Rosterman

The thing is these are the roster fillers, AAAA guys the Twins should be looking at other than Bernier, Thomas, Roeincke etc.

We know a few will be added to the 40-man this off-season. Probably means May won't get a September call-up.

You never know where the players will end up next season.

As a fan, I do want to see a good game, in which the players are performing and enjoying themselves, and the overall string of games remain somewhat competitive. It is hard to view a game when you are down a massive amount in the first few innings, or the players don't make plays, or the team just doesn't hit (move runners around, drive in runs more often than not, take pitches correctly and get on base, maybe a running game. It is also nice when there are players you get excited about. Perkins in one, now...of course Mauer (and Morneau). That's about it. It's nice when a new guy comes up (remember how Gomez overshadowed Young, the love many had for Revere, even getting behind an underdog like Punto). To sound like a Twins commercial pitchman: "Let's root root root for Thomas, Collabaro, Ramirez and Doumit." Not. I will admit the 2013 free-agent class was an overall bust, in many ways. A rebuilding team does sign big and small free agents, some with the hopes of hanging around for more than a year, some that you can flip for a prospect. You invest that money (that never carries over) for on-field product that you can hopefully trade off for future product. The Twins, as many have said, have failed miserably in identifying players to trade within arbitration coming off great years, and doing something, anything, with potential free agents that more than likely won't resign. They do identify replacement value players that get them along for a year or two (if we do get a third season out of Fein and Burton, we can all applaud). But like the aforementioned pitchers, and the Thomasas and Ramirezes and even Florimons...the 25th and 41st players from other organizations that are just on the field while our draftees develop, the Twins need to recognize that these re sellable commodities sooner rather than later. Prospects are tough. We all wanted to root root root for Aaron Hicks, and then we ended up shielding out eyes. Gibson was to be the second-coming of great pitching but almost made you yearn for Hendriks. Both can still pull out the stops and be stellar next season, or in 2015...they have that long of a leash. But a rebuilding team needs to play the game. Needs to have you pay attention to what is happening on the field, not the scoreboard or what beer or brat you yearn for next. You also want players to applaud when they come to the plate and get a hit or field a ball nicely. You want pitchers that make you applaud at the end of an inning or when their bumper music plays during their bullpen walk. You also want to be behind management. When they come out after-the-fact and say their general manager had more money to spend but didn't, and the team is tanking...well, you can still spend...international signing bonus money, play the waiver wire some more DURING the season and grab those 26th and 41st younger players and run them thru waivers again so you can keep them in your system. If you have a weakness on the field (two outfield spots, three infield spots, designated hitter) go ahead an do a waiver claim for a big future free-agent gun and have them hit to put some fans in the seats, and maybe you might even resign them for next year. If you aren't going to advance anyone from the sub minors, let us see Byrd in the outfield or some aging pitcher throwing strikes. I would rather see you spend some money to put butts in the seats rather than drag out P.J. Walters or have Ramirez/Thomas out there shagging balls...none of whom SHOULD be around in 2014. I want to see a team of replacement level players, I can go watch the Saints. I want to see major league ball, I want to see a team playing hard, with developing players that may/may not be the future of the franchise.

I would let Pelfry and Correia walk if someone claimed them on waivers. Would be tempted to do the same with Willingham, just to free uo 40-man spots to bring up some prospects in September. Like they did with Dozier last season, I would not bring up Hicks or Parmelee (assumning we can add another outfield prospect to the 40-man). I would bring up Escobar. I would bring up Santana. I would bring up anyone on the 40-man roster to give them a taste of the big leagues and evaluate if they should remain on the 40-man roster. That includes, injury healed, Cole DeVries and Pedro Hernandez. Some innings from them and any kind of showing would make a Swarzak or Duensing available as tradebait. If they flounder, you question keeping them on the 40-man. You also bring up Hermsen and May from New Britain...because you can. Hermsen had an awful year and the Twins need to make a choice if he is worthwhile to keep in development or to languish in the minors. That spot he is holding is valuable. Should he keep it? Should the Twins cut him and hope no one else grabs him. That is the question. DeVries deserves one minute chance to shine again in the majors. Hometown kid. Raw break by coming north and blowing it at season's beginning by being injured. Again, if he shows anything worthwhile, you keep him, otherwise he becomes another Mike Restovich. I would also bring up Pinto, especially if you downplay Mauer for the rest of the season. Give him and Herrmann innings behind the plate. One or both of them will start at Rochester next year as the Twins figure out Doumit's value. The pain is that the Twins don't need to add guys like San to the 40-man this early. They actually don't have to add Sano until next fall, but can invite him and others to spring training to see if they are available for use on the roster earlier rather than later next season. Oh, yes, Mastro gets called up. Yes, Richardson deserves a shot, too. But Mastro, Thomas, Ramirez really don't deserve 40-man spots going into the offseason, although they will hold them down for the moment. You can always remove guys from the 40-man who were on it at season's end. You can't remove those added in November, right, until after the season opens. Correct me if I am wrong. So you need a few movable bodies for free agent signings (dream) and the like. It's a tough job being general manager right now. You are looking at servcie time issues. You are looking at 40-man needs of team and players. You are hoping the New Britain team can move up to Rochester next year and you may not have to sign 29 minor league free agents (see 2013 Minnesota Twins Roster - Majors View ). Yeah, they should be mlooking at Beresford, Bigley, Darnell, Dean, Hanson and all the minor league superstars in September.......

