Rosterman

Polanco will pretty much have to make the roster full-time as a utility guy in 2017, unless he can be a placesetter at short (depending on Escobar's season). He could push Dozier to a trade, if the Twins can compensate for Brian's bat in other ways and depending on who the shortstop of the future is with the Twins (is Gordon still two seasons away). The nice thing is that if Dozier, Escobar go down at all in 2016, Polanco will get more fulltime play, above and beyond his couple of at-bats from previous seasons, or I hope he does. The Twins need to put "the future" into the lineup when injuries happen, rather than the wisened old utility guy who may/may not contribute in the future.

The Twins are in that fine-line position of going with prospects now or trying to win now. They have a lot of prospects, but you don't know what they bring to the table unless they can actually play in the major leagues. Yes, the Twins were competitive last season, although the 2nd place finish doesn't totally match with the slightly above .500 season. It is a hard job putting together a baseball team. You want some predictability (i.e. Stauffer) and you fear taking chances with guys. Some succeed like Boyer, but he's not flashy enough and heaven only knows what would happen if you threw him out there again as a mainstay for a second season. Again, a general manager is a TOUGH job. You are working within the 40-man roster guidelines. You are stocking depth. You can't plan for injuries. Players have different learning curves (who would've thunk Rosario would out-perform Buxton, for then). The division appears stronger overall in 2016 and ALL the teams pretty close with probably 5-7 games separating the top from the bottom, depending on play against other divisions. Looking forward to spring training this year and the season opener!

We do have the arms to start the season and enough retreads and prospects to play some musical chairs up-and-down. The only problem is 40-man roster management, adding guys that aren't on by replacing who on the roster. The 40-man is, in reality, pretty tight unless the Twins make some calls on folks like Nunez and Noalsco, or Vargas and Arcia. What I find telling is the non-siging, so far, of Cotts and Duensing. Not to mention Boyer without a home. Plus the whereabouts of old names like Swarzak and Thielbar and Deduno. I see Kansas City grabbed Oliveros and his fastball. I could agree that the names out there to add were just too expensive, especially if looking beyond one year. They might be more predictable than arms in the minors. But either way, there is no guarantee that one will be competitive this year or not!

Right now, what is Ricky look for in baseball. He can sit back and collecta good salary for two years. He can pitch extremely well for the Twins in 2016, but that just means they might trade him somewhere not of his choosing. He could pitch extremely well the next two seasons if he wishes to stay in the game and make big money. If he doesn't produce, his baseball career,sadly, will be over. It's tough. Yes, he was injured in 2015, so we hope he goes forward (that he came back at season's end is a feather, so to speak, in his cap of wanting to be productive. The Twins decision will be where best to use his talents. Send im out every fifth day and see if they can get team value for him as a starter. Bury him and eat his contract in the back of the bullpen. Let him go and see if someone else gives him a chance. This is am important spring training for Rocky and also for the Twins. Do they go with their best (and future) 25 or do they continue to play the veteran, options and major-league roster time games.

Yes, it starts to come down to 40-man roster moves. You MAY have someone go on the disabled list. You MAY trade someone out of spring training. You have to make choices on Arcia, Santana and others. I picture the Twins will add Abad. They may make a last minute play for Choate, but then they have to designate Hocks, or Strong or O'Rourke. Not many names to cut from the 40-man. Then it will be a simple matter of the arms that come north in the bullpen keeping their job or shuttling down to Rochester (and off the 40-man). Telling time for Pressly, Graham, Fien, Rogers, Tonkin. Of course, Pat Dean is a probable casualty. Who else can the Twins send away? Vargas? Nunez? So right now, it is a pretty full plate for the Twins, making a decision on the rotation and seeing if anyone can go from there, having too many names in the pen, 3 catchers but none overwhelming, decisions to be made on Vargas and Arcia short-term or long-term. I wouldn't sign any of the above with the current roster situation. I wish there were people knocking down the Minnesota door to trade for a piece of our not-so-good pie, but I don't see the Twins flipping anyone for anything but a mid-level prospect at best.

A very good analysis and you can't ask for a more even division. A difference of five games won/lost can make a huge difference in this division. If someone gets off to a massive star out of spring training, they might be hard to catch. Any of the above teams that do want to win ahs to take care of the teams in their own division, first!

This is the year Kepler HAS to get some major Major League playing time. Next year will be his 4th on the 40-man (the Twins added him earlier than necessary because of the potential of someone grabbing him from the system). They need to evaluate him to see if he will stay in the system, possibly become tradebait, or what. It will be interesting to see how he works out. When you talk of him going into the outfield (with Buxton and Rosario), then that means Sano will go back to third, and at this point, please put Sano at third then and trade off Plouffe. There is also the possibility of first base, but Mauer creates a roadblock there. And if Park shows life, we are really blocked up in the DH/1B world. The hopes are that Arcia and Rosario show enough in 2016 to viable trade pieces. That would free up roster space. Remember, we also have Walker in the wings or could also patrol one of the corner spots. Spring Training will be fun to follow in 2016!

