Rosterman

Kirilloff is one of those player's that could have "bright lights" in the back of his mind. He can play the game the Twins way for the next 5-6 years and move on. All depends on how he comes of the gate in his first near full season in the majors. If he is a powerhouse, he will write his own ticket, especially if he IS a first baseman who can also play the outfield. What kind of numbers would you be thinking to lock him up for the next, say, seven years as a Twin? If you wait at least two more seasons, then you have a better idea of what his arbitration numbers might be, and if he is super special those first two seasons, then you lock him up for 6-7 more with an option.

The Twins signed righty Derek Law to a minor league contract for some bullpen depth. Has a history of putting runners on base, but can strike guys out, too. https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/l/lawde01.shtml Oh, and they added Danny Coulombe back into the mix.

6 infielders is light. But remember, the Twins don't need to add players like Royce Lewis yet. Yes, they have an abundance of names in the outfield. Is Rosario not offered arbitration? Do you need both Cave and Wade still? Especially with Rooker and Kirilloff in the mix...not to mention Celestino. Be interesting to see what happens with Griffin Jax. And Wander Javier. Miranda and Severino can still remain in the mix as I doubt no one will claim them for a year of major league play.

I would like to see the Twins do an arbitration trade of Rosario to the Tigers for Matthew Boyd. They throw in a low-level prospect (or two) for the salary difference, or perhaps give up on Thorpe or Smeltzer if the Tigers want a pitcher who might pan out closer to majors.

Is Rosario too expensive? That seems to be the question. Can he be too expensive with a 2-3 year deal at this point, too? Three of the four mentioned haven't really lived up to their potential. Sano is always the elephant in the room. Do you look for a better third baseman? Do you look for a better first baseman? Is he the designated hitter the Twins need for life? Do we still shudder at the ghost of David Ortiz and fear a departing Sano will be the second coming of such a ghost. He is considre3d cheap for the current longer haul. And the ultimate, what is his worth to someone else at this point. Buxton just can't stay healthy. Jeez. What a thing to be tagged with. We have seen Hunter leave. A run thru names like Span and Gomez and Revere and Hicks, most all have produced at times better than Byron. What is Byron besides a ground traveller? Does he have bigger power? Will he ever be a base stealing threat? He can go from first to home faster than anyone. The Twins managed to get that extra year, as well as cheaper hearings because of on field time. From just being in the line-up and playing a lesser field, Rosario has more worth, it seems. Kepler. Man. I hated the fact that he batted leadoff in 2019 and moreso in 2020. I don't think he is a leadoff hitter, and is best placed in the lower portion of the order. He is mighty cheap, and IF he shines will have better trade value. Right now, he is more valuable to the Twins. The question is where do you put Krilloff, Larnach, Rooker (and to a lesser extent names like Baddoo, Wallner, Celestino, Maciel - all of whom would probably be on par with any of our current guys in years to come). Throw in the mix the need to looks at Urbina or Soularie in the next 3-4 years. Plus, Royce Lewis could be an outfielder instead of an infielder. Truth be told, I would take an option on getting Rosario signed for a team friendly 3-year-deal and move from there. I would entertain any offers for Sano or Kepler and even Buxton. Moreso hoping the value of all four of these guys will sky in 2021 and you can comfortably work in Kirilloff and Rooker with an open DH position (sorry Cruz) and Larnach later in the season, and still not hurt yourself offensively. I hate the though of getting nothing for Eddie and just letting him walk. That's what we did with Ortiz - not that Eddie is Big Papi. The Twins have been lucky offensively that the team does play as a good team on the field and overall in the batting order. 2021 showed that there are weaknesses in these guys and no one, including Polanco and Arraez and Garver, are set for the longterm, but still offer team play - which is most important. No superstars, including these big four that promised so much.

What will the new revenue stream be for a minor league franchise? Does MLB control the sale of a lot of merchandise? So does the franchise really only get ticket sales and concessions, plus have to pay a fee to be a franchise? Is payroll ALL filled by the major league team. Who pays front office and field staff? Who pays taxes?

The Orioles signed Marcos Diplan, who the Twins obtained from the Brewers in 2019 and assigned to Pensacola. He was actually on the 40-man roster for awhile.

Nationals have signed lefty Sam Clay. Not sure if this will be one of those that got away. But we still have Caleb Thielbar!

I hope his recovery is good. He is one of those guys that should put up solid numbers. But you need to find a place where he can comfortably play on the field (or become a designated hitter).

I propose an arbitration trade of Eddie Rosario to the Tigers for Matthew Boyd. You might have to throw in a Smeltzer or Thorpe because the Tigers will be paying more out in salary. Assuming both team don't want these guys, but might like to have control of one or the other. Boyd would be a good backend pickup. Still cheap. Another year left. Lefty, too.

Which is why I'm sad to see Pensacola change hands. Low-A and AA teams near each other would work fine. The Twins would still have High-A (Cedar Rapids) and AAA (St. Paul) to shuffle some players in an emergency. Plus players could rehab and play in St. Paul, while still working with Twins staff. I wonder how many players will be in Ft. Myers. There will be NO short-season ball anymore, as I understand (no Elizabethton or even GCL ball, right?). So will the Twins have up to 75 players in the Ft. Myers complex (which also has housing). That would make a max of, saay, 150 players in the system. I am very curious to see how the MLB indy-ball leagues will be operating. And if minor league players had concerns about the lack of pay before, how will pay differ in the new indy leagues. Let alone the "summer camp" collegiate woodball league. Places where players either have to have a second income of sorts, or really good housing prospects for the time they are in play.

