Rosterman

Adjusting to major league piching is difficult. Especially to excel. Somehow, Sano is swinging and hitting the right pitches MOST of the time, but he is also striking out a lot. Patience is the key for any youngster. At some point, the hitter forces the pitcher to be careful on that first pitch and NOT throw an automatic strike. That's the game of baseball, is it going to be a ball or a strike. Period. Then you start worrying about lcoation, and a batter needs to constantly adjust their own game plan according to a pitcher's strengths (inside/outside, high/low, breaking pitches, curveballs, etc.). It will be interesting to see the work guys do during the iwinter (Sano, Buxton, Rosario) and what returns we get out of spring training (Arcia, Vargas, Pinto, Santana...will they rebound). That's seven solid playrs who ALL have a chance to start in the major leagues, pretty much just leaving a space for Mauer and Dozier in the lineup, assuming Pinto culd catch. We saw some consistent work from Sano and Rosario this season, and Hicks has improved a bit, but on thee whole, beyond the smashing of Sano and the triples of Rosario, we only saw some glimpses of players exceling. We need a couple to become stars, maybe even a superstar. And Mauer to return to his status as an elite hitter. And Dozier to have an equally good second half. Then...the pitching.....

Ovrall, it is a strange team. No pitcher won more than 11 games, yet we contended. No one put up great numbers in stolen bases, average, strikeouts (except as batters) or any number ofotehr categories. Yes, led in doubles and triples categories, hit a few more homers than expected. But, yes, Perkins faded, Mauer just never took off, Dozier did some goodthings, Plouffe was Plouffe, some rookies showed promise, others sucked bigtime from alst year. The bullpen was a mess. The games worked by many is astounding. But it must faze a manager when you have absolutely no idea what to expect and you need a reliever who will egt a ground ball, or one who can strike guys out, etc. etc. etc. Stange season statistical-wise.

He is out there and an option. Suzuki was an iron man behind-the-[late. Not the best at throwing out runners or (as some said) continuus framing, but he was there everyday to play. Pinto is not an answer for 2015 except as...maybe...a backup. Herrmann had his chance. Catcher is a weakness.

If Houston doesn't make the Wild Card, their manager won't get it. If they do, yes. Not sure how the baseball world as a whole are looking at the Minnesota Twins. We are excited here, but don't know if people are rooting for us at this point, or even care.

The thing is, at this point you don't even need to add Berrios to the 40-man roster. Meyer and May are still in the wings. Names like Dean and Rogers are also in the mix. And then you have the next wave (return of Wimmers, Baxendale, Stewart amongst others, but still not up until 2017 at the earliest.) And we always have the injury factor. Be interesting to see who the Twins sign for free agents (minor leagues) a la Boyer, Stauffer and the ink.

I am just jumping up-and-down that the twins DID have a winning season and that it looks like they have clinched second place in the division.

Any game that featured a player that shouldn't have broken camp with the Twins and is no longer on the team!

Same boring after-the-game interviews, where the player badly wants to just go to the dugout. Same boring interviews, but witth a player FROM THE OTHER TEAM! I don't care about players from the other team on my hometeam's show. Players mugging for the camera in the dugout. Announcers that just talk because they didn't do enough homework. You aren't comedians!!!!! Uniforms on managers and bench coaches. No more pajamas on the field. I want to see socks! Yes, no middle of the game patriotic song. We ALL know the SSB was done at the beginning of the game as simply a ploy to make baseball's America's game.I'm jsut glad it hasn't turned into a medly of American standards and YES, I can stand the occasional choir leading us in song! Bad dollar hotdogs that aren't worth a buck!

Don't let Pelfrey go mroe than five innings. If you want to limit Duffey, youc an do that, too. But then the Twins have to hope Noalsco comes back this weekend Darnell and May get better, and the manager will trust Tonkin, Albers, O'Rourke and even Duensing.

Rosario looks like a solid worker. He will listen and strive to improve. He needs to learn to NOT swing, but a lot of that comes with discipline, watching film, and letting the coaches crawl onto your back more often than not. He seems glad to be in the major leagues and is having fun playing ball.

"If I wasn't a Met, I would be a Yankee."

Get promoted to the majors and then get sick. Poor Logan Darnell. His one big chance to stay on the 40-man.