Plouffe is still a keeper...THIS SEASON. Next season, his final arbitration year, he will command north of $10 million. That is the decision on the horizon, and also affects his trade value to another team. Is he worth it? That is the question. If Plouffe IS worth it, you try and sign him, right now, today, for $30-33 million over three years with a 4th year option. If he isn't worth it, you figure out a way to trade him NOW or hope there is a demand for a third baseman in mid-season...and then it becomes the decision of another team to offer the arbitration, or he becomes a free agent and could possibly sign for less (say three years and $24-30 million). Either way, this season and next Plouffe has to play well for financial reward. It's a gamble you take. But either way, he is still tradable for a relief pitcher...but at what level. Again, if you do sign him, than you commit to keeping him at third, or do you move him (shades of Cuddyer) to the outfield. Have the Twins seen enough of Sano in the outfield (no) to know he will work out there. Actually, have the Twins seen enough of Sano at third, in major league situations, to be comfortable with the big guy there. If we parted with Plouffe and Sano wasn't the guy at third, then what do we do. Our troubles seem to be revolving more and more around with Mr. Minnesota Twin, Joe Mauer, who is a franchise player...but..... In the big picture, we would save salary, if we could find a taker. For the next three years he is playing positions -- first base and DH -- that we could put any number of others players in. Plouffe at first, Sano at third. Leave outfield for Kepler. We have Park in the mix. Where do we play Vargas and Arcia. What happens if Walker is the real deal. We all know what Mauer brings to the table. And the Twins will still have to make a further decision on the "Face of the Franchise" again...if Joe wishes to play beyond his contract.

The only way the Twins would really really add pieces would be if they played Billy Beane ball and started trading massive amounts of current pieces for different pieces. But to do so, people have to want anything that you have to offer. The guys you want to keep, other teams want (Sano, Buxton, Berrios). But so many others could be traded to strengthen, say, catcher, corner outfield, bullpen. Who says you can't move Santana or Gibson or Hughes. If you believe in bullpen prospects, take a buyer for Perkins. Will anyone take Suzuki off your hands? Would moving Plouffe really solve problems (he will be expensive in arbitration in 2017). Otherwise, we can pretty much write in the names of the 25-man roster with Santana/Nunez/Arcia getting jobs because of being out-of-option. The biggest question is Buxton, does he start in the minors? Then who plays centerfield? And if ANY of these bullpen minor league signings pan out, what current 40-man roster names do we say goodbye!

We could argue that Hendriks was maybe pushed, or not sorted out (starter vs. relief). Waldrop was considered a prospect to watch but ended up being a back of the bullpen guy. Wimmers IS still in the mix, somehow. Will he end up in Minnesota, or get a minor chance somewhere else. Thinking of an outfield of Hicks, Benson and Revere was not out-of-the-question, and the power potential of Arcia would've filled in nice at DH. Like Sano, he was young and not ready at all abck then (as was the Kepler!).

Catching has become a two-player sport. You need a backup. It seems teams CAN BE happy with a backstop playing 80-90 games on a regular basis. If someone can do 120, you have a gem. If they play 140...wow. You always have to look at league average for hitting and fielding. Yes, a catcher can throw out baserunners, but they do need a little help from the starter on the mound, too. Not that you don't play to win in the minors (you do), but so much more happens on the field in the majors. Can you survive with a no-hit, good call/throwout catcher in the lineup (think back to Phil Roof, Jerry Zimmerman). Do you hope to get a Brian Harper or Russ Nixon-type? But the bigger question is always depth. What happens when the guy goes down, which seems to be happening more and more these days with the concussion concern. It looks like the Twins may have adequate defense behind-the-plate for the next decade with some okay pop from a couple of guys, but no one looks like someone that will score big when they enter arbitration or free agency (although there are a couple of young unknowns who might just do that). And once you start removing ANY of the names above from behind-the-plate, how might they fit into the Twins future plans?

