Rosterman

There is soemthing to the fact that Minnesota is not always the highest on any free agent's list to come and play (for some odd reason). When they have signed free agents, we often complain that they overpay for some guys, because we can't get the big names (or refuse to oevrpay bigtime). And all the talk we like to do about trades like we are running a fantasy ballteam, you have to have players that fulfill a need in another organization, be it on the major league roster or in the minor league prospect spectrum to pull off a trade. If we can find fault with our players, otehr teams must see that same fault. Teams will trade to (1) get rid of salary (2) not have to worry about further arbitration or potential free agency (3) someone appears on the cusp (4) someone is a pretty prized - and paid in bonus money - prospect (5) an injury happens and you need an immediate replacement - be it longerm or maybe just shortterm and/or (6) change of scenery.

You have Berrios. Hopefully there is an upside to Berrios and he will continue to improve. Who do you replace Odorizzi with? Someone who can go five innings? Someone not tied into a 3-4 year contract? Imagine there are quite a few possibilities. Who do you repalce Gibson with. ANyone. Here I would consider adding a bigger name free agent, be it Wheeler or Bumgarner. Who replaces Pineda? My concern with Pineda is - did he get better because of what he was taking? If you can get Gibson and Pineda on rasonable one year ofers, I would sign both and hope Gibson shows up strong in spring training. Gibson still ahs health concerns. Will they come abck? Pineda will miss the first month-and-a-half. Who replaces Perez? Agan, anyone. Heck, I would consider Odorizzi a fine upgrade if he takes the one year deal. But I am afraid of Odorizzi over the longterm. The Twins also need a spot or a way to look at future arms in their organization. Do they have enough worthwhile arms to devote one roster spot to giving them experience. Thorpe, Dobnak, Smeltzer are this year's cropy. Graterol is also a strong consieation. The Twins have 4-5 othre names that could be contributing at the backend of the rotation starting in 2021 and maybe being a futrue major league star. But the question always is...if you BUY rotation arms, then what do you do with the arms in the system. Do you basically let them walk over time (see Stewart, Slegers, Gonsalves) or do you package them when they still have some perceivd worth for offense, or other prospects that you can, in turn, apckage still at another date. Simply by throwing money at the fan the Twins should be able to upgrade over Odorizzi, Gibson, Pineda and Perez. Within their own system they should be able to upgrade over Perez and Gibson 2019. I am not comfortable with Odorizzi longterm. I am not sure how bad the Twins need to be the second-round rehab for Pineda. They have the money to spend. They need a swecond catcher (still cheap). They also need a closer, which should be job one. Spend big on this arm, and the otehr aprts of the bullpen will thrive. You should still have $30-40-50 million to spend on rotation arms.

I would let him explore the market.

Well, trading away four pieces that if the Red Sox can put them on the field in their lineup and stay competitive, then why can't the Twins do the same. Betts over Rosario, for one year? Yes, getting Price for only 3 years rather than signing a Price-like free agent for 5-7 years is what the Astros do so well. But Bala has such promise. I would rather roll the dice on Graterol than Balaz being redy in another season, than $90 million on Price at this point. I don't see Price being the one to ensure us a World Series day. Gordon will start at AAA but should be numebr one for a call up if anyone in the infield goes dow. Or maybe he does bump Adrianza out of a job. Or proves to be a more valuable addition to the roster than third catcher Austildo. We lose Sano and stuck with Cron at first. Gonzalez at third? Yes, the Twins can take on the salary dump of someone else. Yes, that team would want players that they can pencil in. But if the players to pencil in are in demand by a team like the Red Sox, then the Twins better reevaluate their own take on prospects. Off-season 2019 may be the time to move Rosario and Sano. You'd like to think they will increase in value (as well as payroll cost). But what if they don't. Are they worth prime players now? The flip for Gray brings to mind a reent post on mlbtraderumors about the Padres being such a rich farm system that they are in the hunt for trading future talent for major league talent. I would think the Twins are in a very similar position.

I would not part with this pitcher. Now hopefully he won't miss a season becaue of some surgical need.

Stealing a base happens because you need something to happen and you have the right mix of batter and player on base. At best, a ruenr steals a base. At worst, the guy on base is a threat and disturbs the pitcher. The Twins are fortunate to NOW have two guys potentially in the lineup who put the ball in play: Arraez and Astulido. But I like it more if the guys on abse have the ability to take that extra base than put themselves in a situation for injury (or an out) with a steal. And, yes...if the Twins do not hit home runs in 2020, then they have to do a better job of getting runners home when they have no or one out and guys in scoring position.

