Rosterman

Yeah, where would the money come from to double, say, the size of the front office and actually pay people. Of course, the Twins do have 45% of their budget for non-salaried baseball players....which is somewhere towards $100 million to run the baseball operations (compared to $45 million pre-Target Field days). I'm not sure what they currently dedicate to the front office, to baseball operations, to minor league operations. Know they spend $10-12 million on draftees, it seems. I would assume they paid off their own Target Field debt sooner rather than later (so they could borrow against the team worth as Uncle Carl was noted to do). Someday I hope someone gets a detailed look into a decade of finances of a major league team and where the money comes from and where it does go.

It is/will be at his highest tradability this winter. He also will be a free agent in 2019 and if he puts up similar numbers in the next year AND two, he will command big money as a free agent. If a team is going to extend him, they take the gamble this winter for 1-2 years and an option and they MIGHT still get a good price, because Dozier also knows he could...FALL. But is he the best second baseman and do any teams really need a 30-year-old second sacker coming off the year of a lifetime? That is the question. I mean, would you trade a promising 25-26-27-28 year old starter with some good major league experience, and possibly another prospect, for Dozier. Or would you keep the pitcher. It will be a most interesting offseason.

Well, first off, you are going to have a high draft pick. Next, you have to look at who will contribute to the 2017 Twins and at what cost. You have to look realistic at the farm system and see who is in line to come onboard first parttime and then fulltime in 2018 and 2019. You have to further look at your depth beyond and who you can keep or use as tradechips. Do you need, say, both Weil and Diaz, or at some point is one a popular prospect to trade. You look at your budget limitations and how much you can afford to writeoff each season. This season, the Twins have basically written off Hughes and Perkins and Plouffe. They did a swapout of Nolasco. They spent a lot of money in one full shot on Park (although they probably are spreading that out). They lost money on Jepsen, Fien and Milone, the final two should've never been resigned. You are always going to writeoff salary in bad contracts or the disabled list. You have to look at Mauer and what he gets paid as outside of the spectrum. It was basic public relations for a franchise player to serve the franchise at one moment. You have to be willing to gamble. But you realistically have to look at each and every play and evaluate where they sit in the organization, the opportunity you will give them, try to predict the results of the willingness and ableness of the coaches to work and improve the player. I mean, if Ploufe is your answer at third and you want to sign him for three years and an option, keep Dozier around for two more after 2018, be happy with Park for the next four years, believe you can work in Palka or Walker...then go ahead and trade Sano. If you can't work with Buxton, let him join the ranks of former centerfielders and make Granite your new guy until Kril comes up. Is your rotation Berrios, May, Gonsalves, Stewart, Jay etc.......or do you earmark $25-40 million a year for one or two bodies, or $10-12 for an end of the rotation. You want to think Ryan and Company have been doing this. But suddenly a prospect rich organization has no one NOT on the current roster a real prospect for next year. I would disagree on that and say there are 5-6 guys who could jump AAA and play more often than not on the Twins next season. They will be terrible for the most part, but they will play and play hard and learn and probably be just as good in 2018 or 2019 than if they wait and come up for the first time in those seasons. Sure, they may cost a bit more down the way, but between this season and another rebuilding year next year we get even more draft picks to take their place 5-6 years down the road. And, quite frankly, the wins and their 55% is hogwash. It was 55% when they had a $50 million payroll. Now they have $110. What are they spending $100 million on that they were spending $45 million on before? Tell me? Not to mention WHAT is the real revenue figure the team each season from the cash rich Target Field?

