Rosterman

We basically have an older replacement for Swarzak. Of course, Trevor May could be a younger replacement for Swarzak.

Right now, you have Hermann and Rohlfing. You can call up and guy and add him if need be. Will be some third-string catchers cut loose (hey, Rene Rivera was a gold nugget find, Corky Miller and Eli Whiteside are still out there, not to mention Jose Morales). Drew Butera could become available. There is no shortage of filler catchers, especially if you are looking for that backup for someone doing 130+ games. I jsut don't want to see Herrmannnnnnn kept around just because he COULD catch. I want to see Molitor beyond that third catcher need. If you aren't playing Pinto, send him to AAA and let him catch and get an adequate bench bat who can also catch (Ryan Doumit is still out there).

Yeah, they need a new hitting coordinator. Looks like they just bumped the pitching coaches up a rung: Artega, Bonilla, Jiminez...with Vasquez taking over GCL.

Hughes is leaving a lot of money on the table, yet how much money do you need, folks. Of course, it is a bargain for th Twins. What would a qualifying offer be a couple of years from now. What will a qualifying offer be to keep Hughes one more year in 2020 if the two wished to stay together? But Hughes also stood a chance to implode and fall apart next season or the season after. So it buys him total security in life. The Twins took the bait, he grabbed, and hopefully it all works out for the best. "Pelfrey wins 20 in 2015, signs Lifetime Extension!"

Was it a demotion when Jake Mauer went from Ft. Myers to Cedar Rapids? It's an assignment, folks. You move the guys around, if you can. There are always ncie logistics, like Mientkiewicz supposedly liked the Ft. Myers job before because of personal reasons. Did Cliburn like being pitching coach at Rochester than moving to Double-A? It is still all pretty much the same job, although it is nice when you get some continuity of players to work with.

If all these guys pan out, that is a pretty solid team taking us into the next decade, and there is every indication these guys could stick in the majors, bullpen included. Whew! The payroll gods at Target Field are going to be pretty happy!

This is a pretty impressive list with at least 7 pitchers that can have an impact on the Twins on the major league level. And not even guys in the Top 20. Sure, a lot of bullpen arms, but, hey.....

Hamburger will get his chance during the season if he produces in the minors. He's probably drawing a decent salary, and the Twins will give him every opportunity, if they need to, avoid adding a long-term guy to the roster. Anyone catch that the Twins have signed lefty Will Ledezma to a minor league contract?

Everyone will get a look. But you do have to watch who you bring early to camp. Only so much playing time, folks. And then you start rewarding guys as the roadtrips happen. But your first concern are the guys on the 40-man. You want to see them and send them out soon. If they get disabled, they start the year with a major league salary. Looks like the Twins a pretty set on their minors rosters. They have enough guys to fill the first three levels easily with some spare change. Lots of people at Beloit/extended spring training.

Hey, the A's are paying his salary except for the major league minimum. And Punto can also play centerfield. Who knows. If he is passed by everyone, give him an invite.

Your ACE might give you a bit better win chance to stay in the game (so, why not start Game One with the 5th best starter against the other team's ace and hope for a miracle?). But once you get to the competition of the World Series, it becomes total matchups, weather, player energy...any number of things can change a game in a moment. Your ACE can not be warmed up and has one bad inning, giving up two whole runs, while the other team's middle-of-the-road starter is near perfect in his own terms and only gives up two runs in five heated innings of throwing the ball, before turning it over to the bullpen, and depending on who comes out and faces whom, no one can predict the results. And the so-called ACE can change with every season. Who was the Twins Ace in 1987? Anyone? Was Morris the true ACE, or just the guy who did get it done when it needed to be done in 1991? Out of all the teams last year, how many pitchers are the so-called ACE #1 starter and where did they fall in this category three years ago and three years hence?

Remember, Meyer will probably be on a limit of 150-175 innings next year. Could see starting him out of the bullpen, or a call-up. What will be fascinating is to see how the bullpen works out for this season. We forget that many starters become relievers (Hawkins, Guardado, Perkins). But besides Johan, how many guys start in the bullpen and move to the rotation, unless they are swing men like, say, Swarzak, or the token long-man, usually youth to get their licks.

