Rosterman

Regarding service time: you have to reach arbitration OR free agency before you start cashing the big buck checks. Yes, this creates bad feelings on both sides, but the player needs to produce in the end, otherwise, looks like the Twins MAY have other options for the 2020 season and beyond at this point, It all works out in the end. A good season could mean a BIGGER longterm contract offer OR interest from another team. I worry more about how many millions the Twins have to dangle in front of Rosario who MAY BE unpredictable still at bat or in the field and what to do with Max Kepler, who produces just enough if the players around are stronger, but still..... THE OPENER concept is great if you want to get a lot of work from your pitchers the last month, especially when starters aren't reaching five innings anyways. But still, more careful consideration of potential matchups and such...AND CAN your starters function as relief pitchers. Of course, you then drag out a catcher because your well stocked bullpen is still overworked (where is Curtiss, by the way, if you NEED more arms to call upon). GOMENEZ, if he was available early, would've been a fine choice to have on the roster much earlier. But all those AAA catchers (Sawyer, Pocjardo, Graterol and the departed Rupp) have to wonder about what gives in the World of the Twins. 2019: Highest paid Twins right now are Addison Reed, Jason Castro, the Jake Odorizzi and Kyle Gibson, followed by Robby Grossman. What a group to build around!

See what the off-season has to offer. And let's give NICK GORDON at least a good looksee for the final month of the season. See if he MIGHT be ready in 2019 mid-season. Or if major league life sparks him up a notch. And if he will take coaching. This is probably the most important season eending assessment the Twins need to make (besides maybe doubling up on rotation arms for the final games...nine arms in a six-man rotation). Yes, we want to hit .500. But we also want to get a jumpstart on 2019 and see who SHOULD be considered a mainstay for future seasons (not just placesetters).

There really are now NO starters that need to be added to the 40-man and the names we see on the 40-man will comfortably make the Twins and staff Rochester in 2019, without additions. Am I comfortable with that group? Yes. But they need major league experience, a chance to shine in spring training, and the Twins need to figure out their offense in 2019...who is at first, what we have at third, I don't know who is playing second, and what is the DH rotation...not Grossman, I hope.

What is the fate of Kennys Vargas? Why not challenge Brent Rooker with a Rochester advancement. Only a couple mror weeks of minor league play.

Remember that Mejia also needs to be worked into the mix. The Twins have a lot of potential starters on their 40-man. And, yes, it might be nice to give Lewis Thorpe a taste of the major leagues. Baxendale and Bard need to be given a look...if the Twins feel the need to keep either around in 2019. Otherwise they will surely walk. The number of guys THAT HAVE TO BE PROTECTED on the 40-man this off-season is around 5-6 at the max. Those places will easily be had by saying goodbye to aging vets or free agents. But, yes, piggyback games. The guys who really need to start as starters (Berrios and Gibson and Odorizzi) should continue to start games. Guess that means that there is no place in the mound crew for Ervin in the remaining days of 2018.

They have the makings of a fine team if they figure out what to do with Mauer, where to play Sano, and fill the infield holes in some ways. Rotation prospects look strong and you SHOULD pitch them for the final 30 games over Santana...go with a six-man rotation, split-games, whatever. See so you can get them to work in the off-season. 2019 looks to be a repeat. Cleveland will be strong. Maybe they will invest and become STRONGEST in the league. Who knows. But the Twins question marks for 2018 are also question marks for 2019 and will get another chance. They will have a lot of money to spend and could grab some temporary roster slot fillers (like they did this year) and NOT have them all kinda not play to the potential that they showed in the past (Rodney was good, but made one nervous). But I wouldn't giveaway the future right now for modest success in 2019. There are lots of promising faces at A+ and A ball (sdly a couple of years away) and some at AA ball. But that isn't until 2020.

Yes. And Molly will be applauded for taking a roster of rookies and has beens to a victorious season and the Twins should spend heavily in the off-season since they are on the cusp of producing a winning dynasty on the field. But looks like Cleveland is also beating up on the same teams (including The Twins).

