Rosterman

Suddenly the Twins have TOO MANY PITCHERS that no one else wants!

How do they get into this mess. And look at the starters at Rochester. Geez. Even with Pino on the DL it is starting to look like an Indy league lineup instead of prospects. The Twins will be bring Hughes up for the weekend, and why...for his one inning. They need a legit longman in the pen (shades of Swarzak) and don't have it. That was supposed to be Haley. It could've been Duffey. It certainly is not anyone else they have. They could've, fer sure, used Gee to pitch 3-4 innings yesterday in relief of the rained-on Santiago. These games are important. Or if they aren't, then let's see Romero for a game...give him a taste of his future. Where are the true prospects at Rochester right now?

The Slama story is so interesting. He dominated in the minors, but I don't think he got the chance to fail AND THEN succeed with the Twins. Maybe there's something I don't know or see. And, yes, he eventually ended up in Dodger minors-land and then disappeared. Of course, after surgery, we saw the Twins basically give up (or try and sneak Neshek) off the 40-man, where he went into Oriole limbo for a season and then returned strongly, now with his 4th organization since and looking for another multi-year contract as he pushes towards 40.

Is Haley going to contribute in 2018. What IS his role. I sure haven't figured it out this year. We need a long relief guy, but I don't trust him unless it is a pure blowout, and we can extend Giminez's arm for that, soon (sic). The reality is that two more pitchers are heading to the minors, possibly three at some point, so we lost Busenitz and Hildenberger (which pushes against an already overflowing pitching staff at Rochester that has names like Pino and Turley and Gee blocking Reed and Curtis). I'm shaking my head at the musical chairs game of Minnesota Twins pitching...majors AND minors!

Now that is a question. 10 players better than you have now for $10 mill a crack. Consider the Santiago money. Heck, how much would you have if you did manage to tradeoff Hughes. And come 2019 we will probably have sooo much more with Hughes, Santana, Mauer and others gone. Heck, I would give a raise to Brian Dozier. The absurdity of baseball. Even with all the payroll on the DL, the Twins are managing, somehow, and making believers of ownership that they DON'T (WILL NEVER) have to overspend. Sigh, Big Sigh!

A good trade dangle for a Neshek would've been someone like Melotakis along with another minor league prospect. Again, a Top 20 prospect who had advance in the minors being waived rather than considered trade bait has me shaking my head. That's the type of guy you are dangling in a trade...people you MAY remove from the 40-man between now and November...plus somewhere else you have depth (like shortstop....Palacios, Vielma, etc.).

Well, looking ahead to next year the Twins need to replace 4/5th of their pitching staff. We have Berrios. Santana will be in walk season. Which is why he might be a better bargain and bring more back this season, but leaves us hanging. Phil Hughes will be an expensive bullpen arm. Depending on what he does in 2016, cut bait. Hector Santiago will be a free agent. He should be shining this season. Kyle Gibson is not worth the time or money. Sp who do you have? Do you GIVE some guys a break this season and let them get bombed (as you do to Turley and Wilk). Gonsalves. Jorge. Romero, Hurlbut. Slegers. Eades. These will be the guys pitching here at some point next year. We always have Mejia to fall abck to. And Trevor May will be on the road to recovery, but getting him to reach 100 innings would be a modest goal.

Not sure why stating him at Eliz. Unless there is no room in the Cedar Rapids Inn.

But would someone have grabbed Turley? And would it be a great loss? Do the Twins need starting piochers at Rochester (especially left-handed?). I think not. Remember that Santiago will be coming back on the roster, which means Mejia or Gibson will go the minors. And we are still sitting with another starter in the bullpen (if all goes well) in Hughes. On another note, that the Twins didn't make Duffey AND Rodgers into long-relievers is beyond me. A bullpen where guys are pressed to pitch two innings, but who can go 3-4. Where is Swarzak (and May) when you need them. If Melotakis is so bad, why didn't you rid yourself of his 40-man spot when he still with the Lookouts. And where does this leave names like Rosario, Jorge and Romero, who are all at least a year away. Of course, any reliever performing well in the minors could be the second-coming of Anthony Slama, another aging gem who was never given a real opportunity to fail bigtime, just little spurts here and there, in the majors. But I doubt anyone would've stolen away John Ryan Murphy. Busenitz and Hlldenberger are holding down 40-man spots. Their work in the majors will see if they keep them.

