Rosterman

This is the year that the above five either stay a Top Prospect or become a minor league free agent AAAA guys. Rogers has the chance to be a spot starter in reserve, except the Twins have plenty of those right now in Milone and Darnell and Pelfrey and anyone else they can pick-up on the waiver wire. Gonsalves and Thorpe have to stay healthy and hope a bullpen spot opens up. But if they can shine, and play a somewhat closer role in the minors, they become viable tradebait as an add on. Kepler controls his own destiny. This will be his second year on the 40-man, and don't see him even getting a September call-up. Next year he will be at Triple-A, or should be, and then deserving of a call-up to get a taste of the majors. Will he stick, or do the Twins take an $800,000 writeoff. Of course, he can tank, but his clock has already started to tick-tick-tick. Walker is that slugger that also needs to show he can field, so he can be a bench bat at least. I'm curious to see how he adapts this year.

You have to admit pretty bad. For nearly 200 innings to carry a 1.7 WHIP, and to walk more batters than you strikeout in six attempts in the big leagues. Even looking at his minor league numbers. One solid good season. The rest...nothing that make me Rule 5 him, or even want him in a trade. Boy, the Yankees took the Twins on that deal!

The Twins Hall of Fame is basically a public relations move for the team, and not honoring anyone...even some front office or maybe a Wayne Hattaway longtime minor league guy, pretty much makes the concept even more outrageous, especially coming off the Chuck Knoblauch fiasco. When you look at the near 700 or so Twins, you can easily find one person, especially when you expand it out to front office, field personnel and the like. Anyone for Jerry Zimmerman!?!

What is amazing is the percentage of these guys THAT COULD make the majors, if not with the Twins, another organization. The Twins are about to have some 40-man roster problems in the near future.

It's a bonafide competition and I just hope the Twins bring the best candidate north and forget about salary owed, options or the like. Until the rash of recent relief pitching signings, always thought that at the least May could start in the bullpen, be the Swarzak player. May might ultimately be bettter suited for the bullpen. Nonetheless, the Twins have candidates for the firth, as well as a full rotation thatshould shine at AAA Rochester.

I see no reason to have Pinto up in the majors if he is only going to catch, at most, once thru the rotation. Would rather see him catch everyday at Rochester for the first part of the season, see what Suzsucki does. But who do you add as the backup? Fryer? No way. Herrmann? Man, if you keep Pinto, you keep him so you can DH either if you wish. De San Miguel, the guy who played with every Twins minor league team in a season it seems, is back in the fold, but at AAA with Herrmann.2 Rohlfing. I was actually pretty surprised the Twins weren't able to move Suz during the trade deadline last year (a s well as Swarzak, Duensing, Burton or anyone not named Willingham). Maybe we do value many of our players too highly. That someone actually does want them on a major league roster.

Amazing career as a coach and manager. In Mexico. Was always amazed that he will still at the plate.

Well, if Hunter hadn't department, and if Santana has stayed put, the Twins wouldn't have traded for Delmon Young and would've kept Garza, and we wouldn't have lost Bartlett either. Plus, the bodies like Jason Pridie, Philip Humber, Kelvin Mulvey et al would've never been on the field, as well as Carlos Gomez or J.J. Hardy, and whatever we got for Hardy. All at a cost of about $30 million a season for the past seasons. Span would've been cycled out and replaced by Revere, who would probably still be here. Maybe Morneau wouldn't have hit his head or Mauer a wall. Carl Pavano wouldn't have lost his slowball. And we would still have Joe Nathan and Pat Neshek in the bullpen, along with Jesse Crain and finally waving goodbye to Matt Guerrier. Which means we would never had added Jon Rauch or Matt Capps and Wilson Ramos would be behind the plate.

And approx. $44 million could come off of the above by next season. If Nolasco shines, he is tradebait for sure with one year remaining in his contract. Suzuki and Pelfrey and Hunter will become free agents. No need to pay more for Stauffer or Duensing. I would consider keeping Fein, although if he does dynamite set-up duties he could be a potential late season closer for a team and bring a couple of prospects. Milone, Nunez, Sheafer all can drop out of the plans for 2016. I don't think any of the minimum wage guys will be arbitration eligible (except for Escobar, and as a backup won't command as much) unless they fall in a super two, and the Twins could escape that if Hicks starts at the minors. Maybe Gibson reaches super two. I still think the Twins could add a $6-8 million outfielder/bench bat/DH/1st base guy and not suffer. I easily see that $8 million coming off it the Twins can pull a couple of trade deadline moves, just because they have back up starting pitching, bullpen help, or Sano and Rosario can play ball.

