Rosterman

Meyer, May, Dean, Logan, Bromberg (wait, he;'s gone), Hermsen. The return of DeVries. P.J. could be around and around again. Looks good enough to stay out of the free agent marketplace. Unless they resign Blackburn.

It means Rosario will spend another full season in the minors before the Twins bring him north sometime in 2015.

I would rather lose with prospects than with AAAA veterans. I would rather cheer prospects than look over throngs of empty seats and the non-excitement over the latest from Clete Thomas or Josh Roeincke's shutout inning. Should a team tank to get a high draft pick? Right now, the Twins will be in the #3-5 range. The plus side is that they can spend the necessary monies to sign a high draft pick. The downside is that they get no supplementary draft picks from lost free agents. So this is their biggie. It will be more interesting to see what the off-season does bring with Terry Ryan trolling the free agent (albeit minors) market. There are at least 3-4 guys that the Twins had drafted but ahd signed with others that were waived this season. We forget that NOT ALL of these guys are rotten to the core. Many are the 41st man, or the 26th man, or have been pushed aside because of minor league depth and there will be no place for them in the majors before they become free agents (albeit, minors FA). The Twins offer a place for hope. We can also continue to sign people like Pelfry, who will use the Twins as a stepping stone to something else, or possibly show the team enough that they could resign for a generous (both ends) longer-term deal. Yes, aging vets are hungry. But new guys are also hungry. Plus you'll get to see their bad habits right away when they push themselves in the wrong direction. Lots of $5 tickets out there to watch September baseball.

Well, the Twins have to hope that Meyer, May, Brax, Stewart, Berrios are the real thing and that they all pitch sometime at the major league level in 2014 and the majority of them are part of the rotation in 2015...with holdovers from Worley, Hendriks, Gibson, Albers, Diamond, and anyone else the Twins may acquire. I see no need to further invest in the bullpen. They need to see and give playing time to prospects. Then invest in 2015 with one or two pieces, one longterm and another a veteran presence that can be a bench bat (think Thomesque). With their present condition, they will be unlucky on the free agent market unless they overpay in 2014. They don't need to, but we will all be able to yell about the money they are saving and ask where it is being spent. Yes, the Twins need to spend whatever they can each year on draftpicks and in the international market.

Collabello will be given every opportunity. Parmelee will come back just because he can and the Twins can use the depth. Whoever shines in their at bats will get first look next season. Ramriez has shown what he can do, but probably not enough to remain as a 40-man. Mastro and Thoams and Presley will get the opportunity. None of them are special. Presley is probably the cheaper and most controlled at the moment. Pinto just needs to show that he likes baseball (which Herrmann is also running on). Listen, play well, do you job, at least keeps you in the organization. I don't think Hicks will be recalled. But it could also establish bad blood if he does shine (a la Liriano). It means money lost, jacking you around and such. Wish baseball was bigger than this, but it isn't. Again, September is to really see what you do have....and I would walk way from players like Thomas and Bernier at the moment for sure, just to look at Beresford, Bigley and any other possible bench bat in the system. I would give DeVries and Hermsen innings to see if they deserve any more time with the team. I would bring up Santana. I would have May here for two weeks working out of the bullpen. He's on the 40-man, give him a taste of big league ball.

You approach free agency in any number of ways: First, look at your own. You are paying them as a Free Agent because of what they may still do for you, and also partly because of any meaning they may have had for the organization. Anytime you sign a free agent, you run the risk of a good season or two or a terrible contract. Some you may luck out on and trade mid-term for a player. Others, like Willingham's current contract, basically you COULD dump him as a waiver claim and not worry about it anymore. You got the good season out of him that was worth an investment. That's signing smart. And if you don't dump them next year, you can still dump them next year. You don't sign a free agent, but you have money midseason to pick up someone else's free agent, or to spend on a rental. You can pick up future year or sign and extension, too. Then you still do have the ability to trade. Yes, you get burned on contracts like Pavano and Capps last year, both were unavailable for trade and you ate their injury-sodden year. But more often than not, if the contract is especially reasonable, someone else will pick it up if you have patience, or if you trade at the high point. The Twins seem to miss the high points (Young, Liriano) to trade a player, or to end their Twins career early (Cuddyer, Hunter, Nathan, Kubel) often because they think they might get a deal or something. You can still underpay a player to play for your team due to loyalty, but the other big factor is competitiveness. Right now, you have to overpay to get someone to come to a losing team. Fact. And the big question is living within a budget...spend what you budget, or do youc arry it over into future investments. I don't see a team losing money on purpose because they made too much money in a previous season. Our biggest gripe here is that we voted a money machine for the Pohlad family by giving them a new stadium and increasing the value on paper of the franchise 30% in the process. They are raking in monies. Yes, they have spent, some unwisely, but still looking to profit rather than break even or -- egad -- lose money, which you don't do if you put a winner on the field. Butts in the seats mean more concession, more advertising revenue, more trinkets sold, and the chance to raise ticket prices if the tickets are hard-to-get. That is a no brainer.