This truly doesn't make sense. In the scheme of things, WHY do you put someone on the 40-man if you DON'T think they have a chance of pitching in the majors. Melotakis goes, yet people like Murphy, Belisle, Breslow and Turley stay. I would've figured Turley would've been the rotating 40-man out. We have to hope NO ONE claims Melotakis and that Hildenberger shines. Otherwise...I don't quite figure. I would even choose Melotakis over Haley at this point.

Sadly, the Twins will have to make a couple of moves when Santiago and Hughes return.

Well, we have to stop putting numerical starter values on guys. They can still lose a 1-0 game if the offense isn't there. At best, you want a pitcher that will get you into the game (these days 6 innings, but more often the better ones go 7 - and Berrios AND Santana are), or if they give up uns, those are the only (few) runs they give up while still keeping hold of their pitch count and getting you past the halfway point. If you throw out someone like Gibson, who gives up 5-6 runs but you team still wins, THAT is not a quality starter. Can Berrios sustain? You have to work each and every start. S o much film, so much analysis these days, it has to be horrible to be a starter. Look at Ervin. Can he change his routine if something isn't working...right? I would be curious to know who actually worked the most with Berrios in the off-season and was it Rochester this year that did it for him bigtime! He seems a totally different, although we expected this, pitcher!

Man, the Twins added such stellar names as Seth Rosin (now with Saints), Jim Miller and Ryan Vogelsong, who didn't make it out of spring training. They they added Yohan Pino, Matt Tracy, Drew Rucinski, Nick Tepesch, Nik Turley who did, plus bring back Nick Greenwood and Jason Wheeler (both gone) and such bullpen arms as Alex Wimmers. Throw in pickups like Kevin Chapman (from the Braves for Santana and now gone) plus Kam Mickolio and Tim Melville, plus Mr. Wilk and Mr. Heston. And now Dillon Gee. Sure the rotation is a mess because of no Santiago (did we not all say NO to his arbitration) and Hughes (you can eat contracts, you know, and move on) not to mention injuries to May. The bullpen got hit with no O'Rourke, Perkins down, Chargois somewhere. And we waste a roster spot on Rule 5 Justin Haley (should we have just kept Miguel Diaz?). Until we can advance folks like Reed and Bard and Burdi (injured) and Jay (was injured) and Curtis and Melotakis, we have to run thru still more fringe guys, including Baxendale, Hildenberger (who may be the next coming of Anthony Slama in the eyes of the front office) or even Raul Fernandez. I imagine we could call up Huribut to start, or even push Eades or Slegers, as we wait for Jorge, Romero, Gonsalves to "be ready." What happened to Kohl Stewart and please advance Lewis Thorpe! Sometimes a lowly minor league guy can surprise you! Give them a chance, especially if they are already on the 40-man, folks! What is pretty amazing IS that the Twins, weak division aside, have been in first place or close for soooooo long. Somewhere we still have Michael Tonkin and Ryan Pressly breathing for a major league job, again! Man, what a list of names. Like law school grads looking for a firm to attach their name!

Sadly, Gee and probably Santiago are more than a week away, so someone MAY have to start between now and then. I vote for giving Fernando Romero a one-day looksee. Give him a taste of the majors! Either way, the Rochester Express will be moving bodies again tonight...probably Rurley and Busenitz both being exchanged for fresh arms...but can Pressly or Wimmers come back? Has it been 10 days? Or Turley off the 40-man and they add someone else...probably another temporary -- Matt Tracy!?

The article also mentioned that Gardy was saying Justin Morneau is ready to sign. Hummm. Anyway, wasn't Gee mentioned in the Santana trade waaaay back? The Twins wanted Pelfrey, but the Mets offered Humber or Gee? Getting a lot of names backing up the rosters at Chattanooga AND Rochester. Be interesting to see who goes where or out in the next couple of weeks!