You could even add Tyler Duffey or Michael Tonkin or Byung-Ho Park or Eduardo Escobar or Hector Santiago or even Adam Walker to the list, not to mention one or two of the guys who topped out at Ft. Myers. Oh, and Alex Wimmers and Ryan O'Rourke aren't necessarily givens. Jeez...we are looking at half the roster as expandables! The question is when is the absolute best time to start non-tendering players. The day before rosters need to be set in November, or right after the World Series, or even now? Note that a lot of teams seems to be making additions to their 40-man rosters right now with some prospects as September callups and jettisoning some bodies. I was doing some rough estimating and the Twins will need 6-8 spots to protect anyone that really needs protection, although I'm probably wrong on a few of the names. Hurlburt will have an opportunity to be a minor league free agent, There's no other organization names that will be missed if they depart in this fashion (maybe Van Steensel at the worst). I believe. Names like Garver, Baxendale, Granite, Gonsalves, Jorge, Palka, Steward, Jones and Wheeler all come to mind. I don't see other organizations grabbing Turner, Goodrum, Busenitz, Westphal, Slegers, Peterson, Ortiz, Michael, Harrison, Eades, Hicks or even Thorpe. But this is where it all gets difficult. You need to move out guys if you aren't seeing their potential to impact the major league level at some point, as this year's Twins have shown you can always fill in holes from the scrap heap if need be, with an occasional gem. But five guys on the current 40-man who weren't a Twins prospect and basically picked up during the year and off-season on the waiver wire seem to be waaaay too much, unless, of course, you do need bodies to jettison before you do a real 40-man again. Plus look at the names above. 3/4 of them would probably happily resign with the Twins as minor league depth (although it does cost the Twins more money to pay minor league free agents with experience than prospects still on a learning curve). And you also need a couple of stray bodies in case you sign a free agent, something about 40-man adds in November have to stay put thru spring training. If they do keep Plouffe and Santiago, then there really won't be much of a payroll difference between the Twins at the beginning of 2016 and the beginning of the 2017 season. But who knows what a new president of baseball operations and his general manager and staff will do once that time comes. But the off-season has basically begun and one the World Series is done, it does move pretty darn fast.

I think as a veteran minor league guy Beresford probably pulled in close to $40-45 grand. If he was on the 40-man, he would've gotten more for the season. There is some reward in minor league salary if you hang around. But, yes, this will be a nice $50 grand payday!

Lots and lots of fun names. I think both Fundeburk and Hill continued with long careers as coaches in the minor leagues. But just hitting home runs in the minors doesn't guarantee a major league career, or even a long stint in the majors. Both Walker and Palka might fall into that category.

Someone somewhere mentioned that Dozier leads off and Twins batters get to see more pitches since he can take a walk or work a count. Unfortunately, he quickly shows a pitcher the one pitch he shouldn't throw again.

It is such a tough call. Dozier might be his most valuable after this season. A bad 2017 would bring him back to his former level or tradeability, plus he would be verging on free agency. It is the most important job of the new President of Baseball Operations and his General Manager. Who to extend and keep. Who to trade for now or not trade for future. Who do buy. I hope he/she is given a clean slate and no one will wince if a certain first baseman is jettisoned, a foreign born guy is released, a top prospect or two is moved, some field staff fired, and changes are made to the minor league system If nothing else, it will keep the Twins in the news and might help sell some mroe season tickets.