I see the minor league spots remaining pretty much untouched, unless someone retires. If the Twins make a change on the major league level, I almost pray it is someone outside the organization (Charlie Manuel, foe example) instead of Steinbach or Molitor...unless the Twins feel beholden to Molly. Then I see most all of the coaches currently here scrambling for jobs within the Twins system or elsewhere.

I've been feeling the same. A fan since Year One. No games this year! And I want to believe in Hendriks, but don't even know if he can long-relief his way onto the staff. He didn't dominate this year at Rochester (who, amazingly, have pulled off their year with the in-and-out pitching staff they have). I'm not sure who will be pitching up here in September. I hate the thought of giving mroe starts to pelfry if you aren't keeping him. I wish Correia would be claimed on waivers and give us that salary back for next year. But who do we have in the minors: Diamond, Hernandez and an about to be shutdown Gibson. Maybe May can come up and throw some starter innings (let Hendriks wallow in relief). The other guys, Meyer and such, won't be added to the 40-man until November. Hey, even though they have been dismal this year, I would advance DeVries and Hermsen to the roster in September and see if there is anything that should keep them on the 40-man, or even in the organization, once they get major league meal money, see the stage in Target Field, and make a decision on how they want to be a major league pitcher. Biggest disappointments this year: DeVries, who all but sewed up a rotation spot, only to go down with an arm injury. And Mastro and Benson, both of whom had every opportunity to steal centerfield away from Hicks. Instead, we are stuck with Clete Thomas, who is and has gone nowhere. Seriously, part of what will keep me away from September games is that I don;t need to see guys who won't be on the roster next year being mediocre on the field. I would rather see rookies of some promise do the same.

The joy is he's on the 30-man and Butera ain't blocking him. Doumit was signed as a DH who could also catch. The Twins got a good one-year deal out of him, and he managed to switch it to a solid 3-year deal, which, if he is hitting, most of us can live with. No other alternative at DH at the moment, unless you consider Morneau...he's here in 2014. His trade value is zero as he is mainly a DH. Another American League team would need to find value in him. But, like Brian Harper of yore, he does work his butt off behind the plate and is trying to keep his skill-set improving. That is a value to him, to be a guy with a bat who can also spell a catcher. We aren't sure yet how Hermann will fit into the Twins. he is a guy who can catch, and possibly play am multitude of positions. But if you are going to cvatch, you do have to catch, not jsut be that #3 emergency guy. Both Doumit and Herrmann will be bench bats next year. Pinto will play winter ball and start at Rochester. Again, the clog comes with a decision on what to do with Morneau. Sign him to play msotly first and hopefully get a new firstbaseman in 2015 (prospects anyone). Have him be a 1B/DH role and still run thru the usual suspects (Collabello, Parmelee, Mauer, Dotmit, maybe Plouffe in a rotation with DH). Or just deep-six Morneaa and continue to think about new guys who can make 2014 more inetresting than any of the last three seasons and 2015 a return to being competitive (or at least .50) baseball.

It all boils down to the starting rotation. The Twins have mixed in their share of minor league free agents, and it seems to be a mecca for rehab. Almost any player who will be a Twins major league guy who goes thru the minors does come thru New Britain. So that is a plus, too. I won't fault the coaching staff. Smith seems to be a Twins lifer. Cliburn has been up and down and all around. Chad Allen was an interesting choice. I'm not sure if the next step is Jake Mauer switching places with Smith, or is Smith being groomed for a bullpen job, perhaps. The Twins have had a lot of longevity in many of their coaching and mangerial positions in the minors, but seem to be looking outside the organization when a vacancy does happen. I don't see any, except maybe Jake, making the majors. But, who knows. Why Tommy Watkins, the mayor of Ft. Myers, coaches everywhere but Ft. Myers is beyond me. New Britain consistently fields decent teams for the Twins. But they are in a tough league overall. Sometimes your guys ARE too young. Sometimes they are TOO worn out.

