Rosterman

I wish Baldelli would stop feeling his pitchers can get out of the inning. Now with the icnreased roster, if a pitcher "just doesn't have it" no excuse to pull and put in a fresh arm. The rotation IS a mess. Again, could the Twins have gotten someone, anyone, in July. But too late to cry now. I was worried when the Yankees hit four homers in their game. But the Twins answered with six of their own, in a tough ballpark to hit homers (unless the Tigers are pitching). Happily, Cleveland lost (to a good team). The Twins can't let these things happen against the dregs of the division.

I do feel bad for th guy. Basically another half-sesaon lost. He does show progress over past seasons, and makes it look good that the Twins do have that extra arbitration season under their hat. But Byron is going to be pushed. Could Kepler move to centerfield. Is Kirilloff the next great centerfield prospect. Who is in right or left come 2022. Seriously, the Twins could have an outfield of Kepler/Buxton/Rosario for4-6 more seasons, but who do YOU see playing the outfield in 2022 let alone 2024?

How important is it to keep the starters on a regular schedule of every fifth day. I mean, it all gets screwed up anyways with the playoffs. Would they be better served if the Twins cycled in a sixth starter for 4-5 games in September? Of, because you will be promoting Thorpe, Stewart, Smeltzer...could you do the opener thing...having these youngsters pitch up to two innings and bringing in the "name starter" for four-five innings (and a win). Two things on that...want a comoftrable led in the standings in case the youngsters blow it up and, can the starters function NOT starting a game. I'm trying to figrue out how much money the Twins should throw at Gibson or Dodorizzi for 3 or so years. And wonder if Pineda likes us enough to comeback for a simialr deal to his 2019 contract.

Signing and agreeing on a $$$ amount are always concerns. Considering how little Romo got this season, might be able to swing it. But all will more-or-less play the marketplace, I'm sure. Re: Odorizzi, look at how his value has flucuated just this tear. What would you have offered him as a contract back in mid-June. What would you offer today (for a guy who averages just over 5 innings a start.)

Gotta win these games. Chance for the rotation to show it can go five strong innings, to say the least. Otherwise, I would call up Stewart and Thorpe and Smeltzer and think hard-and-strong about using an opener for every game for the rest of the season, pulling the starter when they get into trouble (not worrying about 100 pitches). Here's hoping the Twins homer bats come alive bigtime. Cave needs three to set a MLB record. Polanco needs one to set a MLB record for the team. Time to put even more distance between the Yankees batters and the Twins. Who are the first bodies on the minor leaue shuttle Sunday? Willians and Wade? Littell and Stewart or Smeltzer? Then the flood gates. Heck, put them all on the charter and in hotel rooms for the rest of the season: Thorpe, Harper, Hildenberger, Romero, Gonsalves. I bet some would even share a room or a llocker to get major league meal money!

I like the Rochester Red Wings lineup. Where are the Prospects? Rochester Red Wings @RocRedWings · In the final road game of the season, the Wings draw TJ Zeuch — the dude who tossed a no-hitter at Frontier Field 10 days ago. I. Miller CF RF Flores LF Telis C De Aza DH Wiel 1B Torreyes SS Maggi 3B M. Miller 2B Thorpe SP

Willians and Wade. That's about it for the Offense. Remember, though, the Twins DO have one spot open for someone. If Buxton is down, I would vote for Ian Miller as the extra outfielder. (Too bad Raley and Rooker have been injured for a good part of the second half. Same with Gordon.) I actually would like to see the Twins use the Opener concept in September, letting their starters pitch 4-5 innings (if able) - which seems to be the current norm. Stewart, Smeltzer and Thorpe could all shine in this role, get a chance to go 1-3 innings actually. See what happens. Dobnak is interesting. Stashak is a gem who might be the long relief guy the Twins need. Poppen will probably go home for the fall, coming off a late season injury. Hildenberger deserves a chance, as does Harper. But both have to keep in mind that they could play themselves out of the organization. Thought Ryan O'Routke might be a possibility as a lefty, but 9 walks in his few appearances are scary. I actually thought he'd come up insead of Dobnak originally. Now I doubt that the Twins will add a pitcher not aleady on the 40-man. That's it. Romero might be the odd man out, and even though it would be nice to see Gonsalves, the front office will have to make the decision if he should rehab up here or work out with the instructional league. The Twins are about to have 40-man roster troubles. Wish they ahd made a couple of "prospects-away" deals for bigger pieces in July! The Twins will have 34 players looking for lockers!