Is Nunez simply a money move, or would there be a reason to keep him instead of, say, a Beresford (or Bernier). Which makes me wonder why the Twins didn't reward Beresford with a September call-up, putting him on the 40-man and jettisoning Aaron Thompson. Just for a looksee.

So could even Billy Beane take this team and get anything in trade that would improve it above and beyond what we hope future prospects will do in the immediate future?

Adding back in Morneau, as you might Hunter, means you are jettisoning Arcia and Vargas, two players with possibly more upside during the next decade than those two will give the Twins (or anyone) for the next year or two.

The off-season activity will start up before we know it. Which means roster decisions, free agents announcing their availability, and teams fielding offers for their players. What do the Twins have to dangle out there and what kind of returns could they get on their players? No player is truly untouchable. But you could make a case that Buxton and Sano won't be going anywhere. Kepler could be a guy in demand, and if the Twins have no real plans for the guy to premiere somewhere in the next two years, he might be one of their more valuable trade chips at the moment. Otherwise, rotation. The inflated contracts of Santana, Hughes and Nolasco pretty much guarantee that they will remain Twins for most of another season. With a couple more solid starts, Santana could appeal to a team looking for a starter under contract. I could better see teams knocking on the door for a chance to acquire Kyle Gibson. Tyler Duffey shows some promise but not a lot of value. Don't see much changing here. Just the Twins figuring out what to do with May and Berrios. The bullpen is a mess. The Twins could demand high return on Perkins, but two seasons of meltdown hasn't made him a popular choice for another team, except that he could also just be a left-handed setup guy. If the price is right, the Twins probably would take the bait and stick with the lower-priced Jepsen. But Jepsen might be a valuable tradechip in himself, arbitration bound with successful closing experience at season's end in the midst of a wildcard hunt. SIgning him and Casey Fien gives the Twins a couple of possible trade chips of value in spring training. That is assuming that the Twins aren't heavy buyers themselves for the bullpen. May stays? Everyone else is piecemeal at this point: Tonkin, Achter, Pressley, Graham, Meyer, those 800 college guys you signed in the minors. I doubt we will ever see Oliveros again, and Pryor probably walks, too. We can't miss what we don't have. Could the Twins trade Joe Mauer and what would they get in return. Does he have any value, any value whatsoever, to another team. It would sure free up salary and offer a place to play Vargas and soon Kepler, both of whom could come close to replicating Mauer's season of 2015. The Twins have need of a catcher. But should they also dangle Suzuki before making a decision themselves. He's not the best guy available, but he did put up solid mid-level numbers this year and ended up being an ironman behind-the-plate, although his framing and throw-out skills were called into question. For another team looking for a catcher, he could be a grab. If the Twins can sign a younger more solid backstop, then he does become available. But when a team knows you may not have a place for a player, their trade value decreases. Which is the problem the Twins face with their most valuable tradechip: Trevor Plouffe. The assumption is that Sano could be the third-base guy for the near future, before shifting abck into a DH role 9or an outfield spot, of even first base) when he gets to be old at age 25 or 26 or so and maybe someone the Twins signed this year will be the new third-base guy of the future. So the Twins could be trading from a position of strength, but teams also know that Plouffe, although an adequate thirdbase guy who will be expensive come his final arbitration year, is a man that may be on the Twins 40-man with a roster spot come spring training end. That hurts his value, unless someone is huirting for a third baseman,and the question is can they do better on the current free agent market, trade for a backup from some other team, or grab Plouffe and find a longterm position for him, or let him walk when he reaches that arbitration final payout. The Twins could probably dangle Dozier for some return. I would feel more comfortable if they would bring up Polanco and get 25-30 more at bat looks at that guy. Then maybe Polanco becomes the tradechip and Dozier stays. Like Dozier, Escobar has some value to another club. But I don't see a big return to the Twins. I wish I knew what other teams are thinking about Oswaldo Arcia. If any of them really care? If they are sitting back to see what the Twins will be forced to do come spring training end...keeping the guy or just letting him walk (or be gone for the first solid prospect offer). Arcia could probably be bundled with another player (Hughes, Nolasco, Santana...any of the Twins big contracts). It might be the way to rid yourself of one of those big salaries. But what do you get in return. A mid-level bullpen guy, a couple more prospects to flush out the system that need to come off of someone else's 40-man roster spot or have a season before being Rule5 or minors free agent qualified? Arcia could be packaged, maybe with Plouffe and a prospect, for a first-class catcher (names anyone). No one is untouchable. Is this when you listen to offers for Eddie Rosario? If people call about Aaron Hicks, do you listen. I would say yes you do, although I would rather hear talk for Danny Santana or Kennys Vargas instead. It would be great to move big salary: Nolasco, Santana, Hughes, Mauer, maybe Perkins. But I don't see the Twins being the first call for players of that ilk. Most other teams have their own overpriced salary eaters and don't need to take on more. Players like Gibson and Dozier and Plouffe and Hicks and maybe Tommy Milone could draw the most interest. We could find replacements in our own minor leagues for the moment. So the return of better-than-average prospects would be a possibility. You can be assured that the Twins will have roster spots. Herrmann, Fryer, Cotts, Duensing, Pelfrey, Thompson, Nunez, Hunter, Robinson will all be free agents. Two or possibly three of Boyer, O'Rourke, Darnell, Achter and Tonkin could be gone, or ready to be jettisoned after the 40-man rosters are set and you need to sign a free agent or add a Rule 5 guy. We have names like Meyer and Pinto that the Twins won't quite give up on, although either could be expendable if the right prospect comes back in a trade with another team that pushes either down the prospect ladder rungs. Are the Twins set for 2016? Rotation: Yes. Bullpen: some upgrades possible, wish those college guys were ready. Catching: BIG NEED. Infield: The Mauer Syndrome better not continue. Outfield: To Buxton or Not, that is the question, and then the Arcia Needs. Bench: A mess, but bodies do exist (Arcia, Vargas, Santana and a catcher sounds okay to me). But back to the "Trading Twins." My Big Question: Would the Twins trade Joe Mauer and what, if anything, could they get for him? Could that happen? Would the fan base care? Would we rather see Vargas and then Kepler at first (or maybe keep Plouffe and make it the future home of Sano). You know, I don't think I would enjoy sitting in the General Manager's office right now.

