Rosterman

Enjoyed this look at a way to combine arts and sports. Kudos to the Twins for letting the guy roam and paint!

The Twins so need Sano back!

MLB Trade Rumors finally noted this... https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2022/06/twins-sign-hunter-wood-to-minor-league-deal.html Wood is in training camp at Ft. Myers. Not sure how far or where he will end up as the season progresses.

What we are looking at, again, is who is going to give us 25 starts this season. Who is going to give us 30? Because of the starting depth that the team has, it should be a pretty decent season to get significant workload to ALL the pitchers. Injuries, short starts and all for the first quarter of the season is actually working to the Twins advantage. First off, WInder. Although I would like to see him start, he did what was called upon - started when needed due to injuries to others, and was a greaty piggyback on a short start. I picture that he will go back to St. Paul when the time comes to start on a regular basis. Archer and Bundy. Both are projects. We hope Bundy will hit 30 starts and 150 innings. Looks like he could easily do that. The rub is: will he just do it? Can he produce some better numbers overall? Can he make himself, by chance, a tradable commodity come the end of July? Archer should be the long-relief guy, pitching 3-4 innings every 3-5 days. He has 9 starts and 34 innings. His contract basically calls him a starter, not someone to follow an opener. Not someone to just get some innings. Will he be the odd guy out in the mix? Has he given ANY thought to becoming a dominating relief pitcher, even working towards being a closer? Smeltzedr has earned a spot in the rotation. One, he is left-handed. Two, he is pitching the innings. Will the league catch up to him (shades of Martin Perez discussed in another post). Or will he be successful longterm? You owrry that he can perform a full season with this many innings. He only threw 104 in 2019, and over the past two seasons only 20, which he has far surpassed alread. Ober and Ryan - be happy if both pitch 30 starts and 150 innings. Both should be capable of hitting those thresholds. And both have missed starts already this season. Gray - is working his own schedule. Is already starting the season slow, might have another disabled list stint. Somehow, with 7 starters (8 counting Sands) the Twins have MANAGED TO HAVE a five-man rotation. The pain is the top couple at AAA are stinking up the mound. Balazovic is a disaster. So much so I wouldn't even want to trust him in a double-header just to give him a taste of the majors. Strotman has become a bullpen arm, but hasn't adjusted like Griffin Jax, who by the way threw more pitches than six of the 7 starters. Henriquez is also a candidate, he is quite young, and is also overmatched. And unless the Twins are really desparate, I don't see them opening a 40-man spot for just a spot start or two with any of the AA guys of not: Canterino, Varland, Woods-Richardson - all three SHOULD advance to AAA but probably not the Twins before mid-September, if they can come to the roster even them. Enlow and Legumina will fill out the season at AA with longer-term hopes, for now. And the Twins do have Derek Rodriguez and Chi Chi Gonzalez begging for a shot back at the majors. Can the Twins find a way to rotate them in and not lose anyone off the 40-man. The Twins have 7 starters. Winder will probably be the odd man out. But that will still give them six and, eventually, a bullpen of 7. One has to be a viable pen option, and all the remaining have to always pitch five innings, preferably six...or the bullpen arms will be worn out.

Christian-Encarnacion-Strand - how bad was his May compared to his April?

If all of this COULD happen, the Twins would be unstoppable. I hope they do move on from a couple of veteran starters who have inning limits. I am hoping they pitch well enoiugh that a "lesser" team will at least trade a low level prospect for them. I had hoped better from Sands and Balazovic in St. Paul. Looks like they need a full season. Disappointed in Strotman. Henriquez is overmatched and should be cycled back to AA ball. Now I just hope the Twins will advance up to three prospects out of Wichita by mid-season to get their work against better batting. Although, right now, the Twins look interesting going into 2023: Ryan, Ober, WInder, Smeltzer. Whew. Throw in Madea coming back. You will still have Gray. And Paddack will be in the wings by mid-season (hopefully). The joy is that the next 4-6 arms in the pipeline will ALL have pitched at least 100 innings in 2022, if not more.

I am amazed at what happened with the no bench Saints. Unless I'm missing something, they still had Fisher, Sturgeon and Beckham on the bench. Or did they? Four catchers (and a fifth on the IL list). Hey, Wichita has five catchers, too...although most play other positions more often than not. In some ways, I thought the abundance of catchers was so that one would always be on the taxi squad, thus the luxury of only needing to carry two on the major league level. You always have one in the stands watching the game if the time comes. You have to realize that the Twins do have it nice, having their top farm club just across town - except on road trips.

I like this piece on the transaction when the Twins sent John to the Mariners back in 2019. https://www.twinkietown.com/2019/6/7/18653146/mlb-minnesota-twins-seattle-mariners-rejected-trade-returns-for-john-andreoli

I did a recap over the weekend at this link of ALL 100+ FORMER UNIFORMED TIWNS and how they are doing in the majors and minors this season. Take a look. (Three days of posts at the end of PAGE THREE - A comment exchange happened between one of them...you'd be surprised at all the people!) Going to continue to do updates monthly on th thread linked above as the season continues.