People forget that Kepler came from Germany as a 16-year-old. The Twins may need to work on him alot, similar to Plouffe, who was drafted as a raw shortstop at 18. You can take too much time, and time is running out for Kepler. Come 2017 he might start being out of options, so he has to get a taste of the majors in 2016, and if possible, a cup of coffee next season jsut so he sees what he has to adjust to. Rushing a player happens on two occasions...fielding and batting. You throw a guy in a position and he has to learn or be able to immediately follow field placement. As a batter he has to suddenly realize that there is film and talk and everything about everything you do. You have to trust coaches, and coaches also have to know the player backwards and forwards. You can get by with so much natural talent, then you have to make adjustments. Kenny Vargas has to make some major adjustments. Oswaldo Arcia seems to make adjustments, then returns to what he likes to do...then goes to the minors and comes back and listens. Santana was far from perfect, he pretty much got a hit or struck out, it seemed. The coaches are there to help you along. You can listen or not. On a side note, speaking of coaches, LaTroy Hawkins was on MLB and did a kind shout-out to Tom Kelly who basically told him "you can go to the bullpen and help this team and adjust and probably pitch in the majors for a long time, or if you want to start we will send you back to AAA." We forget that LaTroy was originally a horrible starter (and not a much better closer). Everyday Eddie was a starter. Glen Perkins wanted to start. Heck, Frankie Rodriguez wanted to start because they made the money, relievers didn't. But being in the majors is being in the majors. Right now Twins prospects have to see that there are opening in both batting and pitching. And that there are guys riding your tail, one-yer or so behind. You have to step up your game and play. Otherwise, you are showed the door like Swarzak and Parmelee, both talented guys, but replaceable. A team is happy to allow you to grow and adjust thru the minor leagues and not push you, but once you turn 25-26-27, you are now competing with guys who are 30 and want to stay in the majors and kids who are 23-24 who might just have the same drive and equal talent, but are cheaper and will listen. I would love to see a discussion on the different ways major league teams operate. It seems there are always prospects that can't adapt to the way one system is run, but do well in another. Is it the whole system, from low minors to majors, or just the coaching staff at the major league level. And, back to the top, give Kepler a break. Although he is one of those guys that if he does flourish this year in the minors, he can be one of those prospects you use as a trade piece rather than gamble on finding a major league home for him yourself. Or, he can be another Hein Robb or Loek Van Mil...the foreigner in the strange land who just didn't make it...given every chance in the world, but United States baseball is a whole new game!

I don't think anyone needs to claim him. He is out of options (I believe) and will be a free agent. He'll either discover there is no need for his services, or the Twins can call again to plant him at Rochester, where they need a first baseman. Be interesting to see. Of course, the Marlins might just grab him for now...until they find a new first baseman or decide what to do with Garrett Jones. The Twins are hanging onto their pitching. I guess you never have enough arms?

We would be sitting pretty if we non-tendered Nunez, or Duensing, or Schafer. I would vote for Fryer and resign to a minor league contract. Probably Aaron Thompson. Has to be a pitcher, although they may do something dumb like try and get Logan Darnell through. Or, can I dream, Pelfrey?

You look at starters taking you deep into the game, or at least six innings these days, I guess. Championship teams also get good win ratios from their starters, hopefully above .500. You would like to see Gibson graduate to 17-18 wins. Santana and Nolasco could easily hit 15 wins apiece. Gibson should be good for 12-14. The starters get the wins if they keep their team in the game, four or fewer runs in their start these days. If they do 3 runs in their start, they are a gem. If you give up only wo runs, the bullpen can play around more. The Twins bullpen is pretty set with two setup guys (Duensing and Fein). You have Thielbar and someone (Oliveros) as 7th inning guys. You can have May or Pelfrey as long guys. You have Graham in the mix. Perkins would close. But, yes, if you can get a rotation that gives you 190+ innings each of the first four, you have guys pitching well, and if the offense is there, you will win.

