Rosterman

Yes, May didn't shine in 2014 as a starter. But he did show promise. He was also a bit rough in 2015 and pulled it together in a role out of the pen. But he still has the mix. He learned. Come 2016, he was used a lot out of the gate...multiple days, short stops in a game. Not a long man, not a setup, not given a role. Just put out there as a member of a bullpen. This is 21st century baseball. We now have roles. We have top of the rotation starters who can give us 200 innings and a chance to win every time they pitch. We have middle guys who might just keep us in the game. We have that 5th guy who might reach 125-130 innings and then be replaced by a similar soul. We have specialists in the bullpen. The closer. Two guys who see the ball in the 9th. We have a long guy. If you have the luxury, someone who can get a groundball, someone who can get a fly ball, someone who can strike someone out. And you have a couple of them coming in from the left side who can do more than jsut get their one guy out. Maybe The Twins Way is that everyone can play anywhere on the diamond when called upon. Sometimes it works for awhile (Nunez this season), but at some point, you develop a player and you leave them there and you either trade that player eventually when someone else comes along (Dougie M and A.J.) or move that prospect (Polanco, Sano perhaps). But you don't start shuffling guys around for the heck of it. Your system should be strong enough that are are always looking at depth of three at a position for the next five years (like the Twins at catcher right now, eh). Someone is moving the little standups around the cardtable and seeing what your lineup would look like with so-and-so, and what it MAY look like next year, or three years down the line. If you need to change a position, you do it BEFORE you egt to the majors. Of course, starting pitchers are a different case. You can get by with 2 or 3 pitches in the minors, but once you hit the majors, you better have four. Maybe you can be role arm in the bullpen if you don't adapt. Going to the bullpen is not necessarily a step-down...it is, afterall, a major league job. But it is also a mindset, like how every bullpen guy can't close a game...how every starter has trouble getting thru that batting order the third time, how batters can't adjust when the other team actually looks at the tape they have on your swing. At best, when they IMMEDITATELY moved May into the bullpen in spring training, I was hoping they would still stretch him out, making him that - most time - minimum three inning guy, possibly becoming a spot starter rather than dipping down to the Deans and Albers in the organization. At worst, when Perkins started to falter, I was wondering if they would try him at closer, which almost seemed the case when he was working consecutive days, but not in the high pressure situation. Somehow, I think, we have THE LOST SEASON OF TREVOR MAY. Nothing was accomplished. He moved backwards more than forwards. Even if you to rebrand him as a starter, can he pitch 150 innings in 2017...can he go 175...and what is his homework assignment for the off-season. Are the Twins thinking that far ahead? Or is/was it a total system failure.

He will go the Fall League,right?

There's some major league meetings coming up next week and expect St. Peter and Pohlad will both be there doing some interviewing, or so I would hope.I wou ld really love to know the true exact questions they are asking new candidates. Vision of the organization?What kind of team do you see us fielding?What do you need for front office support? How much money do you need to do this?

It makes you suddenly realize how foolish it is to make a single player the brand of a team...either when they drafted Joe Mauer in the first place, or gave him the extension. Of course, the thought still remains of Joe Mauer being a lifetime boon to the organization, if he so chooses to remian anywhere in the game of baseball. But it also shows that when a player diminishes in value (this time because of a position change), it can also hurt the team in the long run. If we had never signed Joe, we would've had Prior and that baggage of an overpriced draftee who would've hated being signed by Minnesota (assuming he would've signed). We would've kept A.J. and not have Liriano and Nathan and Boof. Wow, suddenly things start to look royally different. We could've traded Mauer, too. I wonder what the backlash would've been like. Of course, we could part ways with him right now if any other club saw $20 million of contributions from him on the field. And I think we could happily absorb the ramifications of such a move. But it ain't happening. In hindsight, we didn't need to move Ramos. We should still have Pinto. Heck, we should've developed Danny Rams! Two questions remain. The game of baseball has changed. ANy money you give to a player is a sunk cost for one season or multiple seasons. At some point, you may jump on your desk and say you were the "master of the game" and did something totally right. On the other end, you suddenly say I am paying a guy $30 million a year for his good years, write-it-off and move on. I think the sport will be seeing more and more BAD longterm really rich contracts, but if they give results for one or two important moments in the team's game, it will continue to happen. The money, sadly, is there. The other question is "What is Joe's longterm situation with the Twins organization?" Will he retire in two seasons or continue on in the sport, and if not with the Twins, where? Is he worthwhile signing to a lifetime "end your career with us/personal services contract" or do the two parties part ways and maybe in a couple of years Joe joins the likes of Hrbek and such as a roving ambassador and batting consultant. Will Joe continue his career as a hitting instructor (and can he do that). Will he buy a team? It will be interesting to see what happens to the "Mauer" brand as his career winds down.

