Rosterman

2018 rotation: Dillon Gee Bartolo Colon Nik Turley Kyle Gibson Jose Berrios with backups Trevor May Phil Hughes Tyler Duffey I'm buying a season ticket package so I can have first dibs on playoff tickets. Seriously, if a rebuild: Jose Berrios Trevor May Stephen Gonsalves Felix Jorge Fernando Romero and Mejias (May won't be able to pitch more than 100 innings) with Slegers, Duffey, Stewart as the main bodies in the wings. And I'll jsut continue to buy tickets from StubHub on-line for a fraction or retail.

You pretty much covered the guys whop could step into regular roles with the Twins NEXT year. They all COULD have long careers in baseball and with the Twins, rather than just short-term call-ups. But is there enough quality to build a team around? They still need a free agent or two...the Twins alck a DH right now, they MAY lack a closer if Kintzler walks. If all those starters filter in next year, they will still come up short and none are true #1s. Even jumping waaaaay ahead to 2020 and having Jorge, Romero, Gonsalves, Garver, Granite, Vielma, Gordon, Reed, Hildenberger, etc. as the core of the roster...how does it stack up as a competitive team supplemented with then vets Rosario, Kepler, Polanco, Sano, Berrios, et al. Better yet, out of all the names you mention, how many would be "wanted" by other teams. You mention Dereck Rodriguez needing to be added to the 40-man. The Rule 5 could happen if he is resigned. But can he break into the bullpen or rotation in 2018? Suddenly, the rebuilding with prospects isn't as exciting as it may sound. So you either throw money at free-agents, or trade prospects for a next year team.

It's going to be a telling week coming uo. That should set the pace for the remainder of the season. The Twins have so many names on their 40-man that they need to jettison. And that means just flat out get rid of. They have to look closely at who, within the organization, COULD be on the roster come 2018 and 2019 and go from there. Look at the holes. The guys on the cusp. Ones that may be promising but could be moved and their positions held by placesetters while talent further down the run develop. Do you get rid of Gordon? Depends on what you do with Dozier. If you keep Dozier longterm, maybe...because Escobar and Polanco could fill the shortstop role until the names beyond Gordon come up. Do you trade for a top flight starter? Please, do. But Ervin is tradable by your own team and the chances of him being the same if not better next year COULD be slim or none. Beyond him you have Berrios and Mejia. You have to make hard decisions about Gibson, Hughes...and quit draging out AAAA guys to start (thank heaven they didn't call up Pino). Who is going to play first...someday. We all like Mauer, but he is a man who is not doing what first basemen should do, still has a year on contract, and the Twins will likely have to continue with him past that time. I'm sorry, I can stomach his numbers if was still behind-the-plate, but we need more at 1B and DH than we are getting now. Or soemthing more consistent with league average. What to do with the outfield. Do we have a bunch of good fielders who all contribute outfield average play? Do we go after a power bat or be content wit Rosario and maybe Kepler? Can Buxton grow? Will Granite put pressure on all of them by showing speed and on-base skills (shades of Ben Revere). One starting pitcher is not necessarily going to get us to the playoffs. There are still problems with the bullpen (possibly more so with expensive vets that should be jettisoned, but the replacements may not be any better today...but should be tomorrow). The line-up is inconsistent, if Molitor can ever figure out who to bat when and where. If Cleveland grabs a ring and makes themselves better, if Kansas City sees the light and does the same...no number of games started and won by Bartolo Colon will help the Twins out of the middle of the division. The Twins do have tradable prospects and putting together the 40-man roster in the off-season is going to be a challenge and many names may be ripe for the pickings San Diego-style. Those names are ones that should be dangled in trades, as well as hard decisions on your top prospects Romero, Gonsalves and Gordon at the moment. Will they crack the Twins and be building blocks, or do you see them being by-passed...sooner rather than later...and can they bring back top-dollar in a controlled asset to the team?

