Rosterman

Maybe they can package him to another team as a not injjured pitcher with the not fulltime guy Nunez.

Yes, players deserve all the monies they can get if they play thru contract servitude and all thru arbitration. I always did feel that a further contract would be a plus reward for past services with hopes for still more glories. Free agency, as a whole, often gets out-of-hand with the new team picking up a tab that usually ahs nowhere to go but down.

Yes, you always have to look at those decisions (which the Twins failed to do last year with Arcia) as to what to do with players who run out of options. Is Polanco a part of the future? Is he a starter? Is he a bench guy? Answering those questions and you make moves. Dozier, like Plouffe, should be dangled any opportunity you can at the moment, when another team has an opening. If the Twins can't move Plouffe to the Mets for something, anything...then there is a system failure. Right now, they run the risk of his value plummeting and then having no options but to release him or pay him $10-or-so-million next season. If the Mets would rather have, say, Nunez...make them take someone else...be it Nolasco, Hughes, Milone or another salary, and give you an additional prospect to go with a better prospect. The Twins don't need major league guys back in trades. They need non-protected minor league prospects at the High-A or, at the most, AA...no one that demands to be placed on the 40-man roster if possible. And if someone needs a second baseman, you dangle Dozier. He's a better deal than, maybe, Lowrie. But, again, that's only if you think Polanco has a future with the organization, and probably at second. The Twins will pull the plug on Suzuki, just watch. But it would help if Murphy was producing a tad more in the minors. I wish Garver or Turner were a tad more seasoned, but if the Twins can turnover to a younger rotation, why not let them grow. And on a rebuilding team, it is not uncommon for rockie pitchers to get clobbered, or end the season with a 6-15 record. It is a crime to have veteran highly-paid starters end a season with an 7-12 record and a 5.50 ERA, though. Arcia needs to play for two reasons. Do the Twins feel he can produce, and can they increase potential trade value. If you wish to keep Arcia around for another year or two as a bench bat...although we don't see him right now being used as a Randy Bush or Gene larkin, then do so. Otherwise, move on...and hope for Ryan Walker happiness. Buxton still needs more time at AAA. When Santana returns, he goes back down. And watch, Kepler will start tearing the cover off the ball and become this year's Santana. Hopefully he will keep playing into next year and not suffer the sophomore doldrums. Grossman may be a surprise. He could make it a battle for a job between him, Rosario and Santana in the future. Of course, if Santana plays his cards right, he could be the Twins shortstop for a couple of seasons (moving Escobar back to super-sub and maybe giving Beresford a chance at major league play, too). The Twins need to make a hard decisions on some of the older relief pitching draft signees. Let them come up here and REALLY learn and take their bumps, or never draft bullpen again. Let Reed, Burdi, Bard come north and see how much they like major league life and money. Otherwise, let them know that Westphal, Hildenberger and others will make them future indy ball players, and the Twins blogosphere will yell and scream at the scouting department. The team is going thru changes. Big changes. We can get excited about Duffey and Dean and Grossman and even Nunez (a veteran presence?). These guys have every chance and opportunity to create and keep major league careers. In the scheme of things, they probably won't be longterm answers to Twins production. But let's keep enjoying their work and hope the Sano, Buxton, Stewart, Gonzalves, Berrios, Walker, Polanco, Blankenhorn, Gordon, Kepler, Turner brigade DO come thru and give us even more entertaining baseball in the years ahead.

The Twins are looking at Rogers as a long man from the left side, and probably has more leeway than Dean, or will be battling Logan Darnell for a similar position in the Twins system. Dean right now will remain on the 40-man as insurance for Rogers and a token lefty starter possibility. Darnell would have to be added back, and unless he shines, he will move on. We basically lost Zach Jones to Milwaukee in the Rule 5 because of Darnell and Dean. I would really doubt that either would've been grabbed in the Rule 5 (and Darnell wasn't during his recent waiver-wire stint). You have to like Dean. You also have to admire Duffey. Both have to work their butts off to stay in the major leagues and time will tell if they are another Albers, or Kris Johnson, or any number of other one-shot wonders. But anything decent on a major league level can translate into a fine payday in the international market, perhaps.

