Rosterman

Congrats! This didn't actially read as satire. Heck, looking at the draft results, looks like we got a lot of multi-position shortstop prospects who could be future utilit guys, as well as low level right-handed bullpen arms. What has really been daunting is the low number of minor league free agents the Twins sgnd this year, how afast many of em havebeen jettisoned. I just iwsh theyid push prospects a tad more.

Well, the Rays sale should be a plus. Of course, it is nice to have people own a team that might care about the Twin Cities and greater region the team serves.

What happened to Jeferson Morales? He looked on the cusp of being a bench guy out of spring training. Suddenly released by Twins.

At the least, he can increase hius trade stock. The Twins will now have to protect him. Can he be a defensive plus for the team, at best. Offer some needed power? Or would the Twins be better making McCusker a first baseman. So, is using Julien or Miranda at first base out of the question now?

Yipes. White Sox grabbed him. Got rid of someone like, say, the Twins sending Milwaukee Miranda or Julien eprhaps. Maybe the Twins should've grabbed ANTHONY DESCLAFANI WHO RCENTLY OPTED OUT AND SIGNED WITH ARIZONA. DOESN'T HE OWE US A BAG OF BALLS OR SOMETHING FROM LAST SEASON?

Dang! Get to test the wins rotation depth now if Lopez goes down for any length of time. Festa looks rady. But the Twins could also use a good long arm out-of-the-pen (flip someone for Adams) unless you still trust Alcala or hope the Twins have more mop-up games like tonight was.

And the Twins still have Julien and Miranda making major league money at St. Paul. Fitzgerald is holding a 40-man spot. Eeles and Holland are also future bench possibilities. Castro could also be seen as trade bait if he shows signs of life.

Worst bench ever!

They are being passed in the system by other prospects. Sadly, they have little trade worth unless as a throw-in to some low-hanging eam that might believe they can get better and then become a trade chip. At best, the Twins should be cycling either as a first baseman possibility for next season, but that is a long shot, too. Both could return to the majors if injuries hit the Twins infield. Mainly because they are getting paid more than a non-roster guy and the Twins like to use people that they are paying. I was taken aback when the Twins traded Steer to the Reds and kept Julien instead, although that isn't necessarily going gang-busters in Cincinnati.

As long as he eaminas productive, you keep giving him the reps. I was more thinking that Festa might push Paddack to the pen. SWR was pushed last year, wore out, but should be good for the full 30+ starts. He will only improve with experience. If he wishes, too. And he is still the youngest arm of all the Twins rotation arms with major league experience. The Twins have three 29-year-old gems and they have to make a hard (and expensive) decision on which one to keep. I doubt that they will keep two. But we can rest assure that we will have Matthews, Festa and SWR in the rotation come '27-28, and also the next wave of arms, hopefuly keeping he Twins drom the dustbin of free agent needs. Are we missing Chae Petty yet?

I just have to say that as a lifelong Twins fan, I have never seen a worse looking bench than I saw today - plus one of them has to be a DH (or play in the field for someone else to DH) - Gasper, Clemons, Bride, Kiersey, Vasquez. Not one will be with the team next season. All capable of being dropped from the 40-man roster at some point with little return.

It sadly, started, waaaay back when the Twins left the clear channel of WCCO to use their own limited appeal station in town, even though they did manage to keep most rural stations involved. Television has changed, but going to a subscriber base is NOT the way. The key to TV is still advertising, and reaching the largest audience possible, and keeping it free. People watch the games, and then come to the games. If they can't watch it easily, they don't. Example. I now pay for streaming the Twins. Haven't even watched half the games this month (and one I wanted to watch was on Apple, which I don't have). I listen on the radio, while driving, working outdoors, working out (where I might set up by a television if they are showing the game). Television was always, in my lifetime, turning it on and if a game was on, I would watch it, even mid-game, rather than search out something else. And the advertising on the MLB channel is pretty much NOT there. I hear a few mumbles during the game, but did they abandon this revenue stream. All I see between innings are lame scoreboard games. The Twins and season tickets? Starts with the end of the season. But little hype and effort the past couple of seasons. Even the Twins caravan seemed weak this year. Part of the appeal of baseball IS being a part of the copmmunity. You have to make the community parades, or bigger social gatherings. You have to make the general newsscasts and radio programs (not just the sports programs). Hospital visits. Church banquets. School little league games. The Twins have been so lucky in the past to having a strong core of alumni. But you only see them now on television commercials for a certain car dealership. Yes, you gotta give out tickets to youth groups. You also can't depend on people paying higher prices for some games, especially when you aren't selling out. That only works - team tier tickets - if you are selling out games. Sure, I love the multi-game plans, as well as the vouchers. But it makes one NOT buy a season ticket package. What makes being a season ticket holder so special anymore? Especially with the high cost of parking, concessions, et al. You gotta make the baseball experience fun, although I disliked when Target Field opened and the first couple seasons was all about coming to the ballpark, NOT about the play product being put on the field. You still need to field a team. But, boy, that was a huge blunder in the 2023 off-season announcing a cut in expenditures. You didn't need to do that. You were already riding a decent payroll with a couple of expensive free agents in the fold. Just shut-up and promote the team and the futrure. Marketing department needs a complete and total overhaul. And what is happening in St. Paul. 2-3,000 for a team that used to sell out Northern League ball in a wretched stadium during their prime. Talk about a change. The ball play is better these days. "Live" entertainment abounds. Good food. What gives?