Well, for starters, the Twins will have to find a space from Pineda returning in September. Castro will be back fer sure because of his $8 million in 2019. The Twins may have the option of putting Morrison on the 60-day to end the season. But they also need to make decisions on Belisle and Santana, both of whom will not be back at this point in 2019. Forsythe should also be allowed to be a free agent. Mauer will also be allowed to be a free agent and explore offers, or the Twins to see how little they might have to pay him. There is no reason to 40-man Bobby Wilson in the off-season. So that is six guys going off with four real spots opening up. You only need to keep guys out of the Rule 5 draft if YOU THINK another team will roster then for the season. Pretty much everyone playing today at Chattanooga and below falls into the category of NOT being able to hold a major league roster spot for another team, let alone the Twins...and those that are promising don't need to be protected (Rooker, most of the guys acquired in trades and such). The only candidate would be Brian Navaretto, but he isn't a hitter and is still an AA catcher. But the Twins might JUST protect him if they feel he has any promise of working his way up to the majors. Stewart was already added, and by being added in August means he can be cut from the 40-man anytime if the need would arise (40-man adds before the deadline have to go to spring training, unless traded). So, there is not a lot of MUST HAVE guys. Luke Bard is a consideration, but might be too old to gamble. Jake Reed is a lock. Lamonte Wade should be added. I'm unsure if Nick Gordon really needs to be added thos season. But I still think the Twins NEED to look at him for the month of September to see what they have and what needs work to decide a direction in 2019 (if they retain a free agent). There's fringe guys to consider like Baxendale and Nick Anderson. But, really, the Twins ONLY need 4-6 open 40-man spots. Of course, we get to the interesting need to keep Drake and Grossman and Magill and Duffey. Has their time come and gone? Is Grossman too expensive in arbitration when you have Cave...and maybe Lamonte Wade? Of course, all can be kept depending on cost. You have Slegers and Granite and Astuliddo and Field and De Jong. Ask the question...how many WOULD make the roster of another team. All can stay, as you need players to drop if you make free agent signings. Addison Reed is the next most expensive player on the team with Castro. If he makes it to the end of August, the Twins may be stuck with him. If not, maybe they have another name (and probably a 40-man guy) taking his place on the roster...a 40-man guy who may not be kept by another team/ The big thing is looking at players that need to be protected. No other catchers, really. A lack on infielders on the cusp. The Twins have a lot of rotation arms (10-11) that they would be rostering. We have Thorpe who hasn't been seen this year. Amazing. The bigger question: How many of the 42 names currently on the roster DO have any worth to ANOTHER team and should be considered locks for 2019 (or 2020). Then you see the quality of players you are holding in your hands!

So many times you lose a player because of the numbers game and you think you might be able to senak them off the roster (see Kennys Vargas...claimed but you snuck him back with another claim). It is having the spaces. What would the Twins 2018 be like with Bartolo Colon and Anibel Sanchez pitching instead of Lance Lynn and whatever? Catchers can have a long life. Right now, the Twins could use a solid journeyman (i.e. not Bobby Wilson). But, yes, Murphy was traded for Hicks and the Twins threw him out there and he bombed, like many guys do, and they tried to keep him but needed the 40-man spot, and they lsot him. Numbers game. Win some, lose some.

But who goes down?

