Rosterman

It's a mess right now. There are spme 20+ pitchers. Too many outfielders. WIll Martin and Palacios be advanced from AA ball (and maybe a catcher or two).

It is all up to Lewis. He has a couple of years (maybe) to claim the starting shortstop job. He is not blocked, as one would think Correa would walk away after a year. If Correa stays a second year (or third) Lewis can still get experience by being on the bench. More than likel;y Lewis starts at AA, depending on what the Twins do with Palacios, Martin and Beckham, all who are pegged to be in St. Paul. Lewis will be able to work on shortstop skills in Wichita. If he doesn't pan out, a position change. Remember, Kepler could also be expendable. Yes, the Twins will be looking closely at Larnach and Miranda as future parts of the Twins.

I expect to see some minor league free agents leave the ship because there won't be playing time for them at AAA or AA ball, and they will test waters elsewhere (or jsut be cut by the Twins). Last year there were too many AAAA guys at St. Paul, and still quite a few at AA Wichita. Martin, Roy Morales and Palacios could all be playing at AAA this year. Cabbage would've but signed elsewhere. Ernie di la Tribidad was released. Spencer Steer is on the cusp. There's some pitchers that may get lost in the mix. Sammons, Mason deserve to advance, as does Schulter. But could step back. Cano and Moran need to stay in St. Paul. Balazovic and Sands need to start in St. Paul. Jordan Gore also needs to advance.

A player going on the disabled list doesn't free up a 40-man spot. Compounded is the fact that the Twins, like every other team, will probably have 15 pitchers amongst their 28, cutting two after the month of April, causing a chain-reaction backwards in the minors system. And, yes, there is a possibility of two pitcehrs coming from the non-roster invitee field, as well as possibly one hitter. But if any of those players are minor-league free agents, you may lose them when you send them back to the minors, too. Not that EVERY team will also be in the same boat. So, look for a lot of changing of teams with fringe players come May 1. Of course, the Twins may choose to keep, say, people like Winder and Duran or Moran who would just be getting stretched out, as well as Miranda, who would jsut be optioned out. Are they better served playing in St. Paul? In the case of a crowded pitching arena, maybe a couple of the 40-man guys would be better served at Target Field while a couple of AAA guys have a month to play themselves off the team (or AA guys).

Enlow will open the season on the injured list at Wichita. Will he remain there, or go down to the Florida complex and pitch in that environs? I imagine he will go to Florida and then make roster rehab moves to Ft. Myers or Cedar Rapids befoe a return to Wichita. Yes, the Twins could have basically done the same by putting him on the 60-day to get that 40-man spot, but then Enlow would've spent 60 days in Florida (he still might, then can always retroactive if they wish). Also, because he was injured last season while a minor league guy, this was possible. If a 40-man guy IS injured in spring training before being optioned out, he needs to go on the MLB disabled list. Which is why those with little chance are optioned out sooner rather than later, and thenc alled back to play in games as needed. Kudos if we get Enlow back into the swing sooner ather than later. Can't wait to see how the Twins sort out the pitching logjam for AAA/AA, where more than 40 names are currently looking for roster spots.

Landon Leach signed minor league contract with the Braves. Was considered a hot prospect once.

The players on the bubble? Not many. Rooker if you want Cave or Garlick. Beckham was a possibility, but then the Twins signeed Correa. I consider Gordon and Arraez a better fit. But if you ruly need a left-fielder, why not Miranda? Looks like Kirilloff will be the opener, though. Twins felt Romero was a better fit than, say, Garza. Stashak, Strotman, Jax. Add in Cotton. Any of those guys could be interchangable if you want to give a spot to Minaya or Smeltzer. But, no, not a lot of opportunities for short-term guys right now.

I picure the Twins will send Larnach out and keep Rooker. Also, Smeltzer and Minya are both pushing hard for a roster spot. But there are few candidates to outright designate. What will be interesting to see (soon) is the minor league roster shuffle. Remember, two people, come May 1, will return to the minors. Was glad to see Enlow not go on the major league long-term disabled list.

