Rosterman

Out of the lefty trio of Smeltzer, Thorpe and Barnes, I half expected Barnes to be the one still standing. Hopefully Thorpe is healded, otherwise I question why. Although not sure I see Thorpe as a rotation arm anymore. Still could see Smeltzer as a starter possibility, but maybe it was a good time to give up on him. And Barnes...who knows. Be interesting to see final locales for all of them come spring training.

Anything is possible. The Twins could be burned three times in that international market, but...why not! Give him the money you would give, say, a J.A. Happ, Matt Shoemaker and Alex Colombe combined.

The Tigers didn't feel he was worth a couple of million. No otehr team approached the Tigers to grab him. So he is out there, dangling, and can probably be ahd for less. I'm sure he is looking for a multi-year deal first, advertised as a utility gem...but if the Twins could guarantee him a good hard look at being a starting shortstop. How does he fit into a potential Twins lineup with his power and speed. Yet we don't need him coming up and striking out too much in game situations. Soon we will find out if the Twins are serving us a dish of "contention" or if the team is just going to play ball, try and get better internally, and Niko could be a fine stopgap/

I'm all for keeping Palacios. A team has to be willing to pay him to keep him in the majors. The Twins losing him? Well, they already traded him to the Rays. They were fortunate to have him come back. They gave him anotehr contract free and easy. Palacios had the chance to sign anywhere, for a lot cheaper than another team paying the Twins for him and then paying him a major league partial salary.

: Edwar Colina clears waivers and assigned to AAA ball by the Rangers.

Interesting. Keep the lefty and younger Charlie Barnes, or the aging righty Griffin Jax. Wonder if they did rock/scissors/paper to make that call. Or, better yet - Thorpe or Barnes, if you have to make a choice. Wonder where all three will be in 2022?!

I really don't understand the need to keep Jake Cave. If the Twins signed him for less than proposed arbitration, I can't imagine that the market for him moutside of MKinnesota would've been huge. I would rather try and replace him than eat his salary if the time came. Astudillo and Garlick and Smeltzer and Barnes. Will all four remain with the Twins, or try their luck elsewhere. Watch, both Barnes and Smeltzer will become those situational lefties always in demand and find a long career at the back of a rotation or bulpen for years to come. Astudillo...well, now is his chance...to shine elsewhere or just be a contracted minor league guy. At least the Twins can now guarantee that they will have two easy to open roster positions when the season begins, with Maeda and Enlow on the IL-list. Of course, Enlow will have to be added back on if and when he finishes any rehab and accepts a minor league assignment. Sands could surprise in spring training. Vallimont has an opportunity. Let's hope Balazovic, Winder, Duran and Strotman can also be ready for the majors sooner...rather than much later. Again, looking at other teams (like Baltimore having multiple roster spots) and openings, the Twins could very well lose all four guys cut. And, from hereon out, any one added will replace the lesser on the roster. Still shaking my head over the need for Cave. I like the guy, don't get me wrong, and he did mostly what the Twins required of him.....but they do have 4th outfielder options internally and also showed they could find decent options outside on minor league contracts last season, if really needed. If we lose ANYONE in the Rule 5 draft, we can complain that it was all about keeping Jake Cave signed on the roster.

It should be something under control the team, as players can shuffle between leagues during the season. Not every minor league town was setup to handle players in homes, expecially in the non-short term leagues. There is some charm to housing in a hotel/motel (dorm like) way, until you start thinking about any needs for food service. Are all minor league teams prepared to feed players in-house? You'd think this would be a more logical option to also feed players, to keep them nutritionally strong. But housing is a first step, especially in a location comfortable for access to the stadium where you can spend hours working out, playing ball, and not feel the need to have a car (and that expense when youa re on the road half-the-time or working all day or at your leisure).

So few of this year's crop of minor league free agents were actually homegrown talent. 38 names. Whew. And those that did leave would've been at AAA ball this season if not for 2020. LuJan, Cabbage, Whitefield, and pickups from otehr teams like Cheshire, Cabrera, Bray. Who else got held back?

If you rade-off a bunch of guys on the roster...maybe. You have Garver who can DH and play 1B...Jeffers/Rortvedt catching at least half the games next season. You have Sano who should be a fulltime DH, because Kirilloff can play 1B, as can Garver. You have Donaldson, who needs time off the third base bag, which is why Miranda may make the roster out of spring training. And, you need a place for Arraez if the Twins get anotehr shortstop, which may be a higher priority than a DH. And you have to make a decision on Rooker, who could bring a big bat to the lineup if given just one more chance. Of course, I would look at offers for Donaldson, Sano, Garver, Arraez...and even Rooker if anyone wants him, not to mention Kepler...which means the Twins COULD use a vet presence like Cruz on the bench. Plus Cruz NEEDS to play at least two more seasons and has the drive to run towards 500 home runs.

