Rosterman

Well, did they sign the majority of their draft picks. I believe so, step one done. Did they actively play in the International market with budgeted funds this year, possibly not. Did they jettison dead weight like Willingham when given the opportunity, holding out for what? Not to mention Pelfry. Maybe even Doumit. Just freeing up current big contracts and reinvesting that money in others would be a step forward. Sometimes you bite the bullet and don't look for a prospect fleecing on-top of getting rid of salary, but only if you reinvest that salary. Do they spend to keep their own free agents. Humm. Seems not. Unless they make a ridiculous offer to Pelfry, a player will sign with someone that is showing contention above and beyond having Mauer in the line-up, or if the Twins do offer that multi-year contract that they can't get elsewhere, again, for a tidy sum. The Twins have to put on a good nface by having top-flight management, field personnel and show that they are spending not jsut for the short-term, but in a way that their internal prospects will also possibly (never a given) shine. They must also put buts in the seats. Right now, Pohlad is walking around the stadium and seeing it staffed with concessions and ushers for a crowd of 20,000+ (which you have to, the tickets are sold) but actually seeing 12-14,000 butts in the seats, And not all of them are wearing Twins gear anymore. You are offering $12 home-run porch seat tickets and season-ticket holders can't even sell their unused tickets for $6 up to the day of the game. You don't sell out your dollar dog nite, even when you limit each fan to a dozen. Plus, the Twins and Target Field (is the field more important than the team) will be getting national spotlight in 2014...and who are they going to have represent them on the field. Mauer and maybe Perkins, Perk just getting into the roster this year because Jesse Crain had to get injured. Yes, I'm sure Pohlad walking thru the Legends Club and seeing all that food gong unsold, all those seats outside empty, and no traffic in the aisles is wondering where the millions will come to help pay down their part of the stadium bill early will come. Words are just words. Yep, I'll sign any player for the Twins that will work for $3-4 million, has potential to come back the next season and play even better for the same money, and won't be asking me for a multi-year contract, unless it is for less pay each season.

Scott Ullger will get his year!

At least there is jiggle room - Darnell and Dean could begin at New Britain. Hernandez may be better suited for the bullpen (and he or Albers will probably be a Twin). DeVries might be back. I see them signing a few minor league free agents to fill the DH?OF, maybe 1st base role (the other 1B prospects are all AA or below). Ftyer MAY be back as a backup catcher. But, yes, I think Red Wings fans could excited actually seeing Twins prospects play rather than a roster full of retreads.

Here I thought the team was moving to the International League. Maybe that will be when the new Stadium is built downtown St. Paul to hand the expected crowds. Seriously, know I wasn't really funny at all there. I sometimes wonder the advantage of these season starting trips to major time zone changes (why not Europe added to the mix, too). Like the World Baseball Calssic, maybe coincide with the World Series and played at the end of the season, kinda that area between the end of the season and full scale winter ball.

What about Dozier becoming the third baseman if we have better choices at 2B/SS, assuming the Sano is not set for that place and would be better suited at 1st or DH or OF. Arcia needs a mentor on the team, as will Sano. The Twins need some coaching changes.