I almost think the fans would boo him more than come out, if they do. Sadly, NO. There is no place for him, and he would see that too and not sign with us.

You have two options with reserve players. One) They are reserves. In the pinch, they come in and play. If someone goes down longterm, they have the ability to play everday at the position of choice and stay there as long s needed, or... Two) They are that bench guy, contributing late-inning subsitution, perhaps pinch-running, or a bat off the bench. But when a player goes down, they stay on the bench and you play your top prospect from the minors as much as possible...because they are your future, unless... Three) You prospect is blocked and they have to stay on the roster somehoe (Polanco). Then you may have the best of both worlds. But if a player is deserving of everyday action, they should play everyday. If a player is a role player, then they are labeled as such and used as such. And eventually salary becomes a consideration. And, role players should have limited action/at bats at best.

Picture Palka and Walker staying at Rochester next season. What will be interesting is the addition of Harrison and Granite to the Red WIngs outfield. Grossman is a servicable pickup for the Twins. He is performing better than you thought possible. But remember, we have had such names as Mastro, Schaffer, Robinson, all the way back to Ryan and Mohr and Lew Ford in the past. But the big boys at Rochester need to cut down on their K's and the Twins have to figure out the Plouffe/Park/Vargas/Sano/Mauer mess.

Well, Murphy was obviously a catcher the Yankees didn't need. Happily, Aaron Hicks ahs been Aaron Hicks. But coming out of spring training, I almost felt the Twins should've had John Hicks come north so Murphy could catch everyday at AAA. But, no, they left him down...and somehow we lost him in the Murphy (David) mess. Remember, we also had Josmil Pinto floating around, but let him go and kept Pat Dean instead. He's catching about parttime. Hitting well. Centeno is a replacement player, sorry. We could plug in A.J. next season, bring back Rene Rivera, talk Mike Redmond out of retirement. Garver is getting some swings at Rochester and now the decision will be to add him to the 40-man and bring hi up to experience some innings in the majors in September. I could live with Murphy and Garver. Heck, I could live with A.J. and Murphy with Garver starting at Rochester.

The joy is that the way things stand right now, a Team would only have to pay A-Rod the major league minimum to play on their roster. Sadly, the Twins don't need him at third or DH. Otherwise, who knows.

The Twins getting any significant return on any f the above names would appear to be slim or none, sadly. The one who could draw the best would be Santana, but only if he totally cleared waivers. And he just might, if teams think the Twins may be playing a game and would happily let him walk to lose his salary (which is not totally out of the question). There is little or no deed for a team to buy high on any of the bullpen arms or Grossman. All those guys are easily replaceable by arms in a team's system at worst, at best...they can find another arm if need be from someone, somewhere. None of the players are game changers. If a team claims them, the Twins would probably get just salary relief as well as that dreaded player-to-be-named later...essentially someone who will be cut from the 40-man or someone just outside of the pecking order of needing roster protection (or, better yet, cash!). At some point, the Twins will need to make a decision on Plouffe, Park and Vargas. You can't have them all. Can it be that NO ONE wants any of these guys, which is sad. throw in Walker, who has been bypassed, for now, by Palka...The Twins have a gaggle of players that they could live without, but keeping all of them creates problems they don't need going forth. That is the dilemma of the Twins right now...are certain players worth anything to anyone else except for depth (probably at the minor league level and a call-up -- i.e. Swarzak, Parmelee, Duensing as examples).