There is nothing wrong with relief, especially if you have the potential for long relief. Stewart still needs to trust his stuff. Looks like he MIGHT get one more start, and by then we shall be closer to roster expansion, but...yes, try him in the bullpen. Stewart or Duffy in 2019? Or is Slegers also iin that mix. The Twins drafted a whole bunch of relief arms around the Stewart signing in prior seasons and such. Look how many of those panned out. And often a starter does become a bullpen guy. He just needs to trust his stuff. Might he only be a shorttimer - say an Alex Wimmers or Adam Johnson or...dare I say...J.D. Durbin? You won't know until you try. But look at the Twins starters going into 2019: Berrios, Gibson, Odorizzi, Mehia, Romero then we have Goncalves, Littell, Pineda. Stewart is now on the roster. Thorpe will probably be ready for consideration sometime in 2019. We still have Slegers and Chase de Jong (both could be gone or considered for relief...right now, chance are they stay on the 40-man for depth). Tyler Wells is a long shot for getting a 40-man and being ready sometime in 2019. Add in a couple of arms from recent trades, the next big crop of guys will be coming forward in 2020. So above is our choices for rebuilding time...without a free agent signing. A nice mix...if they are hungry enough. Nice that Stewart IS getting his feet wet. He iisn't a dominant-type guy yet, but he could become a solid starter given time and work, still. Now that Ervin is on the dl, we will need to see Goncalves. And hopefully Littell will also see a September advancement and get some innings. In some ways would like to see a six-man rotation happen. Maybe some of those minor league starts, will a bullpen guy pitches the first inning before turning to a short start of four or five innings at most. The Twins DO have arms that they need to see and maje some decisions on. Free Jack Curtiss!

Gorssman for Field. Stewart will be replaced by some starter ready (Goncalves, I hope). Yes, will anyone claim Addison Reed and his $8 million or Ervin Santana? Time to cut bait. Sadly, Lamonte Wade will have to wait until next season, unless the Twins cut bait with Granite. But abck to Stewart...he will remain on the 40-man. But 2019 will be his decision year for sure. See if Thorpe passes him quickly in the pecking order. Anyone else notice that the Twins have 12 starters on their 40-man+ at the moment?

Santana will be an interesting off-season watch. No need to lay out big bucks. This was the year the Twins three big-buck pitchers are imploded: Hughes, Lynn and Santana gave us...what?

The only reason to dangle him in waivers is salary releif. If they are going to eat all but the major league pro-rated minimum anyways, I guess you keep him. Let him be a free agent and revisit in the off-season. You would choose him, say, over a return of Dozier or add back Escobar? But I still think it is imperative that the Twins do promote Nick Gordon for September and let him playa s many games as they can swallow at the major league level just to see what he MIGHT give them either at the beginning of the season, or after x-months of service at Triple-A in 2019. If he is truly overmatched and the Twins wish to move on, they can. But right now, he is the future. The Twins, as they stand, aren't looking for a couple of pieces to be a contender in 2019. They can sign a few guys for limited contracts to supplement the delayed arival of some prospects, but rest assured that if the Twins opened the season with starting rotation made up of 5 of the 10 guys currently on the 40-man, and maybe add a vet arm to the bullpen and think abouta a possible vet bat not named Mauer to the regular roster, could they at least play ball comparable t their team this year and out-compete KC, Chicago and Detroit. Probably. If the pitching prospects (Goncalves, Romero, teamed with Berrios and Gibson and one of Odorizzi, Pineda, Littell, Mejia...you might have a decent chance at becoming another Cleveland, in 2020.

The flip side, and I'll play devil's advocate here, is that TARGET FIELD and the revenue stream it created was supposed to mean the Twin's COULD keep their own free agents, rather than letting them continuously walk to greener pastures (remembering the off-season exodus of Hunter and Cuddyer and Nathan as well as needing to trade off Morneau and Liriano because we couldn't sign them, or didn't want to resign them. Even the memories of the early trade of Santana (shades of a nicer Knoblauch) because they Twins couldn't offer him $120 or so million (only $110...and wasn't Hunter maxed out by the Twins at $75 instead of the $90 he got from California?). Yes, a new stadium was meant to KEEP your own free agents. Hey, MAYBE Mauer will be back! (At a discount).