That is what is hurting his trading value. A team has to want him beyond this year. As would the Twins. Yes, the argument is made that arbitration players are overpaid, at times. But in the scheme of things, the arbitration years are rewards for years of service to a team when you are underpaid. Considering the percentage of players that do reach "richer" free agency, compared to those that never reach arbiration or are released before arbitration and go thru the resign for whatever period, if you are a valuable teammate before arbitration, you deserve the bonus of being overpaid. Linda like free agency. When you sign a hometown player to a free agent contract, you are just not banking on the future, but also acknowledging the past contributions. WHich is what I always find strange about the process. Why "other" teams often take such big gambles on players that will basically go down hill as their salary eats into a team. We can complain about Joe Mauer, but if you even his salary out for his entire career with the Twins (ncluding bonus) and what he supposedly means to Minnesota and the team in general, it probably was an a-ok deal on the surface. If the Twins are even thinking of Plouffe next season, they have to make the 2-3 contract commitment with an option, or trade him for whatever (The Mets now need a temporary third baseman). But that is the rub. What is he worth to a team that might not tender him next season. What is he worth to a team that will not be able to sign him after free agency. Being non-tendered could also be a nightmare for Plouffe, if he produces below his previous standards this season. If the Twins move him, they might be able to sign him back for significantly less. But that, as we know, is not necessary. I assume our front office wants gold for Plouffe. Good luck. He is a rental, period. Or he is a aprt of the Twins team for the next few seasons...playing where and blocking whom?

At some point you JUST advance Burdi and Reed and see how they handle AAA.

As someone said, good that they didn't activtae him and send someone out. Whew! Lucky Day in Twins land with a win with lots of hits and great pitching from a bullpen. Hey...no one in the bullpen didn't pitch a full inning in one stretch!

And the Twins not playing Sano at third when Plouffe was down. Nunez is hot and we need to keep his bat in the lineup. Which is fine and all. But then you bring up a Beresford to sit on the bench. At this point in time, you bring up Rosario if you need a bench rider. Let's hope Kepler plays everyday. Until they both wane, Nunez and Escobar should bump Dozier to the bench, sadly. What to do with Park? When Sano comes back, let Park go to Rochester for a moment and tweak a bit!

Hey, Rosario was heating up. I'm surprised they didn't make that move instead...someone who has played more significantly up here. Nothing against Kepler, but he's on a roll down there, coming off an injury, and could use regular play...unless they are playing him everyday up here. Our big question is what to do with Arcia! And Park! Park, second coming of Chris Colabello?! Get Park some time at first base and let Mauer DH. We know Joe ain't going anywhere. But let's see if we can increase Park's value with real playtime!

At least we don't have to worry about him reaching his innings limit this season in the minors. Maybe he will get a real shot in September, when the roster deck is shuffled and we have a 6 or 7 man rotation of "looking at the future" - Berrios, May, Duffey, Dean, Meyer, Gibson and maybe even Stewart!@

Occasionally you may find a diamond in the rough. Tyler Duffey may still fall in that category. But consider - you get a chance to be in the major leagues. You make the most of that opportunity. Depending on your overall skill set, it is a hard road to get to the majors and harder yet to stay there. You have to work hard constantly. You will have to make adjustments. But you are evaluated by everyone, be it your own team or others. A lot of times you can make a team by being depth. Colabello was one such signing. He was backup, he made the most of his chances, avoided going abroad, and besides his problem this year is making the most of his chances. The scary part if what happens, at times, to players once they get that longterm contract or financial stability. Or if they aren't playing for their next contract, be it a one-year deal of longterm that will set them up for life. You have two types of players: Those that the organization are truly behind all-the-way and will give them every chance to fail. Players a team has money invested in via a draft, or trades, usually.T Then you have the guys who ALL have a few things that need to be twerked. You hope that the hunger is there. And there are jobs in the majors for guys to fill holes, be on the bench, be that first callup, that middle bullpen or end of the rotation starter...sometimes it is a one year gig, sometimes a tad more. Kudos to Pat Dean. But every start is putting him on the bubble of staying in a rotation that he wasn't in the longterm outlook to be a part of. If he gets pushed aside, then can he make an adjustment to long relief. And with all the stuff, how long before the film and charts cause a team to catch onto your skill set. It is a tough job being a major league ballplayer.