It is a game of numbers. Besides May and Berrios, the Twins really have no other starter ready to jump into the mix, and the Twins seem happy to have May in the bullpen for now. Duffey was a surprise, but... What hurt the most was that names like Nolasco and Milone didn't increase their value to other clubs and have, thus, become an albatross on the Twins mound. Milone could find some seekers after arbitration establishes his salary. It always hurts when a player doesn't produce for the team and thus loses value. Same can be said for prospects such as Santana, Vargas and Arcia, who could've been decent tradebait. Sometimes you have to trade your youth, like Hicks, for parts that you need. Would the Twins consider an offer for, say, Rosario now and hope that he doesn't have a soph slump? It is what makes the job difficult. Do you grab a Span (or as lasy year, a Hunter) to keep you in the game and lose an Arcia? Do you keep pumping the youth thru your clubhouse hoping one sticks? For msot players, do you actually find out their team worth in year two, or year four, or year seven? How long do you wait? I feel the Twins bullpen is largely set with expectations on future arrivals rather than dole out a three-year contract to some arm. I will agree that more stock has been put into the potential worth of Fien than he probably deserves at this point. And we have to hope Jepson is still a hot set-up guy. Yes, I would like a more established third man (preferably a lefty) to be added to the mix, but see that the Twins may be able to cobble together a one-season surprise from their minor league invites. It won't be glamorous, and we may have a tagteam like last year's Thompson/O'Rourke (argh!) but I am hoping that those rotation arms will get us into the 7th inning consistently and that the Twins may have 4 pitchers that throw 200 innings of 4.00 ball.

I like the ENDS lineup. Could live with that. Even if Arcia replaces Plouffe, say, and Sano goes to third base. What makes this even more exciting is if this is the lineup (with Kepler somewhere) for 2017.

Better yet...how many innings will each of the members of the starting rotation reach in 2016. Will we have 2-3 break 200 innings. Will all of the top five at least break 150 innings?

It's bad enough to have a strikeout prone guy batting fourth, but also have one bat second AND third. Mauer is there to drive home a leadoff runner. Dozier is NOT your perfect #2 hitter because of his K's. When you egt to 4th and 5th in the order, you either got the long ball out (sacrifice) or live with the homer/strikeout choice. Even moving a Rosario up in the order is a tough call because of his K's. The Twins have to work on NOT STRIKING OUT. We don't know how Murphy will eprform. And Buxton, if he can put the ball in play, will be a godsend.

Yeah, the Twins have a .500 starting rotation and no one that you truly expect to win 15+ games. Sad to say, that is not good. Of course, if the line-up scores 4 runs in each and every game, the W-L total will improve. The joy is that you at least expect that ALL these guys will go at least six innings, and maybe 7, depending on the status of the bullpen.

In the sixties my family had a business executive friend who worked for Cargill. Every spring he would take me to the Twins "Welcome Home" Luncheon. Back then, they were pretty much just bigshots from around town. And every year I would show up with my Topps cards from the previous year and go right down the entire front-of-the-house table at some point, the players getting a kick out of seeing their card (only one card back then) as well as a kid in a suit amidst all these executives. I quit the autographing for awhile and got back into it, with my most memorable experience being the first person to write to Pat Neshek getting an autographed card and, I'ma shamed to say, calling him an outfielder. Of course, Pat is one of the most accessible of players ever. But a bonus Neshek event was proposing to my wife on the scoreboard in a game started by Matt Garza which Pat ended up winning for the Twins. He has, of course, become our pitcher and I look forward to attending at least one game when he is visiting, shouting him down from the outfield pre-game. And I used to love the Metrodome, with the bullpen down the third baseline. I would choose those September afternoon games when no one would be in the park and I would have the whole row for myself before and during the game and could interact with the current and future bullpen throughout the game. Check out www.twinscards.com where we keep track of Twins players - majors and minors - and you can check out autographs from different collections (I'm "rosterman"). After the New Year, we should have the beginnings of the 2016 look at the Twins roster and minor league system.

Three seasons away. What will the Twins rotation look like, or who will the Twins trade to get a top-of-the-order pitcher because of depth. Dozier will be expendable. Park, by then, will be a washout or tradebait. The Twins will have made a decision on Arcia by then. Two years out Walker will probably be the major DH candidate if he doesn't totally strikeout at AAA. Names like Gordon and Vielma could be prospect tradebait. I see the Twins long-terming Buxton, Sano and Kepler. But Rosario? If he has a 2016 similar to 2015, he will be tradebait as the Twins look to rid themselves of Nolasco, move on from Milone, and decide if they want Kyle Gibson to remain a Twin for a contract or not. The weak link is catching. The guy has to work with major league pitchers, throw runners out, and be durable behind-the-plate. If he hits or doesn't hit may not matter, as you can always have ONE weak link in the line-up. Also, the Joe Mauer question going into 2018. They would have to make him a qualifying offer in 2019, give him a lifetime contract, or look to rade him before OR in his walk year, if there is any interest. Mauer's next two seasons will seal his fate...maybe so much so that NO ONE will touch his final year contract anyways.