I would rather see if Logan Darnell has ANY gas in himself at this point. Talk about a guy collecting some major league money and not getting another shot...yet.

Pelfrey had a couple of nice runs as a starter the past two seasons, but ultimately he couldn't get thru that order a third time and truly showed nothing exceptional to warrant his salary. Will he find a job next season, probably. But he better sign with a team that has a halfway chance of using him as a fifth starter or, as people said, be willing to work the bullpen. Will he sign for $2-3.5 million? Perhaps. But the Twins don't need him in any way shape or form. I would rather look at Scott Baker again, sign Scott Diamond for minor league depth, bring back Kris Johnson from abroad. Not that I would do any of the mentioned unless they were left on my doorstep with a note to "please show some care...AAA-ball time accepted). I keep thinking back to the Santana trade, when the Twins (reportedly) wanted Pelfrey but settled for Humber (who will also be looking for a job after pitching abroad this year). But time to move on. Too bad he didn't pitch consistent enough to bring back a prospect this summer. Hey, Pedro Hernandez is still around after pitching for the St. Paul Saints!

If the price is right and if there is a place for him. As a bench bat and fourth outfielder (assuming Buxton breaks camp) I would rather see Arcia. If Plouffe stays and Sano is primarily a DH, then Vargas is also a bench bat and backup at first (Kepler spends time in Rochester). Santana is probably the reserve infielder. Assuming Escobar starts and the Twins don't do soemthing foolish like go to arbitration with Nunez. So, when you get right down to it, the Twins basically need another catcher, be it a vet like A.J. or some journeyman better than Fryer or Herrmann (both of home should be gone from the 40-man). If options permit, keep Pinto at Rochester to see if he can contribute in the future. So it boils down to Hunter or that extra arm in the bullpen. Hunter instead of Boyer? I would assume that they would elt him play the marketplace to see how close he can come to his current salary somewhere else, althugh I truly do wonder who would be fighting their way thru the crowd to do so. I could see the Twins signing him later in the free agency process and worrying about a roster spot breaking camp...do they disable someone (or Hunter) to start the sesaon. I just can't stomach keeping Hunter and, say, losing Arcia...unless we get something valuable back in a trade for Arcia, and -- really -- besides a catcher, where would the Twins put someone from a trade. Bullpen perhaps? A rotation overstuffed with inflated salaries?

