Rosterman

It became arbitration, service time et al. If the Twins ahd switched him to the bullpen, who knows. But Liam wasn't a gem every year after he left the Twins.

Always fun to read overviews of our Minnesota Twins, especially going into the offseason. https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2021/11/twins-trade-rumors-offseason-byron-buxton-free-agency.html Better yet to explore (and follow) the comments. you get reactions from those outside of Twins Territory.

You keep hoping the ccloser who isn't working will be a closer that works.

Yep, guys pitching every three days, with one or two solid rotation arms who can maybe get you to six innings, and a closer and anopther guy. If you work your 40-man roster right, you can have that light-rail actiuvity daily between St. Paul and Minneapolis. A guy pitches, goes back to St. Paul for a week while another arm comes in. Greata for prospects. Bad for minor league free agents without options. Great for getting guys to bhuild their esume. Long-term, not sure. If the Twins are going to have a bunch of starters who can barely pitch five innings, than maybe you need to really look at "opener." The strength of that position was that you would have a guy face, perhaps the first 7 batters in a lineup, with your starter coming in for an easy inning against the bottom of the order and batter #1 for his first inning of work, as well as throwing the hitters off-kilter because they have to immediately adapt to a new pitcher. It will also raise havoc on salaries. Still remember the days Frankie Rodriguez threwq a fit because the Twins wanted him to relieve, but he wanted to start because rotation arms got bigger contracts. (Frankie forgot that you also have to produce, and one can make a fine living as a bullpen arm and also get big money as a closer who throws only 40-50 innings). Pitching by committee seemed to work in the World Series. You still have a modicum of arms in the world of starters who cannot come into a game, but can warmup pre-game and do a good job of starting. That is a skill set (routine) that would be banished by such a move as tag-team pitching.

Biggest Question: What do the Twins need to be playoff bound in 2022? It's not like the Twins are on the cusp and need to look at an "All-In" situation. If players you trade for are just stopgaps to put you a bit higher in the standings before they, too, depart (or are traded for other prospects)...then you have to carefully look at your own prospects and make realistic decisions on their contributions to the team going forth. You would be trading guys who may outshine the players you are trading for by the time those players leave your team. All propsects often need is time and innings or at bats and the desire to play. I - honestly - think it is a pipe dream that the Twins will contend in 2022. Sure, management will tell us that they will, and the public relations will be big until the season starts. The Twins could, magically, buy into being a contender, as well as trade away much of their future to put pressure on the current leading White Sox. But don't expect Cleveland, Kansas City and Detroit to just sit back and watch...they will also be part of the action. Yes, you can have too many prospects. I see the Twins entering April with a half-dozen starting pitchers on their 40-man roster that will be starting in the minors, surrounded by others hoping to also get a call and pass these guys. So you could conceivably trade 2-3 or maybe even four of these guys for talent to play right now, today, as well as think that you could also flip these guys you traded for if the team is just...okay. That's the only reason to move prospects. Others are coming up fast. Who needs to be added to the 40-man come Fall of 2022. Fall 0f 2023. If you see people that make you comfortable moving Larnach, Celestino, Gordon, Balazovic, Winder, Duran, not to mention Thorpe and Smeltzer (both lefties with potential). Are Sands, Enlow, Canterino and others worth more to you in the longer run than anyone you are protecting today. Or are those guys I just mentioned the icing on the cake and NOT really as good as we might thing.

I see Arraez as a possible solid player to sign to a decent longterm contract, that any team should be able to flip. Right up Billy beane's alley!

The reality is WHAT ARE THE BIGGEST FREE AGENT SALARIES the Twins have ever paid!

The Twins need an every fifth-day starter, who can push six (or even seven) innings consistently, and keep the team in the game. Period. Make all his starts. If he can keep his ERA below four, more power to him. Of course, that ahs Berrios written all over the description. Too abd the Twins couldn't have locked Berrios down a couple of years back. Now they have to pay the piper for someone possibly less efficient, older, and a roll of the dice for sure.

