Rosterman

Leadership, of course. Ability to work with both young players and veterans. A personality to deal with the media and public. Someone who looks not only at analytics, but also how the player fits into the lineup and the team as a whole. And someone who has a say in the overall field staff of the team and works closely with management on the new Twins Way. It's a new world for the Twins. Considering that there might be only half-a-dozen holdovers from the 2017 team and maybe a couple more from the 2018 team in the grand scheme of things go forward towards 2020 and beyond, the manager will be able to put their own leadership stamp on the Twins. Not a one year deal for sure. Be interesting to see how the overall coaching staff pans out.

I do wonder how much say the new manager will have in the ENTIRE coaching staff.

Gibson, sign him for 3-years and an option, but do consider trading him if he pitchers well. You have to find starts in 2019 for the next crop to see what you do have. Ae goncalves and Stewart for real? Can Romero be a stud come 2020. When do you pitch Thorpe. Chances of Odorizzi and Pineda being here in 2020 are slim to none. If they pitch great, you get MORE prospects. Sano is the BIG question. Is he at third, first or just a DH. If you move him to 1B/DH, then you need a third baseman. Will be interesting to see the monies thrown at Escobar. I doubt the Twins will spend BIG in the free agent market, and sadly any monies saved in 2019 WON'T be added to 2020 and beyond. The fat wallet is always a plus in Pohlad land, it seems. Again, they will try and do some stopgaps that may be flippable. I would not consider that to be ALL bad, if the bodies perform a tad better than, say, Lynn and Morrison and Reed did this apst year. WOuldn't it be funny if the Twins signed Dozier for a one-year, only to flip him again in mid-season?

So, what is important for a first baseman...a BIG BAT (homers) or a great glove. They do have a need to hit, either for an above average average, or be a slugger of sorts. But what do you really need? First, you have to have a good idea of who is on second and what is at shortstop. What kind of glove do you need (and stretching power) to field plays from those positions at the bag...some of the time. Also, urability for the same reasons is a plus. For that reason alone, a first baseman needs to hold down the bag on a more than regular basis. Plus, so pitchers know how the guy will field the occasional pickoff throw, too. The Twins have: No one. Tyler Austin CAN play first, he's a good temporary fix. The Twins need to roster him in 2019. He can also DH and play some outfield. So look for him to make the team. Still not sure if he can hold down the position for the long haul. Same with Miguel Sano. The guy IS comfortable at third base, moving to first puts you in the game a lot more. Does he have it to do that, or will he be best served being a designated hitter where he can spend ALL his time on working on hitting and studying the pitchers. I ahd a thought of Max Kepler being the first baseman of the future. But at what point does a guy need time in training. He hits enough homers, his average is below average. But he has the make to be Dougie Baseball, which is fine unless you have a Justin Morneau in the wings. Is Brent Rooker that guy, or better served as a corner outfielder in place of Kepler out there. Rooker is the question. All of the above guys should be Minnesota Twins players in 2019. Probably all back in the fold the following season, too. So, barring a terrible terrible downslide (again) by Sano, Tyler AUstin being the Return of Kevin Maas or Chris Parmelee, and Max Kepler just being okay...we patch things for 2019 and look to see what Lewin Diaz and Luke Raley can offer to the mox. But then, we still have the question...I don't know, third base!

Mejia is interesting. Too bad they didn't get more out of him. I think he needs to remain on the 25-man. Being a lefty, he will get every chance to break with the team. Still the core 7. Will be given part of 2019 to prove they belong or...adios! The question is: do you offer 2-3-4 (or option year) contracts to Kyle Gibson, Jake Odorizzi, Trevor May, Taylor Rogers (along with Berrios and Rosario NOW) to keep them a part of the future team...and for how much! If a player isn't suited for the team in 2020 and beyond, you have to start thinking of them as a commodity NOW and trade piece. Hopefully for something equal (younger) and better.

Mending with Escobar? Hey, he was going to explore free agency anyways, went to Arizona, performed well. Eduardo will take the money and run with it. I'm sure he would happily return to Minnesota for the right payday. And he knows he would have a playday here. If the Twins are going to go into the Free Agent Market, they have to latch onto the name that can be the Face of the Franchise for 2019 and a strong face beyond. They have to bleed Minnesota Twins. Otherwise, why bother throwing all that money out there. Of course, two or three names - Bullpen/Rotation/Batter would be a good Trio for selling tickets. And the Twins can afford to overspend. They have $35 million coming off the books after next season. There is nothing that says a lot of the arbitration guys will be around in even two years.

