Rosterman

Both Tim Doherty and Marty Mason aren't coming back. Have been at Rochester since 2013. Luis Ramirez also isn't coming back to Elizabethton. The Twins were over-staffed at the GCL last year and they seemed to have pushed everyone up a notch. SIngleton is the only real new guy!

Overall, not an expense arbitration year. You can afford to offer Nunez, Fien arbitration to offer you current depth. I don't LOVE the idea of Fien, still thing he will be Jared Burton 2.0, and I didn't hear of anyone knocking on the door last summer to obtain him for a stretch run. Nunez is kept in the mix in case you make Santana an outfielder again. Milone would be able to command a comparable salary elsewhere and is a lefty, so he's a keeper. Plouffe isn't ready to depart, but the looming arbitration salary of the upside of $10_ in 2017 is scary. You either trade him NOW or set yourself up to offer him $30+ million to stay with the Twins. Jepsen was a surprise and did more than what anyone expected in 2015. He's a keeper. Escobar, for the second year, showed he should have respect as the shortstop in a system where there isn't a better shortstop...today. Talk about inexpensive!?! The flipside is that as a regular he would become expensive and not able to retain as a utility gy, if that is the role the Twins want him to slip into in the future.

Terry Ryan always had good thoughts on Joe Benson. He showed the tools, just don't really know what happened. Aaron Thompson did have a few moments on the MLB roster, so he would give us some depth. Of course, would rather see "real" prospects move up from Chattanooga.

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2015/11/non-tender-candidates-7.html Looks like Ben Revere joins other former Twins like possible backup catchers Rene Rivera and Drew Butera, and starting pitcher Vance Worley, as non-tender candidates. Would Ben Revere be a logical pickup for a season back in Minnesota to patrol centerfield or be a fourth outfielder, if necessary? Would he come back to Minnesota if offered a suitable contract, and what might that amount be. Looks like the Twins will try and work things out with such names as Casey Fien and Mr. Nunez, both of whom are still decent deals, but I do wonder what they would ultimately contribute to the Twins in 2016, at what price, and if they truly do have any value or takers elsewhere in the realm of major league abseball.

It's a tough call. We may be able to find a one-year rental. But the bigger question is the possible regression of Eddie Rosario or the total flop of Oswaldo Arcia. Yes, you have potential fill-in names like Sano or Plouffe (I would keep Plouffe around into spring training just in case and start him in the outfield if Sano IS your third baseman of the future0. We also have Danny Santana in the mix, since it looks like the Twins will at least offer arbitration to Nunez as the backup infielder. Once again, there are opportunities available if a player wants to take them and advance (don't rule out Kepler wanting to play in the majors sooner rather than later).

Of course, many minor league free agent signings don't pan out come the end of spring training (prospects vs. AAAA guys in the pecking order). But at some point, the Twins have to do a better job trading their minor (and major) league chips before they just...walk away and sign elsewhere.

That's right. Kris Johnson could be available for a song!

That's always the good question when adding A-ballers to the 40-man. If a team did decide to grab the player, will that delay their time in reaching the majors and using the options. The other reason for selecting A-ballers is the possibility of losing them in the minor league portion of the draft if they are not ready/already on the AA or above rosters. You can always risk removing hem from the 40-man during the season, especially at the level they are playing. Another team would have to see the worth (and a have a palce) to add them to the 40-man, before sending them out themselves, if they choose to play that game. You realize how controlling major league teams can be of prospects. You canbe dropped or advanced at a moments notice. You can flip around to other teams. You can lose your prospect hold in the pecking order one year and become a journeyman minor league guy always hoping to make it back to the limelight. You get a salary bump. You do open yourself up to being more interested to other teams by being a 40-man guy. But your fate is still in your hands.

Sometimes we might value the minor league additions too much. The biggest hurdle now and need for adding guys is the bonus money paid and the development of the prospect and the chance that you might lose them as early as the High-A level if a team feels the need to keep such a player on their roster before sending them to the minors the next year. Most players with major league capabilities are added to the 40-man, probably, during the season. Again, service time plays into the mix, but really shouldn't as service time can be negated (see Hicks and Arcia) by short-seasoning the guys at the major league level if they aren't producing. From ALL the names mentioned above, there was so much promise in many (Joe Benson, for example) that didn't pan out anywheres and interesting to see how manyare still in organized ball, and some struggling in the indy leagues (just saw Reme Tosoni this summer and talked and he's having a grand old time in indy ball), And Scott Diamond was a Rule 5 signee and the Twins ending up trading Billy Bullock to keep him and send him to the minors.

Wimmers, Jones....I don't really see them sticking thru spring training, which would prove to be a rude awakening for them about how good major league batting really is. But we will see. Still remember the Twins losing Dickey in the Rule 5!

Drew Butera will probably be a free agent as his arbitration salary with the Royals is listed as $1.1 million....so....there is hope of a reunion!