The one reason to keep Hughes would be if he could develop into a closer. You are paying him (as well as Perkins right now). Kintzler walks or gets a multi-year contract. Who do the Twins have in the wings? No one proven from the minors, yet. Hildenberger? Chargois? Reed? Pressly? Bring back Tonkin? At some point the Twins have to be willing to eat contracts, no matter how they dream the guy might succeed elsewhere. Do you think the Braves like paying Colon all that money to have him possibly comeback with someone else, for example? I still see the Twins contract driven for keeping players, and then trying waaaay too hard to find that Diamond in the dumpster...and believe me, that diamond is not often a treasure that brings back loads and loads of positives. And, yes, Gibson is the new Blackburn. If Park can stagnate in the minors, so can Gibson. So can Hughes (who is showing some life in relief). If Jorge and Gibson are the same pitcher today, I would rather stay with Jorge who should only get better, at this point, rather than worse.

I wish Santiago or Gibson ahd value. Dozier could be trade bait. Then you move Polanco to second. Of course, he has fallen into a utility role (except he IS a prospect). Escobar is a valuable infielder...but like Nunez last year, could you expect a Mejia in return? Santana could be had if the price is right. I don't see a strong NEED to keep him for 2018. I would like to think he won't get better than he is right now. Kintzler will be a free agent and might be the most valuable Twin. I worry that he will wear down (again, like last year). I don't see a longterm contract being lavished on him. Can the Twins afford to dangle a Kepler or a Rosario? What could they get in return for Kepler (the Twins do have a good investment in him, and he is promising). The Twins could also move Gimenez (or minor league catcher Murphy). If someone wants to grab Boshers from them, I would listen.

Wasn't there another player in the Twins system that took time to enlist in the service? The Twins held his rights for x-amount of years. When he got out of the service the Twins still had him "officially" in their minor league system, and then they parted ways when he decided not to pursue baseball. I'm not sure if Jax plays part-time over the next few summers if this will effect his status of contract ownership with the Twins. Would be be better served NOT to play pro ball for his enlistment period, and then just come back to the Twins...possibly serving on an "inactive" list during that time? Of course, just playing for 30 days a season for the next couple would put him on par, or probably better, than some pitchers currently in the organization - Zack Jones, Nick Burdi, Lewis Thorpe, for example. So......

Sp, you have to add back Breslow, Haley. Someday Perkins. You need another starting pitcher. Who goes back? Pressly should go for sure. But would you send Boshers (lefty) or Hildenberger? At what point do the Twins quit on Breslow, Haley and Belisle? Who is the 5th starter? Will Dillon Gee or Nik Turley get the call? When do you cut Hector Santiago? Bartolo Colon needs to be added to the 40-man? How about Byung-Ho Park? And Phil Hughes is doing what? Lots and lots of roster decisions to make when the Twins come out of the chute following the All-Star game. You'd think they would send Granite back down if he is in the AAA all-star ganm...no need to pay players to have a vacation if they aren't staying on the team. Heck, I would send 4-5 guys down to an already crowded Rochester to keep getting work. Which brings up the other issue: Crowded Rochester, equally crowded Chattanooga, with lots of players pushing for advancement from Elizabethton (soon) to Cedar Rapids to Fort Myers to Chattanooga. Who will be released from the upper levels of the minor leagues. Doesn't Rochester have, like 15 pitchers on their roster right now?

Well, you never know.........

I love the concept of baseball payrolls. You have $103 million for the 40-man roster. Some $17 million for 40-or-so drafted players, and maybe spend $2.-3 million on 140 guys to play in the minor leagues.

Brings back memories of guys like Mike Restovich, Chris Parmelee, Ryan Radmanovich and Dave McCarty, guys who constantly killed at AAA but basically were on the end of many major league rosters. Not sure what one can do to get the full potential out of some talented guys. By the way, whatever happened to Delmon Young?

Santana gets to rest now until the all-star game, and then comes back third in-line once the season resumes, I suppose. Tough one to lose. I wonder if Mauer's bat would've made any difference?