Monday was the ultimate cheap ticket game to go to. They started it at 6 p.m. The stands were nearly empty (only 9 folks in section 312 where I started the game). Many folks had failed to put the revised rainout tickets on StubHub (only like 1400 tickets were still on sale at game time). It looked pretty dismal at gamestart time, and the concessionaires seemed to be pretty meek. Not sure how many wandering vendors they had, as there were absolutely no lines on dollar dog night. Food was being prepared as ordered. It was hard to find a stand on the upper level after the 7th inning, and most people from that area had moved elsewhere. The outfield bleachers were pretty much empty all game (starting off in the 90+ degree sun and humidity). The earlier start-time contributed to the vacant seats. The reschuedled rainout did too. The crowd picked up a bit when 7 p.m. rolled around. But, yes, they sell a guaranteed 22,000 per game no matter what. But this was the first example where NO ONE had to but tickets for any of the Twins controlled sections. They were available via StubHub or on-the-street for a song. Where it hurts is the concessions. Where it hurts is parking (not that the Twins control) but $5 spaces were available a lot closer than they were when we last went to a Twins game, cutting down our walk time in half. We all cheered Josmil Pinto, which is what September should be about for a losing team. You get behind certain players and run with them. The only other to get the fans going on a two strike count was Glen Perkins, otherwise a pretty quiet crowd throughout, with some wanting to leave when the Twins fell to 3-1 and Weaver had thrown 59 pitches in the same amount of time Hernandez had thrown 100. I can't get excited about the All-Star game with a pricetag in the area of $400 for the event ticket package. It is truly going to be something to see the Twins season ticket push for 2014, what happens with Twinfest, and maybe the selling point will be the new plaza out back, not the extended parking lot that I thought was going to be the Plaza inking the Twins to Washington Avenue, which is also bordered by lots of empty retail spaces, which kind of defeats the purpose of surrounding a stadium with real estate. The radio stations are a good point, too. How many stations will pony up the Twins fee next season. What are television ratings for the team. How much advertising revenue are they losing.

There is something to rewarding these guys and adding them to the 40-man, with the prospect that it might encourage them to resign as minor league free agents with you again in 2014 if they don't get better offers...the major league salary for 20+ games is surely a great seasonal bonus. Is there someone more deserving, that might open the season with the Twins next year, and not on the 40-man. That is the question to ask. I thought there might be. And maybe even like another poster said, more innings for Trevor May in blowouts (who is on the 40-man) for example. No one was truly cut, so that is a blessing. But it may be brutal this offseason. And some of these AAA guys will stay on (shades of Drew Butera) in case the Twins need roster adjustment/movement further down the road. (Which is when Deduno may be cut if his injury is year long...other rosters are set waaay too well and you can usually sneak a guy or two thru during the winter meetings or the end of the free agency period that will still stay in the organization in some capacity). Plus, it is pretty amazing how many 41st-44th players are out there or as minor league free agents. We saw a few of them this season with the Twins, and short-term in the Twins system.

And, I guess, as long as now one of importance was DFAed. That is the sticking point so much these days.....40-man roster spots.

It is just what it says, Instructional League, like the beginning of the season before the short-season leagues happen. The guys play ball. They work on fundamentals. They try and experiment with different things. It is like baseball school. You play games amongst yourself, and other similar teams. No big need to win or lose, just develop. Like what Little League should be.........

Yes, Chad was hitting coach at New Britain this season.

DeVries pitched well down the stretch after his latest lower minor league rehab. How he fits with the Twins depends on what they do with Swarzak (and Duensing...which is why I would've promoted Thompson). The Twins will have arbitration decisions on both Swarzak and Duensing and the choice is keep them and pay them or find trade partners, or release them. It's been a tough year for Duensing who became a very short relief guy, instead of the past innings eater he was. Swarzak did shine in his role, but I'm sure he would love to start somewhere and may someday get that chance. I also wonder if this is a goodtime of the year to DFA guys (like Hermsen) who might have a better chance of getting thru waivers than, say, November. Hicks is last year's Dozier. I guess Presley is getting the nod for playing time. Mastro will get to showcase himself. Arcia will rotate. Parmelee needs some at bats. Wow, suddenly, with their own production this season, Willingham and Doumit seem to be fluff on the pillow, the pinch-hitter when you want to swap out Escobar for Florimon..

Is Gene Glynn being added to the coaching staff for the rest of September, by chance?

Don't they kinda play games amongst themselves half-the-time? By the way, who is on staff this Fall.

