Rosterman

Arrae\z would be the perfect leadoff batter. Letting the people behind him see the pitcher throw 8-10 pitches and get a handle on the umpire. Moneyball. Make the pitcher throw strikes. At what point that happens is a guess. Some pitchers throw strikes right out of the chute, then start being shifty. Or vcie versa. Sometimes it doesn't hurt to take pithes. Sano should take the first two pitches on half of his at bats, no matter how good or bad...just to see.

Solo home runs. Maybe have to rethink line-up construction. Tim Anderson got a big second wind. Can they just do something on the bases? Wait, they do...running the wrong way at times. Sigh. The starters have been brilliant. Now we have a different arm every loss blowing it from the pen.

They have been flat out lucky. Entering the season with no proven closer. Staying in first place thru the end of July with no proven closer, one lefty arm (who has become the closer) and little rhyme or reason on who does what in any situation. If the Twins were a .500 team, the bullpen would be brilliant.

If the choice is a trade insted of an outright claim. You make the Trade. I guess cash is better than nothing. But, yes, it looks bad.

Yep. I rememebr the early part of the season where the Twins were really good, because they played like a team. But the bullpen makes you cringe. Moreso when starters can't do six innings. They need reliable arms! The projects of Parker, Harper, Magill and Morin were good news, but they jsut can't cut it! Weren't the Twins ahead of Cleveland by 11+ games once, not too long ago?

The Twins need to make long-term decisions on Berrios and Rosario sooner rather than later, as well as Buxton and Sano. I'm less worried about the outfield and the chance of trading away, say, Rosario as there are prospects in the wings. If you keep the above core intact, you have prospects to tradde for sure. That is the BIG DECISION. Payroll should go up. After some lax seasons with the Twins id the middle of the apck...well, 2019 could easily have broken $135 million and if the Twins don't totally tank, they will be a revenue machine this season. They should be able to start ushing the $150 million envelope. The whole 55% of revenue is always a joke. What are the costs of front office and minors and others that changes drastcially every season. Not much, if you generate $10 or $20 or $40 million of revenue. If you take in $250 million, you can pay a payroll of $125 million. If you take in $300 million, your operating costs don't icnrease that much...like $25 million...no. You should be able to increase payroll to $150 million easily. But $175 could also happen. All the names you mntioned above could easily fill the roster in 2020. But who will be here in 2021, or better yet what will the 2022 Twins look like.

Considering Schoop is able to play, the Twins have enough guys on the bench, if Garver and Castro can rotate behind the plate. Makes you jump for joy that the Twins did manage to stay 20-games over .500 with the amount of bullpen arms they have now jettisoned - Mejia, Vasquez, Adams, Magill, Morin, Do Jong, plus Moya, and possibly goodbye to Hildenberger and Eades who are injured. Thorpe, Poppen remain. Gonsalves is also injured. Four roster sports open. Wow. Cleaning house in...July!

Yes, it your are a contender, reliable is the key. The ground ball pitcher. The flyball pitcher. The strikeout pitcher. Consistent. And the ability of a starter to get you to the 7th inning. When trouble arises (two guys on) you have another dependable arm that SHOULD be able to shutdown the situation. The key is to win the game, not get as much as you can out of one guy to keep everyone resh for another day.

You have to remember that the current front office is looking ahead and figuring out who MIGHT be prospects that they have to protect tomorrow and later in the future, the hopeful internal building blocks for the future. They also put a little asterix by the name if they HAVE TO protect he guy in 2020 or 2021 and maybe 2022. There are only so mnay palces, and depending on the advancement of the player...will they quickly become available anyways for another system. It is all a guessing game, as today's top prospect might never ever make the major leagues. Then you look at what is available, the longterm compared to shortterm potential of the player benefitting the Twins. A lot of work and thought goes into the process, and the quicker is that you ARE COMPETING with otehr teams for the choice pieces, or you have to askyouself (like for Grienke) is it worthwhile to expense yourself out for that aprticular player shortterm by giving away an important longterm asset.

I just cringe these days when Sano comes to the plate. Sano and Buxton (out, of course) are such key players, but seem to be outplayed (at least offensively) by everyone else on the team. The ability of the team to manufacture runs is also questionable. Stopping at second rather than pushing towards third. Of course, doesn't matter if a player after strikes out rather than put a ball in play. You can speak ill of the starters. Buit besides Taylor Rogers, you don't know what to expect from any otehr bullpen arm (although Littell has been a great spark). Was hoping Trevor May had turned the corner. The only plus about the next 7 games is that the Indians will have a similar series later.