I also see the front office having too many general managers, minor league directors and such. Too many people with power over certain segments, not enough oversight, perhaps, of the big picture, unless it is The Twins Way of thinking. Does Terry really make hardline decisions, or it it a groupthink vote to do things one way or another. In some ways, saw that the new baseball would be more body oriented, with the GM and assistants handling various duties. But not sure if that REALLY does work in the world of baseball.

Sounds like the Twins did a hattrick last season when they managed to off Wheeler from the 40-man and have him rebound like he has. Looks like a definite keeper and add-on next season.

Jepsen was part of the homer club too (again)!

So Molly was the best choice ever for a modern game manager. Right? I would probably agree that he deserved an opportunity, a chance. Defining management field staff is something I'd like someone more knowledgable than I to undertake and share. Anyone?

The Twins are so bad, that Billy Beane probably couldn't trade anyone away if he was general manager of the team. Trader Billy may be trading on his own team, but at least there is some demand for some of his assets. Whew!

Plouffe just has that 2017 arbirtation salary hanging over his head, and then free-agency. At least, he's a rental for the remainder of this season and set free a season early to see what the actual market is for him. At best, a team feels he is worth a $10+ million expense in 2017 with the potential of a flip to another team as a short-term rental for a very minor prospect. Sad.

If we have an outfield of Kepler Buxton and Arcia, we have Rosario (and Santana) as extras. We have to move Walker into the mix sometime...with Kepler going to first or Park to first and Walker to DH. The nice thing is Walker can age for at least another season at Rochester. If the Twins can keep a Buxton/Kepler/Arcia mix going for a few years, then the Twins are more than set with adequate backup outfielders, some that may shine (Granite) and push Kepler, let's say, to first. Michael will be a solid 4th outfielder. Palka, too. So the Twins will have some trade possibilities depending on how Rosario, Santana and Arcia play out over this and next season. You also hope that you might restock the system with some Top 40 or 50 prospects by trading off some of the vets (and salary) this summer. Guys who won't show up until 2020 at the earliest, and might just develop enough to give a push towards whomever you do have in the upcoming outfield. The Big Thing for the Twins is to stop creating outfielders from guys at other positions. Rosario moved from 2nd to the outfield. They moved Sano from 3rd. Santana was a shortstop. Stop!

And the Twins also find a couple of minor league free agents to supplement the mix. Catchers either have concussions, or they play in the minors forever (Eli Whiteside, Corky Miller for example) or we can ask about bring back Drew Butera. I would love to see in September Murphy and Cedeno as well as Garver and Turner up here. I would love to see Garver and Turner given the opportunity to run with the job next season rather than being the duo at AAA, which they probably will be. Sadly. The Twins hopes rest on investing in a catcher beyond Murphy (not really many to choose from) or signing a one-year vet to help hold down the fort with Murphy next season and go from there and hope the next five seasons are filled with some of the names mentioned above or throw out runners, frame pitches and hit for an okay average, batting eighth or ninth and being responsible for 3-4 of the 24-27 outs you need to make every game (someone has to do that).

July 1st is the day the Twins start looking at prospects moving up EVERYWHERE. You start making room for them at All-Star break at the latest and by the end of July you have anyone on the roster who will start the 2017 season on the roster. You also prepare for having September callups coming from all those guys you advanced in the system in July, adding as many as you can to the expanded roster, especially those that you expect to add anyways. Yes, you MIGHT keep few names around like Grossman, add Beresford, one or two of the bullpen arms (Rogers, Abad) to lop off come time. You know your chances are slim to none that you will add ANY free agents, unless you bring in a veteran backstop (A.J.'s farewell) or a grizzled vet to light some sparks in the bullpen or off the bench. But, wait, we have Mauer who can be that bench guy!