The logjam at first. Towards the future, I was actually looking as Kepler being a first baseman (he was playing there a bit in AA ball). And people talk about Sano, possibly. But see Sano moving towards DH. In the distant minors, we have Diaz. But before that, we have Bargas, who will have to be carried on the 40-man next year and then arbitration eligible in 2018. We have Park, on the ropes until 2019 with an option. Of course, joltin' Joe is there for two more seasons and not going anywheres. At least, if we had cycled Arcia into the mix (instead of Park) we had a fourth outfielder to play the corners. A bigger question is the capability of any of these guys coming off the bench, Thome -style, to give you the big hit. Plus getting the pitching in order so you can carry a "slugger only" on the bench. Yes, we do have Walker, who can go up and down for the next couple of years/. We have Palka, who might be a first baseman, and can also cycle into a role come 2018 or beyond if we wish to wait that long. Vargas they tried to send abroad (still keeping him as a Twin for another year or two, I believe). That didn't happen. They might be able to move Park back to Asia. But even with any success, I'm not sure if the market for a Park or a Vargas is any better than an overpaid Mauer...which is really the albatross (although he does get on-base.). The new general manager has to figure out the direction to go.

I actually felt, coming out of spring training, that we had a starting staff that would egt us to the 7th inning. That we might actually have four guys that would pitch us nearly 200 innings each. But didn't happen. And won't. I felt the bullpen seemed solid, with Perkins as closer, some ncie setup guys for the 8th, a nice mix of solid arms. Lots of ups-and-downs. The offense, far from perfect, had the potential. The soph slump was evident the previous year. You could also see it this year. With so many coaches working with guys now, you'd think problems would be solved (the Twins have a second hitting coach, the bench coach, and all those consultants). And considering the lack of Park in the lineup, and the fizzle of Arcia, they are hitting homeruns. Nunez contributed above and beyond to that, fer sure. Now jsut have to figure out who you want to have remain in a Twins uniform now and the immedoate future, and who is promising in the wings and where you will palce them. Lots of parts to put together a fine team, plus lots of spare parts to more today and tomorrow.

I'm starting to think that someone screw up with the emphasis on college relief in high rounds.

In all likelihood the Twins will have some minor money to spend next year, depending on arbitration with Plouffe and Santiago. Suzuki will be gone, There's not a lot of prospects out there. Santiago, like Santana/Hughes/Nolasco/Milone can be dreamed of as a piece that could still have value at trading time next year, at least for a prospect of sorts or in another Nolasco-like trade. At worst, he can be Tommy Milone, but more expensive. It's too bad we do have Perkins and Hughes eating up a lot of salary without looking to open the season with the Twins, as well as the Mauer problem blocking certain players from having a place to play (if only Joe could play third base.....). I'm still waiting to see how the 40-man roster ultimately plays out. As well as any August moves!

The new general manager will have lots to work with.

17 guys the Twins should be protecting and advancing shortly. The depth is nice. It makes you wonder about the real need for Park, and if Buxton could be another centerfield tradechip. I like Granite. I like Palka. I wish we didn't have the roadblock of Mauer, and have no idea what to do with Park. Players will start getting passed by. Walker may be bypassed soon. We can forget about names like Michael and Harrison, it seems. Baxendale and Darnell and Dean will be passed by any number of Lookouts. Will be most interested in seeing how many minor league free agents the Twins go after this coming season. Seems the Lookout could advance in total to Rochester, not leaving many spots. Also means the Twins CAN cycle out people like Dozier and, though we may call foul, not resign their free agents. Oh, and besides Gordon, Cederoth should be faster tracked next season. And remember we have a couple of guys jsut drafted...Ben the catcher and Alex the outfielder, both of whom could be fast-tracked. With the shutdowns of Jay and Hildenberger, you can never have enough pitching, or so it seems.

