Rosterman

I so would love May to be a solid closer and be a part of the Twins for the next 2-5 years. But I'm afraid to risk the money he might NEED on a beginning 2-3 year contract, compared to what he might get elsewhere. Do you bring back Cruz for a hefty sum, or go with the combination of Kirilloff/Sano/Rooker at DH/1B - plus remember you can play Garver there, if need be. Suddenly it looks like you don't need Cruz, or do you really need Sano if he ahs any value. I remember old talk about Polanco being better at second that short. But then I also hear talk that Lewis is NOT the best shortstop. If Lewis comes up, he starts. He will be added to the 40-man. Do we just stay where we are for 2021 and use Blankenhorn and Gordon as backups? Do we move on from Cave and keep Wade? Does Celestino bring more worth the the outfield mess? Of course, a decision ahs to be made on Rosario. Is Larnach ready? Between Bailey, Hill and Odorizzi the Twins clear alot of salary from the rotation. As far as the bullpen, remember we still have Littell who could slide back into the mess.

The guy never tired hanging around a sports locker. You always read his column. Not the best writer, but one helluva a reporter!

Who else is there in prospect land and when can they come to the majors. I pictured Ben Rortvedt being a possible swing catcher. Needs another year in the minors. Is Caleb Hamilton in the mix as an emergency callup? I'm sure the Twins could always sign Drew Butera for AAAA depth.

Who replaces these guys? Catcher. Jeffers and Garver. Set. Willians a third backup. You can sign some minor league free agents. You have nearly $5 mil to spend. Middle Infield. You have Gordon and Blankenhorn. You have Royce Lewis in the wings. You also have Zander Weil. No need to go big. You can always find a player like Vargas if push comes to shove to also hold you over. The Twins had a variety of names in the minors, Tovar and Maggi. You have some$13 million to spend. Cruz. Will he keep doing one year deals? Can you get him for $12-15? Does he add leadership? Will he help Sano, his heir apparent? If not, do you buy someone else? Rooker or Kirilloff at first, Sano at DH. That can work. Rosario movement also in the picture. Odorizzi is a helluva a contract. He will try and get a multi-year (good luck). He is going to be cheap as he strives for a comeback. Already jettisoned Bailey. Hill didn't really increase his value. Is Hill a good stopgap with his experience as you work a rookie arm or two into the rotation. Depends on the overall worth of Thorpe, Smeltzer, Dobnak as possible package tradebait (with Rosario). Do you see any of these three back in 2022 is the bigger question. Yes, with the money spent on Hill/Bailey/Odorizzi you could make a nice one-year offer to Bauer. Be nice to have four experienced arms in the rotation to start the year. 2020 Bullpen: Rogers, Duffey, Alcala, Stashak, Wisler, Thielbar, Coulombe. You also have names like Clay, Colina in the wings. Like a solid rotation arm, I would spend on a closer (if available). I would rather invest in a return of Hendricks than a multi-year with May. I thought May could be the closer of the future, but I don't trust him today, I would like to think that he will sign for 3 years and somewhere in the $15-22 range. I could see the Twins moving on. Clippard was a nice cheap signing, I'm sure he will draw a decent contract for 2021. Nothing like the $2.5, but maybe would go $4. I would not bring back Romo for $5. What is the fate of Griffin Jax for the Twins?

You can also subtract losses against future income (or in the case of one individual talked about in the NYT, past income). We will never know exactly how much teams lost.

The Twins cut a mess of players. http://twinsdaily.com/topic/43153-twins-release-minor-league-players/

We still have to see who from the roster of minor league free agents signed for 2020 are no more. Yes, they lose an affiliate. But the Twins also have an investment in many of these players that will now move to indy ball, if the guys wish to continue playing.