Picture DeVries out of the bullpen. Yes, why Eric Fryer (shades of Rene Rivera getting mad when he wasn't called up, Herrmann was, last year). Why not Beresford. The only redeeming grace is hat guys added to the 40-man before the end of the season can be removed. Those added when rosters are set later in November can't be removed until after spring training, I believe. But nothing excited here. Why Martis, for example. I would've added situational lefty Thompson. Yes, the old days used to add journeymen at season's end if you were a team like The Senators so guys could get some pension qualifications and such, or maybe a minute showcase. But at this stage of the game, if they aren't going to benefit the Twins in 2014 or beyond, why do this. Be interesting to see if Deduno is like Oliveros, and get's designated after season's end and resigns with the Twins. Hey, we saw the Rd Wings play in Minnesota this year! Pitchers: Albers, DeVries, Deduno, Diamond, Gibson, Hendriks, hernandez, Thielbar, Tonkin, Worley, Robertson. Cathers: Herrmann, Butera, Fryer, Pinto. Infielders: Parmelee, Colabello, Escobar, Bernier. Outfielders: Hicks, Arcia, Ramirez, Thomas, Mastroianni.,

I would cut Thomas, Roeincke, Ramirez, Bernier right now and bring in three guys like Beresford, Biigley and even Aaron Thompson to see what they can bring to the team. I would also promote Santana, Hermsen and DeVries. I want to see guys who might contribute in 2014 or beyond. I know some don't deserve to be added until November, but the Twins should take any advance looks at the fringe guys who can replace fringe guys. Have to decide if they are worth keeping around. If you don't think they belong, then make the moves now and add guys that will belong. If you need to cut Hermsen or DeVries, do it and let us see the Deans or Logans. And if you aren't going to play Willingham and Doumit, who need all the help they can get to get to tradeable status, maybe you should've just dumped one or both when you had the opportunity. Never makes sense to let big money sit on the bench. I wonder if a change of scenery would be good for Gardy, yet I'd also like to see him continue to manage and retire as an advisor similar to Tom Kelly, being Mr. Twin for life. But he has this partnership with Anderson that needs to be broken. I also want to see some plans by management to promote baseball as baseball. We don't need to go to a Twins game because Target Field is outside and beautiful.We don;t need to go to a Twins game because it is the greenest stadium in baseball. We don't need to have the food advertised bigger than the players. We don't need to buy tickets so we can get preferential treatment for the overpriced All-Star Game, which is great, but can't wait to see the mess it creates in downtown Minneapolis. Maybe MLB will spend tons of money and help the Pohlads develop that parking lot into a mall outside the stadium. I want players to cheer. Maybe Diamond will be a gem for four games at season's end here. I want major league baseball back.

The pain now is that with lefty specialists and such, plus relievers only going an inning (Duensing), the long-man has all but disappeared. You need to have three guys, in the least, that can go 3-4 innings, and then they can only be used every other game at the most, and probably every third day at the least, and if they are good enough for that role, why not just make them a starter. My favorite of the old 4-man rotation days (in which you did have a fifth man, by the way, who was around for double-headers or to sometimes give a rest...when starters threw more innings) were the starters like Jim Kaat who also threw 4-5 games out of the bullpen. Right now, I almost wish the bodies were up here that the Twins could go with a 6-7 man rotation for the final two dozen games just to see pitchers (and where is Hermsen...at least let him shine or tank up here to see if he is valuable enough for a 40-man spot). I imagine DeVries and Diamond and Tonkin will join the team momentarily. But who do you drop from the 40-man if you wish to add Beresford, for example.

Every year he plays to his average helps him, no matter where. Helps if he wins another batting title (although as long as he remains in the Top 5 that is a plus). Besides, he's a good guy!

The joy is that Pinto and Collaballo have options. They can start the season in the minors (as so Herrmann) and he Twins can hope to build value for Doumit and Willingham and see if Parmelee makes good on chance number three (or is it four). None of those guys would suffer opening the season at Rochester. I mean, who is coming up that would replace them right away unless the Twins sign another slug of minor league free agents that include an AAAA catcher of note or a Randy Ruiz-type first baseman. Willingham (as designated hitter if nothing else) can still show life and become a valuable righthanded batsman for sale. Doumit, sadly, would need to be marketed to another team in the majors that needs that third catcher and bench bat. His 2013 has pretty much destroyed his bench bat value, sad to say. He has, literally, become Brandon Inge...who could at least field grounders at third. These two right now valueless players have put a little cog into the Twins system, because they will take up bench and playing time, and keep the Twins from investing in any more similar type players, just because they MIGHT have trading chip value. I, for one, wish they had just let Willingham, at this point, walk to the Orioles as salary relief for next season rather than continue the investment. Doumit, like Pelfry, must've gone thru waivers and both ahd no takers. I may be wrong. But, yes, Doumit and Willingham both can't DH (well, maybe they can) but it does neither of them or the team any good to do so. If I wanted a similar DH, I would just take that $12 million a resign Morneau.