What was great that for awhile you did get to keep the entire ticket, not just a partial. And enjoyed when the Twins featured different images on their tickets. Not a current season ticket holder, but it was sorta nice to keep that package of tickets intact. Of course, they want to destroy the secondary market, or even giving them to a friend. Keep a name or contact with the file.

In the end, I almost saw Alex Meyer as being an odd-man out in the future plans of the Twins. As a starting candidate, he was being pushed by some names at AA right now (Gonsalves, Jay, Stewart). As a relief pitcher, this was his year to show (even though he was penned in as a starter). Right now, he fell behind Alex Wimmers in the call-up for September race. So it was an okay move. He may be great a couple of years down the path, but chances of him getting great with the Twins in a couple of years jsut didn't seem to be in the picture. It's the constant joy of looking at your system (and not failing). Where does Adam Walker fit in? Is he being pushed aside by Palka in an already crowded slugger zone that needs to find a place for Park, Kepler, Rosario, Sano, Vargas? Where will Harrison and Granite fit into the future picture. Was he a viable trade chip? Who else would the Twins have been dangling matched with a player they wanted to move...Baxendale, Bard, Meija, Polanco? Polanco is interesting. He played third base. Did a couple of triples. Am I sad to see Meyer leave? In context of the Span trade, where we were told we were fleecing the Nationals with a player from an area of strength on our team for a long-term asset, we suddenly hear rumbles that the Angels are drinking the same kool-aid, only that asset is three years older and doesn't seem ready to pitch in the majors...yet. But back to Monday. What a game. Kepler is the hardest working player I have seen in quite awhile. Now if he can give Buxton a little bit of whatever it is he's drinking.

When all is said and done we got rid of Nolasco's contract for a modest $4 million in payroll expense. We gave up on Meyer, who has been his own worst enemy this and last season when he could've should've made the turn to major league play. We got a starter who will cost us about the same as Tommy Milone. If we can get a waiver claim on Milone, then it is a wash and we earn that salary back. Just think, offering Santiago arbitration will be similar to doing the same with Tommy. e got a hard-throwing AA prospect. Hey, we got rid of Nolasco!!!!!!!

Meyer needed to come on board the Twins roster fulltime next year. And that wasn't going to happen. So assuming he would be ready come spring training, the decision still has to be made of starter or relief pitcher. At that point, he may be bypassed by a bunch of starting prospects, and definitely passed by a bunch of promising bullpen arms. So he is one of those guys who had a chance last year and this year and...blew it. He's basically being replaced by Pat Light who might have a little more time on the 40-man roster, but also could be running out of options himself. I doubt the Red Sox would've continued to 40-man him next season. Santiago needs to pitch well to end the season to score bigger in arbitration. Then next year, he was to be a star if he wants a decent free agent contract, which could be a plus if the Twins wish to flip him. Of course, the Twins could always do something like offer him 3-4 years of outrageous salary and an option in the off-season to keep him around. I feel bad no one blew us away on taking Santana of our hands and am disappointed if Anthony and Co. feel the Twins will really be hard-lined competitors and would rather keep his massive contract on the books that not. And looks like no one really wanted Suzuki. It was the time to grab a free agent before the waiver deadline when a lower running team could possibly grab him. And the cost wouldn't have been that much. And if the Twins refused anything for a pending free agent...they that is a black mark in the bad-Anthony category. Plouffe coming back soon will be a dilemma. Polanco back to the minors? Buxton on the DL? We drop a pitcher? Can anyone actually tell me why Plouffe would be worth his last year arbitration contract next season and what the odds are that any other team would also pay that? And why the excitement of Tommy Milone as longman in the bullpen and Duffy back in the rotation. I would almost rather see Duffy as a longman to see if he can work the Rogers magic, as the Twins hopefully prep Trevor May for a look at a rotation spot next season before we really realize what we got in return for Span and Revere. The Twins will need some 40-man spots. These acquisitions makes it unlikely the Twins will add anyone they don't have to add to the 40-man sooner rather than later, or even take a gander at someone like Reed or Stewart in September...or any number of other guys that will play out another season in the minors in 2017 before getting a shot later that season with the big team that IS rebuilding. I like the deals, but nothing compared to other teams and doubt that they will set us afire into a competitive 2017.