Romero and Jorge have the advantage of being on the 40-man roster and probably have a few more innings in them than Gonsalves, although Gonsalves should get a call to AAA sooner rather than later. It all comes down to 40-man roster management. Do the Twins take a looksee at Gee first, then add abck Heston. What do they have in the wings for long relief, something they have been lacking since the season began (Haley?). Will any of the current arms start to implode (Duffey, Pressly, Rogers...Kintzler?). Santiago is a wash. The Twins couldn't not offered him arbitration and been where they would be if they cut bait with him right now...just wasted some salary on a year in which they didn't spend the money they had to spend. Kintzler will also be a free agent. Is there a closer in any of the prospects, or any of the other bullpen arms you really need to keep? What to do with Hughes, who would be an expensive RELIEVER. What to do with Perkins. Will he come back? What to do with Trevor May? Those are pretty valuable roster spots.

But baseball is often a conflict between NOW vs. MAYBE NEXT YEAR. Every team goes thru year-to-year rebuilding, unless the farm system is truly glorious and you sign the right free agents for the correct amount of money over the perfect number of years. It may get you to the playoffs or World Series (see Braves, in the past Oakland, or the Yankees who could always eat DL salary and buy a player whenever they saw the need). If playing .500 ball is going to get you into the playoffs, teams are willing to take the chance more often than not. They lose some prospects, but there are 140 sitting in the wings and each season, at most, 1-2 make the 25-man fulltime and another 4-6 cycle thru and may have a smidgen of time with the Big League Club before going elsewhere or nowhere. Every season you have 20 or so top flight players that are looking for top dollar, and another 150-200 looking for a job, and even more hoping to get that one more chance and get a contract for another season beyond. What do the Twins need to get to the playoffs, or better yet the World Series? First, the division has to remain as tight and lowend as it currently is. They need at least one more starter who will keep them in the game by giving up 4 runs or less in a game. They need to evaluate their minor league bullpens and hope there are arms that will replace tired arms as the team moves into September. We are already seeing some regression to go with the arms just hanging on by a thread. Do they need a consistent line-up with the offense playing proper roles in the batting order? Right now, everyone pretty much gets a hit in a game, but do they move runners, can they take a walk, can they get multiple hits combined with others doing the same? And continue to perform in the field. That is the question mark hanging over the lineup, which really has no one pushing them for jobs from the high minors this season. But their on-field jobs are still theirs to keep...or lose. I'm not sure what the longterm goals are of the team...yet. New management needs to have this full season to evaluate and figure out who will be handling player development from trainers to coaches to the major league field staff. And with that can come jettisoning some players who have held too closely to old regime roles, and plugs being made because they are out there as the team treads water. But what, can you tell me, is the Twins promotional line for 2017? "Watch Us Win on the Road, but lose at Home." "Players Who Might Be Stars, But Can You name the starting lineup?" "But a standing-room only ticket in a Stadium full of 10,000 empty seats?" "Can You Get As Excited When the Team Wins as you can about $1 Dog Night?" In baseball, you never know. Look at the 1987 Twins as an example. Probably a weaker Only two solid starters. A pretty crappy bullpen and a hoard of others run up for a handful of games. One superstar with the bat, a Big Guy at first, and everyone else holding their own, but not really shining as a line-up, but often as individuals in games. The plus, a weak division. Right now, in order to WIN the division, the Twins have to match up starter-to-starter with the Indians. That's pretty much it. And you hope your bright lights keep winning series, but even Ervin and Jose can falter, at times. Do you trade away the future if the right piece/s come available? Would going to the playoffs give us a recognizable boost in a market that will be football crazy all winter and into February? Can you spend the money to keep any momentum going to 2018 and beyond?

After the All-Star brake figure out the three starters you are keeping and stop pussyfooting with any others. You have Kintzler, but remember he burnt out towards the end of the season and won't he be a free agent? Think 2018. If they aren't going to be here fer sure in 2019, don't play them anymore in 2017. Any of the young guys would have to equal Breslow-Belisle-Pressley-Haley. Hughes is on a short lease. Look at the minors and start promoting and think pitch counts. Make sure you can see/use Curtiss in September. Forget salary commitments. Forget long-term contracts. Start making your own template, new regime. Remember, any NEW GUYS can't be as bad as the guys currently stinkin' up the mound!