Twins get JOHN ANDREOLI from the Phillies for outfield depth at St. Paul. https://www.mlb.com/player/john-andreoli-607430 He was once a Twin back in 2019 when they traded Michael Reed to the Giants for John's contract. And then he was sent in a minor deal to the Mariners later that season.

Plus, he can sacrifice bunt....right?!?

You start with short starts. I guy can't throw more than 100 pitches. But at what point is it okay to throw 85 or 90...and we shouldn't totally judge a pitching performance on the number of pitches. A bullpen guy can come out and throw 25-30 pitchers and still be standing on the rubber looking at men on base, and you leave him in to work it thru...because the other guys aren't on the cycle to pitch today. The Twins have 14 frickin' pitchers. Even in the best of times, you never had that many. And you also seem to have a revolving door between AAA, even when they are out-of-town. And the slightest hick-up makes a guy inactive. If there is one positive, the Twins have been pushing their guys, often, towards more than one inning. That will really be fine if starters can give you six for sue and a 7th as a bonus (way to go, Smeltzer). What the Twins lack is consistent role players, or dependable arms that can pitch consecutive days, be it short, or maybe long. Smith was that crafty guy who could get you out of an inning. Megill may be that guy, too. Off-season, the writing was written-onthe-wall ragrding Duffey and Caleb Thielbar. If you could get something out of them while revalutaing the bullpen, it would be a plus. But it doesn't help when Coulombe, Alcala, Stashak go down. Well, maybe it does. We get to see more Moran. And maybe Cano will adjust and come back stronger than ever, of become the next...Anthony Slama. The Twins lack a real closer. They do have some good strikeout artists. They have decent put-the-ball in play guys. Actually, if they would improve on Duff and Thielbar, get a solid rotation going, and have arms like Jax/Winder/Smeltzer in relief right now (although the more we continue in the season, I'm feaering Bundy and Archer are 2022's Happ and Shoemaker light). I am taken aback that they are now monitoring throws in the bullpen. Charts and graphs and video and all is fine, but start talking to the guys...well, I guess you do because a zit popped on my butt and threw off my balance and I need to come out of the game, and if infected, go on the disabled list.

I keep thinking of the good thoughts we had on other St. Paul pitchers, like Ryan Mason, and currently Jordan Gore (not to mention "lights out" Yennier Cano). Plus Bryan Sammons. My question is, for COVID replacements are they required to pull ONLY from the AAA roster?

I can't quite figure out why the play against the Royals seems to be so tough. Yes, the Twins are 6-4 against them so far. The Royals pitching is a run-and-a-half worse overall than the Twins. Go figure.

Well, we discovered who was next. Interesting, looking at the bigger picture...the Twins have 18 position players on their 40-man. One is out long-term. If and when rosters expand to 13 required position players, that leaves the Twins with four able-bodied repalcements in the minors. Right now that is Kirilloff, Godoy, Miranda, Contreras. But looking over the minor league guys at St. Paul, and even Wichita, I really am hard-pressed to see who I would switch out for, say, Godoy or Contreras. The retrun of Cave? I imagine and of THE OTHER FOUR catchers at St. Paul could suitably replace Godoy (so that is questionable no-brainer). You don't want to advance lower level minor elague guys before you have to...let them get some exposure against AAA pitching. And you don't want an under-developed player holding a 40-man spot before they have to (are we going to see Balazovic or Enlow this season? Sands is far from ready, sadly. If you aren't going to use them, why are Strotman and Henriquez holding down valuable spots?)

Right now, he is a good, solid 26thg player. SImilar to what Willians Astudillo brought to the team. He can play a lot of positions in a pinch. Only Gordon has some speed. The problem is that teams have been carrying that extra pitcher as the 26th player. So you have a three person bench, which is largely a catcher, and outfielder and a bat or infielder. It is nice to have a bat, and a speedster. That is THE luxury the 26th roster spot gives you. Is he a longterm solution for the Twins anywhere? Chances are - no. He is being bypassed as a regular But until the Twins farm system produces just another bench guy, or if the Twins decide to go the free agent route and search out another, say, Ehire...he is still young and offers a variety of skills. Gordon may still feel he is better than being a bench role player. But the benefit is that he has to show this on the field.

I can understand the need in baseball to have a bit of tension on outfield walls so the ball bounces, rather than dies at the track. Pretty gutsy to throw a guy into a position he hasn't played in the big leagues (and not all that much period) and not really walk thru the outfield, test the wall for "sponginess" and all. The Twins can't afford to carry bench bats and pitching arms that can't play in the field, period. 8 games in the next week. They need every able body to do their rotate to positions you wouldn't believe these guys are playing. Like who backs up Arraez now, at first...even though the guy is looking good at the bag! There isn't a lot down on the farm. Kirilloff should be back, since Miranda is gone. Celestino is in the wings. Contreras and Godoy, bless their hearts, should NOT be options) oh, no - that leaves...Cave!). So looks like Minaya is the COVID replacement and stays until Ryan comes back, and hopefully he does pitch that final game in Detroit.

