Rosterman

Yep, Twins have six roster spots. Just what they need to add some Rule 5s or minor league (their own) free agents.

Alcala and Gordon are a couple of those on-the-bubble players, guys you keep in case you need a roster spot for a free agent signing. You aren't out much going to arbiration with either of them. Plus, if you bring them to spring training, their value may increase. Or, they could be part of a package trade easily.

$48m between Buxton/Correa. Happily the Twins have control of MOST of the names on the above list for the next 3-5 years. What to do about Enlow? You can hang onto some names and hope for trades or remove them if you sign a free agent. As with all Rule 5 names, you have to ask how much will they contribute to the 2024 team of your own. If you don't see them contributing (with the rare occasion), you would hope other teams would feel the same. Some, who are minor league free agents, you can offer a bigger minor league contract (maybe Stevenson will be one) to stay in the system with the promise of a had look next season.

Nams like Farmer and Gordon and Larnach could be on the bubble, packaged with some pitching names like Sands or Balazovic or Winder and another prospect to bring us something abck in trade, as well as open up a roster spot for an additional free agent signee. Which also means names like Kepler and Polanco should have option pickups. Both have increased their value over a season ago, and if not worth more in the off-season, could be a trade piece in spring training, if the Twins retain roster flexibility. You start moving assets that have some value, but that you have possible ready replacements in the pipeline.

Yes, it was. I would've held off on Thielbar until the 7th or 8th inning. But what happened happened. Overmanaging. What was surprising was the Astros leaving their starter in for as long as they did.

Julien is a man without a position. Might be suited for first base/DH with Kirilloff, with the option of playing second if Polanco goes down. The next bump is when Lee is ready. Does Lee play short, moving Correa to third, which means Lewis becomes, what...second base? Outfield? Austin Martin is still in the posible infield mix. Or will he be an answer for centerfield if Buxton can't play out there. We don't need Byron at DH, sorry. It would be a wonderful position to rotate various players thru to give them rest. On another note, what are the chances that if Buxton comes back, shines a bit better than he has, and becomes a commodity. Do the Twins try and trade his contract with the thoughts that they really have no place for him longterm if he can't play cernterfield and give the gamble of him staying healthy to a contender.

Carmargo, Severino and Enlow can all walk, rather than Rule 5. So have to make a hard decision there. I don't see any team grabbing a gub in AA or below from the Twins organization, so those bodies are pretty safe. Prato is a consideration. I would hope, if not added, the Twins can keep Bechtold, Williams and Heilman in the organizaion. Austin Martin needs to be protected, a well as Keirsey. (who is older, but basically made Celestino expendable). The Twins should have 5-6 roster spots open.

I like the team going into 2024. Catcher is strong, with Vasquez and Jeffers. I like Camargo in the wings (hopefully). The Infield is set. Kirilloff, Polanco, Corea and Lewis. We have Julien who can play 2nd or 1st base. Farmer is the backup at shortstop. We have Castro on the bench. Better yet, we still have Miranda who might make a comeback and back up 3rd and 1st if an injury happens. I imagine the Twins will protect Austin Martin, Yunnier Severino, and possibly Chris WIlliams. Also hope they manage to keep Prato and Michael Heilman in the system. The outfield could pretty much break with Kepler and Buxton and Wallner with Gordon as the 4th guy. The Twins will still have Larnach in the mix. I imagine they will resign Stevenson to a minor league contract. DaShawn Keirsey will get experience. The biggest question is: can Buxton play the field. Even parttime would be better than nothing, but then the Twins MIGHT have to go after a centerfielder. Yes, it would be great to get a big bat (what you wanted Gallo to be, only without the strikeouts and low average). The rotation is Lopez, Ryan, Ober, Paddack. The Twins could use a fifth arm. The bullpen is headed by Duran and Jax and Stewart. Thielbar and Fundeburk are the lefties, but don't count out Moran. Varland, Balazovic Winder and Sands are in the mix for longmen. Alcala should be making a comeback. The Twins will have Woods Richardson, Canterino, Headrick, Henriquez and will probably take another chance on Enlow, otehrwise he walks as a minors free agent. Yes, the Twins could explore getting a stud rotation arm, and never hurts to have an experience add to the bullpen. We don't want to have Randy Dobnak as our go-to guy from the minors. It was a weak division and the Twins stayed on top for the majority of the season. Despite sometimes fielding a very weak lineup of bats before the Kepler surge. Something ahs to be done to improve the running game, hit more for contact rather than waiting for the once pitch to...maybe...clobber. But going forward, the Twins look like they can build a solid roster of returnees for the next 3-4 seasons, suddenly having a "veteran" lineup like...the Astros.

The swings and misses, combined with just looking at too many pitches. Something has to be done. Bullpen exceptional. Whole different game if Thielbar had not served up that homer ball, sadly. At least Buxton didn't strike out. Did Castro forget how to bunt for a hit? Make something happen, man. Every guy looked like they were waiting for a pitch to hit for a home run. Ryan did fine. Could he have gone 3-4-5 innings? We will never know. My biggest worry, suddenly an extra inning game and who pitches for the Twins.