Major league trade rumors tells us that the Twins have signed a 16-year-old Dominican shortstop for $3 million. https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2017/07/twins-to-sign-jelfry-marte.html The Twins have now committed approx $17 million to four young shortstops, all under the age of 22. Nick Gordon, Wander Javier, Royce Lewis and now Jeffry Marte. Currently they have Polanco and Escobar holding down the position, with thoughts that Polanco would be better suited for second-base if the Twins part ways with Brian Dozier this season or next. Nick Gordon is getting closer, but probably a season away from getting a cup-of-coffee (or more if someone is injured). But then the logjam starts to happen. Players can switch out positions as they progress thru the minors, with talk already of Lewis becoming an outfielder. But $17 million on four unproven (but talented) shortstops? They are so young. How do you really judge their ultimate batting skills? What do you look for in fielding ability to pay out such sums of money? Is shortstop considered one of the high-buck draftee positions in the sport now compared to 3/4 tool outfielders or starting pitchers (or, in the Twins case of past...bullpen arms). I always wondered about the money paid to players in the draft. If the player becomes a prospect that is tradable, how does the bonus dollars figure into that players worth, compared to a prospect that might've been cheaper (i.e. further down in the draft picture) but better specs for making the big leagues.

At this point, I would rather be dragging out Jorge in the rotation than.....name someone. The bullpen is still a mess. Any true longman? Haley coming back soon (not that I;m jumping for joy) and what will the Twins do with Gee. Not to mention Breslow. Get thru the next eight days, take the All-Star break and reconfigure the rotation and the bullpen. Be interesting to see the Twins W-L record by the break.

So, is he required to move to Ft. Myers and undergo rehab for a certain period of time, because of his status as a Twins prospect? Or will his career probably be done and over?

There was a discussion and athletes from other sports just playing some sports for fun in their later days. That Tebow could be taking someone's job. But the factor that he brings revenue to the different towns is BIG in the equation for letting someone have the chance, the dream, to MAYBE make it in a second sport. On another note, with all the guys in the GCL and Eliz, I find it hard-to-believe that the Twins actually have to sign guys from the Indy league to fill roster positions in A-ball.

Well, the Twins have invested a lot in three shortstops, that's fer sure. Which one could be potential tradebait?

The Twins don't want to pay players to play for other teams...maybe.

Nick Gordon is a pretty attractive trade chip. But are the Twins comfortable with Escobar and Polanco for the moment. What to do with Dozier. Do you put stock in Gordon, or hope that Javier or Lewis are the next best thing. Wish they actually had the ability to trade any of those high draft pick pitchers: Reed, Burdi, Stewart et al. But most coming off injury, and those that seem healthy, you hope they can give you the bullpen you'll need. Teams spend a lot of money drafting players. How many work out. Do you egt value if you trade high draft picks (you do, if they don't work out and another team gives you something FOR THE NOW in return.

Hey, at least he's on the 40-man! Give him exposure. Remember, Jorge and Romero will only throw so many pitches this summer...maybe more than we think which will mean no September call-up.

I thought he was out of options going into this season. But guess he can still go up and down in 2017. So, they are giving him experience before they have to make an off-season decision.

The issue. You have to keep Vargas (or eventually Park) because you do need a first baseman, not a fill-in...unless you give Kepler regular reps and thus eliminate that need. Second, bringing Granite in means you now have five outfielders. Is he a better backup than Grossman (I would say yes). Is Grossman a better DH than, say, Park or Vargas? Not sure. You have to eliminate a pitcher. Who do you send down. Busenitz? Boshers? Hildenberger? Plus we will have Haley coming back soon, too. But then that issue is WhY do we have Belisle, Breslow, Haley taking up bullpen space. Is Hughes going to be a plus or a minus (we will soon know). The rotation still has Santiago and Gibson. We have a lot of pitchers keeping other pitchers from pitching. And even if we jettisoned a whole slew of current pitching staffers, we know we have guys like Tonkin and Pressly that are no worse...or better...not to mention Hurley! Can the Twins just go after the best 25 that they can put on the field and forget about salary commitment, long-term contracts, veteran presence, being nice to guys who WON'T BE HERE IN 2018 OR BEYOND! If the pieces aren't pulling their weight THIS YEAR and not expected to be here NEXT YEAR...then why just be a feeding ground for the player to maybe better themselves at the expense of the club.

Just find 2 other bodies to be the third and 4th, not currently on the 25-man roster or DL.