Rosterman

What happens if one person on the team or support staff gets it and it goes around the clubhouse. Then to another team, or someone gets it and carries it to another city before discovering they are sick. The minors are going to take a big hit!

You evaliate every pitch and every at bat. Remember, players are facing players of different strengths up until the week ebfore, when lineups and rotations/arms are more set. Plus, the players are doing more skill sets and training every day, from pickup innings to fielding work to just throwing or swinging.

College pitchers come into the system older, but still must make the different jumps. And because you don't talk about them for an additional couple of years as they progress, you either see them happen, now, of they flame-out in the competitive field of prospects. The bigger question is: have the Twins ahd more success with prospect pitchers out of high school or college in the past.

Only being held back if there isn't a 40-man roster spot for them and someone of lesser quality is protected. The joy is that he TOP prospects do offer depth. If he need arises, they should get regular major league play...like Arraez. To see how they work against major league pitching and for the future of the team. Right now, the Twins have backup infielder, designated hitter, two outfield positions, and rotation arms on the bubble heading towards 2021. If the outfielders play well, there is little need to argue extensions for Rosario and Buxton, unless they become lights out super stars. It's just the matter of when you trade or part company. Cruz is not a necessity to come back in 2021. And the Twins can always play Gordon and Blank and probably get equal backup play for the infield. Many would argue that any of the current starting arms with major league experience class in at a #4 starter or better. All will have an opportunity at some point to get a few games this year. The big question is can they show enough to become the end of the rotation arm on a team that is winning 100 games (or 95 or even 90). WInning does stahl prospects. But when the opportunity arrives, you play the Larnach or Kirkiloff instead of the Cave or Wade, you play the Lewis or Gordon instead of Adrianza...at least for x-many games. IF they are a top prospect. Top prospects don't come up to sit on the bench and breathe the air. They play, they pitch.

The joy is that the Twins have a decent depth of 7-8 arms opening the season and instead of trading they have Pineda and Hill coming in for mid-season and beyond, if need be.

I would actually like to see May given a chance at the closer role, keeping Rogers as a solid set-up guy and emergency closer. I think he ahs the stuff and would be willing to take that chance.

Caleb Thielbar. Considering the Twins will have two 40-man spots open....just sayin'.

Exhibition game! Weather comparable to early season Minnesota games. Remember that the Twins have only been training for a couple of weeks, too.

The Twins, in all cases, were not ready to give up on Perez. He was a lefthander. They had an option for 2020. They seriously wanted to consider him to be a part of the team, compared to not. But the joy of free agents, all they involve is money. You can send them packing via release, maybe someone picks up the remaining salary. Maybe you get a minor prospect back. I see the Twins have the option of playing the same game with Bailey and Chadin if both start the year with the team. Keep them on a short leash. Hope the Thorpes and Dobnaks and others shine in AAA - but you still will have Pineda and Hill coming back (hopefully).

A good incentive contract. If injured, or if he degress, you don't have to pay him a lot.

That is one helluva a lot dof ecent prospects, or trade chips.

At this point, no need to go outside the organization. Gonzalez is a suitable backup for many a position. Kepler can move to center. Willians gives you a lot of position strength including catcher, plus he does put the ball in play. ight now the Twins have outfield strength. Who needs to play most everyday at Rochester (Raley, Wade, Celestino?). So, Cave could be a possibility, but I don't see the need to have him and be forced to play him unles someone does go down with an injury...but if that is a longterm issue, then I would add someone like Kirilloff for everyday use...if later in the season. But no need to go add other names if they aren't going to play.

The pain is that any name NOT on the 40-man has to replace someone on the 40-man.

The Twins won't need five starters for the entire run of the Pineda suspension. Which will also be fruitful, they will have that ninth arm in the bullpen.

I'd be comfortable with this. Picture Willians, depending on production, having an outside chance ahead of Cave. That is the one BIG job fight in spring training. Thorpe and Dobnak might rotate out with others. Again, the 40-man roster will be pretty tight. The Twins will have one opening when Hill goes on the DL. Harper might be out. Poppen a possibility. But that is pretty much it. The job will be Wisler's to win or lose. Stashak also has to come prepared. Romero needs to show that he can stay with the organization. Stay away...major injuries!