I'm hoping Cave gets enough time to join the 10-homer club in Twins Territory 2019 and set a new record there for the team. It is possible!

Roster spots will open up with Castro, Schoop, Romo, Gibson, Odorizzo, Pineda leaving. The Twins have to make decisions on Wade, Romero, Gonsalves. Is Kohl Stewart a starter or a bullpen ar,. Do they think Poppen, Smeltzer, Dobnak are part of the futrue (not to mention Diplan). Hildengerger could be on the bubble, as might Harper. Do the Twins pickup options on Cron and Perez? Is Adrianza arbitration value still useful? There isn't a lot of wiggle room on the roster, in reality. Anyone that departs WILL be aprt of another team in baseball. Anyone they add they have to ask if that person MIGHT contribute in some way during 2020. Most of the names mentioned above NOT on the 40-man would probably still need seasoning, so to speak, in the minors.

Regarding Gibson and Odorizzi (and Pineda)...it is money. What will $30 million for starting pitchers buy you in 2020. How many years can Gibson and Odorizzi get (remember, Odorizzi is a five inning starter who dazzled THIS year). Can you sign someone equally as good as either of those for less years and less money (seems to be the manta of ANY Twins front office). No, the Twins will NOT go with three rookies anchoring the rotation in 2020. The hope it that they will add two pitchers via free agency, and let Perez fight-it-out with rookies for two spots. This WAS the trading deadline for the Twins to do soemthing BIG. (Or maybe next deadline). I look and see a lot of names that are going to be shoved to the wayside because their time is up in the Twins organization, or the Twins will play the musical chair game, but you will have to remove someone at sometime from the 40-man and they will be claimed (amazed that pretty much everyone the Twins removed from the 40-man, pitching wise, was gobbled up by another organization, and got major league reps in the process). The Twins are still where they were at the trading deadline. They need a top flight veteran starter. They need another solid arm in the rotation with some control (that could push Perez to the pen). They need a closer. They GOT the setup guy (Dyson). Romo doesn't could as he was just a patch. Going into the off-season, they also will need a backup catcher or depth at AAA if Willians can play 1/4-1/3 of the time behind-the-plate.

Interesting. When I heard the Mets wanted Buxton I went "whoa....maybe, maybe. Part of the issue with Buxton (three more years of control) and Rosario (two more years of control) is how high will they go in arbitration contracts (usually more than the season average you MIGHT get as a free agent for one of the years) or the total cost of extending them comapred to gambling on the crop in the wings. And there are outfielders in the wings. Cave and LaMonte Wade are still around. Neither I would think is a longterm star. Raley and Rooker are on the verge, but are corner guys. Kiriloff and Larnach are one full season away from coming on board, but may be slow out-of-the-gate once playing fulltime. There are another 3-5 names, but ALL are at least a season away of minor league pay before even getting a glimpse, and there is the old 40-man protection thing...you can only have so many folks in position to play ball in the majors. But, yes, Rosario may be worth the msot ever, especially if he can pull together a fine September. He may even be better next season and the season after, or maybe just the same, or possibly more average. Gamble you take. It all comes down to money, or what someone offfers you. But back to Buxton...I almost wish the Twins had pulled the deal with the Mets. Kepler in center for a year? I could live with that. Buxton and a couple ofpitchers you can't protect for a mainstream starter, a bullpen arm and some low-level talent.....in a second. Buxton may be a superstar, but if you can't come to an agreement on contract, he will still be a superstar for another team.