When looking at ALL of the names above, and many of them should be moved sooner rather than later, the Twins also have to look at their depth in the farm system, especially at names of guys who will become minor league free agents, who need to be added to the 40-man roster not only this year but also the following year, and deal some of those names as well...since there are only 40 names you can protect in 2017 as well as 2018. That is the secret. Create the list of guys YOU EXPECT will come to camp and break camp next year. And also a possible list of players coming to camp in 2018. They start packaging players. You might have to package a fringe prospect or two to rid yourself of some salary. Some teams may be willing to take on a Jepsen thinking a change of scenery may help, or jsut for depth. Yes, I'm sure that little angel on Ryan's shoulder is telling him to NOT EAT SALARY while the devil is on the other shoulder telling him to just go ahead and release the guys...you won't be around in 2017 except as a roving scout of talent, if you don't get outright fired and jump to another team...many of which will seek your scouting services, I'm sure. the Twins have to look for returns of prospects that are on the bubble because of the need for work, or guys jsut behind in anyother teams depth chart. I mean, look at the Twins. Right now we have Escobar and Nunez, bother should be available. We have Polanco, who could play short, move to second eventually, or become a utility guy. We have Beresford who could be a temp 40-man backup this year AND next. We have at least four guys in the shortstop depth, with Nick Gordon possibly fast-tracked and Wander Javier at least four years out from getting a taste of major league life. So we have lots of depth (shades of too many centerfielders notice of the past). But, yes, you have to look at the very big picture. The Twins have drafted a lot of bodies the past four years who are on the cusp of needing protection. Other teams are watching and salviating at who the Twins will leave open for Rule 5. The Twins trick is to move some of these possibilities for something, with soemthing of lesser value, to clear books AS WELL AS roster space. You take Nolasco. You get a couple of higher prospects (guys we can't protect), we get a couple of guys we need to protect in 2019 or 2020. We free up salary. We move our own prospects up for a slice of major league life. We suck, but we such with rookies and the future, not just guys filling roster spots that other teams have already found no place in the home for now or ever again.

So who is going to be the interim minor league pitching coordinator? Is Dick Such available?

You have to remember that the blogosphere was foaming at the mounth that the Twins wouldn't spend money, so Terry went out and spent. The Twins were a losing club. Players were NOT lining up outside the door, or let's say HIGH QUALITY players, to be a part of an organization that clearly had some rebuilding to do. But some pitchers answered the phone and listened and their agents managed to throw out an inflated figure that they MIGHT NOT get elsewhere, and the Twins bit. Partly because of fan sentiment that they spend, and partly because THE TWINS DID HAVE THE MONEY TO SPEND. But then we all complain that the wrong pitchers were signed, with one getting an extension after a very decent season in the rotation. We can argue quality. The pitchers in question would make starts, COULD pitch deeper into games, keep us in games if the offense would score at least four runs. It was an expensive investment, and Ryan and Co. knew something about the organization, as they really didn't see any dynamite arms coming thru until at least 2017 or beyond. Even if Meyer and May had planned out, Terry & Co. weren't taking any chances and did what he did, invested heavily in pitching in the free agent market, as well as four years of draft choices. Shows the big gamble this business is. No one would've predicted this overall failure come 2016, with a rotation of vets in shambles, one in the minors, the prospects needing to get their act together in the minors, and another pitching for minimal outs in the bullpen. And we have 40% of the payroll tied up in this important position. Plus, the expensive commodities are basically worthless on the trading market. It ain't easy being general manager!

He is a good guy t have in reserve, but chances of him cracking the Twins ever again (except in case of injury) is probably slim to none, although they really don't have any viable 1st base candidates in the pipeline except, perhaps, Kepler (or if they move Sano there in the future - although it would be great to get 2-3 years of Sano at 3rd before Blanken or Cabbage materialize). He is also a valuable tradechip for a mid-level prospect, especially to a team like the Mets who are looking for someone cheap for a season, although his splits aren't that great. Better if you can package him to a team like the Mets with, perhaps, Nolasco or Hughes for a couple of promising players who won't need a 40-man spot for at least another year.

Like!