We are seeing the Twins future lineup right now. Murphy catching. Eitehr Garver as backup (although they might want him to catch fulltime) pr Centeno. I don't see the need to keep Centeno on the 40-man roster, though. It's a gamble that someone would sign him for their 40-man. Mauer, Dozier, Polanco, Plouffe. I see Plouffe staying, now. Don't know why. If he puts up really great numbers, he will be a sought after free agent. Maybe that is the tradeoff, he NEEDS to put up great numbers to increase his value. For abckup, you got Escobar. Outfield. Buxton, Kepler, Rosario. You have Walker, Palka and Granite in the wings at AAA. You have to choose between Grossman and Santana as the 4th outfielder (no brainer here, right). Or maybe you bring back Schafer (not). Actually, all three could be non-tendered and you should be able to find a suitable 4th outfielder...anywheres. DH. Sano. Of course, you can shuffle him between third and Plouffe at firs tand so on. Back up will have to be either Vargas or Park. Park will have to go back to Korea and work all winter on hitting, or find a winter league to work in. He can be sent to the minors AGAIN if need be. Vargas can't. I'm curious to see how Vargas is used in September and he needs a topflight spring training. I think he would thrive in the foreign leagues and draw a bigger paycheck than over here. We have Santata. We have Hughes. Gibson needs to do something. Santiago is still on the bubble. Berrios will improve. May is only good for 130 or so innings, so he could start the season as a long man in the bullpen. (Albers, Dean, Milone are all gone). We do need to look at Wheeler as being in the mix in case of injury. Meija is also thesuitable abckup. Hopefully Rochester will have otehr Lookout pitchers on their starting staff (Stewart, Gonsalves) uistead of Dean, Darnell, Albers. Kintzler is a one-inning pitcher we have discovered. Don't let him sit between outs, Molly. If Perk is back, he will be given the chance to close with Kintzler in the wings and possibly Presslye. You need long guys. Why Rogers didn;t pitch multiple innings more often is beyond me. He is my choice (not Dean). Duffey is my choice for right-handed longman. I want to see the Twins put him in that situation here in September...not starting. I would like to see Reed step up and open the season with Chargolis. Then we need some specialioty guys. Who egt get a fly out. Who can get a groundout (Kintzler). Who can get a strikeout. Baxendale, O'Rourke are in the mix. Tonkin will still be around. Wimmers and Light may need to stay, so their September and spring training will make their careers. It is still a catchall and will be an interesting spring training. Zach Jones should be in the mix, too. Burdi, Bard, Cederoth, Hildenberger are all getting close. But what we see here, now, in September is pretty much what the new GM will work with, unless he trades prospects for vets and they decide to make a go fot it in that way in 2017. But please, Twins...we have seen enough of Albers, Dean, Milone, Centeno, Suzuki, Santana (wait, he's disabled), Grossman, Schafer, Boshers. If you are going to give these guys playing time, don't. Give it to Walker, Garver, Palka, Reed, Meija, Wheeler, Landa. I listed nine guys NINE GUYS who shouldn't be on the 40-man come November. We lose games with them playing anyways. So let's lose games with guys who need to feel the excitement of major league ball, who dream of playing major league ball, and are a part of the Twins organization past, present and future.

Walker NEEDS to come up, if nothing else to meet the coaches, sit on the bench, and see a pitcher or two as a pinch-hitter. Palka power has come abck down to earth, but he is still a prospect to watch. So, is Diaz the Twins firstbaseman of the future? Be interesting to see where Blankenhorn ends up. Y'know, could he be here to start 2019? Will he still be a third base, or is Trey Cabbage the future for that position. Joe Maloney would do good to find somewhere to work up his catching skills. Would make him a valuable possibility. The total lack of prospects at Rochester shows that the Twins are relying too much on minor league free agents these days, or the few names that were elevated at the end of the season from Chattanooga are just getting a taste. Would hopefully see the entire Chattanooga roster at Rochester and less emphasis placed on minor league free agents, who then come up and take rosters spaces and tread water in the major leagues. Don't get me wrong, great for guys who are looking for that spot paycheck. Boy, the Twins did raid the indy leagues. Was surprised they did't bring Caleb Thielbar and Mark Hamburger back into the fold!

Was it unique for a player to pitch in the Arizona Fall League for two straight seasons? What winter league would be suitable for Reed this round? Or do you shut him down.

Strong class of pitchers at Cedar Rapids. Always interesting to see what happens as they make the next two or three steps. Who falters, who makes it, who is a minor league arm forever type of guy. I wish we actually had some starter arms showing up in spring training on the level of Berrios last season. But I don't see it. Even if we still had Meyer, I fell he would need a good portion of the year in the minors to get some innings under his belt. I almost feel the same way about the bullpen. With the guys thrown out there in major league land tonight *September 4th), I wish there were 2-3 guys getting a September callup that might not be ready but would be dazzled by being in the major leagues. I look at the entire Twins bullpen and can almost say I could live without any of them in the next season (except for another longer look at Chargolis). Which is sad. But this is about the rotation. We might able to work in an arm (besides Berrios) next season. Another in 2018. And hopefully have to ready for 2019. Which means come that season we will have a total home grown rotation and won't need no stinkin' free agents!