Stop being down on Nick Gordon. He COULD be better than he was at AAA. Don't expect our front office to do the exact same thing as Milwaukee. First off, season one they came in late and dealt with holdover issues. Season two, they revitalized the minors and built their own crop of prospects but had to play the game of competition for the Wild Card and sign free agents and stick with the Manager of the Year. This is the first full season of them doing what they want. Of course, Sano and Buxton (and Kepler) are still works in progress. The bigger question is do they push prospects out of spring training or mid-season. I see them entering the free agent market for REAL holes bigtime in 2020. UNLESS, they can sign some solid longterm pieces this of-season, but will the players come to the Twins AND NOT field better offers elsewhere. I felt they did a wonderful job at the trade deadline. I want to see who starts at AA and AAA next season. Hopefully a limited amount of minor league free agents filling out the AAA roster. But Job One! Hire the Manager of Choice. Figure out the coaching staff and strength/condition staff. Make a couple more changes in minor league staffs. Yes, it MAY be a boring Hot Stove League season. But the Twins will still be stronger than three other teams in their division and will have money to spend if they can make hard decisions on internal players.

You forget that draftees don't play ball everyday, which is what the low minors is all about. Then working on a schedule of food, sleep, fitness and playas you build up stamina and face increased competition at each level. Good piece.

What to do with Sano is the key. Like Mauer, he is the questionable need of the team. Is he a third baseman? If not, you need to grab Escobar again, or maybe a longterm solution. If he plays fist, is he a better choice overall than Austin/Kepler at the bag. If he is a DH who can also still need to look at third base and first base...hard.

Any of the candidates would be wonderful. The Twins are going in a...new direction. That's fer sure! Do see a couple holdovers from the current coaching staff and maybe Tommy Watkins elevated from the minors.

Some tough decisions. The Twins will explore the trade market to trade depth in lower level pitching if they find someone who they can control for 3-4 years at a decent rate. I see some free agent grabs, but more along the line of guys who are better than minors but can't find a place in the majors (say Trevor Plouffe-like). The big decision is, really, do they go after Escobar and where do they plan to put Sano...not just in 2019, but beyond. Or do they look to write off Sano and Buxton and wait for the next...wave. They really don't have demands beyond Gordon and Reed and maybe Anderson for the 40-man. They can dangle Wade, if they wish. Take a chance on losing Jay. I see them coming in around $75 million. They have $35 million on the books (all of which would be gone after next season). And assuming the other 35 players on the roster average a meek $1 million a head...well, you are there. But, yes, they do have $50-60 million they could spend on free agents. Will they? I suppose we can be surprised.

Curious to see who is added to the 40-man. Twins page made reference to Brian Navaretto, Zander Wiel, Luis Arraez, Nick Gordon, LaMonte Wade, Nick Anderson, Jake Reed and Tyler Jay. Navaretto may be a minors free agent. Amderson and Reed performed well. Nick Gordon is a top prospect. I really don;t see any of the others being grabbed and staying on a major league roster for three months.

I say it will be Joel Skinner and three new coaches.

The roster coming out of spring training was wonderful if you really felt Santana was coming back in a month and you didn't have the suspension of Polanco. That Lynn and Morrison were both very slow out of the chute can't be explained. The Twins managed to turn international money into prospects and also draft well. They had a core group of guys who didn't sign long term because the guys felt they were going to be better than ever. Someone like Dozier should've had a career year entering free agency. The division was horribly weak. Everything went wrong, but the Front Office managed to turn lemons into some non-ripened fruit. Now they get to choose field staff 100%, make some hard choices on how to sell the team in 2019, and start a new dynasty of Twins baseball after the hiccup of 2018. Have faith! \

The Twins are building towards the Future. They have to be looking at who will be playing for them in 2020 and 2021. The Big Three right now: Buxton, Kepler, Sano. Sano. Where does he play. 1st Base or DH or both, of keep him at third (but until when). Buxton was injured. Yes. But he also wasn't hitting. The Twins had hitting coach James Rowson. Plus Buxton could call upon the services of Oliva, Carew and Torii Hunter. Not to mention the hitting skills of Paul Molitor. What is going wrong. Kepler is just fine IF you are getting bigger production elsewhere. He shows some punch, hasn't settled into who he hits best against totally. You do want a better all around guy, sure. The bigger question on all three of the above is what to do if they put together a premiere season in 2019. Do they become tradebait and someone else's problem for a long-term contract (Sell Soon, Future Payback) or do the Twins extend. Do the Twins push rookies like Gordon? Will they add Wiel and Arraez to the 40-man. Can they fit into the mix in 2019? Cave and Grossman will both be here in some capacity in 2019 because of cost and they pretty much earned a chance to stay and why throw money at more one-year contracts of free agents. But right now 2019 is looking at a rebuilding year. 2020 is also a time we might see some of the guys at A+ ball from the last season. 2021 the Twins might be making a BIG free agent plunge. 2022 is when they should be winning fer sure. Ugh? Well, that's baseball.

Well,we all thought Dougie Baseball should've been the pick before, or in the mix later. He's gone, as is Jake Mauer, who left baseball for greener pastures. Tommy Watkins still endures. But I think the choice is obviously there: Joel Skinner, who was hired to manage at AAA Rochester for 2018 and has ties to the front office giants. Who ends up coaching? That will be interesting, to see who were picks of the front office, or picks of the front office in consultation with the former manager. Paul still has two lucrative seasons and hopefully the Twins will continue to use his abilities to further the organization, except not on the field. Or he may just sit, like Gardy. I'm sure he wouldn't have been renewed except for winning the MOY in 2017.