26 player rosters. So the Twins can carry Astulido. But they still need a viable part-time catcher. 1st base? Can bring back Cron. Still reasonable and he is...consistent. Do you move Sano to 1st? Do you have a rotation of Gonzalez and Garver, with Gordon and Adrianza as the backup infielders and not keep Cron? Do you get a viable power third abseman and make Sano fulltime at first. Looking beyond 2020, who's on first? Buxton, Kepler and Rosario make a nice outfield. You have names like Raley, Rooker, Kirilloff, Larnach, Celestino in the wings. Unless the Twins trade Rosario, and patch in Cave and others, I would not want to be Wade or Cave. The Twins need a closer. Yes, Trevor ay made great strides. If you weren't in a position to compete I would trust him out of the gate, especially with Rogers still in the wings. But keeping him as set-up with Rogers makes the Twins bullpen strong, strong, strong. Assuming Duffey, Stashak, Romero, Littell round out the pen, you still have one opening...and so many choices! (I want Pat Neshek to return for one more round, and would choose him over Romo). The Twins have Berrios. They have Dobnak pencilled in. You can say Thorpe and Smeltzer may be ready, and Graterol is the wild card. But you still need two arms. Odorizzi is a five inning guy, Pineda misses the first 45 days (getting in shape). Yes, Bumgarner AND Wheeler would be wonderful. Trade Rosario for someone you can control. The Twins do have $70 million they can easily spend. They need to keep winning. Ticket prices will rise a bit. People are excited about the team. They need to build and to uild past just winning the division but going all-the-way.

Until they saw the medical history? How does that work for minor league players? Who pays the medical bills? And since you are not aprt of the player's union, what kinda longterm worries do you have about medical issues associated with play in the minors? Also, you mention that the minor leagues include the top 1% of ballplayers (as would, say, certain collegiae institutions). You are thrown togetehr with others who are the top in the sport. Yet the "extra" minor league teams allow more people to play and showcase themselves than if the minor league system is reduced...in which alternatives would remain either college ball or the indy leagues, and both don't really pay anything of worth...although one you do get an education for life after baseball. Which brings the question, how much thought ortalk do players, as a whole, have about "life after baseball." Especially when toiling in the minors, seeing wedded bliss on the horizon, and maybe the addition of a child or two in a family setting?

Depends on what the Twins do with Rosario. And right now, because he is NOT on the 40-man, he is behind Cave and Wade and possibly Raley, Rooker and Celestino for a callup. If the Twins really wanted to push him, they could've advanced him last September and gave him the at bats instead of Wade, LaMarre and Miller. But didn't. Service time is making a play, here. He will start at AAA. Yes, if any of the current starters go down I would rather see him get the chance than any of the other names above, but right now it won't happen, sadly.

He can be the next man up if you want to keep him as a starter. Eventually, if he can learn command like, say, Duffey, then he will be a solid middle relief specialist.

Front-loads would be wonderful. Ultimately, a player is looking at the total package when signing a longterm contract, and the new "wow" factor is to be able to opt-out or renegotiate. Haven't seen many of the front-loaded thingies out there. Have seen players walking away from some awesome guaranteed money, or turning their opt out into a further higher priced extension. I like what the Astros did when they had payroll flexibilty. Part with prospects and pick up major contracts (Verlander, Grienke examples). Then you also have the option of adding onto the contract with a smaller number of years. But if absorbing another teams siging of $30, you hope that the player is still productive. Right now, the Kepler and Polanco sigings look like genius, as did the Span signing of years ago. But we also remember such great signings as Joe Mays and Nick Blackburn. Ever since agents have entered the marketplace, baseball salary negotiations have taken on the look of divorce lawyers. Geta s much as you can, who cares about team loyalty, rebuilding, keeping the gang together. Let's just move onto someone else, go to the burbs and a bigger house, there is always someone out there willing to give me what I want, until there isn't. Our front office has a plan. They have had some flukes. In reality I don't think they say 2019 being like it was, but still surprised they didn't do a better job of weighing prospects to part with going all in. And, as we saw, you just never know. They gave some solid names to the Giants, only time will tell. I would sure like to see notes published 3-4 years from now showing front ofice evaluations of the Twins farm system. Like how us in Twins Daily territory can always go back and look at the pecking order from years ago and wonder where we went wrong in the evaluations, or right. Be interesting to see the long-term contracts handed out this year. And next year got the player union negotiations happening. If anything, baseball is showing that you don't have to overspend to be competitive (Twins, A's, Rays). But putting together a team is the core, and spending when necessary for a few key parts is a must, although you never know how those parts will play out over a season.

Gonsalves was an interesting move, unless the Twins know more than others do. If he is not a reliable alternative for 2020, then I guess adios is fine. But at some point you ask if his upside still wasn't above say, Hildenberger, Harper, Wisler or Poppen...not to mention Romero (who needs to be on the roster in 2020).