At some point you just eat the remaining salary of people that will not be abck next season. Give those innings and at bats to someone else. Go with a six-man rotation, if you must, to see Goncalves, Romero, Littell and Stewart as part of the mix. You already have to pencil in Pineda, too. You have to have a look at Gordon at second base. You need to see Tyler Austin at the plate,m and maybe even advance Bent Rooker...if nothing else have Rooker play the remainder of the season at Rochester now that Austin is up here and Vargas is probably a lost cause. YOU DON'T HAVE TO PLAY OUT CONTRACTS, YOU JUST HAVE TO PAY OUT CONTRACTS if you can't move the pieces. And, when you look at the bigegr picture, we will probably see that once Molitor can figure out a lineup (he ahsn't yet, so I guess we shouldn't be too surprised)...any new pieces might perform as well as jettisoned pieces. Santana and Lynn haven't been lighting up the game for the Twins. Rodney made saves a nail biter. Dozier may be hitting now, but he certainly didn't in the past. Press;y (like Hildenberger) was overworked. Morrison is having a career year...the other way. Escobar is truly missed. But even Mauer makes you question just how much you wish to pay him for 2019. So that is why we HAVE to see what the system can give us. On the radio earlier today was talking about going out and getting quality free agents for ALL these positions. NO - ADMIT IT - REBUILDING THE TWINS and it got derailed when a glimmer of hope materialized last year (it wasn't THAT GREAT of a season, folks). We have to do it all again in 2019. And young guys will egt more of a chance and other young guys may be pushed a bit. Maybe. Still haven't figured out a front office that still favors waiver wire claims, will give work to Forsythe and Wilson, and...try their darndest to put an upbeat spin on everything. Okay, who IS the leader in the clubhouse. Not Ervin, from what I can read.

Who is going to be the new closer? Addison Reed, the $8 million man?

A million dollar bonus baby. A year away from returning to the minors. Still not a bad return ffor the future. But who closes? Hildenberger has been overused. We still have Curtiss and his stuff in the minors. But I'm voting that we make TREVOR MAY the closer for the remainder of the season and see if he can handle it, assuming we do have games to close. Still to move: Morrison and Santana, and maybe Addison Reed.

This is a player that DID HE GET A CHANCE WITAH THE TWINS. Is he a better backup than, say, FIeld or Grossman, or even Wilson? You can have him as the third catcher. Actually, I would like to see him right now in place of Morrison. But chances are he will NOT get a September callup for some unheard of reason and drfit away to another organization.

Is there a logjam happening? Would the Twins be better off jettisoning people ike Santana, Morrison, Bobby Wilson, Forsythe, maybe seeing if someone grabs Addison Reed, not to mention a couple of bullpen arms just so you can move 3-5 people up NOW from Rochester, then same number from Chattanooga to Rochester etc. etc. Is it worth it for players to play at a higher level for a copuple of weeks?