Joey Gallo will be available again! Yes, a strong rotation arm would be nice. The Twins have to look at their oveall lineup. Right now, all the guys are pretty much the same at the player .240-.260 and 10-25 homers. Castro will steal bases, but can anyone else. So many swings and bad misses. At least try and hit the ball, reach, bunt, do something rather than looks and power swing. Keep Polanco and Kepler for now. Kepler might have off-season value, especially if you bundle him with someone like, say, a Henriquez, Balanzovic or Woods Richardson for a decent rotation arm.

I turn off the TV volume and have ALexa play WCCO.

A veteran making his presence known!

I would hope for three solid innings from Ryan and three more from Madea. Then, depending on the score, you can add in Paddack or Pagan (and even Fundeburk). For game two you can have Thielbar, Jax, Duran, Varland, Stewart still available. You owrry about Game 4 once you see the results of games one and two...can you start Ober, who is long relief. I don't see Stevenson making the roster, barring an injury. I don't see anyone voicing the minor worry that the Twins don't have a third catcher on their roster. What happens if they lose one. No one, and I mean no one, in the wings.

May excite our own players too much. But they do have to love he adorationN!

We take it one game at a time. If we win today, then just have to figrue out who does what. Remember, Madea is still out there and would be an option to start a Game 3, depending on any need for Game 2. Then you worry about Houston. Who starts Game 1, with Lopez still on the books for Game 2 and then Gray for Game 3. But let's just do one game at a time.

Would you swap out Keuchel right now for the last game and add back who? Winder? Sands? Headrick? At least to piggyback on Ober? I imagine a couple of these guys are travelling with the current team, or working out abck in Minnesota. No Gordon or Alcala means Stevenson and Ludlow are safe. But, remember, the Twins still have 28 players and two immediately have to go after Sunday's game. They would still be playoff eligible going forth, though.

Gray, 8-8 in 32 starts. Yet a dynamite ERA. I hope the Twins score runs for him in the playoff/s.

The Twins pen is looking pretty darn good. ALl about the needs of a lefty arm against which other team. I want to know who styarts Game 4. Ober?

Nice opportunity for Paddack and Stewart. The Twins can basically start all their rotation arms, and maybe even Keuchel. Each bullpen arm can comfortably make two appearances. All fielding guys should get ample playing time. Can the Twins win 89 games?

Looks like Cossetti may be on a fast tract. Jordan Carr is 26, but a lefty who could be a factor as Caleb Thielbar ages out.

I didn't see Moran being 60-day. Good move. Nice if Keuchel is still in the mix. A third lefty out of the pen who MIGHT pitch 1-2-3 innins could be a plus. The joy is you can keep whomever you plan to start Game #1 of the second series off the roster, and use a solid reliever. And, yes, you worry about Game #3 if you win Game #1.

It is going to be fun to see roster construction vs. makeup of opponent teams. You need 3 starters for the first series and a 4th to start the first game when you advance to the next round. Besides Cody and Caleb, do you give any chips to Keuchel or Headrick to be an additional lefty? Depends on the team. Construction of the team on the field that will be making runs? That will be choice. Who sits out a series (Gallo). The first 3-game series will show us how the Twins will play the post-season (or not).,

Man, you would think they could play two short games just to give the players some time on the field. Of course, Toledo cares npothing for rehabbing Twins players, right?

For the playoffs, Stevenson, Floro and Luplow are definitely on the bubble. None are considered prospects. Stevenson could be resigned to a minor league contract. Keuchel could also be removed. The Twins potentially need to add Paddack, Stewart, Gordon to the 40-man. They might need to add Alcala. They also may have to add back Buxton, Gallo. Departing free agents include Gray, Maeda, Pagan, Mahle, Solano, Taylor, DeLeon. They need to make decisions on Kepler and Polanco. Also, Thielbar will be in his final arbitration year. Celestino will need to be kept on the roster coming out of spring tainging (and he is still young, folks). On the bubble could be Alcala, Sands, Moran, WInder, Miranda, Castro, Larnach, Ortega. Bu the Twins don't need to be in a rush on any of them. You need to keep some guys around in case you sign a free agent. Names like Balazovic, Woods-Richardson, Henriquez are still young and promising. They need to add: Camargo, who they resigned as a young minor league free agent who finished his 7th minor league season. They need to keep Severino, too. Chris Williams and Blayne Enlow could also become minor league free agents. Martin, Keirsey, Prato also need to be kept, it seems. They could add names like Heilman or Bechtold, and there are a number of bullpen arms, but most could be replaced by other minor league free agent contracts. But, yes, the Twins have to make a 40-man roster move (and also corresponding 28-man (down to 26 for the playoffs) when Paddack, Stewart, Gordon and Alcala are added back into the mix.

You could see the anxiousness in the dugout when the Twins had the commanding lead. They were about to be champions. But still must finish the game. A bad pitch by Thielbar after a walk. Tough, but happens. You see why playoff experience is so important to have on a team. Duran ws so into the greatness of the moment, and then almost totally lost it. I guess you could say kudos to Rocco for leaving him out there to deal with it. I would've gone with Jax or Pagan for the 9th, though. Acturally, I would've gone with Floro - I'm not sure how much more time he has with the team - as they might need his 40-man spot. A fantastic home team crowd for so many of the players to experience.