Rosterman

Yes, pull Shoe. You had Stashak ready. Whole new game. Columbe...if you can't trust him, might as well give the ball to the rookie. Alcala could be the future!

Both.

Having a runner start at second has to be a different strategy for a bullpen arm. You like it if you have a chance to match or tie in your bottom half. You hate it if you can't get that runner home. Stashak was all over the place, but still struck out the side. Go figure. Twins batters are still swinging too freely (or not at all). I keep thinking e would be better served with Arraez at second and Polanco as the all-around guy. Willians is a force. You gotta run with the guy until the other other teams catch up on watching film of his at bats. Sano...can be bat ninth?

Well, he bullpen is rested, although I would've kept Dobnak to pair with Happ. You could push him today for the third inning because of the lead, but could've also used Thielbar in this no-pressure situation to get him into a game. So Rocco likes players that can play a variety of positions, I sense.

Yeah, with a three-run lead you take the easy out as a double play would be hard to turn. That the Kepler could've been an out...well.... I would've walked Shaw to load the basis and have a forceout at any base. Considering the weak groundout...... The killer was the Twins striking out 17 times. And two of our best contact hitters couldn't put the ball in play with a runner starting the tenth on second base.

I would move Sano to third and have Rooker play first base.

Garlick has a hot bat, so see if he can give the Twins additional power. Feel bad for Rooker. But for now, we hove to hope that the lineup hits much better than Sano, Buxton, Kepler, Simmons, Cave this spring. Willians means Garver can also play in the !B or DH mix. I'm curious to see Happ's first outing.

THEY JUST SIGNED HIM TO A FIVE-YEAR CONTRACT! Here's hoping he's not another Joe Mays! Or Nick Blackburn!

I still think Happ is on the bubble for opening on the DL because of the late spring training from COVID. Thielbar COULD be on the bubble. He would go thru waievrs and could resign with the Twins. Stashak could be optioned out. Colina will be on the 60-day, opening a roster spot. The Twins could easily add both Law and Waddell. If either falters, there is Stashak and others in the minors. But both could be pleasant roster surprises. In the field, Cave wins out because he can play center and also bats left. Garlick is the reserve if something happens to Cruz or Sano. I'm hoping Duffey has just been playing around with the ball on the mound this spring!

I'm thinking Happ might open the season on the DL, using his late start from COVID as an excuse, buying the Twins a couple of starts for Dobnak. Waiting to see. Rumor also ahs Colina going on the 60-day (which is whyy he hasn't been optioned to the minors yet.

Rooker would've been the odd man out. And the guy showed last year and this spring that he deserves at least a chance. Rooker could also fit into the Twins longterm plays, as a potential fulltime DH, or an option for first base protection who can also play the outfield. If Rooker didn't make the team this year, he would be gone from the Twins organization in short order. So spring stats can count. Plus the role a player might play for the club (why Cave gets chosen over Garlick for the moment). Now about WiIllians.....

The joy is we may have a rotation that can push the six inning, if not the 7 inning call. Yes, Odorizzi and his five inning stints was shorted last year. All those fine arms at AAAA-level at Rochester, but the Twins 40-man is so tight. There is little wiggle room - an outfielder, an infielder, and perhaps two pitching arms that would get snatched by another team if run thru waivers. You don't hope that any planned arms blowup and get released, but aside from 60-daying someone, there isn't a lot of roster moves on the horizon for Twinsland beyond those already on the 40-man. Can Anderson, Colina and Chalmers be the first three to depend on for bullpen relief? Otherwise the 40-man is full of rotation arms-to-be in Smeltzer, Dobnak, Thorpe, Duran, Balazovic, Ober - any who would not refuse a call to the majors to pitch and inning or two. As can see, not a lot of waiverable names in this list to replace with Hamilton or others. Usually it is nice to have one spot that you play the up-and-down waiver-wire game with. (Trying to remember, do players have to stay down NOW for a certain number of days, or remain on the 40-man)?

I actually think Cave/Rooker is an upgrade over Rosario at this point. It is Rooker's job to now play himself out of the Twin organization. Rooker can get the at bats and the Twins will have to make a hard decision on Cruz as the season plays out, and look closely at the future potential that might still exist for Sano. If Rooker produces, he is a fine luxury to have. Considering names like Larnach and Kirilloff are in the wings and pretty sure bets to play as well as anyone else the Twins have patrolling the outfield. If Alex had shined in spring training, Rooker might've become the next Paul Sorrento or Michael Restovich of the Twins, leaving and never getting a really strong chance to shine. Of course, he may still be - but I am happy to see him get a chance to become a Twins mainstay. I would almost go with Garlick over Cave. Almost. Kyle can go to the minors, so that is probably what will happen. Cave can play center instead of Kepler. I do always go with the argument to better have guys playing everday who can come up and play in the majors, rather than have reserves sitting on the bench and them moving into the starting role. They are usually reserves for a reason.

You shudder looking at those spring training numbers. Sano, Kepler and Buxton all playing dismal. Yet you gotta keep them. The reason to keep Cave is that he is the backup for centerfield? Kepler can play center in a pinch. Otherwise, you jettison Cave and keep Garlick. Rooker, too...who can backup first base and DH (with Garver). You go with hot bats sometimes, especially with players on the margin. If you lose Cave, if Garlick doesn't work out, you have Broxton. Willians has played himself into a roster spot. All-around utility guy. Will allow the Twins to get Garver at bats at 1B or DH if need be All I can say is Kepler needs some work, again. And don't bat him lead-off until he figures out what is happening to his swing! This has to be the year that Sano, Buxton and Kepler show their worth to the organization. Kirilloff needs to play everyday, as does Larnach...and both should shine at AAA. What to do with Nick Gordon!