I;m hoping Ober can be pushed to 150 innings, and pitching at least five innings in a game. I would consider Ryan to be the fifth starter at this point with the chances of getting skipped, and hope you can get 120 innings out of the guy. 2022 will be BIG for Ryan. I want him to be the starter we all love, but I sadly see him becoming a Joe Nathan-like closer. The pain for the Twins is any number of other guys, from Balazovic, Winder, Duran, Sands - all will be on limited innings themselves. Seems the minor leagues this apst season were happy letting guys go four or even three innings rather than get into a decision situation, jsut to strecth them out but still limit innings. I see that happening to all of the fore mentioned, and doubt we see any of them until the end of the seson. The only pitcher that could possibly break the rotation would be Strotman, as spring training will be his time to shine in the sun (or Thorpe or Smeltzer, if they are still Twins). Of course Barnes and Jax could also be in the mix, as well as Dobnak.

The Twins only actually have to remove up to three names now to have prospect roster spot. Of course, there are easily a dozen candidates, and another go be jettisoned if you choose to Rule 5, and each free agent you sign can easily replace a name on the roster. But, yes, I would remove Dobnak. I doubt someone else would readily pick up his contract at this point, but the Twins would still have him sitting in the minors and working his way back to the team. You have to ask what is more important at some point, a 40-man spot for the guy, or paying him too much to pitch in the minors. That's what other teams would also look at.

So manmy trades because we had someone newer, probably better, and much cheaper coming to take the place of a player (shades of Doug Mientkiewicz in a mid-season three team trade, too). Of course, that is not across the board, as the Twins traded Garza, a highly touted draft pick for another draft pick, both with issues that most front offices hate to deal with. But keeping in this spirit, the Twins should definitely trade the now getting expensive Buxton because they can put Celestino in centerfield. And next year flip the now aging Celestino because you have to get the cheaper and more promising Martin or Lewis in the everyday lineup.

Australian Andrew Whitefield signs with the Angels. He was only 24 but stuck in AA ball. Showed some stolen base skills.

Hamilton not on list too. Be interesting to see who is added to the 40-man. Former Twins (majors and minors) that made this list: Joe Beimel, John Andreoli, Pedro Florimon, Luke Westphal (Padres). Trevor Hildenberger, Matt Shoemaker (Giants). Moises Gomez (Seattle). Chris Mazza (Rays). Juan Graterol (Jays). Daniel Palka (Nats). John Hicks (Texas). Dusten Knight (Orioles). Stephen Gonsalves, Chris Herrmann (Red Sox), Tyler Ladendorf, Ian Miller, Marcus Walden (Cubs). Logan Morrison (Reds). Derrick Rodriguez (Rockies). Drew Butera (Astros). Marcus Solbach (Dodgers). Brian Navaretto (Miami). Keon Broxton, Blaine Hardy (Brewers). Vance Worley (Mets). Chase DeJong (Pirates). Brock Stasi (Phillies). Homer Bailey (Oakland).

It was always about the money. If you look around, you see the Pohlad used Twins losses to offset profits elsewhere. He also supposedly leveraged the team by borrowing as much against its perceived worth whenever possible. Strange that a banker would borrow from others on his own property. The Twins have had fairly loyal employees. They msut pay something. Yet baseball, as a whole, doesn't pay a lot of employees much...as there is such a demand to work in the business (look at what the minors pay anyone in management or office). The whole Charlotte thing was a mess. He wouldn't sell to Clark Griffith and his cronies. But would consider selling to Charlotte. And then what was major league baseball going to pay him to...literally go under. A selloff. Considering a sports franchise usually did nothing but go up in value, no matter how badly it was run.

A bunch of minor league guys have declared their free agency. Guys in caps had major league time with the Twins. Most were signed by the Twins as minors free agents for last season. AAA: B.J. Boyd, BEAU BURROWS, Vinny Nittoli, ROB REFSNYDER, NICK VINCENT, EDGAR GARCIA, Joe Harvey, Robinson Leyer, Jason Garcia, Sherman Johnson, Chris Nunn, DREW MAGGI, TOMAS TELIS, JOHN GANT, KYLE BARRACLOUGH, LUKE FARRELL, IAN GIBAUT, ANDREW ALBERS, Damek Tomscha, TZU-WEI LIN, From AA: AARON WHITEFIELD, Hector Lujan, Leobaldo Cabrera, D.J. Burt, Eric Manoah Jr., Mitchell Osnowitz, Adam Bray, Trey Cabbage, Sean Gilmartin, Adam Lau. From Cedar Rapids: Tyler Watson, Carlos Suniaga, Jonathan Cheshire, Matt Mullenbach, Brecklin Williams. From Low-A Ft. Myers: Ramon Pineda (related to Mike), Zaquill Puentes, Orlando Rodriguez, Justin Washington, Bobby Milacki.