Rosario dis not the problem with the team, and seeing the options in the minors, we shouldn't be ready to deep-six him quite yet. Once Grossman is worked out, the Twins will need four outfielders and they do have that, right now. You can survive with the current trio and Granite (and perhaps Palka) for the next two seasons). But if another team does show interest, you don't NOT talk. Depends on what you can get in trade. Maybe a pitching prospect like Alex Meyer? Maybe even two...Vance Worley and Trevor May! You never know! Or maybe a catcher from another organization...someone on par with prospect John Ryan Murphy! Wait, we have a new administration!

And then you have Boshers come in and screw everything up by being one of your better pitchers. Of course, we said that about Breslow earlier. What kills is the spots held by guys who won't get a call-up, probably even in September, that are tying up roster spots. Granted, you might've risked losing Jorge or Romero or even Rosario if you didn't protect them. Who else will get a call to the majors? Paul Clemens will advance. Yohan Pino get a swan song? The question is, who in the minors is better than Santiago (who will be a free agent), Hughes or Gibson...and if there is someone, why aren't they here...or at least pitching on par and getting experience BECAUSE they will probably be here in 2018 and beyond! But you still have Palka, and John Ryan Murphy, in 40-man limbo. Should they stay or go, that is the question. Danged Aaron Hicks making that trade look really bad for the Twins!

The bigger question is who departs. Does the Yohan Pino's disappear from Rochester to make room. Who isn't playing well and can be given walking papers, at all levels, now that a fresh crop of players will start movement from Cedar Rapids and above! Who do the Twins carry that will be minor league free agents come the end of the season, those that have no chance of being added to the 40-man and who might best be served by switching organizations sooner rather than later. And anyone else the Twins think they should grab from Indy ball? The return of Mark Hamburger or Caleb Thielbar!

Polanco is holding his own, but is he faring better as a backup in the long-term, rather than a starter. (Shades of Alexi Casilla, who is still playing indy ball). With the recent hotness of Escobar, I would assume the Twins play Eduardo more than ever, until he cools...again. I'm not sure Polanco has any trade value unless people are reading the possible GREAT prospect tea leaves. And, at this point in time, I don't see him being a better choice than Dozier for second, which brings up the question...do the Twins extend Dozier 2-3 years and at what price?

Again, it is the evil of protecting less than AAA players on the 40-man. Yet, we forget, Cleveland basically jogged out a couple of guys for the double-header -- Merritt and Clevenger -- whli both could be shipped back out (Clevenger was, I believe), but the difference is that both are PROSPECTS. If the cards had been right and people monitoring things (like having our best pitchers, perhaps, available to face Cleveland in two series), the Twins could've given a cup-of-coffee to Jorge OR Romero, and then return both to the minors to know that big league ball is different from the minors and here's what you really have to work on. The 40-man roster only has so any shuffle holes. You start dropping guys, and they go thru waivers and can be claimed by other teams. Which is better than the Rule 5, because a team doesn't have to keep the guy on their own 40-man (yes, same process again, but...). The Twins lost Wheeler that way (he is now available again) and no one claimed Wilk or Tepesch or Rucinski. So you keep shuffling in guys THAT IT DOESN'T MATTER if they are here for the long haul. Or do you gamble on Hildengerger (hopefully not the next Slama) or otehr guys that you think you can sneak back and forth, and wait for the day you have to add Burdi and Reed and Bard and Hildenberger and the ilk to the roster (which means we don't see them in September, either). Unless the Twins start jettisoning names like Breslow, Belisle, Santiago, even Kintsler who will be a free agent. If he has options, you send out Hughes once he is healthy, and try and pull a Park...expensive guy putting in time off the 40-man in the minors. You run the risk of promoting guys too soon and having them fail miserably, at first. But you run the same risk with cast-offs from othr organizations, too. Does one fare better if you wish to "lool" like you are fielding a competitive team? As long as the Twins are above .500 -- and the media kinda kept mentioning in passing that the Twins -- with no marketable stars in the community right now -- were in first place, and he crowds (combined with some promotions) were bigger than ever. The illusion works to put some more butts in the seats as the new front office juggles the current with the future. You'd like to think they know what they are doing, and no matter any word that speckles out about wanting to win and be competitive right away, I'm sure there is a 3-5 year plan in the works and it doesn't involve spending money hap-hazardly.