I think they are doing a fine fine job. Cruz was a marvelous oldster choice, and it ha been a series of single year contracts. Hill brings playoff experience. Donaldson will hopefully be the vet leader. Maybe didn't need both Clippard and Romo in the pen, but both showed signs of being viable relief arms. Both are on single year contracts and can be moved aside if younegr arms prevail. You never ever know with prospects. The Twins MAY have a homegrown rotation come 2021, or probably in 2022 (depending on Berrios). They actually are set up to give multiple pitches a shot at major league starts to beging the season, then exile to the minors to learn to improve, and then back again. Last year the Twins five starters performed beautifully starting the majority of games. We got see see enough of Thorpe and Dobnak that they could be the short-term mix. Smeltzer, Poppen could still be swing arms or more. Graterol has the real stuff, just needs seasoning and time...but watch out 2021 with him. Looking at the oldsters: Donaldson, Cruz, Romo, Clippard, Hill and even Bailey...are any of them preventing a youngertalent, today, at the moment, from getting playing time in the majors. Sadly the answer is "no." There are guys that could be worked into the picture, pushing some of them aside towards the end of the year (depending on the standings). And except for Donaldson, none are expected to contribute beyond this season. If they do, hopefully the Twins experience will see them come back.

I worked in football tracking, graphing plays throughout the first half of the game, then trying to predict some moves in the second half. Keeping a file to look at again if you play that team. In baseball, some people have always tried to steal signs. I thought it got pretty difficult when a team had decided to use up to five "tells" in a game to reflect what the sign structure wa for that inning. A sign that the sign following will tell you when the next sign is comng (first, second or third). You always had the guy in centerfield with the hat or glasses. Always the coach on the top of the dugout steps. Looking for that one-up easy that might make a game easier. Now you have after-the-game video of every pitch and every swing and people who have a job charting the whole mess and figuring out odds of throw and swing. That it was reduced to banging on a trashcan lid is beyond my comprehension. But, yes...it has to be addressed. People will push for advantage, especially when money and fame and glory is involved, or so it seems. Like someone said, we reward people who have served out suspensions, giving them a second (and maybe even third) chance to continue to score a payday. The question always is, does the organization get to suffer when a play goes under suspension, yes. We saw it with the Twins at the tail end of 2019. Should a team suffer that they don't have their act together monitoring their players? I would say yes. With so many people eligible and wanting, one mistake might be enoygh to be a career ender. You learn by punishent, or suppose we are told, and having to make changes to your life and fighting the stigma for the rest of your life.

The Twins are getting themselves into a unique position where they now have the infield, catching, and two outfield positions set up for the next four years at least. Now they have to judge those under contract as being with the team for the length of the contract, if they plan on moving any number of players into the fold. Do you need both Kirilloff and Larnach. What about all that infield depth now of Gordon, Lewis, Javier, Keoni amongst others. This is who you trade for extendable rotation arms. But out of the chute at the beginning of the season, those first 39 games before the return of Pineda are important. Not all will be on a five-man rotation, but the Twins need to ee what arm can carry them until Hill returns. They also have the unique opportunity of winning those games and start running away with the division, carefully crafting the bullpen and making using an opener, four inning arm, etc. etc. Sadly I don't see Odorizzi giving us six innings as often as we would like, to start the season. And, hopefully, no injuries. So, yes, the Twins could use another arm. I have faith in Homer Bailey as a fifth starter, but would like to improve on that sooner rather than later.

Patience is the key, and sometimes an organization is more than happy to have a player tread in the minors and age, rather than become a hot young prospect. The question is: do most players have 1-3 very very good years in the scheme of things, maybe 3-5 years of okay ballplay? I always like Trevor May and looks like he may be a possible closer for the Twins. Can he get mean and just throw first pitch (and second pitch) strikes? Regarding Garver, I remember when the discusion was between him and Stu Turner on who would contribute to the Twins first. Kinda like the discussion around Rortvedt and Jeffers now. Taylor Rogers needs to stay in setup, or called in to close sparringly. He is good and would be nice to get that goodness in more games for holding a lead.

So now THE BIG QUESTION! Who leaves the 40-man Roster!