Paul Molitor. Is he Good for the Twins? Is he Bad for the Twins? Manager of the Year in 2017. Second place finish in 2018 with...this team. Two more years on his contract.

Interesting. The Twins have to make a decision of Kyle Gibson. Does he work into the plans. That will be an interesting negotiation to watch. They also need to think about extending Berrios and Rosario. They have to make a decision on where Kepler and Polanco fit into longterm plans. Sano is the wild card. Is he a first baseman. Is he a Designated hitter. Is he a third baseman. If he is the DH, you don't need Grossman AND Cave, especially with Lamonte in the wings. But then again, what about Buxton? Man, Sano and Buxton blew it, but will be given every chance to succeed still again as youth and service time is still on the side of the Twins. The Twins have 10 names to write into the rotation, so they basically have a full major league staff and full Red Wings staff, plus a couple of names that should be at AA (Wells for one). I think you stick with rebuilding from within and that the September looks gave you enough to know if Gonsalves, Littell, Stewart can pitch in the majors. Remember, we still have Romero. And people, don't write-off lefty Mejia. Same with the bullpen. The most expensive arm is Addison Reed. I doubt that he will step into the closer role, although he could be the backup if Trevor May doesn't happen. And, sign a bunch of fringe guys and look for some glory. It worked this season with Magill and Drake, both of whom will stay on the 40-man and have a chance to break camp. The Twins will add Jake Reed and Nick Anderson. They might see future still in Luke Bard. A lot of fine hard-throwing arms that just need the experience. Be curious to see if the Twins keep Baxendale and Eades at the minor league level. You never know. So the Twins could have $50-70 million to spend in this off-season to reach payroll levels of 2018. I doubt they will sign 4-5 free agents to fill all big holes and be a challenger in that way with the Indians. Instead, they may just gamble on sneaking a rebuild. But not sure how they are going to sell these guys to us fans!

The Twins could easily bring back Logan Morrison. They already have to pay him a buyout. Looking at Matt Adams, you MIGHT have more certainty of him because of two seasons of play, but his numbers would correspond with Tyler Austin. They both play the same position. The rub here is how many 1B/DH do you need (let's throw Sano in that mix) and you also have Willians Alstudillo in competition. If you could possibly go with a 7-man bullpen, Joe Mauer would be a nice addition to stay with the team in a Jim Thome role, someone who could come off the becnh and also play in the field (an advantage over Thome, you don't need to pinch rn for him). I'm thinking Sano is the elephant in the room for 2019 right now, like Mauer was for 2018. If you have to play him, where do you play him and how does that affect adding others and the bench. If Sano is not a third baseman, than Escobar is a candidate. But, truly...will Escobar get a $45 million contract offer? I see $25-30 million if teams want to go three years. He may get a larger one-year contract, but how do other teams view him compared to corresponding third base opportunities (or other infielders).

If I had the energy I would be a one-man band, with the base drum on my back, a trumpet, an accordion, and cymbals on my knees. Would go to different sections and do my thing. But you also have to stay within baseball rules, at time, for audience involvement. Too much wear and tear on my old body. Always wanted to be an ushertainer for the Saints, but didn't like the idea of wearing tights and a tutu in 100-degree weather on the field!

Buxton will be given every opportunity available. He has the ability to seek advice and work with people like Torii Hunter, Rod Carew, Tony Oliva. And that's just with the Twins.

We might be forced to keep Cave AND Grossman as outfielders next season. I expect Vasquez will do alright. Think Moya. Lots of potential starters...and just never know. But looks like the Twins could stay homegrown for awhile. Garver and Willians are good to have around...they might stick for 4-5 more years!

You see the non-potential of early round picks over time, and wonder why teams do shell out big bonus $$ for such players. Especially when you can basically trade for them once a season has passed, or possibly go after them if they pan out as Jay (and Burdi) have for the Twins. That Kay didn't get a call to AAA will hurt him for Rule 5 consideration. Interesting that the Twins not only advanced Stewart to AAA ball, but they gave him more than a single start shot in the big leagues. Will be interesting to see how his career develops. We have to remember that not all HIGH draftees are superstars. Some take time (humm....Hicks and Buxton, maybe).

All this time, the Twins should've been auditioning Trevor May fulltime to be the new...closer, And get Willians a tighter helmet! Of course, it is good that he is running the bases. Means he gets on base and sometimes scores! Hilde is being overused. With ALL the pitchers on the staff all season, no need to be dragging some guys out every other game, especially for a losing team. Regulate the innings pitched and situations faced better.

7 more games in six days. Every starter gets an opportunity. Maybe two guys with 10+ wins. Picture one game will be a hodge-podge of pitchers, to say the least. We have, after all, more than a dozen that can pitch in a game. Not really looking at anyone for 2019 beyond Tyler Austin, at this point. At least of the batting end. So much fluff that won't be here fer sure in 2020, let alone sometime gone in 2019. Be interesting to see if it becomes the Joe Mauer Farewell Tour!