Rosterman

Gray is an interesting issue for the Twins right now. Does anyone see the team extending him, or just offering a qualifying offer...which would get us back a higher-draft pick to offset the loss of Chase Petty in the long run, maybe even a collegiate level pitcher who would hit the majors at the same time as...Chase. He could also be an intriguing tradechip, if the Twins feel they still have enough depth to finish the season (can Ober pitch 130-140 innings, for example, not to mention Madea). . Part of that decision would also apply to how well Enlow, for example, MIGHT pitch at AAA, and if the still young Woods Richardson can get back on track. We all know Varland has great potential, and now need to see him make adjustments regarding homers at AAA. In some ways, Gray is also working on an inning limit. Do the Twins want to get 150-160 innings out of im in 30+ starts. He's on the track, for now.

Except for shortstop, the Saints have a pretty powerful lineup. 26 stolen bases for Stevenson, and we keep bringing up Garlick? Yes, there aren't alot of rotation hopefuls as the Twins have to continue to hope for Winder, Henriquez, DObnak and Simeon Woods Richardson to make it worthwhile to stay with the organization. There are some relief pitcher possibilities that might be the next coming of Pagan. Why aren't the Saints selling out every single game these days, like the old days?

You can have one or two clinkers in your lineup, making up for satriking out or lack of hits with defensive gems. Oft the catcher and maybe a middle infielder. The pain is the Twins can drag out four, as mentioned above, and there is always another two or three just doing...okay at best. The pitching has held them together, especially the rotation. But that ERA is slowly rising.

If Madea does come back, I see Gray being dangled in trade.

Stevenson and Contreras have become stolen abse machines in St. Paul. Too bad Helman isn't full force. Throw in Julien when he returns there, and...well, how many bases will the Saints steal this year?!

What can they trade for that will put them in contention in the playoffs. That is the question. Do they hand onto Gray and do a qualifying offer, or trade him. Polanco would be a dynamite tradechip. Others, if they have value, can be traded: Pagan, Gallo, Kepler, Solano, Madea...but not seeing people trip over themselves to make deals. If the Twins are dipping into the minors to move prospecs, who will be Rule 5 eligible. Who is blocked in the battle for middle infield/third base in High-A and above, I don't see alot of pitching arms beyond perhaps Fundeburk and Enlow that the Twins really need to protect in the 2024 offseason. Do names like Woods Ricahrdson, Balazovic, Winder, Sands draw interest from...anyone.

Time for the Twins to make a statement. Let Pagan and Kepler walk. And Winder, why was he brought up? Not lighting any fires at AAA and Rocco hasn't used him since the call-up. WHy waste a callup on a non-contributor. Same could be said for Garlick over Wallner. SHort-term callup for play...let's see if Wallner has truly improved so much at AAA that he will clobber the ball in the majors, and then send him down (sadly) when you need to bring back in Buxton and Gallo. Looks like Varland will go to St. Paul when Madea is ready. Not that the kid isn't working his game every chance he gets.

It would be wonderful to try, but Mahle also needs to agree. If you look at Mahle for 2 years, $20m. And a qualifying offer of, say, $20m for Gray (which you probably should offer and hope he balks...but as a team can probably afford it going into 2024)...that's $40 m you MIGHT spend on pitchers you have/had. You can probably find some ncie replacement arms. So that is the rub. Will Varland, Ober, Ryan be strong still come September? That sets up 2024. You hope Lopez remains the innings eater he has proven to be. Paddack will hopefully be back. I wish names like Woods Richardson, Winder, Henriquez and already-under-contract Dobnak would be striking hope for being real contenders come 2024. Maybe Enlow will be THAT darkhorse, which means the Twins just need a solid journeyman to offer some competition and hold a few bodies back for more AAA development come next season.

The 17 strikeouts is truly alarming. But...home runs do work!

catching prospect Jair. We forget how young he is for all the time he has spent in pro-ball, slowly coming up thru the system and losing a year to COVID. Of course, the Twins needed to protect, didn't, and he got thru Rule 5. He won't get thru Rule 5 in this coming off-saeeson. No, he is NOT ready to contribute to the team this season. He can start 2024 again in St. Paul and be the future catcher. Vasquez will have two more seasons. Jeffers would take over for a year or two after that. Jair could be the fill-in for an injury in 2024-25. In that time he may be bypassed by others in the system, or maybe not. Keep[ing him on the 40-man will create that issue. Right now, if the Twins needed another catcher, they would have to mkake a 40-man roster change. Hopefully with a guy like Wolters who could be cut if need be when back to catcher strength. WHich is the way Twins are playing it in 2023. Defensively, the guy has shown an arm for base stealing catches. Remember,m he is young. Developing power. Has to work on the strikeouts. Again, glad the Twins were able to resign him.