I think someone has to explain what kind of player do the Twins want him to be. A fine defense guy in the outfield showing speed for coverage and great arm. Do we want him batting leadoff, drawing walks, mixing up between full swings and chops and bunts (and is he capable of that). If so, how do they get him to that point in major league coaching, as the playing field up here is totally different than it is in the minors. Do you want him to develop power, take the Carlos Gomez route? Is there tension between the organization and Buxton on how they see the skill set. If so, why? How did it happen at the major league level, yet he is so comfortable with his family in the minors (probably Chad Allen hitting coach). We know Buxton will be a fine outfielder. But when the time comes, is he a $50 or $100 million player for the Twins. Kepler is learning well. He will have his slumps and has to work on them, knowing how to change up his at bats. He is still riding a high, especially on the home run front. But he is showing that he an intelligent hitter who will work on his craft when called upon. But imagine the joy he is showing out there on the field, chasing balls, putting ball in play, playing the fun game of baseball. He isn't perfect ye.....but you want to pencil him into the daily lineup.

Well, part of your broadcasters job is to try and spin the game in favor of the organization. You do want people to come out and support the game. That said, making a star from the the other team the player of the game afterwards is not what I tune into the game to watch. It's the press, or the press that have "columnist" credentials that can be a bit bitter and take a bite out of things. Often it is just to get readership to the thing you write (as a columnist, you are a personality now). For for the beat guys, and in some ways even the staff broadcasters, taking subjects like "Plouffe and his future with the team, pros and cons" would be a nice article for the nite, or"Schafer the journeyman and what it means to the Twins future" or "Meyer is doing good for the Angels, reflections by coaches in the minors on how he got there." Even here in Twins Daily land, we want tohe Twins to succeed, we want people to not forget about them (which can happen as the frustrations grow) and we often pepper our downright damnation with a bit of fluff and searching for that one good spot (Dozier showed up at the Stadium swinging a bat...something will happen).

Arrrrrrrgh! Can't we see what we got in Walker, in Palka, in Granite.....even would take a look at Michael and Harrison, who are on the bubble of being keepers or totally cutloose - although I guess we can keep them in the system for still one more year. But Logan Schafer!?! Go and watch a Saints game, Paul, if you want to see that! And maybe next year you will be able to be a season ticket holder!

I would rather see smoke given to Baxendale than the guys they are calling up and putting on the 40-man. At some point, the Twins have to forget about who they promote and when do they really have to add them to the roster. Which seems strange because the 40-man currently contains at least three (maybe Walker the fourth) who WON'T be on the Twins opening day roster next year and will probably need a full season of seasoning before getting a shot at the Twins, three of them not expected to even get halftime notice until 2018. Go figure!

Her, the Twins bumped Tanner English all the way up to Rochester for the last five games!

With the call-up of Buxton, the Twins now have 13 offensive players, that means 13 guys that are capable of putting the ball in play and getting a hit, NOT people you don't want to ever see again. As a matter of fact, tonight's lineup looks pretty much like the starting lineup will be in 2017 (minus the catcher, who will change) but I still don't like the order. Dozier leading off. Plouffe batting third. Polanco batting FIFTH! Of course, we were hoping Suxuki would be left-behind in Cleveland, but instead they called up journeyman minor league catcher Adam Moore who would give Drew Butera a battle for most years on a major league roster but fewest at bats and lowest batting average. He's cheaper than the million Suzuki would've cost, can probably catch behind the plate, and the Indians sure don't want to give the Twins any kind of PTBNL that could haunt them in years to come, I guess. The joy is Ervin Santana has 13 total victories as a Twins hurler and now will seek his 7th win this season, tying his mark from last season. Who knows, he might get to 10. If Ervin can get us thru seven innings, we can bring out Pressly and Kintzler and save the game, since both have been off for a couple of days and faced 13 batters between them in their last joint appearance. The real story will be how the Twin Cities roads and light rail handle the flurry of Thursday Night sporting activities that hit the town, amidst the Minnesota State Fair that has Billy Bob Thornton in the bandshell and Alabama in the grandstand. What will be the total amount of people on-the-town tonight! Myself, am sitting here hoping the Twins stop the streak, as my fantasy team only ahs their stats happening on this lite baseball activity day!