I see Schoop playing the free agent marketplace. He is having a decent year, still young, and should get a multi-year conract. The Twins will pick upo Cron. No reason not to at this point. Castro will walk and be grabbed for a decent salary by someone else. Depending on how Willians does in a few at bats in September will also see where the Twins go with a backup plan. Maybe they just get better caliber at AAA Richester, although I do see them fast trac Ryan Jeffers. Sano will play another season at third base. Arraez will be given very opportunity to play second. Gordon will also get a chance, but will probably start again at AAA. The infield looks good and solid. Interesting to see what the Twins do with Rooker and Raley. Adrianza,too. How much for the backup, especially when alredy paying Gonzalez. Any idea who hs to be added to the 40-man roster fur sure?

Trevor May ahs been lights out of late. He still manages to make things intresting by allowing a base runner. But I feel he ahs the stuff to be a closer. He jsut has to continue to work at it. It would be ncie to have another lefty in the pen. Littell has ben a revelation, too. Be interesting to see who the Twins recall, and good use of the pen last night letting the rookie get a couple of innings in the blowout, so to speak. Keeps the other arms rested. Find it interesting the amount of innings the Twins have used relief. Of course, our rotation has been pretty solid going five innings for the most (and a few more) over the entire season. We forget that we have had a great number of so-called quality starts. I just hope, with the off-season departure of Romo, that the Twins do see fit to invest in at least one "quality" bullpen arm, rather than a half-dozen from the AAAA piles.

I do wish we had gotten a chance to see Rooker or Raley hit major league pitching. Those two, along with Gordon being on the IL at Rochester, have setback their progress towards the Twins, hurt any trade value, and we may see them passed in the rankings early next season. Sad.

The Yankees are closing in on the record, too. A fantastic month of August with lots and lots of homers (imagine their total if Stanton had been playing all year). They've been within 8 of the Twins. Might be there after tonight's game, too. The Twins have played 3 less games...so maybe that will work in the Twins favor. I want Cave to play more (looks like he will because Buxton ain't coming back soon) and get to 10 and break that mark.

Odorizzi, Gibson and Pineda haven't given the Twins consistent innings. How much would you pay? Would you take Pineda for less that what he is getting paid this season for one or two years, thinking he will improve a year out of surgery? Odorizzi and Gibson, replaced by better pitchers at the same price as contract extensions. The Twins got an extra year on Buxton alst season. Both Sano and Buxton shouldn't break the bank in arbitration, but the Twins should figure out what it would ake to keep Sano and make an offer. If he refuses, trading block sometime next season or next off-season. Same with Buxton. Rosario, too. Like Delmon Young who had a decent season, take a chance that Eddie will fliunder and actually go down in value? That is assuming you can't sign him to your terms longterm. The Twins have lots of outfield possibilities. I'm more curious to see how the Twins justify keeping Stewart, Thorpe, Poppen, Stashak, Gonsalves, Dobnak, Smeltzer, Romero, Diplan all on the 40-man. Any of these guys cut will surely be grabbed by someone else. No one seems to be dominant. What do you think. That's nearly 1/4th of a 40-man roster for a team that is NOT rebuilding...yet.

I wish Falvey ahd ben less cautious at the trade deadline and actually traded ffor some pieces that could be here in 2020, especially more pitching. The rotation will have two starters and 6-8 guys on the 40-man with limited experience but no one lights out. There are a couple of prospects, but expecting any of them to throw 150 innings is a dream. The Twins still have no true closer. Again, there might be a surprise arm or two in the minors, but no one stepping into fulltime work. Romero could find a place because he has to stay and if he works his butt off could shine. But who knows. The Twins need to replace a catcher (Willians), a second baseman (Arraez or Gordon). That's it. Everyone else returns a year older. No place for a Rooker or Raley yet. Still have an abundance of outfielders (but not in the 40-man). Do you resign Odorizzi, Pineda or Gibson? Depends on the price. Romo will walk. Not sure if you need him back. But the uncertainity of the rotation and no closer puts the Twins a tad behind this season, where they opened with five dependable starters (who have pitched the majorty of their games) and a depth of #6-10+, which was completely remake from the original group that included Mejia, Slegers, Littell, Gonsalves, Stewart, Thorpe. We lost Jay, but Jake Reed is still around, isn't he?