Let's play expansion draft. Who would the Twins keep immediately. Who would the Twins likely lose. And, in the off-season, who would the Twins be likely to offer out for trade for a decent return (we know Sano, for one, isn't going anywheres).

Yes, IF the Twins would get to the postseason and if Noalsco can pitch one-two games brilliantly, his value would increase greatly. Still a gamble, but he does have a fairly friendly contract remaining if he can be a top-flight mid-rotation starter.

It would've been interesting to see how the Twins would've handled his salaryand demands. Considering that Big Papi has only made $143 million in his career -- less than Mauer, far less that an extended contract for Santana would've cost at the time for the same period. He never really priced himself out of the marketplace except that decision-making year where the Twins didn't want to pay him a 20% cut or go to arbitration and the Red Sox were lucky to sign him for what they did after pretty much every other team passed on the guy. It is the unique problem with players at that point in their careers. You can't sign them for cheap as the owning team, you have to follow contract rules and such. But if put out there, anotehr team can offer and sign them for pretty much what you may have wished to sign them for, but not able to because of the mechanics of the system. Not sure how his Fenway numbers would've transferred to the Metrodome and now Target Field. But he will always be remember as the Minnesota Twins Babe Ruth fiasco.

The Twins have too many like-minded players at times. Plouffe and Dozier. Both similar, yet different. Streaky, have some power, do the job in the field. They work when they hit with runners on. Dozier does have a high number of strikeouts. But you could do worse than those two. Escobar should be given every chance to be the starting shortstop out of the gate with Santana as the utility guy, who can also play centerfield/outfield. Depending on if Buxton starts the season with the Twins, Santana truly becomes the backup forth outfielder you need. And that is also assuming that you put Arcia in right (and maybe have Hunter on the bench) to start the season. Add in Vargas and whomever you have as a backup catcher, and the becnh does look a bit better in 2016. It all changes if Buxton is in center and Arcia is a bench guy and Hunter isn't resigned. Still looks promising, though. Santana starting at short is just a placesetter, and Escobar can fill those shoes, too. You have to look longterm.Escobar (like Plouffe) will start getting expensive and you have to ask how much you will pay in arbitration or a longterm contract. If he can keep his value up, he's a valuable tradechip. Same with Santana. I'm sure the Twins will try and use Santana at short, thus making Escobar a utility guy and thus decreasing his arbitration value. But both are, hopefully, temporary cogs on the field. The fate of Polanco is totally up in the air. Will he be a utility guy, a trade piece, or by apssed by Gordon and others by 2017. The Twins line-up is pretty amazing, where msot guys are basically hitting the team average. No one is shining. Sano has short season excitement in the home-run department. No one is stealing a ton of bases. No ne is hitting .300 (except Pelfrey). Go figure! It's scary to think you are looking at a team of offense pieces that nobody would probably want to trade anything of value for, let alone make a waiver claim on.

Hughes starting a playoff game? Possible. But not sure if he would've had to start his rehab before the playoffs. It isn't unheard of to move players up (or down) to a minor league playoff team to better their chances. You just have to meet the roster requirement.

When you look at the Saints attendance figures you go "wow." What if it was the High-A farm club of, say, the Minnesota Twins. The Saints are printing money this year (consider that the Chattanooga Lookouts, AA franchise of the Twins, played their first playoff game to under 2,000 fans). Yes, it was a new stadium. Yet they managed to oversell the actual seating by nearly 1,000 standing or blanket sitters a game. That's not counting people like me or walked regularly thru the turnstiles abckwards around inning 7 because I live in the neighborhood and no one was paying attention. It brought some life to Lowertown. It had its problems with some businesses. Parking was an issue, yet there was still available palces in most lots (St. Paul wants to meter the streets to 10 p.m. to free up those spaces for business and neighbor visitors). Plus, the team one. Hard to believe that they weren't the best team in indy ball record wise. Curious to see if any of the players join major league organizations during the off season. And wonder what the mailbox looks like for people wanting to play for the Saints in 2016!