Sano could fit into the spot very well. The nice option is that he CAN play in the field at first or third, and should play those positions just to keep in shape. You can also use Garver, since Garver is NOT going to catch more than 100-110 games at best. Of course, the Twins could pull an Oakland A's and rid themselves of Sano, garver, Arraez, Donaldson, Kepler, Rooker and anyone else capable of being a DH and just GET a DH.

Wonderful analysis of the upper regions of the Twins minor league system. Good details on guys with major league POTENTIAL, as well as 33 more names at the end, many of whom will be gone by the end of the 2022 minor league season. Shows how tough it is to be a minor league player. The Twins decision is to re-tool and go with youth. Or buy (or trade) and be competitive in the Central, which to many of us is NOT enough, as we want them to advance in the post-season. Of course, that is also the wish of every team in baseball at some point. The Twins have currently 38 folks on their roster. The obvious adds are Royce Lewis, Josh WInder, Jose Miranda. I would argue for Cole Sands. I would give thought to Ian Hamilton or Judson Gore. Out of the above, Miranda seems to be the only name that has a chance to start the season with the Twins. Would it be as a utility/bench player, rotating DH, regular outfielder, or third base of the Twins can move Donaldson. The Twins are carrying the starting rotation of AAA St. Paul Saints on their roster at the moment: Balazovic, Duran, Barnes, Jax and Strotman. Sands and Winder would also start at St. Paul. So the Twins could elevate of the above to the majors, or move them to another team (or try Jax in the bullpen...which might be more logically to do in St. Paul than in the majors). Blayne Enlow is talked about, but he is at High A right now, potentially opening the season on the injured list. Can you afford to keep him on the off-season 40-man, then pay him major league dollars with the hopes that he is only one-year away from the majors, although likely two. The Twins also kept the contracts of Chandler Shepherd and Bryan Sammons, both rotation arms, in St. Paul. Expect them to sign lots of minor league free agents, although hopefully not the large number (more than 35) they signed last season. The Twins might also give consideration to Ryan Mason for the bullpen. Like Hamilton, those two names are ones a team could grab with the hopes of sending out to the minors (like the Twins did with Hamilton after waiver claiming him, then removing him from the 40-man) because there is organizational depth promise. Enough to pay x-dollars with a return of some bucks if the Twins want back? Hamilton, Mason and Gore could stick in the backend of a pen for a team like the current Minnesota Twins easily, if you are playing to stay in the standings mid-range or retooling. Are they better than Garza, Coulombe, Minaya, Cotton? That is the question. Throw into the mix Smeltzer, Stashak, Thorpe - all three on their last stand as a Twin. Add in Dobnak, who SHOULD pass thru waivers because of his conract, thus muidding up the rotation prospects at AAA St. Paul as he tries for a comeback. So, right now, the Twins would have on their 40-man roster Balazovic, Duran, Strotman, Barnes, Winder, Sands who will all break spring training as AAA players. Add in Jovani Moran who will have to pitch quite well to break camp (or the Twins jettison some left-handed arms), and put the seasoned Maeda on the IL, you have eight 40-man names not playing for the Twins in April. Whew. Kerrigan and Contreras are signed for the minors. DOn't see anyone thinking they are the next Akil Baddoo. But who knows. Both are capable of being 4th outfielders if the Twins need one, but Gilberto Celestino, still on the 40-man, would likely open the season at AAA, unless the Twins trade Buxton. Now NINE folks are at AAA. Add Trevor Larnach, who is hopefully working hard this off-season to break camp with the Twins, you have TEN at AAA. Plus, the roster still holds names like: Garlick, Cave, Rooker. All potential 4th outfielders. All could comfortably be gone soon or by spring training depending on other roster additions. The Twins will have Ryan Jeffers or Ben Rortvedt catching fulltime at AAA St. Paul. SO now ELEVEN guys have little chance of breaking the Twins roster out of spring training. Royce Lewis makes it 12. Nick Gordon can be on the bubble, but as long as no one claims Palacidos, who should start at AAA - well, there is no need to add Jermaine. We also have to put Willians Astudillo on the bubble. Much loved, but worthy of a roster spot if someone else with major laague experience is added? That is a lot of names, a dozen. Yes, some will shuffle up and down during the season and a few may stick by mid-season. The magic word is FEW. What Seth laid out was a recipe of names hat the Twins can use to build a future. Are these 20+ detailed players, plus the additional 30+ enough building blocks to make the team competitive in a year or two? Who amongst these 50 players are MUST keepers. Remember, if they are Rule 5 eligible, they will also be more experienced and Rule 5 eligible next season, and many will be given walking papers as minor league free agents....so their worth to the Twins as internal options are fleeting. Who are the sleepers in this bunch...the Jax, Ober, Barnes that will push themselves onto the roster (at the expense of who) to become a part of the Twins. They are all prospects. How many would another team like Miami or Oakland or CIncinnati like to have on their own roster, especially if the Twins - last place finishers in the American League Central - can't find room for them on their own roster. How many are falling beind names like Austin Martin, Simeon Woods-Richardson, Matt Centerino, Aaron Sabato, Matt Wallner, Keoni Cavaco, Spencer Steer, Alerick Soulaire, Edouard Julien, Yennier Cano, Louis Varland - every one of these names has POTENTIAL MINNESOTA TWINS written on their prospect line, compared to NOT on a majority of the names mention in Seth's piece. It's scary that the Twins have up to a dozen names on a potential 40-man roster who are NOT capable of opening the season with the team, unless the team is in rebuild mode. Add in the names of another dozen, plus the newly acquired Cotton, who have played for the Twins and could easily...easily...be jettisoned for almost anyone else, be it a traded player, a free agent signing, or a better minor league free agent signing who comes to spring camp and shines...shouyld the Twins open the season with a lot of real AAA names on the roster, or continue to play with a lot of AAAA names on the roster. Once a player is added to the 40-man, they get to stay for a few seasons. But at anytime, if you want to remove them, they go thru waivers and unless they really stink, another team will grab them and do the same for depth. So pick carefully.

