Rosterman

I'm almost afraid that Winder will stay in St. Paul and work exclusively as a starter (which would be good for him). Otherwise, who does he replace in the Twins bullpen?

CHI CHI GONZALEZ becomes the next EXD-TWIN! Waiver claim by Milwaukee Brewers. Goodbye, Chi Chi. Two games and gone! But...you are a Minnesota Twins alumni! https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2022/06/brewers-claim-chi-chi-gonzalez-waivers-twins.html

What I find interesting is that many OF US would've been more than happy to include him in a trade package during the off-season. Now the question is how to play him MOST OF THE TIME. For his sake, yes, don't bat him against lefties, or have him hit lower in the order...because even if a team starts a lefty, they will probably switch to a right-hander before the end of the game.

He would have to basically replace Miranda with Miranda returning to St. Paul to play more third base. But, right now, the Twins are buying service time, it seems.

Seth: Any notables we should be getting excited about in FCL Play, guys that should be moved up once the draft happens and some names are jettisoned from various rosters? Sad to see Gore move backwards. Had such hopes for him, but now looks like he will probably walk elsewhere come 2023. Kudos to Sisk getting the advancement.

Soto was a temporary call-up. Kirilloff should be up once the Twins need to go to 13 pitchers.

Here's a LOOK at all the Ex-Twins. Did a recap of those that served in the majors at the end of May. WIll do another recap at the All-Star break to see where our "former friends" stand.

You mean like the Twins signing this ELIJAH GREENE as a minor league free agent and jettisoning him during spring training... https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=greene000eli before realizing that the real ELIJAH GREEN has yet to enter the world of major league baseball drafts? https://www.perfectgame.org/players/playerprofile.aspx?ID=535648

You usually steal off the pitcher. The catcher either gets a perfect pitch and is ready for the steal, or it makes the catcher work and he throws badly. Very few players put a team on edge of a steal these days, and have their pitchers/catchers approach the game systematically that way. I almost wish he would go to St. Paul and just get work there. Would advancing, then, Hamilton be so bad? Give the guy a chance to shine? I don't have any longterm stock in Godoy, and Sisco is out for the season. Banuelos is also a possibility. But the next batch is at AA. When do Isola or Bechtold/Williams get the bump? I also believe Jair Camargo will be a free agent after this season. Correct me if I am wrong. Only 22, the Twins will have to make a possible 40-man roster decision on the guy. Can they advance him (health status pending) to Wichita and see how overmatched he is against an older crowd? It will be a concern for the Twins going forth. Garver played himself out of catching already this season. Rortvedt, him of the massive python arms but the no-hit bat has also been on the injured list. If we muist say anything about Jeffers bat, someone has to help a team make 24-27 outs in a game, which is why you bat him in the lower third of the order. Anyone missing Willians Astudillo yet and his 57 games behind the plate? 7 for 19 in throwing out baserunners!

His appeal is to old geezers...like me.

He just got a call to the Majors! Congrats and Kudos Elliot Soto. Now, Rocco, don't pull a Drew Maggi and NOT use the guy! https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2022/06/twins-select-elliot-soto.html

ELLIOT SOTO is being brought in for infield depth. The guy was signed as a minor leagiue free agent after a dozen years playing ball. He was originally drafted in the 137th round of the 2007 draft by the Twins but didn't sign. He then signed with the Cubs in the 2010 draft, 16th rounder. https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2022/06/twins-select-elliot-soto.html

I'm pleased. WOuld like to see him pitch deeper. But if we get a full 30 or so starts, I'll settle for upwards of 150 innings for the season. By letting him build up,m it is working to the Twins advantage. Maybe the Twins do know what they are doing, running with more bullpen innings when they could carry more bullpen arms, limited all starters to innings so they will be bstronger once the bullpen cuts down to 8.

Derek Fisher comes of the IL list and is released. https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2022/06/twins-release-derek-fisher.html

We are waaaaay too nice in Minnesota. Boy, the Dodger fans in the stands got on Correa during that two-game series here. Embarrassing so in OUR HOME. Usually there is a "bad guy" on most teams you play competitively. You can yell, scream, and some fans go too far. What's worse is when you start booing your own players...........

3 for 19 this season = 35 games. 13 for 46 2021 = 84 games. 2 for 14 2020 = 25 games. You do have to lay some blame on pitchers. BUT LET'S LOOK AT GARY SANCHEZ: 2 for 14 2022 = 26 games 10 for 50 2021 = 110 games 5 for 13 2020 = 41 games 11 fore 36 2019 = 90 games

A hit, a walk and a homerun. Thank goodness the homer was a solo. Duffey...well, at least he didn't make the game close. 101 pitches for Sands, Stretching him out. He needs to now work in St. Paul consistently before his next callup.

Ryan and Gray will replace Sands and...someone...........the joy is, looks like the Twins may be establishing a rotating bullpen spot.

I'm sure Thornburg will pitch right away today. Question is: after or before Tyler Duffey. I vote AFTER!

Soto was drafted by the Twins in the 13th round of the 2007 draft, but didn't sign. Instead he waited and went in the 16th round of the 2010 draft and signed with the Cubs. He would make a wonderful coach if his career winds down. It would also be nice to give him a few at bats. Too abd September callups are more limited these days.

