even if it's big of a loss as Lopez is. It could ne Bradley, or Matthews, but I'm sticking with the idea of Festa based on all the points that have been discussed ad nauseam. So Ryan and Ober lead the staff. SWR should be written in ink at this point based on a pair of solid seasons, and a really strong finish to 2025 with greater faith and control in his splitter. Regardless how you set your rotation up...you might want to break up the #4 and #5 starters for example...you have 3 very interesting candidates for the last 2 spots. MATTHEWS: Has he been overthrowing? His command/control hasn't been as good as it was in MILB. The stuff appears to be there. And he's had some really well pitched games. Now it's about consistency. BRADLEY: Like Matthews, he's got the pure stuff. It's about consistency. Really crazy he just went out and threw and trusted the catcher previously. You simply HAVE to be part of the game strategy ahead of your next performance. The Twins seem to be at doing that. Now it's up to Bradley for the mental part of the game to catch up with the physical part. Interesting point, he's actually younger than both Matthews and SWR despite his greater ML experience. Again, the mental part of the game has to catch up to the physical. FWIW, while it's only been about 10 days or work, reports are the Twins are excited for how Bradley looks so far. ABEL: He's slightly younger than the other rotation contenders...and SWR...and might have the best pure STUFF of all the contenders. He had a really, really nice 2025 in AAA, and lowered his BB numbers. His final start against the Phillies to end the season showed his potential. Repeating the obvious yet again, he needs to find consistency. The stuff is there. FWIW part 2: like Bradley, the early reports are he looks really good in camp so far. ONE of those 3 probably starts the season in St Paul, even if it's not deserved, as the 6th man in waiting. That's neither unfair, or a bad thing. The same thing happend to Ober a few years ago and Varland a couple seasons ago. Even if your starting 5 has an amazing run of generally good health, that #6 guy is ALWAYS needed, and ALWAYS used. Sometimes quite a lot. But looking at depth behind player X 6th man, Morris has been really consistent in all aspects of his growth throughout the system. His early 2025...before a brief injury trip to the IL...was mediocre. It was then discovered he had been accidentally tipping off pitches. The 2nd half of his season was really good. He doesn't maybe have the upside of other arms, but he clearly seems to have quite the potential as a back end of the rotation talent. Currently, I have Morris as the #7 SP option. That's pretty good depth to start the season. Next up? PRIELIPP: I understand the principle idea of "number of bullets in the gun" and move him to the bullpen. Clearly, the Twins don't believe in that at this point. He started using a 2 seamer in 2025, and is now learning a curveball. While I can see tremendous potential in the pen for him, he's apparently healthy and ready to go as a STILL OMLY 25yo despite the time he's missed. While debating the bullpen issue with him, I've often stated that Prielipp as a full time starter at 27yo sounds, on the surface, as a waste of opportunity. But if/when he debuts in 2026...maybe as a RP late in the season to monitor his IP...and becomes part of the rotation in 2027 at 27yo, with multiple years of team control in to his early 30's, do we really care that we got 5-6 really good years instead of 5-6 really good years when he was younger? I like adding the 2 new pitches. I like keeping him as a SP for now. After 82.2 IP in 2025, he should be targeted for around 120 IP in 2026, with the idea he might debut late in the season for the Twins in the pen. The old cliche is true: you move someone to the pen at any time, but you can't stretch them out for the rotation. Other than continuing to harness his 2 new pitches, he just needs to harness his command to "tease" batters with offerings that aren't in the "box", or start there and move outside. DAMN he's exciting. FRUSTRATING that he's still LEARNING how to PITCH. ROJAS: This up to the Twins being RIGHT about trading Varland for him. (He was the principal in that trade). He probably shouldn't have been in AAA. But the Jay's had already promoted him to AAA before the trade. So the Twins just kept him there. Supposedly, the Twins believe he's just about ready to take another step. Probably why the Jay's promoted him to AAA in the first place. And it's been said the Twins believe he might be a top 100 prospect at the conclusion of 2026. I hope they're right as that is very exciting! But he's still #9 on the depth chart. The hope is the Twins don't need to dig too deeply in the first half of the season for Prielipp or Rojas. Either or both, might be natural promotions come July or later still, and be ready. MORE DEPTH: Does CJ Culpepper start the season at AAA, or is there enough depth for him to begin at AA? Despite some injury setbacks, he continues to get batters out with a 6 pitch mix. If he can put the injuries behind him, he has potential as a back end starter. He's got solid numbers across the board. Not tremendous, but solid. He might have another level that he hasn't reached yet. Being healthy for an entire season is the key for him. But he could end up as a really good BP transition arm. But for now, he deserves a 2026 season to PROVE he's a rotation arm, or a bullpen arm. For "shits and giggles" to use an old school expression from my father. Gallagher reached AA in his "rookie" season. Might he be an end of 2026 option? I sure hope not! That would mean 2026 tanked beyond belief! I only mention because he probably hits AAA the 2nd half of 2026. And at that point, he's probably the #11 guy in the rotation. I'm ONLY taking it THAT DEEP to show Twins depth with 2026 in mind, but also 2027. And beyond that is an entirely different discussion as A+ and A could be filled with a TON of rotation talent. But for 2026, just make the RIGHT decisions. Who are your next best 2 for the rotation? And DON'T stop in believing young arm X for the bullpen because that's where he belongs, even with the Lopez injury.

Honestly, I'd never heard about any issues with previous teammates. Possibly that had something to do with him sitting and waiting for so long? But I don't have enough context as to the events you described to comment. But I think we both agree he would have been a good add overall. I don't dislike Clemens. He's got some positives working in his favor. And I hope he can generally repeat his 2025 performance overall. And while I don't hate Wagaman, I'd rather have Lowe at 1B, remove Larnach, let Bell DH, and bring in someone like Ramon Urias as a nice 3 position utility player to challenge Clemens. And maybe you don't end up with room for everyone. But that's what competition is for, right? I really liked the Bell signing, as well as Catarni. But I just can't get over Bell at 1B and Larnach at DH, which limits the OF options. Or, a PLATOON at 1B between Clemens and Wagaman and Bell at DH, which ALSO limits the OF if you keep Larnach, and makes your bench that much shorter by having Clemens as the primary 1B. I'm just so damn frustrated by this roster construction that it sends me in to fits, lol. But thank you for your post.