A bunch of minor league guys have declared their free agency. AAA: B.J. Boyd, BEAU BURROWS, Vinny Nittoli, ROB REFSNYDER, NICK VINCENT, Joe Harvey, Robinson Leyer, Jason Garcia, Sherman Johnson, Chris Nunn, DREW MAGGI, TOMAS TELIS, Damek Tomscha, TZU-WEI LIN,. From AA: AARON WHITEFIELD, Hector Lujan, Leobaldo Cabrera, D.J. Burt, Eric Manoah Jr., Mitchell Osnowitz, Adam Bray, Trey Cabbage, Sean Gilmartin, Adam Lau. From Cedar Rapids: Tyler Watson, Carlos Suniaga, Jonathan Cheshire, Matt Mullenbach, Brecklin Williams. From Low-A Ft. Myers: Ramon Pineda (related to Mike), Zaquill Puentes, Orlando Rodriguez, Justin Washington, Bobby Milacki.

He didn't seem that expensive. But...well, go forth from here. I doubt he would come back for any price.

If anyone comes knocking, I would listen. I would also consider sweeting the deal with a prospect, if they take all the salary and...we get something half-way promising in return. The money can be better spent elsewhere, but sadly any team that might be a match for either player also needs to lok at the worth the player brings to them. Of course, both can be valuable additions if the National League switches to a designated hitter. Plus, both can play infield positions. Our choices for third are the unproven Miranda and the work-the-count singles guy Arraez. I don't see either as anything but a luxury, and suddenly a logjam IF you had to play either as an exclusive DH. At this point, I would be happier adding another catcher and makiing Garver the fulltime DH (who can also be the third catcher) with Kirilloff getting the 1st base job, and hoping we can land a leftfielder, third baeman and/or shortstop. I don't see the Twins digging themselves out of the cellar until they address Byron Buxton and his future with the Twins.

You are going to vastly overpay for a pitcher coming of a no-season who will demand a multi-year, or accept the QO from the Mets in hopes of getting an even bigger offer in a season. The other pitches less than Pineda at twice the cost. And the Twins are afraid to overpay the injury-plagued Buxton, or throw outrageous money at Berrios when they had the opportunity. My hopes are far from high that the Twins will be anywhere near contenders in 2022 unless a crop of rookies shine bright. And the White Sox, Guardians totally tank.

Both are good Hall of Fame picks.

The strange thing about Cotton is that he is arbitration eligible and will demand, probably, $1.2 million or so in salary. At 29, is he actually better than a hsot of names the Twins may jettison off their current 40-man (Jax, Stashak, Smeltzer, Thorpe, Garza, Coulombe). Anyone the Twins claim on waivers has been ignored by more than a half-dozen teams that played worse ball than them in 2021.

Twins have one open spot. Have maybe 5 names, 7 at the furtherest most, to add from the minors. Still on the bubble now: Astudillo, Cave, Garlick, Rooker, Coulombe, Dobnak, Gant, Garza, Jax, Smeltzer, Stashak, Thorpe. Be interesting to see who goes!

Twins have one open spot. Have maybe 5 names, 7 at the furthest msot, to add from the minors. Still on the bubble now: Astudillo, Cave, Garlick, Rooker, Coulombe, Dobnak, Gant, Garza, Jax, Smeltzer, Stashak, Thorpe. Be interesting to see who goes!

Wade was a decent waiver claim. Talk about giving away a player.

Arbitration eligible. Servicable, but a high whip. Hoping, perhaps, to keep him in their minor league system but not on the 40-man.