The Twins can afford to give him a decent contract for little results. Putting him on the field for just a game or two will sell tickets (which is important to the team). You will sell Jerseys. Maybe he will shine. He can't be any worse than any number of other folks out there. I don't really see anyone else risking a 40-man sot on him or a guaranteed rotation spot. The Twins have that luxury. A Santana signing in January would generate quite a few season ticket sales. Even if he doesn't ever pitch for the team during the season, the p.r. value might be worth it alone. Heck, Blackburn got paid $5 million to throw a dozen minor league innings this year!

The Liriano story will become a Twins myth, so to speak, like the Ortiz story. Ortiz got too expensive. He was hurt. Yes, maybe he didn't see eye-to-eye with the Twins Way and coaching. The Twins had to cut him loose unless they felt the desire to pay more than they thought he was worth at the time. ALL the other teams except Boston passed on him. He signed for a salary that the Twins themselves would've been happy to pay, but you can't cut a salary that low to a player back then according to union rules and regs. Liriano was fighting the Twins Way. Time will tell if he is putting unnecessary strain on his arm to get him a continued great contract next season. The Twins would not have been able to resign Liriano. Even for what Pittsburgh ended up paying him this season (remember, alot of other teams passed on giving him any sort of contract, Pittsburgh seemed nuts with their initial offer but ended up getting a steal because Liriano ended up being...Liriano). I would argue that there was too much bad blood happening with the Twins, that there was no way Liriano was going to be a Twins lifer. He had to get out. He had to go somewhere. The Twins actually got something for him. Better than having him add absolutely nothing to a losing season and walking. Escobar and Hernandez might actually be capable backups for another season or two. Maybe one will shine and get flipped for another prospect or two and something will come of that. These days it is all about money. How much a team will pay. How much a player wants. And do either really need each other. We'll probably see it happen with Morneau...the Twins lowballing a player again and him signing elsewhere for a competitive contract that the Twins could match. We saw it in Nathan...why do I have to ask the Twins to match something someone offered me. We saw it in Cuddyer, who held out ad got what he was seeking and the Twins seemed happy getting a lower priced alternative. We saw it in Kubel who was low-balled by the Twins for a one-year contract and ended up with a respectible multi-year deal. Stop complaining about Liriano (and still Ortiz). We got nothing for Nathan, Kubel, Cuddyer...no Escobar, no Hernandez, no additional year of Lecroy as DH and third-string catcher. The reality is that a team has to strike early and wrap up a player (and then we get Mays and Blackburn and Silva) or play it loose and take the risk of the walk.

Can Morneau expect a 2-year $15 million contract with an option for a third year? Would he get an $8-9 million one year contract with someone? Should the Twins do 3 years guaranteed for, say,#20-22 million.....would people be happy with that? I know everyone would like to get him for $5 mill a year for 2 years with an option for a third, but doubt that will happen. He'll command at least $6-7 and get 2 years with a third year option from someone. The bigger point is THE TWINS CAN AFFORD TO KEEP HIM FOR 2-3 YEARS, they have no one to take over 1st next season, and will need a DH in 2015-16 and have to pay what to find a comparable one. Plus, good public relations.

I gave up my season tickets, too. I haven't gone to a game all season (telling myself I will when the Twins get to .500). I do listen and watch, but am so often disappointed. Not sure the direction the organization can take, but a complete housecleaning is in order. Maybe even the "new" blood that they put on the bench should seek employment elsewhere. Maybe the Twins need to totally go outside the organization for now. No Steinbach, no Molitor, no Bruno, no Cuellar. Definitely time to say goodbye to Gardy and Andy and the Twins should've reassigned to the minors, if they desired to keep them, Ulger and Vav. Nothing against any of them except for losing baseball seasons. Terry Ryan is a nice guy, but he has to move on, too. Maybe time to get some outside help, a different viewpoint, someone who will demand that money be spent and will spend it and tell ownership that instead of planning for less revenue, think of ways that you can generate more...putting a winning g(not jsut competitive) team on the field and putting fan seats in the stands. I will say that the July swoon going into August had more butts than I ever thought in the stands. Will this change at State Fair time and into September? Maybe I will spring for some low-priced seats and the love of outdoor baseball. But let it be because I am looking at Sano or Rosario or even Buxton (okay, Hicks will do) rather than a lineup of guys who aren't the future of the Twins. Take five of those roster spots and showcase the future for one month. Maybe some won't play at all again in the majors until 2015, but you have to know something about the future...and it is now!