Going all the way back. TWINS DRAFTEES WHO DIDN'T SIGN BUT PLAYED IN THE MAJORS: 1960s: Eddie Leon, Del Unser, Frank Brosseau, Steve Garvey, Charles Scrivener, Tommy Moore, Roger Freed, Al Hrabosky, Jake Brown, Craig Skok, Ken Szotkiewicz. 1970s: Rick Burleson, Ron Cash, Dick Ruthven, Dave Stegman, Pete Falcone, Warren Cromartie, Rick Peters, Jerry Maddox, Eric Show, Paul Mirabella, Marty Castillo, Steve Christmas, Vance McHenry, Jamie Allen, Joe Charboneau, Rick Bordi, Edwin Rodriguez, Bradley Lesley, Dave Leeper, Tony Fossas, Steve Bradley, Ralph Citarella, Mike Couchee, Randy O'Neal. 1980s: Mike Fuentes, Steve Ellsworth, John Marzano, Steve Davis, Ralph Bryant, Greg Mathews, Tim Belcher, Bill Swift, Oddbie McDowell, Clay Parker, Joe Bitker, Mark Grace, Mike Benjamin, Mike Schwabe, Dan Smith, Craig Paquette, Aaron Sele, Derrick White, Tony Urbani. 1990s: James Moulton, Tim Davis, TJ Mathews, Gary Matthews, Craig Dingman, Kelly Dransfeldt, Travis Lee, Danny Kolb, Emil Brown, Jason Varitek, Lance Carter, Brian Lawrence, AJ Hinch, Robert Ramsay, Matt Kata, Mike Lamb, Josh Bard, Mike Gosling, Kevin Thompson, Brian Slocum. 2000s: Aaron Heilman, Paul Maholm, Daniel Davidson, Jason Vargas, Adam Lind, Jeff Clement, John Gaub, Garrett Mock, Travis Metcalf, Steve Pearce, Yonder Alonso, David Herndon, Charles Leesman, Andy Oliver, Chase Anderson, Mickey Storey, Seth Rosin, Aaron Barrett, Adam Cnley, Mario Hollands. Recently: Cody Martin, Mark Payton (White Sox prospect), Andrew McCreery, James Marvel, Taylor Hearn, Sam Hilliard, Mike Baumann, Kyle Cody, Blake Cederlind, Greg Deischman..... I also like how the Twins go after unsigned draftees and trade or sign them late. Some notables: CHuck Baker, Pat Light, Chris Heston, Clete Thomas, Matt Macri, Jesse Orosco and recently Kyle Barraclough. Plus they have Elliot Soto currently in St. Paul. How would the Twins success have been over the years if they ahd signed Steve Garvey, Mark Grace, Tim Belcher, Jason Vargas, Adam Lind amongst others?

You'll see quite a few in the first post in this link started on April 8. Always amazed at "The Twins That Could've Been."

We forget that he needs to play everday. Just to build up the strength and endurance. Will he make it thru an entire season after absically sitting out two years? I am comfortable with him just getting glimpses of life in the major leagues in 2022. And hope the Twins bring him up to play everday if a regular goes down. I just wish rosters could be expanded bigtime in September like in the past. Even a player riding the bench in that month is a learning experience. I was surprised when the player's union didn't fight this...more salary for minor league players.

Thge next big move is switching out Kirilloff for Miranda. Even though Miranda is hitting a tad better, I would rather see him work it out in St. Paul and play first base regular, if that is a position you'd like him to play. Although I still do see Miranda as the third baseman of the future. St. Paul seems to be playing Steer at second, and Palacios is holding down third. Right field at Target field is a tough spot, but the Twins are on the road come Monday. You want the strongest bench you can possibly have, especially with a doube-header in play. Give Kepler the rest if you need to do so. Yes, Celestino will be back in the next week. I would rather have 4-5 games of Lewis in the line-up right now and then make a decision on who to send back (that extra pitcher). Jeffers and Sanchez will tandem catching duties on the double header and one will play the day before, and one the day after. I'm more curious as to whom the Twins will recall to pitch the double-header. I doubt Ryan will be back until at least the day after (I hope Ryan is throwing as looks like he will be a part of the series against the Yankees). I hope he gets his warmup game against the Tigers.

The CHicago White Sox go into the long Memorial Day Weekend with NO GAMES on Friday or Memorial Day Monday? What gives?

You have to hope Canterino can push towards 100 innings period this year. Yes, he needs to expand and show that he can possibly get thru an order, say, a third time. Unless you want him to be a bullpen opener. But if the Twins need a bullpen arm to advance from AA, they only need to look at Schulfer, Scherff, Sisk or Sammons...who need to advance to St. Paul pronto and decisions made about keeping them on the 40-man come of the off-season. Canterino, the team never rushes to add players before they have to...it seems. He doesn't need a 40-man add this year.

Can the Twins use an opener for Archer? Or maybe combine him with Bundy for one game? Starting games doesn't do much good if you can't pitch a quality start.

Jake Cave is on fire and due to come back to Minnesota soon, right?