This is where you start thinking of any of these guys being tradebait for a piece to improve your puzzle. At some point, you get too many prospects coming up at the same time in the pipeline and a clog happens. You have to CAREFULLY judge who will be here in 2016 or 2017 and go from there. Houston may be facing a similar problem. Or you start flipping pitching prospects for more batting prospects. Either way, looks like the bullpen ahs strength, especially when you put names like Burdi, Reed, Cederoth and others from 2013 and even 2014 into the same playing field as 2012 guys.

Yeah, you can argue Mussina 270 wins. Hey, how many wins did Pedro have? What is the criteria. Dominance (ala Morris). Longevity (ala Kaat). Have a medical procedure named after you (John). You can argue that Mussina (and Schilling) are on the edge, maybe a "Veterans Committee: inductee, but that group hasn't done too well in their opportunity to reward players overlooked by the writers. We don't want it to be a Hall of Fame of the Very Good, although there are a fair share of those guys in the Hall already, but it should recognize a few more players with distinct accomplishments (why isn't Oliva in the Hall, please).

Hicks and Arcia. We hoped one would be a superstar and the other better-than-average, combined with Rosario and Buxton and maybe even giving us a choice of tradebait. Now we hope there could be some value in Arcia before he becomes too expensive at too young of an age, but the fear of David Ortiz Jr. is still in the air. Hicks will probably surprise us and pull a Delmon Young, which makes him a temporary keeper, before playing into sub-standard land. At least we have Buxton and Rosario to dream about. And the hope that Walker wont be any worse ad probably better than what we have seen from Arcia so far. And what about this Jepler kid?

The closer is a guy who trusts his stuff, can throw heat, and nowadays might be called upon to pitch 3-4 consecutive days before getting a night off. Doesn't happen much, but can,,,except that a team seldom sweeps series. Perkins is the closer in 2015. He will probably be a closer in 2016. At that point, he might still have tradable worth, or figures he doesn't want to go anywhere and stay with the Twins and become a lefty specialist for the rest of his career, which could be long because he IS a lefty. I agree that the concept of having at least two guys who can close causes a bit if a disarray with the other team. Moreso if you add that third set-up guy, preferably a lefty, and if you are comfortable NOT having your closer pitch a full inning. Seems closers do better if they start the ninth, let's say, then come in and have to get out a batter or two with the bases loaded. Of course, what UI jsut said is hogwash, as a closer has the heat and will challenge. Ultimately, the worth of a closer all depends on the portion of the batting order or bench they are facing. If it is the bottom of the order, you sit back. If it is the heart of the order, you worry and hope you have another guy or two to get you out of trouble if the closer is holding a single run lead. And most teams don't have benches to fear anymore (look at the Twins - Pinto, Schaefer, Escobar and Parmelee, for example). The Twins if they work it right, can have some closer creations that could be potential tradebait. Before last season, they should've heavily marketed Jared Burton. They didn't. Last season, Casey Fein was a marketable guy mid-season to a team looking for a temporary closing chip...maybe. By season's end, he lost that...and why they let Burton save in September instead of Fein or anyone else is beyond me (like the choice to start Swarzak - destroying his value - and if you had the slightest hint of not giving him a contract, give those innings to someone, anyone, who will be on the 40-man come spring). Of course, ALL the hard-throwing names look great on paper. We only have to remember Anthony Slama to get the butt kick that what looks good in the minors may not be the choice of the majors. But if you want to add 2, or three, arms from the system each year...the Twins look great for 2015-16-17, considering that we still have the likes of Tonkin and Achter and Wheeler for 2015.

Both are in a position that if they put together a great 2015, you consider cutting them loose and trading them before they become arbitration expensive. Let THAT be the worry of the other team. Arbitration is fine and all, but you often overpay, or have to over-extend, a player beyond what you really need. Of course, a lot depends on what they see in people like Polanco, Michael, Rosario and, of course, Sano. Nick Gordon is in the pipeline, too, albeit at shortstop. It is a ncie position to be in. But I would, sadly, grade Plouffe as a super utility guy as he hits 30 rather than a regular at third, and a weaker and expensive outfielder than you can find elsewhere. He does not become worth the expense. Dozier hits for power, steals bases, but still strikesout a lot, and not sure if you would consider giving him BIG $$$ over the longterm, either. You just gotta hope that they don't both tank, especially in the same year. Plouffe is NOT in a "we want you" status right now. Dozier has probably more worth than Trevor, but most teams would like to tackle a supposed cheaper free agent than an arbitration albatross.