Looking at this again, would Acheter and Pinto make the Twins in 2016? Pinto is too far behind in the DH mix, especially if the Twins DO sign Park. Achter is bullpen filler. Is he better or worse than anyone they have (i.e. Dean, maybe). Again, he is probably Anthony Slama 2.0. The bigger question is the 7 who were added. Will they be contributing to the Twins in 2016? We think Rogers could be in the bullpen at the least. But not sure where Dean fits in, except that the Twins need left-handed depth in the roatation, especially if Darnell ends up being cut for a free agent addition. No one will argue with Walker. He is still a season away from even a callup (at the least, he might get a September cup-of-coffee like Kepler did). But IS worth a spot. Landa, Rosario, Chargolis, Melotakis all could be stashed on a team's roster for 90 days and the DL for the rest, possibly, if one wanted to take that gamble. Will the Twins lose Jones? They are taking a gamble that teams will flinch at his Chattanooga numbers this season. And combined with Bard (also a possibility of loss), Burdi, Cederoth, Jay, Reed and others, the Twins do have depth...names that they do have to address in 2017 and especially 2018...so hopefully they don;t sign any reliever to a longterm contract this season. I don't see Michael making the team as a reserve. I think most teams will wait for him to become a minor league free agent (or a throw-in in a deal). Being a General Manager is a tough job. The Twins ahd to weigh the short-term sparks from some injured guys against the fact of losing them in the organization. They have to look at a 25-man roster that is rpetty well set with a few loose cannons if they do decide to sign a free agent (relief pitcher), plus still having the ability to trade a piece or two (a starter, a third baseman come to mind). That they jettisoned Pinto and Achter this early MIGHT mean that they do have sights on a Rule 5 guy and DO EXPECT to sign Park, so two spots needed to open up anyways. Watchm expect Pinto and Achter to possibly be designated for assignment by the teams that picked them as the off-season progresses. That's the joy of grabbing someone off the waiver wire right now, you can play those games.

Someone said T.R. could be searching the waiver wire ... but you have to add that guy to your own 40-man. At some point, the Phillies or San Diego may feel that their additions from the Twins to the 40-man aren't worth it, and both will also go thru waivers. Of course, they have the option of keeping them in the organization. I find the addition of Dean and the keeping of Darnell interesting. Yes, both are lefthanders, of which the Twins have few major league ready depth, but still...both? Achter put up good numbers in the minors, but so did a guy named Anthony Slama, as well as Eddie Morlan in the past. Be interesting to see who the Twins sign (beyond Paulino) as a minor league catching free agent. We can argue about the need to add Rosario and Melotakis and Landa. I would doubt that the Twins would lose all three in the Rule 5, if even one of them. Sure, a couple have the appearance of starting the season on the DL, but still..... It's too bad that players like Pinto and Achter join other names like Duensing and Boyer (and maybe Arcia) as having little or no trade value to the Twins, but enough of an interest that they may get picked up by another team (or do get picked up). But maybe the Twins can steal a prospect (or two) from some other minor elague system. Good for Tonkin making the cut, I guess. But I would've been more inclined to go without a guy who needs to be added to the major league roster than one that still has options and still has potential.

Quite a few arms that the Twins have to make longterm decisions on (like, keep them on the 40-man after spring training) - Achter, Darnell, O'Rourke, Tonkin. They still need a hard thrower. I would like to see them concentrate on guys that CAN get a ground ball or GET A STRIKEOUT. Like Mauer at first, I almsot wish Perkins wasn't locked in as the closer and was the lefty set-up man and the Twins would actually get a $10ish million closer added to the staff, for at least a season. Graham can go back to the minors. Pressley can, too, I believe. Rogers could egt a shot. Dean maybe needs to be protected on the 40-man if you can, but doubt if he'll see any real action with the Twins. Too abd the Twins seems stuck with Noalsco, Milone. I do hope Duffey starts. And May will be a solid arm in the bullpen for now. Meyer nees a BIG comeback. Fien should be the odd man out and, no, we don't need Boyer abck..for all the goodness of his story and all. Either go big or stay within your system and hope Jones, Reed, Burdi, Chargolis ALL pan out and give you the Nasty Boys 2016 and Beyond!

The question now is, will Kepler be groomed totally as an outfielder, or will he take throws at first base...for AAA Rochester. If he splits the dutiues, with the idea that he is the Twins first baseman after Mauer, where does that leave Vargas, who also needs time at the corner to increase his own value. Or is Vargas now jsut a guy soon to be passed over by others in the ranks. Of course, what the Twins do with Plouffe is still the elephant in the room at the moment.

Still see Perkins as the closer, and ncie to know the Twins do have someone is reserve. If Perkins was reduced to setup man status, I woul;d have done this trade in a heartbeat. It would be a ncie one year bridge and definitely make the bullpen stronger in 2016, for a decent prospect sendoff to Milwaukee.

And you also look at what has been invested in the player (like Kepler, he was an expensive signing by the Twins...the Rule 5 allows you to possibly grab guys that other teams paid good draft money for to add to your system, if you have the ability to keep them on the roster somehow all season).