You can't write Duffey in for certain. He can still be optioned out. Milone still has to earn the job. Being a lefty helps, but if he stinks...look for him to go back to the minors, unless all otehr lefties really flame out. Nolasco will be given a long look. The joy of spring training, msot pitchers throw a couple of innings a span...and the decision can be made after 3-4 looks if May should start stretching his arm or not. The bigger question is why Fien? Pressley and Graham can both go to the minors (Graham IS a stater candidate). But, again, why Casey? Meyer has to earn the job and DO the Twins want him as a starter?

Last year the offense was...in simple words...close to a disaster. High strikeouts amongst candidates, most players regressed in the stats that people see flashed on the scoreboard. The Twins did do better, it seemed, offensively in moving runners and scoring runners when it mattered. Three major factors: (1) How players prepare themselves in the off-season to keep their natural skill sets sharp. (2) How coaching works with the players in a correct and understandable way to eliminate some faults. (3) Line-up construction and how the team works together on the field. Right now, it is a team. There are no individual stars. Mauer came back to earth. Sano will have to be put in a fielding position which may change his game-to-game mindset. Park has to adapt to major league pitching. The Twins have a lot of solid players, but they still are strikeout prone (especially Arcia, Sano and Rosario -- the outfield -- and Dozier isn't far behind). It will be the same group as last year minus Torii Hunter and Aaron Hicks. The Twins need a Buxton at the top of the lineup, but like Hicks, will he be ready. The Twins would love to find a permanent place for Arcia, but where does that put Rosario if Sano is also in the outfield. Plouffe is almost too valuable, at this point, to rid yourself of with the questions surrounding Park, Sano and Arcia...but a hard decision has to be made to keep him longer term or make sure you get value for him out of spring training or, at the least, mid-season. Sano shined as a slugger. He has the potential to be more than that. Rosario did what was necessary. He's what you wanted, or expected, for a corner outfielder, but was far from spectacular (think Jacque Jones). The coaching staff and manager have their work cut out for them, considering that don't see Suzuki getting better and Murphy being adequate at the most. What will be the perfect Twins lineup and CAN it come out strong to start the season. I expect the rotation to be solid though far from spectacular, with short leashes on Nolasco and Milone. But I see the potential for ALL starters giving us at least six innings so educe the concern for an across the board strong bullpen. I think the division will be stronger overall, with Chicago making some strides, Cleveland getting their youngsters into full form, and Detroit making at least one more move to position themselves as contenders.

Or one will be a designated hitter.

And, of course, you can never have too much pitching. Names that may be pencilled in for the majors MAY end up injured (or not work out) -- Graham, Pressley for example. The Twins could suddenly have many outfielders break down (that hasn't happened, right?). When you look at the current names on the Rochester roster, and add in, say, 10 names from the 40-man, you see that team is pretty set now. I find seeing who gets jobs and invites anywhere exciting off-season news. Hey, Garrett Jones just signed with Japan! Good for him!

It will be interesting to see not only Sano, but how Buxton and Berrios fit into the rich longterm contract picture. At this point, the guys would have to dominate! But Sano could be the next Ortiz, in the least! If he wants to play to age 40, watch out. Then, again, what will Mauer's NEXT contract cost the Twins if Joe wants to play out his career with the Twins and to, say, age 40!

The Twins are pretty well set, really. They just have to weigh how bad they want Sano AND Arcia in the corners, and it would be nice to have a proven vet in the bullpen (you left out Logan Darnell as a potential starter or bullpen guy). The Twins will have backup depth at catcher, 1st base, middle infield, and outfield at AAA Rochester. They will have 1-2 arms to call upon for rotation spots. They will hopefully have too many guys (not on the 40-man) that they want at the major eaegue level sometime in 2016 for the bullpen. Again, the biggest issue is possibly outfield defense. Would you put Sano at third and Plouffe in the outfield (bring back Cuddyer)! Santana and/or Nunez as a bench infielder is okay. I imagine Vargas will start at Rochester, again. I hope Park gets some rotation time at first with Mauer DHing.

Hicks was soon to be ano utfielder without a job. He was the underdog coming into sprint training. Yes, he could've opened the year in centerfield. Yes, he could be a corner outfielder. Are the Twins better taking a flyer on Buxton and Arcia, to name two, in those positions? I think yes. Hicks had limited production. He showed enough spark that his trade value had increased. But he is soon to be arbitration eligible. He either plays regularly in 2016 and has a breakout year, or is a continued flop and the you have to ask yourself about going to arbitration with a fourth outfielder who was a number one prospect. Hopefully he pulls it all together. But in the organizational depth chart, he was tradable. Considering the playrs on the current Twins roster than other teams want and the Twins are willing to trade, Ryan did goo. And hopefully centerfield won't be a weakness in 2016 with Buxton, Benson, Santana and Rosario all in the mix. Buxton will takeover, or be given every opportunity to takeover, sometime next year. He should be a keeper!