I'm hoping that Rooker does make the lineup as the starting leftfielder. If he can produce, he is the designated hitter for the future Twins, who can also play the field at first or the outfield. Sano, of course, is also in the running, and it is nice to have a DH who can play in the field, in this case Sano at 1B or 3B. Throw a revitalized Garver into the mix, as a guy who could be a DH who could also be that backup at 1B or C, and all we really need to hope is that Cruz hits the gates running and doesn't slowdown for the first half of the season. If he does start to tire, it is nice to know that Twins could have a good looksee to their options beyond 2021.

You don't get quality and a player still under control by giving a team players you really don't want. You have to give them guys you think you might want to keep, but are getting something stronger in place. The Reds can keep their pitcher and buy a shortstop comparable to Polanco. You would have to trade one of the young gun arms, and probably one of the outfield arms in the deal, period, end of discussion. The Twins shant do that. Both their top arms are controllable for up to six seasons. Krill and Lar will push Sano off the roster.

I like what the front is doing. They signed Donaldson to a big contract to hold down third base. I see possibilities in the system when Donaldson moves away from the bag in (hopefully) two years. They signed starting pitchers as a stopgap before prospects move up this season (and subsequent ones). The question remains the need to keep Berrios and for how much. They should've gotten something for Rosario, sadly. Losing him because of arbitration is a somewhat loss, but you do have replacements that need to play in Rooker and Kirilloff. The Twins have also signed temporary emergency stopgaps if need be. Next is Larnach. So this is the year Buxton and Kepler need to shine to stay with the Twins. Celestino is also someone I want to see. The Twins signed a Royce Lewis stopgap, but there is no doubt that it is time for Royce to shine in the minors to break into the lineup this season. The Twins have two young catchers. Plus a couple of prospects in the system. The system is loaded with arms. Sadly they still play like all they need to do is win the division. AT some point they have to pull the big mid-season trade to go all-the-way. But I think the system is quite rich with tradebait names that may or may not pan out. It sure hurt NOT to have a 2020 minor league season. Injuries are always the key to success. The Twins do seem to have depth pretty much everywhere with replaceable parts.

Minor league free agents do make a decent salary to play ball as they age, and there is just the chance. You never ever know.

Odorizzi is a five inning pitcher. But could the Twins live without Dobnak, Smeltzer or Thorpe longterm? Could Thorpe develop into a solid bullpen arm if nothing else? That is the bigger question with him. Looking at the Twins alternatives and that there are still arms of equal strength to "buy" - the Twins basically need someone who can pitch half-the-0season and possibly be tradebait, with hopes that Bala or Duran can come up during the season, or that two of the three I mentioned above are still in the wings in case of an emergency need.

I would be happy with even a half season and being a dugout presence. We all know he would love to reach 500 home runs. So he will be working hard to produce. He may delay the role of Brent Rooker for another year, but can live with that. The "robe" needs to continue.

Barring injuries, which always seem to happen. Thorpe and Dobnak get to fight it out. Kirilloff has the job if he wins it in spring training., Rooker is coming back from a pretty powerful injury. Question is who do you want to have play everyday here or in the minors. The turtle is a luxury. Of course, do you want Jeffers to catch alot, or Garver. I could see Jeffers starting in the minors if Garver is hot, just to get solid regular play. It will be Jeffers job to win and Garver's to lose. Hamilton will have to pitch to prove he stays in the majors. I think the Twins are sitting pretty darn good. Likes like Gordon gets screwed out of a job again. Talk about a guy in the wrong place at all the wrong times.

So the Twins are around $120+ million in payroll. They could still use a starter AND/OR relief arm. The bigger question, if the Twins by some chance sign two more players, who do they jettison from the 40-man? Willians, or Wade or Cave. Thielbar? One of the newer signees that we know little about in the pen? Smeltzer? I guess cross that when we come to it.

I would love to see Tanaka instead of Odorizzi. Jake seems to be at a 5-inning limit. If you put him with an opener, you might be able to get an extra inning. I think the Twins seriously need to get an infielder who can play third when you put Donaldson at DH and not lose the punch. Simmons would be a GREAT choice. I would long-term him. Semian would also be a great choice. I see the Dodgers would like tu use him at third. Hand being passed for one-year at $10 is my question. Yes, Rosenthal would be a wonderful choice. The Twins could do save by committee. And I would be game for Clippard. The only way Cruz comes back is on a one-year deal with an option for a second with performance requirements, sadly.

Nick Gordon is the forgotten guy. Maybe, just maybe, he will get a utility role shot this year. Royce Lewis to the outfield? Already crowded, even after deep-sixing Rosario (no one had grabbed Eddie yet). Javier, still highly rated, but has already gone thru two Rule 5 drafts. That ahs to be amazing for such a still highly rated prospect. At some point the Twins have to work him onto the 40-man. High school players vs. college players? Discussion on some positions? Yes, MOST prospects don't pan out at all. Others seemed to be packaged more after their first season in a club's system, which can be a smart move...you basically only have money invested.

What was amazing was that ALL teams passed on getting Hand for one-year and $10m. Now will probably be forced to still pay that amount, and have to offer a multi-year deal. The Twins could still use a bonafide closer. Both Duff and Rogers are better suited as set-up guys who can also close on occasion. I was a bit aghast that Wisler wasn't brought back, as his salary wouldn't have killed the payroll, and the guy did work as an opener, closer and multi-inning reliever to decent success. If he could hold or build on that success, he might've been a tradechip in the least. Hendricks did good. Back when he was toiling as a starter prospect and not knowing where his career would take him, he ahs to be quite happy with this payday. Bring Back Pat Neshek!