This is my favorite from the story on the Twins site: "Buxton, 22, gives the Twins another outfielder, as Robbie Grossman has been bothered by a sore oblique. He's expected to see time in center with Logan Schafer, who was called up on Monday." Let's make sure Schafer gets time in the outfield. Who knows, he might become the next....

Granite may be tapped to play winter ball somewhere else. The AFL isn't the only place players go to play more.

No one doubts Mauer's place in Twins history, and we would like to see him remain a Twin always and forever. What will be interesting to see is what happens when his contract expires and if he wants to continue to play. He is a Hall of Fame catcher, but his status continues to go down the longer he plays as a lesser first baseman. He's not bad, he's just not in the best. It's one of those things where he can work, but the Twins have to revolve their system around him and his needs for playing time and at bats. You don't want to be a first baseman in training if Mauer is holding down the bag for two years, and what if he decides to play for another 3-4-5. And you can usually find better alternatives to the designated hitter. The Twins have two right now. Sano and, in the wings, Walker, albeit probably shortterm for one, but the other could develop into a David Ortiz decade of being the big smiley face of the Twins. We want Joe to play, to be great again with the bat, to shine, and get those October moments along with another batting title or two and become a Hall of Famer. We do. But somehow, the team is going in a different direction.

It will be an opportunity (hopefully) for Garver to catch everyday. So that is a plus. What are the qualifications for a player to go to AFL? I think they have to be Hugh A+ or above. It is usually a stepping stone to going on the 40-man. And most do make the major leagues in some capacity.

You have to see what offers come to the table. He is still a tradeable asset thru next July. You can always buy starting pitching. But that has a downside. You must compete against other teams and you may overpay or over extend. In doing so, you have to look at the entire contract as a 1-2 year contract. If the pitcher isn't working, you move on. OPtherwise, you are stuck, as the Twins will be in 2017 with Hughes and Santana heading the rotation. When dealing with your own product, you have to look at a guy, say, Kyle Gibson...and entertain offers when he may have more value but less outlook in your own plans. Like Delmon Young and Josh Willingham before, but unlike Ben Revere, Carlos Gomez and Denard Span, the Twins often don't move a player when they can get top dollar and replacement value within the organization. I also feel you do have to push young starters in the system. you get them up here to take their lumps sooner rather than later. There is probably not much of a difference. You can always send a player down to work things out. Are we being better served having Berrios up and getting clobbered this year? He can still go down to Rochester, heck he can still stay at Rochester most of next season and mature even more. But the initial plans probably saw him not making the Twins, not making the 40-man until this November. Would the team as a whole be better served if we were also looking at Stewart and Gonsalves now in August and September (than Albers and Dean). You can always patch in thise fringe guys. But you need to see what you have, how the adapt to the major league spotlight, and see if they will really THEN work at getting their pitching acts together. When you are a losing team, having youngsters gain experience and failing is not as bad as trying to work inexperience into a contending team.You have to see what you have now and in the near future to make those free agent or trading decisions that will improve you going forward rather than treading water. And if you have to write off contracts to go after more contracts, do so. You don't make money if you don't put fans in the seats. And you need to be paying players that will/are producing to do that, not just guys working out their contracts. If you do too much of contract eating, than it is an issue in team management, not players,

Albers and Dean each should get a second start to prove themselves.

Why is someone with 30 home runs batting leadoff?!?