Landon Leach also has been released. https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=leach-000lan

Gonna pull together team-by-team once the season begins for the majors, as minor league roster should be pretty set by then (except for the two players that will have to find a home in the minors once May 1 rolls around).

I would've dangled Sano for Snell with the Padres, but they found their DH/1B to go with Hosmer elsewhere.

Bad enough they need to find a 40-man spot! Twins are goiing to suddenly discover they have too many rookie pitchers on the 40-man and not alot of wiggle room (hummmmm...would anyone really claim Dobnak?).

He will be available if someone crashes, that's for sure. The question is does he start at AA or AAA this season. There is a pitching logjam between prospects on the 40-man and too many free agents right now at both of the upper levels. There are guys from High A that should be advancing, as well as Wind Surge guys that should be at AAA to start the season.

Twins added a veteran arm to their bullpen with the signing of Joe Smith. I'll let Baseball Trade Rumors give you his recap. https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2022/03/twins-to-sign-joe-smith.html The pen is an interesting world looking at it from the outside. The Twins still have no viable closer. So it looks like a return with Rogers in that roll. Thielbar and Duffey, for all intent and purposes, will be the setup guys. Smith has a veteran chance of making it, and the Twins will stay with Alcala (who might be a closer in the future). That leaves pick-up Cotton, to battle it out with Thorpe, Jax, Garza and maybe Stashak for three jobs. Moran is a possibility, but has option available and I wish they had given him more of a shot last year with the up-and-down so he could work on things. Spring training will be important to him. The Twins also have Faria, Hamilton and the lefty Coulombe on the Saints roster that could be a part of the team sooner than later. I don't mind Jax and Thorpe in the pen, if they work out, as both should be able to pitch multiple innings (or once thru the batting order). They offer that goodness you need if a starter only goes five innings (and both Bundy and Ober might be in that arena this season). With the short three-week season, and no games necessarily going on the secondary site, be interesting to see how all the guys get the work needed.

I would go with a third catcher if Sanchez will be a primary DH. That is assuming Kirilloff is in leftfield and Sano mostly at first. Sadly, it would look mroe like Cave or Garlick as nthe 4th outfielder, especially if Arraez is traded. Of course, Miranda could also be in the mix, too. I think the Twins will do just fine at DH if their bench is Sanchez, Miranda, Gordon, Garlick (or Cave), and Godoy.

If you took Andru, he is an expensive (albeit on $7 mil) bech player. The problem is his contract kicks in ON HIS SAY IF TRADED if he reaches 500+ at bats. I would've taken him more if we hadn't signed Correa. But...... Arraez is a pefect A's player. Works the count. He will continue to have value in a hopeful future flip. He would be the centerpiece. The Twins, for the sake of salary, will only be adding one of the pitchers. Even though they have value, it is only 1-2 years. You are not going to break the "high" prospect bank. Someone like SWR and a Jax/Thorpe/Strotman would work, with one more love level prospect. The thing is the A's don't want a bunch of 40-man guys they have to protect, unless they are actually major league ready. But Martin or Lewis would be waaaaaay too much. Maybe you could include Palacios in the deal, too. Arraez, Jax, Strotman and/or Thorpe, SWR, Palacios. Giving the A's quantity and some quality you can afford to lose. The A's never want players that will become troube expensive. They want players that they can burn thru, maybe flip if they have a good moment, and keep their game interesting. But, again, the Twins have to totally evaluate the worth of Lewis and Martin. How long is Kepler for the team. Can either play short? Will we need a third baseman next season (wait, we have Miranda). Even if Correa would come abck next season, it would still allow Lewis to get two full seasons of upper minor league play under his belt, or come up as a super reserve in 2023 part way thru. The Twins will have Maeda back next season. Also Gray. They would have one of the A's arms if they egt the right one. Ober and Ryan may be in the mix. So you ae actually now looking at who will ge showcased for future Twins duty come 2024 and beyond. Does that make current 40-man guys Balazovic, Duran and Winder more available. Any would get a cup of coffee and that is all if the Twins trade for the A's pitcher. It especially makes you wonder about Jax and Thorpe not to mention Smeltzer. That's four names that could be passed quickly by Sands, Enlow, Canterino, Varland or SWR. Once a prospect reaches 40-man land, their leash gets smaller and smaller if they don't make an immediate jump...as there is always someone waiting in the wings.