If we come to 2017 with Meyer, May, Berrios, Stewart for starters either in the rotation or having paid their major league dues, it means we traded off Gibson at some point before he became arbitration expensive, allowed Phil Hughes to walk and got a draft pick because the Twins offered but he didn't take the additional year, and Nolasco is ripe for trade and Santana is being considered for an option year. Not to mention any surprises that would pop up. And the Twins would still have a minimal payroll. Would Hicks still be around (Kepler and Walker and Burto in the outfield). Would Dozier have been traded and replaced by Michael or anyone else. Is Gordon on the team by now. Yes, for the sake of spending money, the team didn't kill themselves with this contract, or even the one-year for Torii, which is worth its weight in fan goodwill...watch and judge. What makes all of this work is what the Twins can flip certain bullpeners for (Fein, Duensing for example). What they do with Plouffe, Escobar, Dozier. Can Hicks gain marketability. Is Arcia longterm or once he shows shines of shine (shades of David Ortiz) you just move him. The Twins are fortunate that they have a number of players not only major league bound but also 40-man roster bound who want to play major league ball and know they have a chance to showcase with the Twins, and the Twins just have to know when to pull the plug and (shades of Billy Beane) make trades happen. Will be an interesting next five years before the team totally settles and have to deal with longterm contracts for Berrios, Meyer, May, Sano, Buxton and the ilk...possible $100 million in those names alone!

Vogelsburg is still out there. Scott Baker is looking for a job. Lew Ford will be knocking on the door. The Twins could use a better backup catcher (bring back Doumit?). No! It would be nice to have an infielder who can also play the outfield and maybe even first base not named Nunez. Unless we ARE going with Arcia and Hicks, we need an outfielder who can catch and throw. Burton, Guerrier, even Jon Rauch are out there. Matt Capps is sulking somewhere in the Indians system looking for a way out. Be a bunch of signings to fill out AAA and AA rosters (but not too many). The big decision, go with the young guys, or hope the oldtimers put us in playoff contention so we can get back to just looking at one or two guys a year. Rosario, Sano, Buxton, Pinto should all have the opportunity someone named Hicks and someone else named Arcia had to flay away at pitches.

Okay, I think would ticks some people off is that when the Twins look at that big pile of money on the desk they think debt reduction, payoff the mortgage rather than invest in putting a team on the field. The fans coming to see baseball outdoors ran its course, now you need product. And maybe you have to bite into your profit percentage to play the game. If you lose by investing badly (or your division has done better than you), then you cry when people don't come and see games, but you do make moves so you can keep your ticket prices stable.But if you win, then you can raise ticket prices and spend more money, because you do have more coming in. At some point the Twins investment in Target Field will be paid off and all they will have is operating costs and some sort of split on improvements. The Taxpayer gets their note paid off in 30 years or so. Maybe f we paid off our note faster, than sales tax could go down in the metro area. Kudos to the Twins for opening the purse this season. Hopefully they won't eat $20 million in disabled list stuff like they did the majority of last year (counting lackluster play from Mauer and Noalsco rally being injured et al). I'm sure they were looking at the sales department and the trouble they were having getting advance ticket sales going and knew they had to do something. Lose $20 million in overall sales in 2015 or spend $20 million and charge up the base a bit. Yes, you can spend a lot of money and still get beat. It's a funny game. But don't even hint that you are paying off your own note, or spending it on stuff people don't associate with on-the-field stuff.

But a signing like this, along with arms in the minors, makes me cringe even more than we locked into Duensing (amongst others). But I guess you never can have enough pitching, and spring training shakes everyone out.

Yeah, I thought Santana would get more. It must be the length of the contract that sold him. We talk about May and Meyer (and Milone)...well, these guys will have a limited opportunity this spring and this season to show their stuff, otherwise they will be overtaken by the next young crowd of prospects (Stewart, Berrios). The Twins have bought more time to nurture the aging May and Meyer, but the rotation reamains pretty much the same for 2016 barring a meltdown or a mid-season trade. We free up Hunter and Pelfrey salary next season right off the bat. Sano will show us what to do with Plouffe. Any of the tenders will also be gone for sure: Nunez, Duensing, Schafer. Catcher will be interesting to see what develops. So the Twins do free up a little bit of money. Doesnt do much good if Santana, Bargas, Hicks, Arcia don't produce. And Sano, Rosario, Buxton, Pinto all need service time to establish themselves. The future looks promising, but remember that the other teams in the division are also making moves and actually staying the same or getting better, which doesn't speak well for the guys trying to get into the hunt.