Cut pitchers and go with batters. For a five game series you need four starters at best. Having Arraez, Gonzales, Castro, Adrianza and maybe Cave gives you lots of possibilities. Most of all, though, you want all bodies to be ready to play everyday at their position. If even the slightly injured, elt them rest the series. The Twins have the depth. Best bullpen. But keep arms fresh somehow in case you want to switch out Smeltzer for someone, or maybe Hildengerger does deserve a moment. Gonna be interesting to see how the Twins play this stuff. Hell, September I would go the opener route more often than not if you are advancing Smeltzer, Stewart, Thorpe, Stashak to the team. Then I wouldn't be said f my "real" starter only gives us five innings. The Twins could really push this concept and let starters only throw 75-80 pitches and not face the top of the orer three times in any game.

Both Romero and Gonsalves have become dead wood in the system. How much stock do you put that you could carry either on the roster next year and they would produce better than anyone else "behind" them in the pecking order, but suddenly ahead. The Twins have Stewart and Thorpe and Poppen and Stashak and Dobnak and Littell and Smeltzer all holding 40-man sports and a better chance of making the Twins than two prime prospects from the past (with no trade value). Which kinda makes the trade deadline lackluster for a team that HAS too many players to protect come 2020 or 2021 and not enough spots. You talk about losing Romero to waivers if he doesn't make the team out of spring training. Hell, you could cut him in late October and still lose him, too. Or trade him for anotehr low level prospect. Or hope he has seen the light and him and Gonsalves will take one of the MANY open spots this team will have in the rotation OR bullpen in 2020. So, yes, there is still hope.

Arraex right now should be batting leadoff. We have another year of Cron. So maybe Sano will be at 1st base in 2021...if the Twins sign him long term Can Gordon, Polanco, Lewis, Arraez play third base? Do you want them to play third? Any names in the system strike as third abse material? At this point, we can say the Twins are pretty set for second base with Gordon maybe offering a challenge to Arraez for 2020. Lewis is still 2021 at the earliest. You can also trade Polanco (or Gordon for that matter). Then, again, some have talked of Lewis as an outfielder.

The Twins have a problem in the outfield. Who to extend and for how much. Rosario IS an atractive trade chip. At his best. You don't want to take the chance that he will flop in a season or two, and yet you have to figure that he will demand more than you might be willing to pay in a multi-year contract. Part of that issue is that you have Kiriloff and Larnach in the wings, not to mention Rooker and Haley and any number of other names. The Twins signed Polanco (making Gordon a luxury) and Kepler (so he is secure, or could be traded a la Span in the near future). Just like the twins approaching the offseason and wondering what it would take to resign Gibson, Odorizzi and Pineda, they also need to decide if they can find suitable pitchers for less money and longer control (they can, I'm sure). So it will be interesting to see where the Twins go this off-season with Rosario, Buxton and Sano, not to mention Berrios. They can easily just do arbitration for anotehr season and hope that none of them tank and are still suitable trade chips come the summer or next off-sesaon. Or they can extend and, thus, push aside prospects that they could've trded to upgrde the rotation and bullpen in the pennant drive this season. Is Cave longterm> Not necessarily. But he could make a good consideration for the job if the Twins do table Rosario for the next month. But with Buxton back, the Twins will still need to find regular playing time for Arraez, Gonzalez and Cave. (Hey, felt the Twins needed to dangle Schoop at the trade deadline, but the front office still seemed unsure about Arraez - at least they can let Schoop walk as they have Gordon or Arraez as possibilities for fulltime in 2020). But the Twins do have an abundance of riches in the outfield. But we still have to be sold that Buxton is a superstar possibility or just anotehr solid otufielder, and that Rosario is the real deal for the longterm.