The Twins could move pieces still: Pinto, Arcia, Nolasco, any number of back-of-the-pen relief pitchers. Plouffe could be shipped out. Ryan could end up turning over 30% of the roster. But what does he get in return? Do we get a slugging outfielder/DH (think Thome) who is year-to-year. Take the palce of Vargas, perhaps. Do we get a lowend Plouffe who can play the infield AND outfield to be our fourth outfielder? Do we contemplate trading Suzuki and getting still anotehr catcher worse than Murphy but better than Fryer? Is there a bullpen arm that we can have for one year (Storen from the Nats, perhaps) so as not to block the hot young guys supposedly in the wings? Is Nunez gone? Is Fien needed? What happens to Milone? I would trust Duffey as a starter.....but would you? Is May that third bullpen arm we need to take us thru next season? But do we need a power lefty? And how do we get Mauer back to the Joe of old. Sigh!

There really isn't a lot of names necessary for addition there. People like Jones, for example, would be a big gamble. If the age works right and you got a back-of-the-bullpen spot for a pitcher, the Twins could be ripe for picking. The only other name with some consideration is Luke Bard, who could be a sleeper, but would probably be a wait-and-see for the future. Interesting that the Twins do have a considerable number of promising lefties in the pipeline. So, do we bring back Duensing or not? Taylor is the big addition (don't lose him like we did Gilmartin). He could be a bullpen guy. Far better than Boyer, I would think.

Guys go to Indy ball to prove themselves again and get anotehr chance, period. They are hungry. But at the time, not good enough to hold a place in a team's minor league system which has prospects that may need an advance. Every year the Twins sign a bunch of AAAA-type guys, a quarter of them don't make it apst spring training, it seems. But they are given a looksee. Right now, many of us would prefer to see Twins prospects at AAA Rochester in 2016 than a lineup full of one-year minor league free agents.

Pinto, Arcia are both bubble guys. You might have to find space for them. You might jettison them. But you don't have to make that decision until spring training (who knows, one or both could get hurt and start the day on the DL (major league one). You do need to keep a few "fringe" guys around in case you do have to make roster moves at the end of spring training (or possibly a mid-winter free agent signee). Nunez might be worth getting for his arbitration in this case, as will Fien. The Twins do have to make a decision on who to keep amongst Darnell, Achter and Tonkin for sure. I see them adding six guys to the 40-man from all the candidates in the minors.

You don't know if he had MAD MONEY inquiries. At least he can enter the marketplace again next season, without the draft pick tied to his signing. And he can have a full season to rebuild even more value. Plus A.J. got a nice amount of change from the Braves...the upfront mill, the contract, and a decent incentive package good for both parties. Ryan went knocking on some doors (particularly the Yankees) before other teams had the chance. Applaud him for that. Like said, seems the catching market is getting grabbd up sooner rather than later.

He made a move for a catcher. AJ is out of the mix. It looks another may be about to sign. And he proibably pretty much knows where he stood in the Weiters hunt. Hicks was a good and interesting move. Yes, in a couple years some may be mad (as they were with Gomez, and even a few with Revere), but we will have to look at salary, the overall picture, and where the Twins stand. If anything, Plouffe can still standout as a LF. Plouffe has arbitration salary issues this year and next. Whatever his worth is as a trade, you also have to look at what he will cost dwn the road (and the Twins have to, too. Is he worth $30 million over 3 years, basically, to be a solid member of a team). What I will be more mad is if he starts giving 40-man spots to folks like Nunez, Boyer and Duensing (if you can sign the guys as a minor league free agent, do so). Make them earn that roster spot come spring. But, in the end, you also have to keep in the back-of-your-mind who you can jettison to add a "one year wonder." Or use the 60-day DL, I guess...Nolasco could stub a toe, perhaps?

I would actually play Plouffe in the outfield over Sano at this point. Sano may be as skillful at third, nd Plouffe might offer some better range in the outfield. The Twins DO have to give Arcia anotehr chance. The bullpen is a mess. No Noalsco. I don't see Darnell (would rather put in ROgers at this point). But spring training will show us soimeone stepping up. Still need some power throwing arms there. I doubt that any of the youngsters NOT on the 40-man will crack the bullpen this early. Tonkin is still only depth. Fien is approaching Burton 2.0. We don't even need to consider Duensing (move on) and Boyer can be given a look, but I wouldn't part with a 40-man roster spot for him at this point period. Nunez is also a questionable option. Can Ryan play third or first in an emergency? Do we add Pinto to the mix (or deep-six him from the 40-man and forget about him because of the longjam at DH)?

You can still go to arbitration with Plouffe/ You can still start spring training with Plouffe, Sano, Buxton, Arcia, Rosario, Kepler on the roster and fighting for spots. Someone will come up lame at third base, and Plouffe could fill in. You might need Plouffe in the outfield if Buxton goes down. Rosario might become Santana Part Two. Kepler might not be ready. It is sad to see Hicks go, but unless so many names fall apart, he was going to become a highly paid reserve outfielder as he enters arbitration, and for his sake, he probably deserves a chance at a fulltime job somewhere.