We all worried that the rotation would implode as we had rookies (Ryan, Ober, Winder) and projects (Bundy, Archer) who would ALL be hard-pressed to give us 30 starts and 150 innings for the season. Happily, we have suffered little because of the rotating injured list, and looks like we can feel comfortable with at least five current arms entering playoff land, if they stay healthy. I'm all for adding a rotation arm, but two factors work into the mix - how long and what price. We still MAY have Maeda coming back this season, which would be a shot-in-the-rotation if he comes back strong. He's also back next season, as is Gray. The Twins do have some depth, msot notably in the outfield and knowing Buxton, Kepler, Larnach, possibly Kirilloff, Wallner, Celestino are givens, with Martin as a possible. And then folks like Rodriguez will be in-line (hopes) when we part ways with, say, Kepler. The Twins are fine at catcher, but need to address this bigtime. The bullpen is a veteran wreck, or future possibility (Moran, Cano, Duran, maybe Schulfer as anchors). Need a real closer. Pagan is okay and around for another season...but... Arraez isn't the first baseman longterm, or is he (where else would we play him). We have another season of Urshela. Is Miranda expendable? Does Miranda play 1st or 3rd? Kirilloff at first? Is Steer for real? Suddenly you start looking at the homegrown talent and there may not be any spots at the table for anyone excelling at A ball and below in this organization if we have a current crop of prospects ready to play 6-7 years. Encarcion-Strand is available. Do you go as far down as Miller (we gave away Petty) as a trade chip. Again, we can dream. Other teams will be doing the same. You deal from depth and also deal those players you won't be able to protect come this off-season, or the following off-season...and by protect give a 40-man spot that they will occupy that keeps you from adding 40-man people for the current season. An example being, say, Balazovic goes on the long-term injured list. He eats a spot with no productivity. We can't waiver him because someone with spots will claim him because of potential. But at some point, non-60-day guys eat up roster spots bigtime. Ultiamtely, management will play it close, waiting to see where theya re closer to the trade deadline (when it could be really expensive) to get a piece. Or maybe just wait out until August where teams may be dumping expensive pieces when they fall out of competition that could also give the Twins pause.

I agree, in some ways. At some point, take a look at Strotman. He may excel in the majors. His numbers ARE a disater at AAA, but still...give the guy a chance rather than cycling thru arms that won't be a consideration for a 40-man spot in the off-season. Hellman is also an infield choice. You have to ask, what do teams look for in the Rule 5. If the Twins do decimate their bullpen in the off-season (no more Duffey, Smith, Cotton, Thielbar, Stashak, Coulombe, Romero, Megill), then who do they have as replacements? Schulfer is pitching well enough that he might get a chance this season. I would hope Scherff and Sisk also get a move to St. Paul and a Twins tryout, depending on standing placement. But you do want to look hard and long at rookie arms, even bullpen arms, as those are alays fair game in the Rule 5 (Clay a recent example).

TYLER THORNBURG gets the call to the bullpen. Recently signed free agent has pitched a couple of games in St. Paul after starting the season with the Braves. https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/t/thornty01.shtml MLB TRADE RUMORS story: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2022/06/twins-select-tyler-thornburg.html

I always like "our trade scenarios" as we all (myself included) like to think other teams would be interested in players that we don't see the Twins having on their roster at all. The key is - competition. What other teams are looking for the same pieces and what kind of depth those teams have to deal. Yes, the Twins could use another starter. Do we deal with pieces that could be longterm Twins (Larnach, Kirilloff, Martin) or vets that might not make the next contract negotiation (Polanco, Kepler). Larnach et al are there to replace, say, a Kepler. Wallner, is he regarded higher than Kirilloff or Larnach? If so, he could be tradebait rather than lineup replacement, as an example. What is interesting is looking at the Twins pitching pipeline. There are so many prospects, but we are seeing a few flame out right now (Balazovic, Vallimont, Henriquez...is Sands better than Barnes who got a lot of play last year?). None of those are/were tradebait...especially now. The excitement at Wichita, names like Canterino, Varland, Enlow are still questionable. We have some hard throwers further down (Rozek)...but no pitchers to really entice another team to part with their "ace." For the bullpen, there are always mid-relief arms available, especially those approaching expensive arbitration or free agency, so you can usually flip a depth prospect or two for one of those arms. But the Twins need a REAL Closer. Who is available? Could we outbid another team for such an arm? You also have to look at the big FAILED picture. Would ONE STARTER or TWO BULLPEN ARMS get us deep into the playoffs and even to the World Series, or are we better doing what the Twins do best - give the illusion of being competitive (especially in a weak division) and keep what pieces we have and watch them become a a part of a future team or implode sooner rather than later?

Yes, at some point Kirilloff will be back. It was going to kinda be between him and Lewis when the bullpen drops to eight arms soon. Wander Javier will be able to walk away from the Twins this off-season. So, can he increase his value as a trade piece? WOuld the Twins even consider adding him to the 40-man roster? Still haven't figured out if Palacios is on the 40-man or not. Was he actually optioned back to St. Paul? Curious about ALL those catchers at AAA/AA and their potential to be added to the 40-man, or do we need to replace msot of them next season. Wichita is full of catchers who can play other positions (Bechtold, Williams, Isola). And Jair Camargo will be forcing the Twins to make a tough choice on his career potential. I wish Balazovic luck, but it seems his stock as a future Twins is diminishing...fast.