We basically have Gordon to replace Adrianza or Gonzalez in the near future, and any number of other prospects. Of course, the team friendly contracts for Kepler and Polanco and ano also makes them tradable. Interesting that to buy out arbitration and first year of free agency is roughly $10 million a year now. A decent investment to keep young players on the team. The Twins do have lots of OF/1B potential candidates. Like Sano moving over to first, or eventually DH. Even looking at DOnaldson for the long haul, the Twins would need a DH after the next season (possibly the 40-year-old wonder Cruz might hand on for still another campaign). You suddenly see riches in the Twins system. Where do we put Lewis. Will there be room for both Laranach and Kirilloff, not to mention anyone else. They have a very young shortstop behind Javier that they drafted alst year, too. There seems to be okay potential at catcher with Jeffers and Rortvedt in the wings. The biggest question is getting innings and exposure for the rotation. Some power arms, as well as people like Enlow, Sands, Ober, Colina, Barnes, Sammons to go with Duran, Rijo, Balazovic. Some will succeed, after some exposure to the majors. A couple may be bullpen arms. But there is promise in the minors, along with some arms that could surprise in the relief corps. It all depends on how bad you feel you need a veteran presence. Yes, it is wonderful to have a dominant arm in the top of the rotation, a grizzled veteran in the middle of the bullpen, an aging bat on the field roster. Especially if they do act as a pseudo-team leader.

We know what Berrios will make in his arbitration seasons. It is what he could garner as a free agent out of the chute. On the Twins side, it is a gamble that includes an extension or a buyout (and also once you have a player unde contract you have the qualifying ofer to keep them for an additional year, although someone of Berrios age wouldn't take it). Berrios banks that he will be healthy. The Twins never want to overpay on a contract, it seems (look at Kepler, Polanco, Sano...all very team friendly). I also worry about attitude. Remembering the days of Dark Star commenting on the contract the Twins gave Cristian Guzman. "The Twins gave him that much? He TOOK that much" or something along that ilk. Realizing that maybe, just maybe the player might be less motivated to do anything more than show up each season to get paid rather than continue to dream of riches beyond...which sometimes happens in this biz.

A baseball team has two things that drive the acquisition of talent. Money and Prospects. We saw them weak at the Trade Deadline because they wish to hang onto prospects. Still trying to figure out the worth. And, with prospects, those we feel have worth (but are happy to trade away) can also be viewed with similar misgivings by trade partners. To trade for a quality player on another team, you have to be willing to eat salary and fill holes that team has on field or in their system. It is fun to throw away money. Like betting millions on on-line poker that we pay for in pennies. No matter our love for the team, or interest in the players, we are looking at the big picture as a fan, not as ownership or management. They have the big picture. They know more about each and every piece in the system than we can imagine. They know the player depth of every organization, have worked out scenarios for cost of current players vs. the future, and ... well, that is their job. The flipside is that every other team is doing the same thing, going after the same players, working under the same budget restrictions (almost). And everyone wants to win. And to top it off, you have to have organizational discipline and structure. You have to put together a field staff that will work with players. You have to get players that will work with players. And you always have dreams of dollars and cents looming over everything, often buttressed with an agent who cares more about the contract than anything related to baseball. The Twins weren't alone missing out on imapct players in 2020. They do have a team, it looks pretty good on paper. There is some backup depth at every position. I'm sure we would like to see the 5th starter, 7th or 8th bullpen arm, the bench guy, and maybe even a position player repalced by someone of better quality (and expense). And it could be done, throwing dollars to the win (and 4-7 years), or a prospect. Those pesky prospects. If the Twins tie up Rosario, Sano, Buxton, Berrios, Garver whatever, it starts to change the picture. If they see the need to extend Arraez, Rogers, May, Duffy it frees up more trading pieces in the minors who become moot after 3-5 years anyways repalced by younger and just as promising talents. I see the White Sox adding players, but wonder how they will all play together on the field. In the Twins, I do see a team familiar with each other and coming off a season of team play headed by a solid field staff. I am not disappointed. If a big name wanted to play in Minnesota, they could...sign the dotted line, negotiate a decent price. But between players and agents and big markets and spouses and horse farms and length of contract, it is a total crapshoot. 75-80 days and we all start enjoying "Play Ball" - and it is a long season!

I still don't know how Sano will work out as a fulltime first base guy. Or even splitting the duties with Garver.

I would be more than content on a rotation of Sano, Gonzalez and Garver between first and third. Mitch Garver only played in 93 game last season. 93! and only 73 as catcher (Castro did 72). I doubt Garver will be pushed to 120 or above in 2020. The hope is that Jeffers may be fast tracked and become a aparttime catcher in 2021 with Twins having to move Garver somewhere by 2022 - either at first base of DH depending on what is done with Sano. By then we also will know what we have in Kirilloff, Rooker, Lewis and see if Gordon is still around. Is Garver a safer bet first than behind-the-plate? Can he give us better than adequate defense, but still keep his catching skills top notch? That is the question.