Some interesting names, here. Two MIGHT be added during the season (Kirilloff and Rooker). The whole point of adding someone to the 40-man is SUCH GREAT longterm potential and WILL THEY PLAY in 2020 and you need to have a chance to see that. Remember, the Twins ARE NOT a rebuilding team, so you have to judge EACH roster spot carefully. You can't have a half-dozen guys floating in the minors with a"maybe next year." If that is the case, don't add them. You should also be marekting players, especially those that will come to Rule 5 needs next season, in packages for usable pieces for NOW. It always pains me to see players just walk (i.e. Gonsalves is one, Stewart may be another). You wish you could've gotten something, anything. But, hey, who ever knows.

When looking at pitching, you would like to assume that Berrios will get even better. Who can give us what we received from Odorizzi, Pineda and Gibson. The ladder is not really that high on any of them. Do you go cheap, or spend. Bring back Odorizzi? Will he be the same in 2020? Scary thinking of giving him 3 years. I would like to think Dobnak or Smeltzer could easily replace what we got from Gibson. I would like to think Thorpe can advance and give us betetr than Perez. Also, Griffin Jax is a wild card.

The Twins still need to decide on Harper, Hildenberger - and possibly the real worth if Wisler. Also, a hard decision on Cron. Is LaMonte Wade still a keeper? They should add two free agent starters, one bullpen arm (a bonifide closer) and a backup catcher. Looking at the list, any of these names could also be reasonable trade bait. But also looking at the names, there aren't a lot of HARD adds. At this point, Raley is a keeper. Celastino is a possible. But you have to make a decision, then, on Wade (and Cave) for keeping. Of course, moving Rosario suddenly means you need someone in the outfield. Can Cave or Raley fill that bill? Wiel is an interesting choice, as the Twins have no bonafide backup for first base. Yes, they have guys who can play first. So depending on the Cron decision..... Griffin Jax is a keeper. He has as much of a chance to be an arm on the staff as Smeltzer, Poppen, Alcala. Throw in Thorpe and Alcala...you need to protect pitchers THAT CAN BE USED IN 2020. With that in mind, you want to keep Clay. Chalmers is a possibility, but don't see anyone grabbing him...yet. Look at who the Twins protected gong into 2019. The rotation strength was Gonsalves, Slegers, Mejia, DeJong, Stewart, Thorpe. They had Vasquez, Moya, Curtiss, Addison Reed on the roster and got mileage out of Magill, Parker and Morin. They added in people like Diplan, Torres and Adams. Sure, you run the risk of a High-A or even AA arm being grabbed and stashed for a year by a non-contender. That is why you trade these possible grab arms for usable pieces when the opportunity arises (or any of your potential minor league free agents...anyone have a list of who the Twins are losing as minor league free agents?). B;lankenhorn is also an intersting add. Again, depends on Cron. Is he ready to push to be a utility infielder, or can he step in if you need a third base replacement if Sano goes down? You already have Nick Gordon, who is kinda in a play or trade mode. I see adding Duran, Jax, Raley, Blankenhorn. Possibly Wiel, Celestino, Chalmers. Again, there is a lot of talent that could be used as tradebait, to get that catcher or one of your starters. But I would try and sign Robinson Chirinos as the second catcher. I would be happy with the free agent predictions on mlb trade rumos of Bumgarner and Odorizzi as starting arms, and Smith as a bullpen arm. I would trade for that third starter needed. Suddenly the Twins look pretty dynamite.

I like the Schoop idea (above). Interesting. Sano has become the new Mauer. How he fits into the Twins now and in the future affects decisions. Nick Gordon is a plus, I feel. A more-than=qualified spare infielder. WIll he just be stashed for another year at AAA and used for callups, or can he pushout Adrianza as the bench bat. You forgot Odorizzi. I would trust him for one more year. Not sure if he is someone I would invest in longterm (3-4 years). Is Stewart still safe because of his standing and continued rise, although only adequate, thru the system? Speaking or prospects - Romero needs to stay on the roster of 2020, Gonsalves will get another year to shine. Signing someone like Wisler means Harper is redundant. Heck, I don't know why they even invested in Wisler with a 40-man spot. Someone you MIGHT be able to jsut get with a minor league invite. Jake Cave and LaMonte Wade also have to be on the bubble. Do the Twins add Haley and Rooker? I don't picture the Twins needing both. But part of that decision will revolve around if the Twins do trade Rosario and maybe extend to spring training as we do the Buxton watch. I picture 10 possible open spots. The Twins will only add 5-6 minor league guys, so four get to float towards spring and are jettisoned depending on what happens in the free agent signing field.

