Rosterman

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!

Pitchers give up runs. They just...do. At some point. And one bad inning for a relief pitcher can take weeks of games to settle their...stats. Ryan did look done. He pitched a tough game and did wonderful. You have to be able to trust the Pagans, Morans, Stewarts (and now Winder). Otherwise, replace them. But right now, with whom?

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.

Sometimes the Twins can be so frustrating. You have 26 players on the team. If you don't trust the arms in the bullpen in pretty much any setting, why are they there. Wsa there a reason you dragged out Thielber, Jax and Lopez AGAIN after they pitched the night before, and NOT WELL putting eight Royal runners on base. You brought up Winder to be a long-man. What better time to test him than to put him out there in a close game where 2-3 innings against a so-called weaker team would be a goodtime to reinroduce him to major league play. If Pagan is just around for can't win or mop up situations, and even Moran slipping into that status, then the front office has made some mistakes in putting together a bullpen. The Royals didn't give up. They played hungry. You pinch-run Correa, who is not a disater on the basepaths, with more of a running machine like Castro, and he doesn't test the outfielder's arm. If Buxton comes to the plate with runners on first and third, and a Polanco dancing off the first base bag, it puts whole new pressure on the pitcher. Sometimes, you feel, splitting a series is okay. Maybe it is. Let's get everyone out there to play (and I hate the B-squad day lineups). Bu the guys in your bullpen are major league pitchers. They are expected to be ready to come in and do a job. Have no explanation for Duran who just needed to keep throwing 100mph strikes. Hell, evan Chapman managed to do that. Did the "immigration" blip throw him off the game? Three walks, a sacrifice bunt, a wild pitch and a strikeout. Worse than giving up a leadoff homerun (which he has done a couple of times) or letting a team bang together three singles. On a plus note: Ober did well!

That's like not calling Joe Mauer a catcher anymore. Sigh.

I'm also watching Michael Helman, who could very well morph into the Twins utility guy for a couple of years, showing both power and speed. Maybe not quite cut for regular play, but he has been evrsatile in the field.

You gotta start, at some point, look at what is best for the team. Ober or Madea in the rotation. Pagan and Moran in the pen, or someone else. Moran still ahs promise at least. You play to win, not to puff the stats of some players (Madea) to make them a trade candidate - unless you are so far behind in the standings (or too far in front).

All about options and Larnach has them. If he starts to tank anymore, he will justify keeping Gordon and Kepler, for the time being. Kirilloff would push Gallo back to the outfield. Farmer pushes Castro out. I was hoping Castro would give the Twins some base running. Not that he has had opportunities, but that was his best method for staying with the Twins. Polanco could be an interesting option going forth. Does he hit well enough to keep around for at least another season? Where does that put folks like Lee and Lewis and Julien in the scheme of things, not to mention Martin. Of course, everyone has to excel a bit better with the bats. Thank goodness the Twins rotation ahs kept the teams in games.

I think we may be seeing more of an extended spring training here. Of course, being down with the "proposed" starters currently rehabbing or guys who sguffled onto the IL, I'm hoping the team can pull it together. There is a reason players play in spring training, if even just half-a-game. To get used to guys hitting in front and behind them. Except for Vasquez coming thru at catcher (and Jeffers, too), the lineup is basically ho-hum and have survived because of great starting pitching. Will Polanco and Kirilloff offer help (and where). I'm hoping Julien goes back to AAA and tears the cover off-the-ball there. The Twins need a lead-off nhitter to help out either Buxton or Correa, in some ways. Kepler it ain't! Larnach has been okay, well, better than EVERY alternative in the outfield right now. Gallo will be sink or swim. Nice having him at first, but if Kirilloff comes back to first, where does Gallo play. Solano is holding down the utility role much better than, say, Gordon at the bat - which has been an unpleasant surprise (?). Kinda missing what Farmer can bring to the roster. If anything, decisions will soon be made on where the Twins go offensively in coming seasons. Overall, have enjoyed the rotation and can't wait for some replacements (varland, Woods Richardson, Ober) to push others aisde. Not seeing much bullpen strength at St. Paul so far, though. Maybe the...weather?

Kirilloff, Winder, Polanco join Gallo in St. Paul. That's four guys who could replace what four on the major league roster? (Garlick, Julien, Moran perhaps, and...Castro)

Also intresting that the Twins have to use an "open roster spot" carefully. They just won't be able to send pitchers back-and-forth at random - guys like Moran or Sands or even Varland have to be carefully used in the majors, and in the minors, correctly. Yes, the Twins MAY have a number of arms to call up, use, and let them walk if anyone wants to reclaim them.

Balazovic is interesting. He has to make the team next year, but can't be sent out next season without going thru waivers (and even then becoming a minor league free agent).

Shows the need for a long relief arm. If a starter only goes 5, you don't patch the game thru to the end with 1-inning jobs. You need someone to come in and pick up 2-3 innings.

He, sadly, could still be the odd guy out if the Twins ever return to ful strength, be it adding Kirilloff back primarily as a first baseman, or the return of Royce Lewis in 2023.

Best catching in baseball? Still hasn't been challenged in a running game. Because the pitchers aren't putting guys on base. Yes, the hitting could be better. Solano is basically an older version of Arraez at first, but saving the Twins in that respect. We see there is no depth until Kirilloff challenges a returning Gallo. Kepler, Polanco return will make the team better, one hopes? If anything, the Twins have allowed folks like Castro and Gordon and Taylor to get at bats and show they can play in a pinch, although we don't really want them as regulars. Farmer will be interesting to see when he comes back. The name of the game is pitching and what the Twins do with pending free agents Gray, Mahle and Madea when the time comes. Will Varland, Ober and others come thru with limited appearances? Do the Twins break the bank and offer any of Gray or Mahle a bigger contract to hang around? Good exciting baseball. Dynamite starts from the rotation. Overall decent usage of the bullpen, as we see the, um, hesitancy of Rocco to use Pagan or Sands unless really needed, and the hopeful gaining a solid footing in the pen of Alcala and Moran. Duran will give up homers if his throws meet a bat. He has to stay comfortable with winning that challenge. A young super closer in action.