The only thing Hicks has going if his hot streak continues and Rochester makes the playoff is the dismal play by Mastro, Clete Thomas, and even Herrmann in the outfield. I would rather eventually give at bats at seasons end to Hicks then at vats to anyone who may not be here in 2014. Who won't be here in 2014 is the big question. I would like to see Beresford get a callup and add. Looks like the Twins may also have to add a man from the Pirates 40-man. Sadly, if Ramirez is disabled for the season, I would cut him loose. Tough, but necessary, call. And even though he sucks, I would like to see Hermsen get a few innings in the big leagues...to further the decision on his 40-man status, rather than just cut him loose. Hernandez pitching will make a call on DeVries, I think.......

We talk about the Twins going over $100 million on payroll, what, when they got the new Target Field push. The honeymoon is over. Already, they must be planning for smaller crowds next season (of course, buy your season ticket package so you can pay outrageous major league baseball prices for a CHANCE to see the All-Star game). I truly wonder what and where TwinsFest will be in 2014 and will anyone care...shades of the summer autograph party.

Let's look realistically. DH - COumit or Willingham. RF Presly or Parmelee or both. Carbello will get a shot at first abse. Doumit is still around Arcia will be in the outfield, too young to be DH. If they trade Doumit, then Pinto will get called up. No use having Pinto around unless he is going to catch at least 40 or so games at this stage. Be interesting to see 40-man roster adds/subtracts before we get into line-up construction.

He would also need to be added to the 40-man roster. So that decision has to be made before it can be officially announced.

It's too bad they didn't sign him a bit earlier, and get 25 games out of the suspension the end of this season, first. If it works out, it works out.

As John Bonnes mentions, maybe the PTBNL will be more significant. He could be that guy the Pirates don't need on the 40-man. He could be a potential minor-league free agent candidate with no room on the 40-man roster. He could be someone in excess in the lower minor leagues. At least Presley will get some time in the outfield, along with Mastro, to see if either can fit into Minnesota's plans for the future.

Assuming the Twins would not reach a contrast agreement with the Twins, and the Twins a far cry from offering him 14-million. They got a placesetter, saved a couple of mil, get to see Parmelee at first base, and move on. Maybe by season's end, both parties will come into play and Justin will return at the Twins rate of pay, or slug the hell out of the ball and get the last great contract of his dreams. We got soemthing. We got something for Liriano last season. We got nothing for Cuddyer, Kubel, Nathan...and more than nothing from Pavano and Capps. Be happy, folks. Justin can play for a ring...maybe!

Well, I hate to see Morneau leave, but because the Twins couldn't reach a contract agreement, it is better to get something than nothing, Maybe the PTBNL will be a bonus. What do the following have in common: Pelfry, Pavano, Capps, Cuddyer, Nathan, Kubel, Baker, Cabarra, Crain, Guerrier, Punto, Rauch. Add in names like: Robertson, Benson, Valencia, Casilla, Marquis, Manship, Waldrop, Tosoni, Slowey, Everett, Ayala, Dickey, Neshek, Mijares, Jose Morales, Slama, Burnett. Maybe throw in Roeincke at season's end. Unlike stellar names like Delmon Young, Francisco Liriano, Drew Butera...all of the above players, who have been stellar players for the Twins and reached free agency (their choice) or at least had a token cup of coffee on the roster, many managing 2 seasons or more -- the Twins have seen a return of...zero! That's 30 bodies that the Twins ended up not feeling a need to keep in the organization, many of which were marketable at some point in their major (or minor) league careers to benefit the Twins organization in some way. Better yet, how many made major league rosters this past season. How many aren't playing ball. This is just from the past few seasons, not counting other names that keep showing up in the major leagues. Garrett Jones, Brock Peterson -- two first base candidates to name two. Randy Ruiz is still out there, playing like Chris Collabaro. All who the Twins let walk.

Plouffe is an enigma. Can you handle a 20-homer guy who hits .230 somewhere in the lineup? Perhaps, as long as he is the only such guy (goodbye Doumit and Willingham). In this case, I would rather have Doumit sitting on the bench or playing occasionally in the field. Unless if Plouffe could raise the average and take over in rightfield ala Cuddyer, but he would be blocking Buxton, Hicks, Williams, Morales, Kepler or any other guy there, I would use him strictly as a bench player, like the Denny Hocking of mold. But not sure if, at his price, he would function in that capacity at all for the Twins. I would start 2014 with him and if he goes on a tear, dangle him immediately. Or hopefully he shines in the last month and can be trade bait. He is not a aprt of my 2015 team except as a bench player, and those are replacement-type guys who are on par with the current Plouffe or much better.