Whew! Now have to look back to see if there was ever a season this bad...for the rotation!

I guess we can talk all we want about versatile play, but ultimately the players have to be as good in the field as they are at bat. And even though there are lots of unearned runs, there were still pitches thrown that were put in play. Talk about a depressing afetrnoon of baseball in front of a crowd absking in excitement BECAUSE the Twins are in first palce and have never lost more than two games in a row all season. Okay, two decent games by our back-of-the-rotation starters. Whew. That's a good feeling. We got two sluggers back in the fold, now only really down Buxton because Arraez and Schoop (two entirely different players) still produce, when necessary. The big elephant in the room is leaving runners on base. And what can be done with Sano (who did have an 11-game hitting streak, but can you give him a thousand bucks everytime he doesn't swing at something low and outside? Tell him he ahs to take the first two pitches thrown him no matter where they are thrown, and if he gets a two-strike count that way, he will be replaced by Arraez so the Twins can save the at bat? I like Trevor May, I have hopes that he will be one of the keepers, but..... The Twins need one rotation arm and a closer, and a luxury of a second bullpen arm if Perez or Pineda don't seem to be a bulpen fit. Now if they were sellers, look at the weath of matrial they have to offer: Castro, Schoop, dangle Sano, Gibson, Pineda, dangle Perez, Gibson, Adrianza. Unfortuantely would just bring back too much talent in a system that is already bursting at the seams.

It's a;; about the 40-man. Remember, they still have Romero and Eades in the mix. If you remove someone, you may lose them. If you add someone inexperienced from the minors, they are holding a spot aand because of their "future" you will be ahrd-pressed to jettison them. That the Twins have already passed on Moya, Vasquez, DeJong and Mejia, as well as goodbyes to Morin and Adams. They have three roster spots. Which is pretty darn amazing, because besides Eades and Wade and/or Cave, the Twins have few bodies to move...unless they would aprt ways, too, with Parker, Magill. They have to make a hard decision on Gonsalves and Romero. If they could bunch those two in a trade, it would probably benefit the team and the 40-man today and tommorrow gratly. And, withthe guys in AA and below, service time becomes a question, especially if you still wish to develop them as a bullpen arm. No one mentions Jake Reed.

Looking at a strong bullpen from prospects in the future. The rub, you can't protect them all. And the chances of acquiring an arm (or two) in free agency limits the number of these guys that will advance. Fernando Romero is somewhere. Should he become a starter? Is he a bullpen arm? Did the Twins miss the ball on using him as a tradable prospect? Interesting how the names have changed since the start of the season. No more Littell (now a bullpen arm). No more DeJong or Mejia. Goncalves is still in the mix...maybe. Will he be, perhaps, the next J.D. Durbin or Alex Wimmers?

Morin was an interesting luxury. But basically is besta s a one batetr pitcher, and don't do that much anymore unless you are a lefthander. Considering the Twins are doing two games with Pineda an Perez, both likely to hit five innings, it would be nice if they did have anotehr long man in the pen. Still need to keep Cave as that extra outfielder to start in center. Gonzalez, Arraez and Adrianza all on the bench. Plus a catcher. Whew. Sadly, should just send Arraez nack down and be done with it, unless you plan to play him insted of Cave every game.

Yes. A starter betetr than anyone in their rotation. Odorizzi seems to be back, but is absically still a good five inning pitcher. Anything beyond that is a bonus. Having he starter for at least one more season is also a plus. I don't see the Twins bringing back Odorizzi or Gibson. Unless they totally strike out in the free agent marketplace. Pineda may be a return candidate, at a discount from his current price. And would be a noteworthy gamble as he would be totally recovered from surgery. The Twins also need a #1 bullpen arm, a topflight closer. If they also get a rotation arm, then one of the guys in the rotation move to the pen, be it Perez (an additional lefty who can pitch thru a batting order) or perhaps even Gibson. The Twins have many potential weakness in the pen, from Magill to Morin to Duffey to Parker. Even Harper isn't a given. Be interesting to see how Littell and May end the season.Also be interesting to see what couple of arms would disappear if the Twins add arms. More than likely total removal from the 40-man!

Glad they pulled Odorizzi when they did. As qwell as Duffy. You have a two-run lead. Don't walk anyone. If they are going to score, let them hit a homer (which the next batter did). But don't fool around and go to a three-ball count either on a .194 hitter. Throw strikes earlier, not as a last resort. Y'know, it is probably easier to give advice and observations than actually do things during a game, right?