I would trade Donaldson for Correa anyday. Sure, costs us $10 million more. And Garver and Rortvedt for Sanchez and Gio and a pitching prospect? Third string catchers are a dime a dozen, and the Twins could've still searched out Drew Butera if they wanted experience. What strikes me as savvy is the Twins getting the cheaper shortstop the Yankees wanted, then apckaging him into a salary dump with the rich Yankees so they could lessen the market for Correa getting a big longterm payday.

I was half expecting the Twins to overpay for one year of Story. Glad they did it to Correa instead.

Wow! How the trade market can supplement the free agent market. The Twins essentially traded Donaldson (and his salary relief) + Garver and Rortvedt for Correa, Sanchez, Urshela and a pitching prospect. Somehow they managed to grab a shortstop that interested the Yankees and flip him to the Yankees, to get them to eat the Donaldson contract, and also in the process eliminated the Yankees from the #1 free agent hunt. Good work, front office. It is soemthing a mid-level team like the Twins have to do. WHen you overpay, overpay short-term, or even just for a one off like this. Hopefully a trade of our over abundance of rotation arm prospects is still in the works with Oakland.

Wow! How the trade market can supplement the free agent market. The Twins essentially traded Donaldson (and his salary relief) + Garver and Rortvedt for Correa, Sanchez, Urshela and a pitching prospect. Somehow they managed to grab a shortstop that interested the Yankees and flip him to the Yankees, to get them to eat the Donaldson contract, and also in the process eliminated the Yankees from the #1 free agent hunt. Good work, front office. It is soemthing a mid-level team like the Twins have to do. WHen you overpay, overpay short-term, or even just for a one off like this. Hopefully a trade of our over abundance of rotation arm prospects is still in the works with Oakland.

HANSEL ROBLES is returning to the Red Sox, who traded for him mid-season. IAN KROL who pitched briefly at Rochester in 2019 has signed with the Padres.

MICHAEL PINEDA is an Ex-Twin! Now we get to face him! https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2022/03/tigers-to-sign-michael-pineda.html

I always wondered why Pineda didn't draw any trade offers for the Twins lst season. Still need a shotstop, left fielder, at least one rotation arm, and - of contending - be nice to have a real closer, although at this state in walking the aisles of the market, stuff looks like it may be expiring soon. I',am starting to look at the Twins roster, now, as guys who need to play here or at the top level available to them, and the Twins should be pushing that. And cut bait with any of the AAAA hanger-oners. The Twins have $50 million to spend. Not a lot that I would want to blow away with now with my money. I guess betetr to go into full rebuild mode. Maybe some pieces will be tradeable come the deadline to further stock the farm system. Maybe not. I was actually excited when they got the shortstop from the Rangers. Ready to buy a short=game season ticket when they signed Gray. Not sure how much I care to see Beckham, Gonzalez, Godoy - not to mention the short-term pickups of Sanchez and Gio. I would almost rather keep prospects, then I look that the Twins are overflowing with potential starters, msot of them from their own system, for both AAA and AA. Maybe just let the guys take some bumps in 2022, go back and forth to work things out, and pray we have studs going forwards...minus Chase Petty.

The Twins will outpay everyone to get Josh Donaldson. Keeping with what they started when they signed Ervin Santana to a franchise record contract. Wait, did I say Josh? I meant Trevor Story, who will surely take more money from the Twins than less from a team that will contend in 2022. But, man...who can the Twins remove from the 40-man?

LUKE RALEY, who the Twins got in the Dozier trade and who played for Rochester in 2018-19, only to be traded back to the Dodgers along with Brusdar Graterol for Maeda and Jair Camargo in 2020, is traded to the Tampa Bay Rays. TYLER ANDERSON, a former (unsigned) 2008 draftee, was signed by the Dodgers. Meanwhile, instead of pursuing perhaps the above mentioned left-hander, the Twins signed CHI CHI GONZALEZ to a minor leage deal (thankfully not a 40-man spot) based, on part, to fond memories when our front office worked elsewhere.