Here's one. Arbitration swap. Rosario to the Tigers for Matthew Boyd. Would we be willing to pay Boyd $7-8 million and hope for a bounce back to go thru arbitration again the following season. Would Detroit like Rosario enough to offer him $10 million (or long-term). Does each team pass along a low-level prospect? Twins get a pretty solid lefty arm for the far backend of the rotation. And does adding Boyd make arms like Thorpe or Smeltzer expendable and part of this trade? Does the Tigers have any blocked prospects the Twins would crave?

There will be a lot of players available short-term for 2021 as teams cut salary as much as then can. Those willing to go into debt can overpay. The big need is to get playing time for prospects and to figure out how to get the most out of a tighter minor league system. Prospects have basically lost a year of play, and an organization a year of time. The Twins are sitting pretty goo with whom they can add this year and next, and it looks like a decent longterm crop...so they could make available some lower prospects in trades if they need to trade for someone else's salary. Kinda sad that they won't be able to get anything for Rosario unless they resign him and carry him into spring training.

Utility guys are utility guys. You gotta look at who you have in the system that could get a full-time shot if the main guy goes down. That person is Lewis, and might also be Miranda. So you could suffice with Gordon and Blankenhorn as the late-inning replacement and occasional rest guys. If you have Rooker and Kirilloff and Cave/Wade, you also got a backup at first (not to mention Garver), and Sano can play third...still. The joy of having people competent at multiple positions.

I'm not sure the status of Indy Ball going forward. Will have more oversite as MLB takes over some areas as tryout leagues, or extended leagues. Be interesting to see how this all plays out. The rumble is that Ft. Myers will become Low-A ball, which works well with the training camp. Does that make Cedar Rapids High-A Ball. Gotta see how all the different KEPT teams play out as they look at schedules, travel...and hopefully increased pay for most minor league players. I look at the Saints, though, and wonder where the players playing there will live. It's not like St. Paul is just a small town in itself, but a major metropolis. $20 million needs to be paid by someone!

According to Transaction in baseball America, the following players have left the Twins minor league system. Most are free agents signed this past offseason. Some made the expanded roster like Lane Adams, Wilfredo Tovar, Drew Maggi, Casey Lawrence, as well as former Twins Austin Adams and Juan Graterol. Jake Reed is walking. As are Andro Cutura, Moises Gomez and Jose Martinez. Zach Littell is seeking employment elsewhere. So many that sat out a season of play! Minnesota Twins (28): Austin Adams, Lane Adams, Cody Asche, Alec Asher, Parker Bridwell, Jonathan Cheshire, Sam Clay, Andro Cutura, Kody Eaves, Anderson Feliz, Ramon Flores, Nick Garland, Moises Gomez, Juan Graterol, Blaine Hardy, Mitch Horacek, Joey Krehbiel, Casey Lawrence, Zack Littell, Drew Maggi, Jose Martinez, Levi Michael, Peter Mooney, Jake Reed, Jarett Rindfleisch, Chris Rowley, Wilfredo Tovar, Lukas Young.

The Twins need to sign a starter. Someone not on the disabled list most of the time (Hill, Odorizzi, Bailey ended up flopping). The more I think: we say bye-bye to May and Clippard and see what arms are available. Brad Hand, anyone? Bring back Kintzler for ground-ball action? We really need only one grizzled veteran arm for the current pen, unless that arm is left-handed and we part ways with Thielbar. Or give up totally on Thorpe who needs to find a palce on the opening day roster or bye-bye anyways.

He will retire rather than leave Florida.

The Twins need to make a decision on Rosario. And also Cruz. If they jettison both, you basically have Kirilloff, Garver, Sano, Rooker working between the OF/1B/DH Not a horrible thought, and you cut $20 million in salary. The Twins have a bullpen of Rogers, Thielbar, Thorpe (out of options), Alcala, Duffey, Stashak, Wissler. You still have Littell in the mix if you add him back on the 40-man. When you can troll for guys like Waddell and Gibaut, I guess you don't need to bring back Clippard, Romo or May. The Twins could spend BIG on a starter, and leave the fifth spot to Dobnak, Smeltzer (and Thorpe) until a prospect emerges. Backup infield could be Blankenhorn and Gordon. If not those two, you don't need them on the 40-man.

Well, do pitcher's ever need to bat anymore. Starters have the tendency in the NL to get an at bat or two anyway. Relief pitchers...na-na. Do you expand rosters accordingly to give a bit deeper bench? Man, that would be a drastic change to the Amedrican League. So you now have to employ 3-4 DH's a game. Sigh.

Like Littell, Thorpe is almost too young to give up on. He's a lefty. If he can transition to the bullpen, you keep him. Talk about a hardluck career. Two years of non-play. And 2020.

They need to go forward. Rather give it to May.

I thought the Twins had paid off their investment in the stadium. But, yes, sales tax revenue has been humbled by the pandemic.

Littell is a gamble. No one claimed him because he wasn't useful in 2020 and he would be a roster decision for 2021. The chances are that he will sign on as a minor league free agent with a spring training invite. If the Twins know more, that he can be a regular after one more option year, than "yes" put him on the 40-man. His biggest plus his his age, minor league record, and dynamite 2019 out of the bullpen. And no to any of the others for a 40-man add. Sam Clay would be a slim possibility. A younger Caleb Thielbar, perhaps. If you can keep him and Moises Gomez for another season as minor free agents, do it. But other teams will be cutting similar players. Be interesting to see the number of players available as minor league free agents, or the number of plays not offered arbitration. Do the Twins have 8-10 potential 40-man spots?

Is Drew Butera available?