I thought Swarzak would get the call. As for Red Wings, hopefully a few guys will get promoted from New Britain to help them out, if need be...but I could see Parmelee AND Hicks not getting called up in September (although tell me why not...why play Ramirez, Thomas, Bernier and pitch Roeincke...well, you get the idea).

Sometimes I cringe with Gardy's line-up construction. But considering that the team has NO LEGIT #1 and #2 hitters this year, who can argue (leave Mauer at #3). Then we get to who bats clean-up, let alone 5th and 6th. We have no problem putting guys in the 7th-8th-9th spots. We can't argue about who Ryan didn't sign this past off-season. It was a dismal crop in the end. I just wish we could totally start over (someone claim Correia) with a new crop of wannabees and rejects and revivals in 2014. Of course, .... 2014 will be the real season to see what we have. Chris Merrmann and Josmil Pinto (and maybe Rohfling) will get shots at catcher. Parmelee will make or break himself as a first baseman. Colabello is a temporary choice, nothing mroe, nothing less. Dozier is the place-setter at second/ We need someone other tha nFlorimon or escobar at shortstop, but both will have next season to impress. Plouffe will egt at bats and then has to make the decision to long for free agency or become a utility/bench guy. Arcia will hold down an outfield spot. Hicks is still questionable. Could see him starting next season at AAA. But who else will the Twins field...Bigley, Mastro. It's too bad Benson didn't totally realize the opportunity he had. We have Worley and Hendriks and Deduno and Albers and Diamond and whomever for the rotation. Okay, Gibson go be up or down again. Maybe May or Meyer will shine. The bullpen is overstocked. Will the Twins 40-man Aaron Thompson. Will Tonkin shine in September. Will Oliveros and Guerra come back. There is strength in the bullpen with the only casuality being Roeincke....probably. 2014...the same players will have an opportunity to show that they will stay as others push from the wings - Rosario, Sano, Vargas, maybe Buxton, Santana. But the Twins better be stockpiling monies for 2015. I expect them to open the vault bigtime to pursue a bat or two, at least one qualified long-term starter, and maybe a fantastic bench vet.

Bruce Chen!

Any team would grab him to at least replace a sub-par utility middle infielder.

He will surface somewhere, but might have to start in the high indy leagues. But he showed nothing this year that I would gamble with even a guaranteed minor league contract. It's his call if he wants to pitch for peanuts with the hope of a return to the bigtime. Hey, Matt Kinney and Dan Serafini still plugged along year after year. His big thing now is to have his medicals covered and to heal.

Deduno is a thrower. It depends on his mindset. He has less control (working for him) than a Blackburn or a Silva, it seems. But watching him pitch, he is the perfect pitch-to-contact guy (in the sense that he throws the ball over the plate) but I don't see a gameplan. Like, what do I do when I do have a 3-2 count on a batter. What do I do when I get into a bad inning. How do I totally keep from having a bad inning? What do we throw each and every batter? I picture the catcher as a backstop that hopefully will get a great pitch or see the ball come out of the hand and be able to catch it/block it. He is a guy that you hope finishes this season stronger than he currently is. If he is out of the cute excellent next season, but the only plus on a Twins staff of rooookies, you sell as high as you can...because I don't see him keeping it up. I don't see him being a part of the 2015 or 2016 team and not sure that you need him to be. Yes, he would still be cheap. But I don't see him developing into a control pitcher at this stage of the game. He is getting by by towing those ground ball pitches and keeping batters uneasy in the box. If he had more control, he would make a great reliever if you were looking for that doubleplay, but right now the chance of a wild pitch makes you wince at putting him in that role.

