Rosterman

Pitchers are going to give up runs. A relief pitcher is going to make a mistake and give up a home run. Heck, Duran has done that a couple of times this year. You don't expect not jsut one, but two pitchers to walk in runs in the same inning. And your team has to score, score, score, too. But you create a team with role players. The dynamite starter who will give you innings and keep you in the game. The fly ball pitcher. The groundball pitcher. The strikeout pitcher. The guy who can run the bases. Maybe someone who knows how to bunt. Anyone can throw the ball across the plate. Anyone can watch pitches go by. Anyone can field a ball, but not all can catch it on the run or make the strong and straight throw to the correct place. Or do it all the time. Okay, regarding Pagan, he was an option. But let's talk about Alcala coming off an injury. Let's look at the stock put in names like Coulombe, Megill and others as potential backend pitchers. Let's look at a roster stocked with unproven arms. How do you approach making a team if you are thinking of the future as well as competing in the present. The Twins are in a lucky division. Right now, if one American League, they would be 9th or 10th place - ahead of everyone else still in their own division. Explain that.

We gota give him a chance. Pulled too early after doing two strikouts on six pitches, followed by two hits. Let him finish the inning, unless you are bringing in, say, Duran. Never shows up in the stats how another pitcher makes your excellent outing into a terrible one.

He would play everyday up here, except there are two lefty starters. If Gallo goes down, maybe Wallner will egt the call. Waiting on Polanco who, if put down, will mean the return of Julien (over Miranda, right).

So many unknowns. The Twins will likely move on from Kepler. Larnach and Kirilloff both getting at bats is great for those two. So the Twins have to figure out who will play centerfield, the longer term status of guys like Celestino and Wallner, and what to do with Martin. Where to play Julien, Martin, Lewis, Lee and maybe one-or-two other guys by 2025. That is the question. Keeping Polanco MAY happen, which further screws things up for another season. Of course, that depends on where the Twins finish in not only the standings, but do in playoffs. But the NEW guys, how many will just get a taste before being called upon to contribute bigtime in 2024. If you wish to stay competitive, you have to balance the new with the old (and the free agent). Miranda, who I was hoping was going to be a solid, say, .260-.275 guy with 20+ homers and could move into the longer-term DH spot, with his plus being that he COULD play first base or third base. Well, have to wait and see on this.

Not sure "why": took out De Leon. He is, after all, a long relief guy. Started the inning with six strikes against two top hitters. Hits do happen. Not like Pagan is the for sure shutdown guy (as we saw).

How come no one is mentioning moving Farmer to 2nd and bringing back Miranda!

What is the scoop on bye-bye to Tyler Beck? Too many walks. Will need to be Rule 5 protected and they don't see him advancing to St. Paul at all?

Gary Sanchez signed by the Mets. Taylor Motter again to the minors.

The Twins needed to add him to the roster or risk losing him. Trading him and making him San Diegos problem was the good move, at the time, with an abundance of outfielders...supposedly.

Caleb Hamilton was also in the mix.

Lots of looking at pitches and free swinging. Need to at least try and manufacture runs, guys.

Is Miranda a part of the Twins future? The pluses: he could play first base or third base, and slot into fullt-time DH when the time comes. But does he need to work on some things now, similar to issues Trevor Larnach might be facing? Yes. Can he do it at the big league level? Possibly. Do we, as a team, feel more comfortable having Farmer and Castro playing third for the short-term, if Mrianda does go down? Yes. The Twins offense is in a bubble right now. Players like Miranda, Larnach, Gordon, Kirilloff, Jeffers ALL have to prove they are worthy of the long-term plans for the team. Like Kepler and Polanco are currently fighting to remain Twins after this season, he aforementioned names have to be looking over their shoulder, wondering who might replace them in the very near future, or next year at best. All we know is that Correa is at shortstop, and it would be nice to have an occasional sub for the guy. Edouard Julien is on the cusp, but can he push Polanco off second base now or in the future? They seem to playing him there, although there was talk about getting reps in at first base. The Twins have three guys: Lee, Martin and Lewis. None of the to have an occasional sub for the guy. e three will probably make an imapct this season. Lewis will have to be pencilled in somewhere come the start of 2024 with Martin and Lee right behind. Is Lee the third baseman of the future, with Martin going to an outfield/utility role? Where does Lewis end up in the scheme of things. Last year Miranda also started rough. He went down and came back strong. But the whole team (and much of the league) seems to be struggling, too. If Farmer can hold down the fort for two weeks or a month, I say...go for it. But right now waiting to see what Kirilloff brings to a sleepy lineup.

91 pitches tonight. 66 strikes. Looks like he might be here to stay! 7 solid innings!

