Rosterman

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.

Who?

Well, I was wrong. FOur relief pitchers total in a double header. Usually just ONE game in Twinsland! Boy, those Tigers have good pitchers!

Guess gonna use this as a learning experienxce for Sands. Heck, if was going to do this, would've brought up Strotman or even henriuquez to see if they could learn on the job, too. It's like giving away a game...again. Man, I would even rather see Balazovic come up and get shelled in his first game. Then go back and see if he learned anything. I say we use six bullpen arms and a position player before the night is done.

I thought it was reported that pitchers made up the bulk of the "five" COVID folks. I'm still curious to see who also leaves the roster when Celestino and Ryan return. Also, looks like Alcala is in Ft. Myers doing his rehab, so he will be on the cusp. But still, at least two weeks out.

The Twins got a decent incentive-laden contract with Buxton for the long haul. He can make big bucks if he plays. The Twins will do well, as long as he plays out the contract in some capacity. The Buxton camp had to be looking at the future. He would need to shine in 2022 to garner anything huge in the marketplace (and his play, so far, might show why they took the safe gamble. Like Joe Mauer, the contract looks great as long as he plays his primary position - in this case, centerfield. Joe was paid to be one of the better catchers ever in baseball, not paid to become a reliable first baseman. Buxton is paid to be a centerfielder. Yes, we know that he may not stay in that position for his entire contract and will shift left or right. But the hope was that he would be there for the majority of ... games played. Players can play hurt. They can be moinitored. Work thru pain. And have four months (for the most part) to get things fixed. Yes, you don't want to create more injury by playing thru an injury. You jus always hope the player and team do know what they are doing. Thanks goodness for the incentive-laden contract.

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.

Kudos to Palacios. He is a lot younger than we think. Although NOT spectacular at AA Wichita, he did put up decent numbers, and the only reason he's not playing shortstop is because of Royce Lewis. So he ahs been getting reps in across the field, which makes him a viable infield reserve candidate going forwards. Now the Twins egt to take a decent 10-game look at the guy and see how he adjusts to the majors, and how he adjusts going back to the minors in a non-waiver/option situation before making a decision to add him to the 40-man this off-season.

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?!?

Kept holding out just in-case. But J.A. HAPP has called it quits. FIne solid career! Us Twins fans maybe wished for a bit more.... but his end was in sight! https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2022/05/j-a-happ-retires-blue-jays-yankees-phillies-pitcher.html

With COVID, you get the luxury of bringing in temporary roster folks and can send them back out without sending them thru waivers. So great for those minor league free agents you want a quick looksee. Not sure if can dip down to AA, or the guy has to advance up to AAA. Are there restrictions (Seth?). Otherwise, with Correa on COVID list, the Twins could, say, bring up Martin for 10 days. Now wouldn't that be soemthing. But still not have him on the 40-man when Correa returns.

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.

Does that mean the Twins could, conceivably, add two more players now NOT on the 40-man to go with Minaya and send them abck to St. Paul when this is all done? Of course, they may also need to find five more players, too. The Saints go to Toronto (hopefully most of the Saints players are vaccinated). Still wonder rather than just shuffle players up each rung, if they just 4-5 guys from Ft. Myers to the Saints!

The Twins do have a solid bench for this game!

No one is going to get a red letter strike. It is a decision. And being able to put a player on the COVID list means you can bring in someone else. I am for vaccinations as much as anyone, but sadly some make the choice they make. At least MLB isn't making teams play under-handed. Can you imagine going into a series down, say, five players with a couple mroe banged up? You can rotate some into AAA, but the new 10-day rule can really screw you up there, too.

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?

Austin Martin was signed out of college and last season was his first playing any type of minor league ball. Sure, Toronto didn't think highly enough that they traded him after paying him a $7 million bonus? Hey, the guy was traded mid-season. Usually you start messing with a guy's position in the low minors. Reason he was repeating AA is because he was blocked, essentially, at St. Paul by the mroe highly regarded Lewis at shortstop. The Twins still wanted to keep him doing some reps at shortstop as they see what Correa is doing, and how well Lewis adapted after missing two seasons. (And, yes, I would keep Lewis mainly at shortstop and hope that Correa walks). Woods-Richardson is only 21. He probably should've started last season at A+ ball...and remember, he lost his age 19 season to COVID. He was very young to be at AA and, besides the organization change, he was on the Olympic team but didn't pitch. So he is right where he belongs. Actually, he got a little headstart. SO many young pitchers have to worry about hiting Rule 5 early. Woods-Richardson, unlike Balazovic alst season, should probably make the AAA jump. But expect him to spend most of 2023 in AAA St. Paul. Again, wish more players walked off a college campus and stepped into major league ball, but not everyone is Dave WInfield and we still have the aluminum bat thing for both hitting and fielding balls for play adjustment. Berrios is going to do jsut fine. $120 million fine will be the only question. But if he pitches out his contract, that shouldn't be a negative.

Where is Willians Astudillo when you truly need him? Seriously, always seems to be so many former catchers playing elsewhere who once did time with the Twins. Castro, Suzuki, Garver, Rortvedt, Herrmann, Centeno, Graterol, Telis - plus Hicks, Berman and Navaretto all in the minors. Not sure who we would really want back from the list. Drew Butera finally retired!

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.

The Mets have acquired shortstop J.T. RIDDLE from the Reds. Riddle, who appeared in four games with the Twins in 2021, appeared in two games with the Reds this season. https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/r/riddljt01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=&utm_medium=referral He will offer minor league infield depth for the Mets, who already have former Twins TRAVIS BLANKENHORN and TZU-WEI LIN in their system. https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2022/05/mets-acquire-j-t-riddle.html#comments