+Three Factors in 40-man Roster Decisions on who to call to the show. One: Status. On the 40-man roster or not. Worthwhile to add (if it looks like they will break the roster in 2019, why not). Two: Do ypu want to pay the guys (could be an extra $20,000 payday for anyone added in September) plus you have to house them on the road et al. Three: Who is REALLY deserving and will contribute, compared to just sitting on the bench and getting a taste of major league life. With a team in a sorta rebuild move, there is ABSOLUTELY NO REASON you can have 40 players on the team in September...especially if you STOP giving innngs to anyone that will not be here in 2019 (i.e. closer, first base, designated hitter, outfielder rotation, a couple of bullpen arms, an aging catcher). That's 7 bodies for sure, not counting cutting back on the actual duty of those people who have overpitched (Hildenberger) or don't need to play to cement their roster spot (some of the regulars, plus Grossman and Adrianza). Gonna get #1 out of the way right away. NICK GORDON. Not deserving as he has taken a nose dive. But you need to see just how bad he can play (or good). It goes a long way into making a decision on second base or shortstop in the coming season. If he looks overmatched and MAY NOT be the second coming at second, then you know. Stashing him in the minors and hoping he shines is not the game to play. Playing him is the game. Santana either has it in his next three starts or doesn't. Then, and people will complain, go with a six man rotation and let us see Goncalves and Romero up here. If Romero has limited innings, then also look at Littell. You also have Pineda coming back. If the purpose is to SEE arms, you go with the minor league rotation of late, letting a bullpen guy start a game, then short runs by starters. Thorpe doesn't have to be seen, although you are eating away at his 40-man time. The Twins have Duffey and Busenitz and Curtiss in the minors. You can see what the front office thinks of the duo...they would rather throw Drake, Belisle and are happy with Magill. So, you either let them come up and show their stuff (all three have been deserving in their minors work). You also need to make decisions on Baxendale, Reed, Bard and Anderson. A couple of them can walk at season's end. All look like they are capable of being on a major league staff. Why not see if they can be on a Twins staff. But still, that's 7 bullpen arms who could contribute and 3 rotation arms, plus you still want to give May work. Maybe entertain those offers for Rodney and Addison Reed with seriousness. Willians Astilludo? Extra catcher to keep on the 40-man (do we have to add Navarretto in the off-season). Possible bench bat. Can he DH? Who's on first. Joe Mauer is a free agent. You DON'T have to resign him. But who do you play. You got two guys, Tyler Austin and Brent Rooker. One out of options next year, the other an aging prospect that might be slightly overmatched jumping from AA to the majors. But...whynot. See what you have. Do you need to find a 1B guy in a rebuilding team? Are they capable of outperforming this year's DH? Will Miguel Sano stay at third? Ansd we still have three more guys on the 40-man to make decisions on their fate. Aaron Slegers. Long relief, a starter we want to give a 40-man spot to for another year? Chase De Jong...who is cut from the same cloth as Slegers. That extra starter, a possible multi-inning right-handed pitcher. Do you keep him on the 40-man. And then we have Zack Granite, a miserable season, but still probably playing as well as Byron Buxton who MAY NOT see the light come September himself. Is Granite just roster fluff. Taking up a space and never to be seen in Twins-town again like Adam Walker and Dan Palka? And Lamonte Wade...who is an off-season add as Cave and Grossman are not going anywheres. So six starters, adding in Goncalves, Romero and Littell with Santana disappearing. Bringing up Duffey, Busenitz, Curtiss and adding in Bard. ALso promoting DeJong and Slegers. Taking away innings from Reed, Rodney, Hildenberger, Rogers...in other words, give them a game a week and a September vacation. See if Willians can catch. Play Nick Gordon for 25-30 games and just SEE what he can do. Have Rooker and Austin rotate with Mauer at 1B and DH. Sadly say goodbye to Logan Morrison. Gorssman, Forsythe, Reed, Field, Wilson, Belisle, Drake, Magill...what ether names SHOULD NOT be in the plans for 2019? Think 2019 and beyond! Think WHO CAN break with the team out of spring training (I don't see Thorpe doing that, or needing to do that).

Too bad the Twins don't have an open 40-man spot, but the Pirates beat them to it. https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2018/08/pirates-claim-buddy-boshers-designate-chris-bostick.html

I guess Zack Granite will not stay in the Twins mix after this season.

The possible six year minor league free agents will start to tumble as the Twins advance players for the final couple of weeks. Yet we don't have room for aging prospects (like Melotakis and Van Steesel) who are washed up at age 28 or 29 (see also Zack Jones and probably Luke Bard), yet we will go out and give innings to people like Drake and Belisle, who probably have no business fitting into any longterm plans. Of course, minor league guys are usually missing something. And it often takes six years to figure this out. Hope the Aussie picks up somewhere.

If the Twins truly are in a rebuilding mode, they have to look at WHEN they want to be competitive...is it 2020 or 2021 or 2022. You take into consideration the logical advancement of all your current priospects. You take into considertion that they may have one-two seasons of average baseball before they start to take off. Do you do it in 2019 fer sure, when losing won't matter and the quest for a high draft choice is the main target, with players getting on-field experience. But on the flip side, they use up service time and have the potential to become a free agent that much earlier, especially when you are dealing with guys 20-21-22 and you make them multi-millionaires with lots of prime years. Assuming that they do play well and don't just disappear into the mist of springtime. I would like to see Royce get a September callup next season, starting his 40-man roster time perhaps a bit early. I would like to see him in spring training challenging for a job, but maybe NOT taking it untli mid-season 2020. But then, if that was my plan, I would also be pushing Nick Gordon to get experience the remainder of this yer and to use next season as an opportunity to see if he is a longterm guy somewhere on the field. Kriloff, Lewis, Rooker are all guys I think we can fast trak. Also Graterol would be a pitcher I would do the same.