I would trade them all and add Donaldson and Sano to the mix. I guess I would get a stopgap shortstop NOT named Simmons. I would also explore a dynamite outfield addition, besides the necessary arms for the rotation and a REAL closer. Maybe some of those pieces would come back trading Garver, Sano, Arraz, Donaldson, Kepler, Buxton. Hopefully Jeffers steps up, Kirilloff is the real deal, Miranda can hit and field, and Larnach and Celestino can be joined by some new power back. Hey, if we got rid of all those guys, I would consider resigning Cruz for DH!

A team should always look at having at least one player who is outside your entire team's financial structure....The Franchose Guy! The fellow you pay above and beyond because he is the current name of the Franchise. And then don't complain when they age or whatever and don't live up to the expectations. Think of it as paying for services past rendered, too. Keep your own players if throwing away money. Would you rather have 7 years of Jose Berrios for $131 or a $100-108 million five year contract with, say, Josh Donaldson. The Twins can gamble, but they jsut keep looking for the hometown discount, it seems (or any discount). Hometown Players CAN get rewarded for their underpaid years, especially by the team that ahs already exploited them!

Arizona got Zac for the same reason the Twins would trade for him. Cheap and showing promise. If had known he was available alst season, would've grabbed him then. Unless Arizona is thinking 3-4 years out and have no use to keeping this guy longterm, then yes they would happily trade for someone pretty sure to make the majors later in 2022 or be a regular in 2023...probably two names to keep them happy. For any pitcher the Twins add from outside the organization, the lesser the Twins see the need to keep folks like Balazovic, Duran, Winder, Barnes, Stortman (not to mention Jax, Dobnak, Thorpe, Smeltzer) in their mix. I see 2022 being the last chance for the last four mentioned, even if they moved elsewhere. The fiorst five mentioned all have promise, maybe even as longterm assets...but will quickly wear out their options. Unless any of the nine arms I mention can switch to the bullpen with success.

I was excited abouit the potential of trdaing unneeded prospects for short-term pitching (long-term if can sign them). But the more I think about it, the Twins should just play their typical free-agent marketplace and go after most of the names above, maybe doing one BIG contract to a guy who can give them games and innings. I would almost like to see the Twins trade-off assets like Donaldson, Arraez, Sano, Kepler and Garver than tade off prospects at this point. If guys are desired by other teams that are in our minors system, they should also be desired by the Twins. The chances of the Twins being highly competitive in 2022, let alone 2023, is the same dream of 25 other teams in baseball, and 20+ of them don't measure up in the end. It is getting to the point where a major splash is needed to put you over the top, which often can happen mid-season. I hope the front office knows what it is doing. Although excited when they threw money at Josh Donaldson, partly to prove they can, I almsot wish it hadn't happened and that the Twins would do what Target Field was made to do - keep their own players under contract into their free agent years. You can always throw money at players. You can't always develop the right ones, and the clock is always ticking on how long you have them in development - and those are the ones that you need to think hard about moving rather than let walk.