The Twins have one, if not two, more drafts to get a few players into the system who may make it. Looking back, you usually get 1-2 players a year that make and stay in the big leagues (Arica and Gibson). You get a few that play a few seasons, but do nothing fantastic (Plouffe, Dozier). You are lucky and pick-up some placeholders (Diamond, Florimon) who may not make it thru their arbitration years. You can always find a free agent or three, some giving you minimal (2-3) years of return (Deduno, Colabarro, Burton). You have some guys who change position and flourish (Perkins) and some that die on the vine (hopefullly not Hicks). The secret, which the Twins don't even do on a major league level, is to sell when a player is high (like they should've with Young, maybe Willingham) and the same with prospects. Someone shines in High A ball or at New Britain (was Hermsen worth more last year than this year). It is a constant juggling match. You so hate to give up value, but sometimes you do to obtain value. With prospects it is a guessing game, and also who is blocking whom in the system. I will say Ryan showed guys by trading not just one but two centerfielders for some pitching last off season. Assuming you aren't competing (and I till like how the Twins keep that manta going -- and amazingly the fans have been supporting the team better of late than ever...which will change when school and lake cabin closings happen in September). But like an above poster mentions, if Kepler isn't a fer sure in your plans, you package him. But right now, the Twins have to watch in who and how much they invest in players that will be here in 2-3 year deals before the team matures and becomes a contender. Yes, the powers-that-be will say the Twins will contend in 2014. We think they will have a great nucleus to be a contender in 2015. But the Big Year is what the team will look like in 2016 -- combining current prospects, current team members, looking ahead to who is available as a free agent and for how much, and hoping the Twins can win one before Mauer decides his fate in 2018.

Johan wanted to be sent to a team that might increase his endorsement value, so it was basically either coast. Plus, the teamaahd to be in a position to payout nearly $150 million in long-term salary. The Twins did what they usually do, offer $90 million or so over 5 years (including the current season, I believe). We first heard about interest from the Red Sox. The Red Sox didn't want to aprt with Ellesbury. I think one offer was Lester, Coco Crisp, Masterson, Lowie and Bowden. Now that would've been a nice package. Except the Twins were looking at Lester being too expensive and CoCo not being the centerfielder of their dreams (although they did have Span in the chute). There were rumors that the Red Sox would part with Ellsbury, but the Twins wanted Bucholz or someone of that ilk in the deal, along with prospects. The Yankees offered with Hughes and Melky and a couple of prospects. The Twins wanted Kennedy thrown in as one of the prospects. Hughes was acting like Prior or any number of other guys who felt that going to the Midwest was sealing his death. I think the Yankees and Red Sox were just jostling the Twins, hoping one or the other would make a mistake and trade the wrong set of players for Johan. It is my understanding that the Twins originally wanted Pelfry and hot low minor league outfielder (Rodriguez or someone, who ended up with the Astros and flamed out). Instead they got Humber who was basically out of options, Gomez, who needed another season in the minors (really, yes), Mulvey and Guerra (who stillaahs hope, little hope, but hope). Of course, if the Twins had let Gomez stay in the minors and Pelfry had been a part of the original deal...maybe it would look a little better. The Twins got fleeced. And what did they spend the savings of $20-25 million a year on is the bigger question.

Perkins was actually waived off the 40-man and no one claimed him before he came back as a relief pitcher. Sometimes pitchers themselves get in a mindset and want to stay a starter (perhaps because of higher salary opportunities) yet don't realize until too late that a job in the majors is...a job in the majors. Even remember hearing Swarzak blow some smoke about wanting to start again. Fst Eddie was a starter. LaTroy was a starter (and he is showing he is still not a closer -- stay setip, LaTroy). Aggie was a starter wannabee. Maybe Diamond will find his real life in the bullpen.

When the Twins expand rosters in September and take a bunch of guys from Rochester, see some movement between Twins minor league teams. All of the above guys MIGHT get called up to Rochester to replace the Escobar, Herrmann/Pinto, Hendriks/Worley et al (although I actually see May getting some innings...give him that taste...he will be finishing year two on the 40-man roster.)

Hendriks and Diamond will be here no matter what. When Doumit and Mastro return, we lose Herrmann and Colabello (since Morneau is staying put). Look for Escobar and parmelee to be called up. Maybe even Pinto (and Herrmann and Colabello)., Anyone on the 40-man will get a September callup. DeVries, Tomkin, Hernandez. Look for Gibson to be shut down. Maybe the Twins will have a major league look at May. Two years on the 40-man for this guy. We need to give him a taste! Watch, I bet Hicks doesn't get called back in unless he shows something at Rochester (service time service time). Mastro takes that 40-man vacancy that left with Carroll. No, we won't see any future 2015 full-time Twins yet.

If Johan can actually pitch, even partially, why not. Let's bring back Silva, too. Seriously, maybe the Twins will finally land Bruce Chen. I see them comfortable with Worley, Albers, Hendriks, Deduno, Gibson, Correia. Maybe a lowend free agent. Maybe a couple more PJ Waletrs types. There is all that hope in the funnel: Darnell Logan, Logan Darnell, Wimmers, Meyer, May and that 18-year-old. Wait, he might make it in 2015 with Berrios. Don't see the Twins doing any big bucks spending next season. Don't see it at all. Yes, Santana would be nice. Even if he is disabled list fodder. Just one more game, please!