According to recent Transactions posted in BASEBALL AMERICA, the Twins have cut ties with numerous minor league players, especially from their lower levels. Released: RHP Benjamin Dum | RHP Nate Hadley | RHP Brian Rapp | RHP Rogelio Reyes | RHP Ryan Garton l RHP Miguel De Jesus l RHP Alex Schick | RHP Frandy Torres | LHP Petru Balan | LHP Evan Gillespie | LHP Matt Jones | LHP JT Perez | LHP Steven Theetge | LHP Ryley Widell | LHP Niall Windeler | C Trevor Casanova | C Taylor Grzelakowski | C Jake Hirabayashi | C Eric Jones | C Kidany Salva | C Sergio Toribio | C Albee Weiss | 1B Trevor Jensen | 1B Parker Phillips | 3B Joe Cronin | SS Alec Craig | SS Adrian Guzman | SS Jack Reinheimer l OF Francisco Martinez l OF Jared Akins | OF Bryson Gandy | OF Erick Rivera | OF Tyler Webb | OF Malique Ziegler

Anderson was a sleeper. The Twins needed to give him a shot. And Curtiss, always felt, had the stuff. But needed some guidance in the majors. Took his lumps. Got cut loose by Angels and Phillies.

Doesn't he only want a one-year deal? Go for it.

I think can go year-to-year. AT some point the Twins do need to make room for Larnach and Rooker, amongst others. Sano the DH? Can Cruz help Sano for one more season? The Twins also need to get Garver at bats to increase value, either at first or DH. I'm sure Cruz would love to reach 500 homes. Would it take two or three seasons to do so is the question, and can he.

First Twins closer was Ray Moore for a couple of seasons. Then a whopper of a year from Bill Dailey. Al Worthington was wonderful. Johnny Klippstein as his second., Then Perranoski and Stan Williams as the bullpen arms.

The Twins are sitting pretty good money-wise. They can trade Rosario and a prospect or two and maybe get another Maeda-type starting pitcher. Or they can still trade Rosario for prospects and pay out some lump sum for a HIGH-QUALITY arm. Like Delmon Young of old, looks like Rosario is the first to go as replacements are in the wings. Even if Kirilloff isn't ready, we can hope Rooker is healed. And the Twins still have Cave. No minor leagues meant we didn't get to hear much about players like Sam Clay, Dakota Chalmers. We still have Caleb Thielbar and Zach Littell and Danny Coulombe. But ROMO is not the closer of our future and Rogers may be best as a set-up guy who can also close. I would spend money on a REAL closer. Otherwise catching depth (mainly AAA-type) and backup for the infield. We shouldn't write-off Nick Gordon. What happened to him in 2020 hasn't been explained. That is TWO seasons he has missed an opportunity for major league play. And speaking of missed: Fernando Romero?

The Twins have A LOT of salary coming off the books. Approx $42 million from Odorizzi, Gonzalez, Avila, Hill, Bailey, Adrianza. Another $22 million from Cruz, May, Clippard and Romo. Believe they are pretty arbitration light, especially if Rosario no longer plays into the plans. They could use a DH (Cruz), a couple of relief arms (two are entering free agency). A solid starter (they have the money). And some backup help in the infield. Of course, in 2019 dollars, 2020 was a pretty high-level mark for Twins payroll.