I would consider swapping out Kiersey and Gasper for Martin and Lee.

Curious to see how pitching unfolds, if a rotation arm (or two) hits the skids. Let alone the bullpen. There is not, currently, a lot of room for drops on the 40-man for this season (although every name needs to be looked at closely as to their need for 2026). Of course, a lot of the Twins current players are currently on the bubble if they are long-term pieces in the Twins organization or transactional. If the Twins flounder in the division, it will give a great chance for some folks to get a call, as others are sent away, to be a part of the team. But looking right now at the rotation and the bullpen, I would had to squander a possible MINT pitching season by poor play on the field and at bat.

If his outfield play had been just a tad better, there would've been no reason whatsoever for the Twins to go out and get Bader, who is basically the same strength as Martin on the bench, but superior in the field, unless Martin can truly play an infield position. Martin needs to shine in AAA, show his speed, that he can take pitches, and also play the outfield, which is where he will end up when he leaves the Twins, sadly. He is younger and probably has mroe oevrall skills than, say, Kiersey, but the Twins choose DeShawn for his speed, ability to maybe play center in a pinch, and he will be an easy remove when Lee or Lewis return. Sadly, Martin has already been passed on the prospect ladder by Rodriguez and Keuschall and maybe even Jenkins going into next season. With the Twins still having control of Wallner and Larnach.

Matthews is a definite rotation arm, and throwing 130+ innings last season means he is ready for a full-season of worjk this year, fer sure. Festa will be given anothe chance to be a rotation arm, probably the first up for that double-deaer play, or if a roster move is made. It will be up to him to cement a mid-rotation spot, or eventually become a bullpen arm... which is where he should excel if he wishes to go that route. And then we have Lewis and a couple of others on the verge. Which means the Twins have to make a hard decision on who to keep longer term - Ober, Ryan or Lopez. They have to tie up Ryan or Ober sometime during this season. I would suspect Ryan would walk and just play out his Twins time if not offered a contract. And that also means the Twins, depending on the the standings, would have to be in a position to trade any of the guys they may not extend. Like the Guardians, the Twins seem to be in a situation now where they can move players as they come close to the end of their arbitration years, as there are others on the verge.

Liam also had one really good season elsewhere (after a bad season split between two teams) and then three okay to bad seasons before becoming the top-flight bullpen arm.

Roster management is always a factor. The Twins almost lsot Jax because they kept him in the reserve rotation role too long. Also remember that names like Guardado and Hawkins and Perkins were all bad starters that the Twins managed to convert to bullpen arms. Rick Aguilera and Joe Nathan were also rotation arms before finding success as a starter. Rick actually returned to the rotation, albeit with limited results, rather than fully embrace the closer opportunities. In the end, there are twice as many ways to make a roster as a bullpen arm, than a rotation arm, especially when at least three spots in a rotation are usually long-term with less turnover opportunities. The joy of being a young guy trying to be a starter is that once you get on the 40-man, you ARE THE DEPTHG is soemthing happens. Unfortunately, bullpen arms aren't paid as well as starters (but you don't get paid if you don't produce) and although you may have a long career, you may be on that minor/major shuffle for most of it.

Because it happened in spring training while on the roster, won't he have to go on the 60-man and collect a major league salary all season, if the Twins truly wish to clear a roster spot?

He just needs to p Pitch. Follow a game plan. Dont worry about wins, honors, or futrue contracts. He has the stuff.

It's good to have the depth. Most unproven for at least this year. Good chance they increase their value. Joy is Twins can make decisions on keeping Ober or Ryan longterm, or parting ways with Lopez if season tanks.

Yes, spring training is a time for pitchers to work on new pitches that they think might carry them opver to the season. Paddack fell into the trap, though, thinking he just oevrpower a 21-year-old newbie. I have noticed that the Twins bats haven't been striking out as much as one might expect, including the youngsters from the minors playing the second half of the game. I'm not sure the reasoning behind Wallner batting leadoff.

In the greater mix, the Twins go a piece to move a higher price piece so they could invest in a higher-yet piece. Garver would not have found a place in the Twins lineup or behind-the-plate. So he neded up being a luxury piece to be moved for someone, anyone, and to save additional bucks. Henriquez was someone that the Rangers didn't want to protect, and the Twins came up short as his options expired before he had a chance to really prove himself. Although young, he ended up being passed by others.

Unless Paddack is absolutely horrible, he wins a spot. SWR gets to show that he has grown since last season. The rotation is his job to lose. He was overworked in the end last season, should've been cut down bigtime the last few starts. But should be able to throw a full season in 2025. Festa and Matthews are on the cusp, so the Twins look reaaaaaal good in the rotation department, with 2-3 others available for spot starts. At worst, SWR still has options. But, Twins, please stick to using Varland in relief... long relief.

Let's just trade for Arraez, with San Diego throwing in Cease. We should be able to give them Paddack, Vasquez, Larnach, Funderburk and anoher top prospect. Absorb more salary.