I agree. The clock is ticking, but the Twins are hoping to have some demand, so at least they don't eat all the salary and can get at least a meddling prospect back for: Gallo, Kepler, Madea, Pagan, Lopez, Thielbar, Solano, Taylor. Any or all can be replaced by pl;ayers currently in the minor league syste,. I doubt most will draw va,lkue or interest, but who knows. Garlick, DeLeon are just roster fodder. DeLeon may be working himself into a possible resign of a minor league contract in the off-season as the aging vet stashed at AAA. Gray, Polanco are two guys that could draw a decent return. Or you just keep Gray and make a qualifying offer. Gray - 13 starts and six decision, to go with his minimal ERA. What gives? Woods-Richardson, Henriquez, Balazovic still have age on their side. The Twins could afford another season on the 40-man and hope they come around bigtime in AAA for the rest of this season. Gordon, Sands, Celestino, Alcala, WInder could all be posible trade chips if can stay healthy. But still under control. But they will make some 40-man decisions ahrder in the offf-season and if apckaged with other playrs might get the Twins a better return.

Or, ahem...Garlick.

Thielbar will be up sooner rather than later. Give Madea the full time in the minors to see if he can start. Sadly he will come up and push Varland back to St. Paul, for the moment. Rather than release guys and eat salary, the Twins will hope that Kepler, Gallo, Madea can put up some numbers that make them tradable, for even just a low level prospect, as well as the other team eating salary. But how long can they afford them playing bad, especially if others (Correa) are underperforming. The thing is the Twins are performing well in a bad division. Any other division, they would be a team in rebuild. Varland has at least two more starts before Madea hits even five innings at St. Paul. He sure can control the game if he throws strikes and has his rhythm on the mound.

So if and when Madea and Polanco come back, who do the Twins cut to St. Paul - Julien and Varland?

Like the players were in the stands. 14 whiffs. A double play a,mongst the 17 balls put in play (of which five were hits). Another half-dozen walks. A lot of looking at the balls going by these days.

Just overmatched. He is still only 22. The question is, send him abck to egt on track with the AA club and people closer to his age, or let him continue to learn by aking bumps at AAA. Kinda in the same position Balazovic was in last year.

I think they can 60-day Gordon.

Like Balazovic last year, Woods Richardson is learning how to pitch again at the highest minor league level. Should he have started the season at AA Wichita, just like last year might've send Balazovic backwards for a moment to regroup his pitching. AA is still a solid training ground as you are primarily facing similar skills/ages...and Woods Richardson was stiull young for AA last year, too. AAA is another whole world, with ex-major league players, plus the cream of the prospect crop, and quite a bit of a mix of player ups-and-downs, You never know who you will be facing and when, and everyone at AAA is hungry for the call-up. Again, Woods Ricahrdson is only 22. Has been pushed every season. And is still being considered for the rotation. He is in the mix if the Twins need that 27th player. The other two guys are still very very young. This is where you learn how to face the best of the best. Once a PLAYER IS DRAFTED AND ENTERS THE SYSTEM, THEY ARE PLAYING AGAINST THE HUNDREDS OF BEST PLAYERS NATIONALLY EACH AND EVERY YEAR AS THEY GO UP THE LADDER. Some teams play older, some younger. But you have to start playing the game, not just relying on natural talent that got you to be a draft pick, rather than just a great high school summer league, or college player. This is where you start to look at the player development staff. But you also look hard at players and their own mindset vs. skillset to become true pros. I would not give up on any of the above.

Pagan starts to try and pitch "clever." You get behind in the count, start throwing too many strikes that are fouled, and you eventually walk a batter or feed up a meatball. He is not a pitcher who will fool the batter. He either throws obvious "balls" or feeds them into a narrow zone that a batter can attack. If he can get that first strike, and then attack again, he can be successful. But he isn't, in my observation, a good pitcher. Jax has trouble with batters on base. Never bring him out to start the 10th. He is going to put balls into play, and a good percentage of those will go for a hit, which means a runner will score if on an advanced base. Plus, having a runner on base puts fielders in different positions to get to those balls put in play. When Jax is very very good, he dos challenge the hitter. He can play the corners and the work the zone and then come in hard and heavy. But once someone is on, and Jax can easily put two guys on in every inning he pitches, it becomes a whole new game for him. I wish he could pitch two innings more often than not, but now seems to be more of an 8th inning setup role. Again, never bring him in with a runner on second base. First might be okay as you could get a double play. Relief pitchers have to figure things out fast. Lopez was crushed the other night. 4 batters, 22 pitches, I think 14 were strikes. He was throwing strikes. Sure, he hit a batter, but....Good that the plug was pulled rather than "just one more guy." Yet, Brock was rushed to get into the game. But a lot is just trusting the guys. Moran is on a good streak after some clinkers. Sands and DeLeon both need to be trusted before going back to the minors in the next couple of weeks. Thank goodness the rotation consistently gets into or past the sixth inning!