I could live with that bench. I expect Hunter to work wonders with Hicks, although the Twins could still another outfielder. The bullpen will be interesting now with Graham in the mix. I also pictured May in the bullpen, with Meyer starting. Meyer will be on an innings limit, so if he starts up here or in AAA, he won't pitch the whole season. I would like to see Milone and Pelfrey start at AAA. I question Pressley. And wonder where Thielbar is in the whole mess. The Twins do have Tonkin,as you have listed, as well as Achter and Thompson in the bullpen mix, and who knows when Burdi and/or Reed will show up. I don't hate the lineup. I'd like a little more pop on the bench, but it is better than sometimes in the past. I worry about Santana and Vargas and wonder if Arcia will get his act together. I have faith that Nolasco will be an innings eater and solid pitcher and that the Top four of the rotation will give us 50 wins by staying in the game and not turning it over to the bullpen. That fifth starter is still a problem, but we have many folks: May, Meyer, Darnell, Milone, Pelfrey who want the job...and even more in the background (Stewart and Berrios for two). The overall division might be a bit tougher this year, especially with the rotations the teams will be throwing at us and the inexperience in our lineup...Hicks (for now), Arcia, Vargas and Santana all need coaching and mentoring and monitoring. They are still basically rookies under fire. Throw Pinto into the mix and that is a promising group, but still free swinging (not to mention Rosario and/or Sano getting into the mix, and maybe Buxton this season...and Michael and Kepler and Polanco also striving for the big time).

I'm glad someone else sees Gibson as potential tradebait, especially if Nolasco comes thru. I'm not sure how Gibson will do as he continues with the Twins. Anyone else have thoughts on him?

So why weren't the Twins able to turn Burton, Duensing, Swarzak, Fein, Thielbar or any of their bullpen into gold at the last trade deadline. Speakers of Duensing, the Mets want a lefty out of the bullpen, and the Twins also have Escobar (who the Mets aren't excited about -- maybe Nunez is a better fit) for Gee-whiz! So much crap coming out of tweets. Ryan and Beane went into the men's room together, major deal happening. Ryan left a cab that Cashman entered shortly after. Maybe passing secret notes. Why is no one reporting the Twins three-ear $30-million offer they made to Lester?

The middle reliever dollars are hefty this year. Good money for throwing 60 innings or so. In the past, it always seemed, the Twins made just enough moves to stay competitive in their division and within reach of a post-season run, as many things can happen to a team, no matter how strong they look on paper.But right now, the Twins look so far out of the hunt that I feel sorry for Molitor who is put in a wait and see what the prospects can do and learn in their first half-year on the job and why did we spend money on Hunter if we truly aren't going anywheres. Of course, we spent money on Hunter because us Twins fans do want the front office to spend money rather than keep it. And no matter how much we talk amongst ourselves, the greater smokescreen of major league baseball is how the fans who put their butts in the seat on a whim and a prayer react to things like a Hunter signing coupled with how our starting staff is stronger than it looked last year and we expect to have breakout seasons from numerous players, and Joe Mauer will be the Joe Mauer of old. That will fill the stands for the first 30-35 games or so at home. But at some point, the Twins will have to open their wallets bigtime, or become another Oakland. I'm still amazed at how Billy Beane plays the game. Yes, why are the Twins kicking tires on a #4 or #5 starter when they have a batch of them in waiting...May, Meyer could move up and go beyond that with a little major league experience, Pelfrey and Milone fill those spots adequately, Yohan Pino and Logan Darnell could play those roles. We can salivate on the prospect of Stewart and Berrios in the wings, and maybe the return of Alex Wimmers. But, man, $27 million a year for starting pitching? Kudos to Neshek for his monster salary, too. It will be interesting to see how the off-season continues to settle, although - pinch me - why did the Twins tender arbitration to Nunez, Duensing and the ilk again? As I shuffle 25-man rosters in my mind, I can see them breaking campy with NONE of those bodies in tow.