Once again, Miguel Sano is still the BIG ELEPHANT in the room, so to speak. Is he a keeper. You have him signed for a decent salary. You can also use Garver as a backup (or maybe Kirilloff)/ Catching. Twins are okay. Jeffers is the future. You still got another prospect coming up for part-time play. Garver needs another chance to shine and can play first. You got the Turtle. Infield. Who is the back up, replacing Adrianza and Gonzalez. You have Blankenhorn and you got Gordon. You also have Royce Lewis in the wings. Internally, I think the Twins are okay for the moment. They can supplement any in-season needs with some minor league free agent depth. Outfield. Well, what can they get for Eddie. Not that you want him gone, but we do have Alex and Trevor and Rooker Both Alex and Rooker should make the team in 2021. You have to decide between Cave or Wade. Remember that we still have Celestino on the 40-man. The Twins have three solid starters. Do they bring back Rich Hill on a very friendly contract? You still have Dobnak and Thorpe. There are a couple of other arms that need a hard look, but probably not at the beginning of the season. Do you splurge and get another A-starter? What can you get for Rosario if you also include a prospect or three for a guaranteed salary arm. And, can the starters start to go a minimum of six innings. 60 games, 10 starts, few did that in 2020. Do you sign Trevor May in the Bullpen to a longterm deal. We do have a pretty solid bullpen, and remember there are arms on the farm itching to come to the majors and show that they can still produce. I would like to say Littell is still in the mix. Do you pick-up Romo for $5m. Do you bring back Clippard. The biggest thing to remember about pitching in 2021, if things are normal, you will have only a 26 man roster ... not a 28. No 10 arms in the bullpen. Coaching. Any changes needed in the coaching department? Do the hitters miss Rowson? And Cruz. If he wants to come back to the Twins, you sign him. Especially if he can work with Sano in any way possible. No one except Maeda had an outstanding season that may not be replicated. And Maeda should've had three more wins, as well as one in the playoffs. All players on the team should be better in 2021 than they were in 2020.

The bullpen isn't broke. But you have to think of using it as if you truly only have you regular amount of pitchers. You have Odorizzi and Dobnak for a reason. We have to rethink baseball and who pitches the 7th and 8th innings and who setsup and closes. With the three batter rule, you just can't do a quickie switch anymore. You also have to look at use. Why wasn't Duffy pitching on Sunday, for example, getting a little time before THE BIGGEST GAMES OF THEA YEAR. You have more left/right usage than ever this season. Yes, us armchair managers always complain that you leave someone in one batter too long. Or start the inning with the wrong pitcher. But.....

Romo is NOT the closer. You have the lefty pitch the seventh (Thielbar) and maybe comeback with a lefty again in the 9th. I guess the hitters didn't watch the tapes. Where were they this afternoon?

I wondered why they didn't bring Tytler in when Romo blewup. The Twins have a great relief staff right now - Romo, Duffey, Rogers, May (who I hope can stay under a reasonable agreement). Stashak will harden. Clippard if a luxury. Alcala has the stuff. Wow. Do you NEED an exclusive closer these days? I wish there was more of a need for starters that can go at least six innings. 100 pitches. Ugh.

I wish I knew if any of these guys would work better with an opener, so to speak. I would like to tagteam these starters. Two innings from one, maybe three from another.,..than the bullpen. But can they pitch if they don't start the actual game?

I wonder what his perfect location in a lineup would be. How many pitches does he average in an at-bat is a concern. Also, overall, the Twins seem to be fielding better than average. Do we like him and Polanco up the middle. Is there a future for him as a Twin? What do we do with Lewis and the haord of other shortstops in the wings?

Littell, glad no one claimed him. Still young and has good stuff, especially in potential relief role. Anyone know status of Romero? Gordon missed his chance for getting any playing time this year. Do the Twins keep him on the 40-man for another season? I see up to 10 roster openings on the 40-man going into the winter. Who NEEDS to be protected from any potential Rule 5?

How can the Twins better construct their lineup. Why are Kepler and Donaldson batting first and second?

The ball is not lodged until he grabs it and cannot easily removes it!

You always run into issues with a lefty closer. We see the Rogers can be lights out if he doesn't work consecutive days, has proper warmup and full use of his pitches. Although as fans it boggles our mind that a player isn't at their best each and every day at work, we only have to look in the mirror and know we all have off days. Some guys dominate for a season or three. The rare ones make a career as a closer. The Twins have a couple of prime candidates for future closer. Alcala seems lights out. Stashak is interesting. I always felt May would be the guy, but at this point I probably wouldn't gamble on a hefty multi-year deal to keep him, thus he will probably walk. The bullpen ahs been a strength, and if there had been a solid minor league year, the Twins would be looking at adding number of arms next season, beginning with Samuel Clay.

The Twins need to get a solid lineup in place. The right bats in the right order. Bullpen is amazingly astonishing. Too many arms. They have three BIG starters and a solid fourth and up to three others (who won't be back in 2021).