I think it was more of a need that KC needed a temporary infield plug and the possibility that Carroll, who is a wonderful guy, would be a nice addition to their team, albeit shortterm. And he was affordable. And for their situation, at the moment, a wizened vet would keep them more competitive than an unproven rookie. But it sorta backfired. I still think the Twins needed to turn this transaction into getting the long-loved Bruce Chen into a Twins uniform.

If there are auditions. Cheap seats about to be available bigtime on StubHub. Yes, the Twins will average 27-29,000 the remainder of the year due to season ticket holders and such. But a lot of unclaimed seats, my friends. Also means loss concession revenue. Thje Twins have no 40-man spots to add guys. The only likey prospects are May (AFL), Hicks and Parmelee (will be punished by no recall), Hermsen (stunk up AA), Santana (too young), Pinto (will show up, at least, I hope). Tonkin will come on board. Maybe Diamond will return after playoffs. Maybe DeVries will get a shot. Hernandez and Mastro are up. Who am I leaving out? No one exciting, my friends. No 40-man spots to open up for anyone.

Well, with Ramirez on the DL and Hicks doomed to be Dozier 2013 (along with Parmelee, I suppose), Mastro will get to share the outfield with Thomas, Willingham, Herrmann, and maybe Doumit. He should get at bats, be dropped into the #2 spot in the order, and better make the most if he wishes a 40-man spot and major league contract with the Twins next season. A golden moment! If he gets on base, he might become the Twins base stealing leader this year!

I'm sure there is a six-year minor league free agent or a 40-man guy who will be dropped from the roster that the Twins could've had...or someone, anyone, from the lowest of minors. Where does this cash go, combined with getting rid of Jamey;s salary, Mauer's week of paternity leave. Is it for some season ending party? Doubt it will be spent next year, unless they wish to upgrade the executive lounge or something........ The Twins have proven that they are all about making money.....

The stinker would be if the Twins just gave the Orioles Willingham. Then the Orioles would be on the hook for Willingham's salary. Sure, the Twins could block by claiming Morse and making the Mariners give him to us, and then throwing him on last minute waivers for whomever, if that would happen. The Orioles blacked a bunch of guys from going forward. They basically don't have to offer anything except salary relief and call a team's bluff. I almost think the Twins should've,m but then Ramirez went on the DL. Sure, we have Thomas and Mastro (and Hicks), but looks like another month for Willingham to redeem himself. The Twins sure like the smell of their...crap!

Brian Fuentes was the name you are looking for.....

Yes, we always talk about the top prospects, but so many on-the-line guys do get a cup of coffee with the Twins or elsewhere (Brock Peterson made the majors this year, go figure). I am an advocate that the Twins should give more of their organizational guys that cup-of-coffee (Brian Dinkelman had his moment, remember). Wondering about next year's injury returns: Deolis Guerra and Lester Oliveros. Where will they be in the scheme of things. Remembering Anthony Slama!?!

A good question. Hicks was an utter failure. Parmelee didn't advance. Plouffe is an enigma. Part of the issue is the players he was dealt. Plus, the long-term of the players he worked with previously in the minors and currently in the majors. How much work to you put into, say, a Clete Thomas at some point. I would've expected better with new bench coach Terry Steinbacj, with Vavra and his sheets of paper running about, and Bruno...plus the mastermind of Gardenhire filling out the lineup card. When you have no bonifide #1 and #2 hitter, you suck. When you don't have a clean-up bat continuously in the line-up, you suck. Mauer is #3. Willingham and Morneau are #5's. Hitting wise, it has been a disaster. Especially the strikeouts with men on base. Round Two with the same crew or totally clean house, that is the decision that needs to be made.

Yes, if the Twins take the money and reinvest it. Yes, if they get some sort of a minor return. Yes, it frees up more time for another player. And a 40-man roster spot. Bless his soul, but Willie's worth to the team is next to nothing. Even if he bounces back next yer, he will be in his walk year. I say unload his salary. Throw Correia out there too after his last great start and let him go. Wish they could get something for Pelfry or Morneau, too, unless they plan to resign both. I would rather see, right now, the Correia and Willingham money spent on resigning Pelfry and Morneau for a season or two. Amd that isn't really a happy thought, either.

Sano will be playing winter ball somewhere. He doesn't need to be added to the 40-man and doubt that the Twins will do it this off-season, but they will invite him to major league camp. If added to the 40-man, it will be during the season. They'll still want him to work on stuff at AA/AAA next year. Sadly, the Twins will make many 40-man wrong decisions this fall. Just to keep options open and the clock ticking. And instead of a glorious 2015, we will start to think maybe 2016.