I hate that he's not removing pitchers. Put two on, you are gone. Let someone else give up the homerun.

You just never know. I hope the Twins do their homework on the pitchers and make adjustments as the game goes. What I fear the msot is the rotation NOT being able to get to five innings. Other teams are learning that the Twins like to NOT throw strikes (see what happened when Pineda did it, he got 7 innings). They also need to manufacture runs. No one bunts. The stolen base is dead. Putting pressure on the opposing pitcher or fielders to make a bad move happens more as a fluke.

It is still exciting to watch and we can hope that they do break the major league record, although what would the Yankees be doing this season with Stanton in the batting order. Hoping the Twins can pull it off, maybe all-the-way to 300 dingers. Most notable is the few homers that the staff has given up!

The problem is the Twins have ONE space on the 40-man roster. Of course, they could move Buxton to the 60-day. Looks like Astulido and Wade are both in rehad and could be brought back. They will end the month with an option to Rochester but could be expanded to the major league roster come September 1. Astulido is a surefire add. He is the third catcher. He will remain as the second catcher once Castro goes into free agency. Wade could be up-in-the-air. Would you swap out de Aza or Miller for him right now? Of course, if Eddie is disabled, you need anotehr outfielder. The Twns also have infieler Gordon out there, taking up IL space with Rooker and Haley. I doubt that the Twins would cut loose Gordon. But, sadly, he is missing an opporunity to play and may not be in the pecking order. But he will hold his 40-man spot. The Twins should definitely promoto Smeltzer, Stashak, Stewart and Littell. They MAY NOT do Stewart. But if they don't, it tells you where he is in the Twins organizations eyes. The Twins have to make a decision on Romero and Hildenberger, both who could be promoted. If not, again, we will see thatthey have lost standing in the organization. Could eitehr be cut from the 40-man roster now? Gonsalves needs to pitch. Do you bring him up as an occasional arm in September to give him a few innings? Or has he, too, fallen off the radar...becoming a question mark for a 40-man spot. Seems the Twins wouldn't part ways with him...yet. Poppen is currently on the IL. Along with Dobnak, both could sit out September and come in strong, looking to fulfill some role in 2020. The Twins suddenly have A LOT of similar arms and have to make some longer-term decisions. They have one spot, basically, to add a player. Do they go with the youth and speed of Graterol, or worry more about keeping him in the system and off the 40-man for the proper amount of time. Can Ryan O'Rourke shine shine shine and become the situational lefty, albeit NOT keeping a 40-man spot no matter how well he pitches, sadly, in the short term. Oh, of course, they have Marcus Diplan holding down a spot. Who? With Gibson, Odorizzi, Pineda, Romo, Castro, Schoop opening up six spots...we see the Twins with 4 players (Cave, Astulido, Wade, Gordon) with the bat, and a whole host of pitchers that are worth keeping (Smeltzer, Stashak, Stewart, Littell, Gonsalves, Poppen, Dobnak, Romero, Hildenberger. Thorpe). That's 1/4th of the roster with basically unproven arms. I'm sure if anyone of them was waived off the 40-man, another team would grab them for their own 40-man. But the Twins can use the pitching, with starters making five innings at most. They actually have a logjam in the batting order, needing to play Gonzalez and Arraez every game, Cave coming back strong, Adrianza needing time in the field. Buxton and Rosario hurt could be tragic, but right now the Twins have an abundance of rich bats. I see them keeping Thorpe, adding Littell, Smeltzer, Stewart, Stashak, Romero, plus Astulido. I do picture them swapping out Wade and losing him, and adding O'Rourke, although it just might be for the end of this month to see how he does in 2-3 games...so we could still see Graterol. Of course, Diplan could also be swapped out and...surprise...a 100 mph arm added for September.