So it would seem that no contending team was really interested in flipping something for Suzuki, or Kintzler. Those two, along with Milone, could be made available during the waiver wire process, and one would suspect that no non-contending team will leap at the opportunity to grab them, so a chance might still exist that someone wants them higher up the scale. But because a contending team didn't deal for Suzuki, means that they were all content with their catchers already. Add in Plouffe, the Twins have a few names that would be nice to just shed, salary wise, even if you don't get anything in return. When you put Suzuki, Plouffe and even Milone onto another team's roster, than they have to deal with the thought of keeping them or allowing them to walk at season's end. If the Twins are still interested, THEY MIGHT be able to regrab any of them at a bargain rate...or they might not...or might not even care to visit that. I was really shocked that Santana wasn't grabbed by someone, unless the asking price was truly waaaaaay too high. But the Twins were willing to basically pay for Nolasco to go to Los Angeles and take Santiago, who could be an arbitration surprise.Mey Question is Meyer. Who knows what he will be asked in the off-season and will he develop into a relief pitcher or a starter or nothing. Time will tell. The Span exchange looks like one of the worst deals ever (a reasonable long term contract on a lead-off guy and a centerfielder that was replaced with....what....). The Light acquisition was interesting. Someone who the Red Sox probably didn't want to keep on their 40-man. And now the Twins have to make the same decision at the expense of what promising prospect, perhaps. If it is Zack Jones again, I'll be really mad! But they did something. They got something for basically guys they added as free agents or, as in Nunez, a very minor prospect. It's too bad there is still more fluff on the roster that the Twins will basically say "goodbye" to with little coming abck in return...except play for the future and a lower payroll in 2017.

So the Twins trade for Pat Light, someone they drafted back in 2009 but couldn't sign.

He's not an after thought. The Twins thought high enough of him to put him on the 40-man roster last season. He pitched horribly at Rochester and was removed with no takers. He came back strong, is left-handed. He is a candidate to be added this year. Probably come down to him or Pat Dean in the end. Yes, if they think they would add him, bring him up first chance you get. Then make a decision if you raelly do want to keep him, or just have him hang around. Every roster needs a few bodies that COULD be jettisoned if you do sign a free agent or two. Guys added to the 40-man after the season can't be sent off until spring training. It's why you might see Dean and Centeno and even Romero stay around when the Twins start deducting guys.

There is no reason to go to arbitration with Milone at this point. The hope is someone claims him and if you really want him back, then you are free to negotiate. Same with Plouffe. Make it the decision of another team.

Looking at the wants/needs of Texas...I could see a package of Ervin Santana, Suzuki and Abad for something. Talk about a monster trade! Now if we could package someone with Nolasco to the Dodgers for their catching prospect (after they land Lucroy) and find takers for Plouffe and Milone (at least get back an A prospect). Maybe Anthony would be right for the job afterall. But why do I have the sneaking suspicion that the Twins powers-that-be are considering too much wealth and hoping for a big payback, rather than compromising on some pieces and looking at a bigger picture. Right now, every team has assets to move (that they can't keep or protect in the off-season) and, as people have said, you usually get a little sweetner with the trading deadline deals, compared to off-season antics. But it would be disappointing if the Twins don't move a catcher (who will be a free agent) a starting asset or two (as teams are getting stymied by other teams) and a bullpen arm for the future of the organization.