We still have another month before The Twins can elect to be a seller of Ervin. That's about it. Anyone else has played themselves out of a contract with anyone (except, perhaps, Grossman or Escobar - who shant bring THAT much in return). The Twins have to ask is Ervin worth keeping. Can you get an equally as effective (average, not this year) guy who is younger as a free agent for the same money, or better to have the vet chops of Santana. The Twins have to figure out what to do with Polanco. Second baseman (keep Escobar for now) or shortstop, which means Dozier stays. If they can live without Dozier, does he have mid-season value is the biggest question. The pitching is a shambles. Many of the arms won't get contracts elsewhere next season. The Twins have to ask if they have any desire to keep Santiago or Gibson about. At some point, you might want to walk away from Hughes. But who do you replace him with. All the names we thought would join the bullpen this year might only make it in September, and that is IF there are 40-man spaces for them. The future is still Chargois, Melotakis, Bard, Burdi, Jay, Rosario, Reed with other names like Jones, Hildenberger, Baxendale still in the running (and should be up getting lumps instead of these...cast offs). Then there is the next wave with names like Curtis, Clay, McIver, Ramirez, Muren and Hackimer. The Twins have so much bullpen promise if the guys can stay off the DL. But major sellers? Possibly not. Nothing to really sell. Can they start getting rid of people and bringing up players before their time? Perhaps, but it is nice to have the luxury of doing that and sending them back to the minors for more...seasoning. That doesn't happen if the roster is full of prospects, sadly. The next 30 days will be telling. Start selling those tickets. Lucky the Cleveland series didn't totally kill of the "can't win at home" Twins, but it came close.

This is a risk the Twins take when they have a 40-man roster with players NOT YET ready for the big leagues (you could count Randy Rosario in that mix, along with Jorge and Romero) not to mention Palka and Vielma. You can't jsut rotate guys out of the 40-man spot. You MIGHT end up losing them. No loss, one might say. Or no one will claim them (i.e. Wilk and Tepesch, as recent examples). Yet you do take a chance on those back-of-the-pen prospects like Hildenberger and Busenitz, for examples, who might come up, throw a bad inning or two, and go back down. Then you still have to replace them, with who? And chances are someone would give either a 40-man spot if the Twins had to run them thru the process. Yet are they better or no worse than 3/4s of the current bullpen, many of whom would probably be jobless if cut loose. But right now EVERY guy in the Twins minor league system has to know that jobs are available. That is a lot of pressure to produce not only in the minors, but to shine if you get a cup-of-coffee before September in the majors. And you age, and there is always someone pushing from below. Both the guys you mentioned would be vuable choices NOW for the Twins pen. But if you looked at the beginning of the year, we all thought Chargois, Burdi, Reed, maybe Bard, possibly Zach Jones, amongst others would be in the mix, with Jay rotating back into bullpen status and some guy named Cederoth not getting released. Be interesting to see what happens when Santiago and Haley and even Perkins come back into the fold!

We have to remember that these guys are acting in the now (thus the influx of "temporary" players holding down the fort, which is now in first place) as well as trying to see what IS in the system and making the rounds o the direction they want the coaching to take et al. This off-season should be the tell. As well as what happens with the Twins and the division in the weeks to come. Being competitive kinda threw a monkey-wrench into everything. And they have to ask if they are playoff needs, and if they should tradeoff some pieces sooner rather than later for a quick fix or something to take them into the playoff hunt. A lot of guys STILL in the minors that have promise but will never play major league ball, with the Twins or others, but someone might still think so.

Why not just go for it and call up Fernando Romero for the one start. Wilk is not on the 40-man, so something would have to be done there. Santiago would have to be added back on the roster, who is shipped out. They might wait on that decision until they see how Turley pitches. Chris Heston, on the 40-man, just pitched, so he wouldn't be a viable choice (how did they get in this mess?) Be fun to see who they do call up and if they make any roster decisions. There's a lot of pitchers filling up space on the Red Wings roster and some of them have to go elsewhere, soon. Especially if you wish to advance people from AA (and other advancements in the system as EST ends and draft picks are worked into some of the lowly minors, not to mention EST guys MAYBE going to Cedar Rapids).

Maybe the Angels will trade him to the A's for Trevor Plouffe?