It's such a tough call, trading away players that another team may find as consistent regulars in 3-5 years for players to produce for you for 1-2 years, especially when you are not on the cusp of winning a dividison, let alone go into the post-season. Better, in the end, to play the market with mid-level free agents and jsut spend the extra monies while floundering like half of baseball in the standings.

Gotta figure out the emphasis you want to take, and don't feel bad if it is a different sport. Analytics/Information, public relations/press, operations of a ballpark, staffing and hiring, sales, marketing. If you can afford the minors, use that as a stepping stone, too.

What can you trade to get the guy in the off-season. Would will his value be mid-season for a contender. Any players you trade, where did you see them longterm helping the Twins. Royce Lewis may be one of the higher trade chips that the Twins can dangle because of potential, but he is still at least a season away from pulling good fulltime work, in the scheme of things. If he has a bad minor elageu season, does he start trending to be a Nick Gordon? That would be the big gamble.

You keep hoping the ccloser who isn't working will be a closer that works.

Yep, guys pitching every three days, with one or two solid rotation arms who can maybe get you to six innings, and a closer and anopther guy. If you work your 40-man roster right, you can have that light-rail actiuvity daily between St. Paul and Minneapolis. A guy pitches, goes back to St. Paul for a week while another arm comes in. Greata for prospects. Bad for minor league free agents without options. Great for getting guys to bhuild their esume. Long-term, not sure. If the Twins are going to have a bunch of starters who can barely pitch five innings, than maybe you need to really look at "opener." The strength of that position was that you would have a guy face, perhaps the first 7 batters in a lineup, with your starter coming in for an easy inning against the bottom of the order and batter #1 for his first inning of work, as well as throwing the hitters off-kilter because they have to immediately adapt to a new pitcher. It will also raise havoc on salaries. Still remember the days Frankie Rodriguez threwq a fit because the Twins wanted him to relieve, but he wanted to start because rotation arms got bigger contracts. (Frankie forgot that you also have to produce, and one can make a fine living as a bullpen arm and also get big money as a closer who throws only 40-50 innings). Pitching by committee seemed to work in the World Series. You still have a modicum of arms in the world of starters who cannot come into a game, but can warmup pre-game and do a good job of starting. That is a skill set (routine) that would be banished by such a move as tag-team pitching.

The Twins need an every fifth-day starter, who can push six (or even seven) innings consistently, and keep the team in the game. Period. Make all his starts. If he can keep his ERA below four, more power to him. Of course, that ahs Berrios written all over the description. Too abd the Twins couldn't have locked Berrios down a couple of years back. Now they have to pay the piper for someone possibly less efficient, older, and a roll of the dice for sure.

I;m hoping Ober can be pushed to 150 innings, and pitching at least five innings in a game. I would consider Ryan to be the fifth starter at this point with the chances of getting skipped, and hope you can get 120 innings out of the guy. 2022 will be BIG for Ryan. I want him to be the starter we all love, but I sadly see him becoming a Joe Nathan-like closer. The pain for the Twins is any number of other guys, from Balazovic, Winder, Duran, Sands - all will be on limited innings themselves. Seems the minor leagues this apst season were happy letting guys go four or even three innings rather than get into a decision situation, jsut to strecth them out but still limit innings. I see that happening to all of the fore mentioned, and doubt we see any of them until the end of the seson. The only pitcher that could possibly break the rotation would be Strotman, as spring training will be his time to shine in the sun (or Thorpe or Smeltzer, if they are still Twins). Of course Barnes and Jax could also be in the mix, as well as Dobnak.

The Twins only actually have to remove up to three names now to have prospect roster spot. Of course, there are easily a dozen candidates, and another go be jettisoned if you choose to Rule 5, and each free agent you sign can easily replace a name on the roster. But, yes, I would remove Dobnak. I doubt someone else would readily pick up his contract at this point, but the Twins would still have him sitting in the minors and working his way back to the team. You have to ask what is more important at some point, a 40-man spot for the guy, or paying him too much to pitch in the minors. That's what other teams would also look at.

So manmy trades because we had someone newer, probably better, and much cheaper coming to take the place of a player (shades of Doug Mientkiewicz in a mid-season three team trade, too). Of course, that is not across the board, as the Twins traded Garza, a highly touted draft pick for another draft pick, both with issues that most front offices hate to deal with. But keeping in this spirit, the Twins should definitely trade the now getting expensive Buxton because they can put Celestino in centerfield. And next year flip the now aging Celestino because you have to get the cheaper and more promising Martin or Lewis in the everyday lineup.