Always one of those interesting times in managing a team. Gordon probably ahd his msot value coming off of last season, and the Twins could've dangled him more with the additions of roster adds Taylor and Solano happening. Now, he is out of options and a hard decision will have to be made about him on his return. Castro is a real deal, because he can be thaat pinch runner, and also has the ability to bunt. Two wonderful things to have off the bench in an extra inning game. Helman is a potential short-term backup/reserve when he becomes available, and the Twins will have to find space for names like Martin, Bechtold and others in seasons going forth.

Twins starters have kept the team in the game for the entire season. Pitchers do give up hits and runs, but overall the starters are an improvement over anything the Twins have ahd for seasons. A bullpen arm can have one bad game out of three, or six, or 10. Even Duran has given up a couple of leadoff home runs, and Brock o.oo ERA, has allowed inherited runners to score. Games have remained close and winnable. Some may call out bad managing. But overall the Twins are free swingers and lookers and need to be a bit more aggressive at the plate, as well as on the basepaths, when they are on base. That, alone, takes the game away from the pitcher with the new speed clock. Interesting note: if Royce Lewis returns to the Twins, they could have as many as 9 players on the current roster that had started the season NOT on the 26-man roster. Lewis will involve a 40-man roster move, as well as a regular roster move. With Madea and Thielbar going into rehab, that will be some interesting decisons to make. I want Madea to spend fulltime getting into the groove in the minors. Heaven forbid that one of the Twins starters go down, but knowing Madea may be on the verge allows us to keep Headrick working as a starter, pray that Dobnak might turn things around, and hope Winder and Woods Richardson pitch well enough to remain potential candidates. The real isues start to happen when you need to find roster room for Larnach, Kepler, Polanco. And got fingers crossed that the Twins don't need to add a catcher anytime soon.

Duran ahsn't really pitched that much this month. And the Twins have an off day tomorrow. So, he got a little work and should be ready to go Friday.

The Twins have to also identify tradable assets. The Big Three of Mahle, Maeda and Gray are all avaiulable. Except Mahle is out for the season (do the Twins resign in the least). Maeda needs to come back, but might only get a low end prospect. The Twins need to decide if they flip Gray for some prospects, make a qualifying offer and get a draft choice, whatever. Yes, I would trade for another high end starter. But what would another team take in place. Polancho has two more seasons of option conrol. You can get Kepler for the promise of a resign for $10m (or just watch the Twins cut ties). At best Gallo would get you maybe a couple of low end prospects to restoick whatever you trade away. Woods Richardson, Winder, Balazovic are all possibilities in a trade. I would keep Enlow about any of those aforementioned three. But they aren't having great seasons. People will want Martin, Lewis or Lee for sure. And the Twins would rather offer Miranda, Salas, Sabato or Severino - all who will need to be on the 40-man in the offseason. Beyond that, what do the Twins offer from the lower minors? No one really stands out as "in demand" - so the Twins might again be dealing alrgely from their2022 draft class (Prielipp could be one) who are showing some promise. What do they seek at the trade deadline, or from a non-competitive team right now. Sure, a top-line starter with 2+ years left of service for your team. What is it worth to grab an experienced bulpen arm or two who you might still be able to keep anotehr year. What do the Twins need for offense. Is Chapm,an worth the payout for one season? Pushing Farmer, Lewis (and Miranda) elsewhere for now - not to mention Julien. Do the Twins jsut scrap the whole future of Larnach and whatever and get someone who is a more proven hiter, while jettisoning themselves of Kepler and, perhaps, Gallo. Can Buxton play the outfield? That would be such a big help on who the Twins can then shuffle thru the DH spot now. I looked at an outsider's look at the Twins Top Prospects 0f 2022. Amazed at where they stand these days (and how many of the 50 are no more with the organization). https://www.prospects1500.com/al-central/twins/2022-minnesota-twins-top-50-prospects/#:~:text=Minnesota Twins Top 50 Prospects (2022) 1 1.,Canterino%2C RHP %2C 24%2C High-A ... More items

Do we blame the hitting coaches yet? And, you gotta throw strikes and risk the chanc of balls in play and that you have the fielders.

No bullpen is going to be light's out every nite, yes. But each arm needs to know the role. And be used according to the situation, not where they fall on the daily flow chart. And if you wish to win, you don't "save" an arm for later in the game, or even the next day. You jsut deal with it. At full strength, the Twins pen isn't all that bad. They have two closers. They HAD two lefties who can pitch to more than a batter or two. They could use a real innings eater that could push three innings, but a number of guys can pitch two innings, if you are willing to take a run or two on the board. Do they have a bonifide fly ball guy, or groundball guy? But, hey, all can say is that the starting rotation ahs saved this team...going into the 6th, often the 7th. And keeping runs off the board. Which then means the offense has to score more runs than runs given up. And that is the bigger problem right now.