You have to make roster moves at some point. New blood coming up from AA. The guy isn't in the Twins future anymore.

He still has age on his side. Plus he throws lefthanded. He could be a starter if he stays healthy. Be interesting to see if he passes thru waivers (would have to be added to a 40-man). Otherwise, still ncie to keep in the system. The Twins now have two 40-man spots open. But if they do add someone in a trade, it will mean a body or two going to the minors...or released from the pen. Something they can now do.

Everyone wants the Bank in a trade right now. If willing to overpay, you can get the right person NOW. It changes as the month progresses and the betetr prospects DO get traded, and more people might be available. Salary dumps are the key to getting a good deal (i.e. less payout in prospects). It will be interesting to see what does happen this year as the August dump-the-high-paying salary has now moved to July. You will actually see a few more high-priced guys moved just to get them off the books and to get a low-level prospect in return rather than jsut release the guy in August. Again, the price CAN drop (doesn't always) at the deadline...because you may suddenly have less teams interested in YOUR player (as they found help elsewhere) and the talent available for said player has diminished because you waited too long.

Moving Gibson to the pen would hurt his free agency value, unless, like Smoltz, you see him becoming a lights out closer as his career continues. That could be a possibility. Would he be GREAT in that type of role. As it stands now, I would be hard-pressed to longterm Odorizzi, Gibson or Pineda beyond this season. Let them enter the free agent market. Of course, you could come back with an offer on any, but I don't see the need to keep any of them. I would rather spend the money elsewhere. Which then brings to question who pitches for the Twins in 2020 and beyond. Of course, it would be nice if the Twins can trade for a rotation arm better than anyone they already have and continue control for at least another season or two. You see the evils of prospects as Gonsalves and Romero are nowhere to be seen. Stewart is still a candidate. So is Thorpe. We see that Littel may have found a home out of the pen. All those #6 and beyond arms we thought we had going into the season have changed significantly. Smeltzer is now in the mix. So the Twins do have at least one replacement. They would have to add at least one free agent arm for 2020. We have many hope, all who need at least one more season (if not two) in the minors. We can push the 20-year-old hard throwers. But back to Gibson in the pen. IF we get a starter...would he be a candidate to be...say...THE CLOSER? If you stand a chance of losing him in the off-season, do you want to push him into such a valuable role? Of course, if the Twins actually get a CLOSER, that would also be moot. And like others have said, would rather see Perez as a lefty out of the pen, or perhaps Pineda to limit his innings even more. I do suspect, at this time, that Pineda could be a return candidate for 2020 as his stock may not be as high as the Twins are currently paying him. But we will see.

I'm liking May. And really liking Littell in his role. I don't see the need to keep Mejia. Really don't. Think he would pass thru waivers and can work it out at Rochester and free up a roster spot.

Teams don't want our junk. Yes, Stewart still has potential, but Cave is basically a replacement players who can be had in a non-trade situation. If the Twinsa re going all in from their strengths, they would part with a middle infieler (Gordon, Javier or perhaps Lewis), one of Rooker or Haley, possibly two A+ starters, and one other arm that might be on the cusp of major league ready (be it Stewart, Thorpe or maybe a Gonsalves). They Twins could also market one of their minor league catchers...Rortveldt or Jeffers. From the other team's view, they are looking at players that they expect will be on the team in 2021 and beyond, so that is the key, as well as places they have weaknesses in their system. But I;m not so sure that Boyd fits into the ACE category of, say, a Verlander. And Greene is a good solid arm, could be better, but IS better than all of the arms in the bullpen that throw right-handed.

If the Twins go after another top-flight starter, woith control beyond 2019, it would be a plus. Means they could move one of their current rotation arms to the pen. Or be protected totally if someone is injured. Or just bad. They NEED to get a closer. A shutdown arm in the pen. Two specific needs. Do they have tthe 6-10 prospects to make such a deal? Could they deal, too, any of their potential free agents (Castro, Schoop, Pineda, Odorizzi, Gibson) and NOT suffer if they add the two pitching pieces? Be interesting to see them as buyers AND sellers, in a way. Eliinate up to 10 prospects and get two arms. Maybe deal and arm and a position player (or two - Schoop, Castro) and get five prospects back.

Having this flexibility has worked for (10 injuries and (2) giving someone a rest. They [pretty much have a secondary player at every position if someone would go down, not relying on the minors except in a reserve capacity. Which is good.