Rortvedt and Jeffers are both our catchers of the future. At best, either is a year away from being a backup. But, conceivably, both could be on the major league roster as soon as 2021. Screwing around with servicetime issues, you might not want them both until 2022. If the Twins resign Cron as a continued stopgap via rbitration, they still have Rooker (and Raley) in the wings. Comfortably, if they extend Sano, they could wait until 2021 to move the big guy to first. Ultiamtely, see Sano as being a DH who (if he stays fit) could also play both first and third in the field when necessary. The big question is backup for 2020 at catcher. Garver has not started 90 games behind-the-plate (his top at Rochester was 66, his two seasons with the Twins were 73 and 75). How far can you push him. Idea would be 110-120, but is thata sking too much? Sure, would like to keep his bat in the lineup as much as possible, and his endurance behind-the-plate is necessary, too. Concussion issues, injuries are always a concern. Players know that going into this vulnerable position. The days of seeing people behind-the-plate for a career may be going the way of a six inning start by a rotation arm, or a 2-inning stint by the bullpen, let alone anyone playing consecutive games ala Ripken. Right now, have to have a strong second catcher on the roster (Willians would be fine if Garver caught 125-135 games). as well as a suitable backup at AAA Rochester for 2020.

That's a lot of additions to the 40-man roster. Who do you end up bumping overall from the pitchers?

It always depends on the price. But wouldn't leave him out as a possible. The field for rotation arms of quality isn't that huge in 2020, sadly.

I'm not sure what his worth in a trade would be, unless combined with other assets. Right now, I see him battling Ehire for the reserve position. Or, at the least, the Twins can still keep him at Rochester as the backup if something happens to Polanco or Arraez in 2020 and hopefully see his numbers rise even more at AAA and be part of a mid-season package. As that extra infielder on the 40-man, to you see jettisoning him, or keeping Torreyes? Either way, he is still a part of the Twins 40-man roster for at least one more season. He is still a prospect to watch. He jsut has to stay healthy.

The nice thing is that both Rortvedt and Jeffers WILL be Twins at some point. They both will be able to ride the 40-man roster for the next 3-4 years without regular play, but if they do play, BOTH should have a good knowledge of working with the Twins of the future. The question is how long is Garver behind-the-plate, and for how many games. I don't see Garver catching up to 130 games, ptherwise we could go with Willians as the main abckup with a depth guy in case of injury in the minors. Next year the Twins will be able to carry 13 pitchers and 13 hitters, so four guys on the bench (back up catcher, back up infielder, back up outfielder, all-around-guy).

I have heard nothing but goodness about the way Rowson handled many of the young Twins batters. He was a reinforcing presence off the bench and in the batting cage. Will be interesting to see who comes in to replace him (as well as maybe the Twins own bench coach moving on).

Well, the BIG QUESTION is who's on first! Bring back Cron? Stick with Gonzalez? Move Sano? Raley or Rooker - one fails bring up the other? I do see Sano at first eventually. I see him at DH, too, fulltime with the option to play in the field n National League games. Can he keep plate discipline? Can he keep weight down and work, work, work. He ahs natural skills, but still needs to work each and everyday, maybe more than many a player. Hope they can get an extension done (same with Berios and Rosario). Otherwise, start exploring trade options.

Well, the BIG QUESTION is who's on first! Bring back Cron? Stick with Gonzalez? Move Sano? Raley or Rooker - one fails bring up the other? I do see Sano at first eventually. I see him at DH, too, fulltime with the option to play in the field n National League games. Can he keep plate discipline? Can he keep weight down and work, work, work. He ahs natural skills, but still needs to work each and everyday, maybe more than many a player. Hope they can get an extension done (same with Berios and Rosario). Otherwise, start exploring trade options.

He always brings up talk about being so-so. And then he excels. He actually shines, at times. The BIG question is how much, and do you think he will get better or regress over time. If he gets better, is it bad if it is on another team's dime, if you can put those same resources into improving your own team and replace a player with a similar player at a lower cost (and the Twins have that potential in Raley, Rooker, Kirilloff, Larnach...although it is a gamble for 2020). Going into 2020, the home run champs would then be light without Rosario in left field, Schoop at second, and possibly Cron at first. That's a helluva a lot of homers. Gonzales is NOT going to replace any of these guys in that arena. Sano might hit 15-20 more playing fulltime. Arraez might add some strength, but ain't gonna bang 20 yet. Of course, it is not about hitting homers but socring runs and fielding and keeping the ball in play. So, you sign Eddie for 3-5 years. At some point the Twins will be without Rosario, Buxton and/or Kepler as the future comes on the field. Sadly, no one is a surefire explosion for 2020. (Wish Raley and Rooker had ben able to play in September. Also wish that with those two out the Twins ahd plunged and given at bats to Kiriloff instead of LaMarre, Miller and even Wade. Would've been a good looksee!)