Rodriguez, interesting. Henriquez is starting a rehab assignment, so the Twins need to do something with him in a couple of weeks. The pain with making an add like Rodriguez is that if they decide to demote him, he CAN go elsewhere. Imagine they might take Garlick off the 40-man. Doubt another team will claim him.

Solid right-handed setup man. But DON'T start him in the 10th with a man on second. He will give up a hit an inning.

It's going to end up being a better contract than what Berrios wanted, and Lopez (health permitting) should stat out in the same range (or better). Hummm...what would it take to sign Sonny Gray for three seasons, and would he go for it?

Rooker just ran out of options with the Twins. Like sluggers before him from Restovich to Sorrento to McCarty, he just couldn't put it together to place himself into future plans. (Here's hoping Matt Wallner doesn't fall into a similar cycle). Amazing how the bodies from that trade quickly dispersed. And Twins fans would be more than happy to see Pagan move on, although the front office, no doubt, holds onto a hope that they could at least flip him for some low-level prospect. Hopefully Paddack will come back and shine for a couple of seasons in the rotation. One thing is certain, Oakland will figure out a way to move him!

Can they be more aggressive? Not sure what is happening to this offense. Man, all those dribblers with the bases loaded. Sheesh!

He could turn into a pickup if another team needs an outfielder that badly. But the chances of even that team picking up his opiton at season's end is probably nill, unless Max really starts to pound the cover off the ball. In that case, the Twins could also keep him, pay the option, and still dangle him as tradebait in the off-season, or get anothre season out of him. The Twins will have to make some decisions on Wallner and Celestino going forth, as well as potential playing spaces for Lewis and Martin, amongst others...especially if Polanco plays himself into NOT being a Twins trading chip, too. Larnach's future is still up in the air, and Kirilloff will return, be it at first or the outfield, but then Gallo is still around for this year, too (and also a possible tradechip if the young 'uns need to play and can produce).

Well, I guess the Twins should've traded for Frankiie Montas instead, right? Though the prospect haul by the Reds was substantial, at least the Twins do have some depth and could afford to lose guys. But overall, thgis hurt. The front office gets credit for trying to bring competitive talent into the fold for a playoff run, which didn't happen. I was at least hoping that Mahle (and Madea) would prove adequate for flipping for at least some prospect return, albeit at a lower level. The joy is that opportunities exist for Varland and Ober. If I was the Twins, I would bring back Headrick and let Winder work into rotation speed at St. Paul. If push comes to shove, the Twins still have DeLeon, Sanchez and Rodriguez down on the farm. And Dobnak, now is your time to start shining!

A couple of promising guys from the 2022 draft! And Severino is someone else the Twins may need to make room for. I think he needs to be Rule 5 protected fer sure next season.

A bit more time at the bag at AAA.

I ws a little amazed when they did send Headrick down after his five inning stint. He could've just slipped in the Madea spot to start (or a spot the Twins could momentarily delay due to an off Monday). A left-handed starter is something the Twins do lack, even if you can get a solid five innings (remember, we had Smeltzer last year). Maybe it is because he is the new guy on the block, and the Twins have more faith in Winder, although optioning Winder for a bit more play at St. Paul is what I would've done. Or sent off Moran to work moorore on his stuff. Moran, like Headrick, shows soo much promise as being a lefty arm that can easily pitch 2-3 innings, go thru a batting order, which is what you love in the bullpen.

Alex has options and needs the regular playing time. The hard decision is: play him at first base fulltime. I almost question the need of the Twins to add Josh Winder back on the roster,m rather than a longer stint (optioned) in the minors. Looking at the way things panned out for a couple of other injury comebacks (Madea and Alcala), I almost wish they had stayed on extended spring training (contract incentives be damned for Madea) and that Ober opened the season with the Twins. Alex has not been on the field enough. He needs to tear up Triple-AAA, show he can do more than put a ball-in-play. Can he field, can he run (and steal). This is a multi-tool talent that has basically garnered more than a year of service time on the injured roster.

He deserves every chance popular, but Nick is now a bench player. He can improve his worth to the Twins, of course, by just improving play. The Twins have invested in him. The team's options are to give him more or less playing time, hope his value increases and they can trade him, and keep fingers crossed that a likely candidate to replace him sooner rather than later is in the system. I would be keeping a close watch on Michael Helman. who is coming off an injury to start the season but looks to be hot in St. Paul. At 27, Helman is the same age as Nick. Is he more than a prospect to be a bench guy (excelling at second base and the outfield, including center). He shows power, Some good speed. Until Farmer comes back and the Twins need to make a decision, Gordon is safe. But the future with the Twins needing to find positions and playing time for names like Julien, Lewis, Lee and Martin, Gordon may be expendable, sooner rather than later.