Rosterman

Shut down Buxton is job one, which opens up the DH position. Ask yourself if someone would actually trade prospects AND take salary releif from the Twins for Kepler and Gallo. If so, let them be gone and replaced by Larnach and Wallner, for now. If there is any demand for Polanco after a week's play, also take that! And dangle Madea and/or Gray. Can you get more for Gray or less than if you make him a qualifying offer. COnsider yourself lucky if you remain on top of the division for the final 65 games, and hope any and everyone you promote from down in AAA is better than those you cut loose.

Basically the Twins need to make hard decisions on who to play, where and when. Is Buxton purely a DH? That sure complicates things. Who is the centerfielder to be, then...as although I like Taylor and Castro, both are bench bat/subs with distinct late-inning plus skills, and Taylor was just a temporarty bandaid. Is Kirilloff the first baseman going forward? Keep him there, then. NOT in the outfield. You have others to look at and play. And he HAS to bat against all pitching. Sure, he is coming back from basically a season of sit. But, still...... When Polanco comes back, is Julien sent down to the minors...for what reason? And if Julien is, indeed, the current second baseman of the future, he needs to stay there and let Polanco struggle at third and say bye-bye at the end of the season. Again, who plays what where. Do we want Julien at first base? Move Kirilloff to the outfield? Start making those decisions, because you also have to figure out the fate of Wallner, Larnach - and the likes Contreras and Stevenson should be in the mix, at least temporary, for what they bring to the game. Rioght now those last two could contribute equally to the outfield mix of Taylor/Castro, not to mention "what about Gordon." Lewis back at third? Or does he play better at second, and we keep giving Miranda another chance for a season before having to figure out where to put Lee and Martin come sometime in 2024? And the Twins have promise in Chris WIlliams, who will basically be the answer to Solano (hopefully) in 2024, and might actually make Vasquez espendable in the off-season if you think Camargo is appealing...before 2025. But you have to quit plugging guys anywhere and everywhere. Miranda plays third abse for 50-60 games period. SInk or swim. You can bring in Wallner and see if he is the next Brent Rooker or the current Brent Rooker. He can't be any worse than the ones already playing the corners. Send Julien down? Except for NOT stealing bases, he is doing what you wanted him to do in the major leagues. Sadly Polanco won't get enough at bats to bering back a good mid-season trade return, which makes me...sad. The Twins really don't have a lot of offense decisions to make going into 2024 off-season. Most would be potential guys who can walk (WIlliams, Contreras, Helman, Camargo, Bechtold) and they should have plenty of spots to protect most. Be interesting to see who they advance for the season's end, so they could be roster removal fodder if soemthing better shows up in the free agent marketplace. Right now, the Twins are weak at DH and shortstop by guys they have to keep on the payroll, and keep playing. They are horrible in the outfield and three of the four currently on the depth charts won't be here at all in 2024 (and five, if you count Gordon). Castro and Farmer are what they are, super subs. They shouldn't be playing every day. I would've kept Miranda over Steer in the off-season (although I would've kept Steer over signing, perhaps, Castro and Solano, in the end, and big bat CES would've been my choice of DH for the future, but then "what about Buxton." Yes, the Twins got shafted on a bunch of the prospects that changed teams last season, but there ae always prospects and you never know if they will make it, be a one-year wonder, or a star regular.

Twins pitching struck out 15 Orioles. But they still struck out 13 times, especilly with no outs and runners on base. St. Paul gets 20 runs on a day he Twins give up 15. Carmargo, Wolters and Williams can all catch, Williams can play other positions. An outfield of Stevenson, Contreras and Wallner has to be better than anything the Twins can put out there right now, an that's not even including Larnach who is hitting better in the majors than 10 of the guys currently on the Twins bench. The Twins need to make some hard decisions, and one of them IS NOT sending Julien back down to the minors if and win Polanco comes back. Hitting coach ash to be the fall guy. WHo they can move up or bring in is the question, Maybe bring Dick Bremer in from the booth with his Town Ball experience.

Funderburk is an option for the future. I still have hopes for Henriquez (long relief). Who knows what can be done with Dobnak.

Got the impresion that Berrios wouldn't accept any offer from the Twins, although they might've matched his Toronto windfall. Who knows. But the Twins have now gone elsewhere, investing in Lopez and Paddack. Is Martin Rule 5 eligible? I count this as his third season in the minors. One of the joys of signing college kids. Woods Richardson is still a youngster. But, does he have enough skillset and spunk to be a starter? Like Henriquez, the age factor alone keeps them on the 40-man roster going into the next season, unless they are involved in a trade package. The Big Thought that makes this a win-win for the Twins, no way was Berrios going to come bcak to the Twins. He would've walked. So the Twins managed to egt something.

Could the wins get more for Sonny Gray in a now rade, or make him a qualifying offer and get a draft pick? Wondering what Madea could bring back in a trade? Polanco could have value, or do the Twins jsut take his extension and daHow many baseballs can the Twins egt for Gallo or Kepler. Not that they need many with all the strikeouts, lots of clean balls that never touch a bat in their storage room.ngle him in the off-season. Is Julien deserving of a return to AAA for the rest of 2023? Any takers for Pagan? Can Lopez make himself valuable, or a keeper? Do you trade Thielbar and resign him next off-season? If a team comes calling for a veteran catcher, do you trade away Vasquez? I was surprised NONE of the Twins pedning free agents made the Top 50 list.

Cano and Rooker All-Stars! Man, what would our current team be like with those two in the clubhouse today?

He still writes out the lineup, and makes the in-game changes. Of course, with the talent available.

The Twins rotation is so strong, but they just can't win games. Ryan 8-5, Lopez 3-5, Gray 4-2. Ober 4-4, Varland 3-3, Madea 1-5, Mahle 1-2 - that's 24-26! The offense IS NOT putting their hard work into a position to win games, especially fater a fine performance. You can afford to have a weak catcher, if he frames, throws out runners, calls a good game. Maybe Vasquez and Jeffers combined will be above the norm. You can play Taylor in centerfield if he gives you Buxton-style fielding, and is allowed to try and do things in a game...a bit of power, ability to bunt, steal a base. But you can't win games if four more guys are basically doing nothing, especially with the hap-hazard way Rocco forms a batting order. When Julien, Kirilloff, Lewis are you best three starters on the field, but they are surpassed in play by a bench of Farmer, Castro, Solano and Jeffers, something IS NOT right in TwinsTown! Even with Arraez in the line-up (replacing who - Lewis, Julien, Kirilloff) he can get on base all he wants, but the strikeouts are still happening - BIGTIME! Applaud the rotation. Be happy with a bullpen that started the season with Thielbar, Alcala, Sands, Lopez and now have Headrick, Balazovic, Ortega, Winder trying to carve a future as Twins mainstays. Although WHY the Twins haven't brought up Patrick Murphy is beyond me (or, better yet, hungry guys like Stevenson, Contreras, Williams - not to mention Wallner).

What's with all the triples of late against the Twins? Fielding issues? Throwing to wrong base (home?) or cutoff guy?

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.