Hughes could be a good long-term option if the Twins are willing to go 3-5 years and trust their instincts, Johann would be a public relations plus and should be considered...even if he throws no innings, he'd be worth more to the team than Scott Baker last year and Nick Blackburn this year. What is truly amazing is how Terry Ryan did doge a bullet with so many of the 2013-class of free agent starters tanking in their own overpaid ways.

Like the Yanks C.C., Max DOES get great run support which makes him a better pitcher than he already is. The Tigers should probably sell high on the guy in the offseason. The bullpen, as a whole, should be the Twins MVP this season. Okay, Mauer should...as he batted second, had zero support around his bat, and still managed to strike out less than everyone else on the team. Clete Thomas will go down in history with all those other favorite Twins outfielders: Matt Carson, Jason Pridie, Jason Repko, Mike Ryan, Jason Tyner, Josh Rabe, Brian Dinkelman, Dustin Mohr, Bobby Kielty, Mike Restovich, Brian Buchanan, John Barnes, Midre Cummjings, Chris Latham, Chad Allen and Lew Ford. And that's from just the past decade or so. I guess the late great Wilkin Ramirez would also fall into this category. Gone and not missed. Who would think that three minor league teams in the Twins system would field better teams than the major league team. I almost would rather be watching the Kernels, Red Wings, even the Rock Cats and Elizabethton, on the field this year in the out-door, intimate Target Field setting. More to cheer about!

A two-year deal, but at what price. I'm sure his agent will be looking for at least a multi (2) year deal now with an option for a third. Will he get that? I suspect he'll get a one year with a buyout option for a second for sure. And he'll command better than $5 million, but less than $8 million. It was sure nice of the Twins to pay him a more than decent salary in his Tommy John recovery year. But with the results so far, I would've almost passed and spent the money on signing him for the next two seasons and let him showcase himself with another team, unless you do have a good option of signing him. My concern is: is there a demand for him? I didn't hear alot about suitors during the trade deadline, and I would be interested to know if he was waiver claimed, and if he was, why the Twins didn't just let him go -- unless they are trying to get him for next year and...too many questions. The biggest question us fans need to live with: do we want the Twins to spend budget for the sake of spending budget, or do we want to have 2014 be a total rebuilding year and can we live with the ownership paying back their own debt for the stadium quickly and living with lots of empty seats. I would like to think that having one of the worst major league teams in baseball is not a plus when you are hosting the all-star game.

The Plouffe question, as will be the Dozier question (where did the power come from and will it stay) will rotate around cost. If the DH is a free agent-type role. Or do you pay Plouffe in 2015 $5-7 million to be that player, who can also play other positions. Like the pitching, the Twins will weigh service time like crazy as they don't want every main roster player to arbitrate at the same time or become a free agent at the same time, unless they DO have the strength in the minors to cause them to move some players every three years. I also think KEPLER will part of some mix, and they do need someone other than Florimon at shortstop to make 2015 work. I would also like to assume that besides signing a BIG BAT, they would also get a top of the rotation starter in the $100 million contract range, since everyone playing in 2015 would be making minimum or close to it for four years.

You take a gamble that he will increase his value next season, or have him take a gamble and sign a 3-year extension for $5-8 million with hopes of having a bench job at the least. The Twins can afford it for next season, after that, he has to really earn his at-bats. He is not a Michael Cuddyer, yet, sadly, and may never be.

Too expensive at the moment. If he is released and can be signed for...whatever, maybe a good gamble. But the strikeouts...though fitting with the current roster makeup...are just too much. Collabello is cheaper, and Parmelee has just as much promise.

Anything that starts to put players on the field that will more than likely contribute in 2015 and 2016. Adding one or wo free agents for a couple of seasons ain't going to do it for me. Joel, former partial season ticket holder who hasn't graced Target Field for one game yet in 2013.