Unless the Twins are in a sell-off mood come September, pretty much NO prospects that aren't on the 40-man will see the light of day. At a slim chance, Burdi, Zack Jones, Cedar.... could swivel in. If he's tearing up AA ball and has a taste of Rochester, Buxton could get some at bats, too. But the Twins will holdoff on Berrios and Stewart, as they did Meyer. So, in 2015 - Meyer, Sano, Rosario. We might see Rohlfing or Beresford, but just for the short-term. We have too many relievers to break in someone out of the blue - Oliveros, Tonkin, Achter, Darnell, Thompson Pressly all will get some time supplementing the Milones, Pelfreys, Grahams etc.

It will be interesting to see who and what prospects are bale to be absorbed or break into the Twins 25 by seasons end. Does it make the prospects, or current players expendable. And then who breaks in come 2016. It's a fine line between putting experience on the field and the prospect of talent that WILL perform in years to come. Usually the process is to wean in a player or three each season (the Twins did Santana and Vargas and May...but took a step backwards, or sorts, with Pinto and Arcia, and Hicks totally stalled). Can Santana, May and Vargas hold steady or improve while we get a look at Meyer, Rosario, Sano and any number of young relief pitchers? Who gets the boot. Will it be Hicks. Will Arcia be passed over. Will Plouffe's number be drawn. Will Gibson be moved because he is cheaper and controlled? Who is the real fodder on the 25-man from the bullpen and the bench?

We basically have an older replacement for Swarzak. Of course, Trevor May could be a younger replacement for Swarzak.

Yeah, they need a new hitting coordinator. Looks like they just bumped the pitching coaches up a rung: Artega, Bonilla, Jiminez...with Vasquez taking over GCL.

Hughes is leaving a lot of money on the table, yet how much money do you need, folks. Of course, it is a bargain for th Twins. What would a qualifying offer be a couple of years from now. What will a qualifying offer be to keep Hughes one more year in 2020 if the two wished to stay together? But Hughes also stood a chance to implode and fall apart next season or the season after. So it buys him total security in life. The Twins took the bait, he grabbed, and hopefully it all works out for the best. "Pelfrey wins 20 in 2015, signs Lifetime Extension!"

Was it a demotion when Jake Mauer went from Ft. Myers to Cedar Rapids? It's an assignment, folks. You move the guys around, if you can. There are always ncie logistics, like Mientkiewicz supposedly liked the Ft. Myers job before because of personal reasons. Did Cliburn like being pitching coach at Rochester than moving to Double-A? It is still all pretty much the same job, although it is nice when you get some continuity of players to work with.

If all these guys pan out, that is a pretty solid team taking us into the next decade, and there is every indication these guys could stick in the majors, bullpen included. Whew! The payroll gods at Target Field are going to be pretty happy!

This is a pretty impressive list with at least 7 pitchers that can have an impact on the Twins on the major league level. And not even guys in the Top 20. Sure, a lot of bullpen arms, but, hey.....

Hamburger will get his chance during the season if he produces in the minors. He's probably drawing a decent salary, and the Twins will give him every opportunity, if they need to, avoid adding a long-term guy to the roster. Anyone catch that the Twins have signed lefty Will Ledezma to a minor league contract?

Everyone will get a look. But you do have to watch who you bring early to camp. Only so much playing time, folks. And then you start rewarding guys as the roadtrips happen. But your first concern are the guys on the 40-man. You want to see them and send them out soon. If they get disabled, they start the year with a major league salary. Looks like the Twins a pretty set on their minors rosters. They have enough guys to fill the first three levels easily with some spare change. Lots of people at Beloit/extended spring training.

Remember, Meyer will probably be on a limit of 150-175 innings next year. Could see starting him out of the bullpen, or a call-up. What will be fascinating is to see how the bullpen works out for this season. We forget that many starters become relievers (Hawkins, Guardado, Perkins). But besides Johan, how many guys start in the bullpen and move to the rotation, unless they are swing men like, say, Swarzak, or the token long-man, usually youth to get their licks.