Rosterman

Fun to see the winners in previous sesaons and thinking about where they are now.

The biggest decision is our belief in the front office. They say the team, will be competitive in 2022. To do that, they must improve on a lot of players that played last season (Kepler, Sano, Jefferies), fill some major holes at shortstop/ leftfield/ bullpen...and have pitchers that can actually pitch more than five innings in a game and maybe, just maybe, give you close to 200 innings of work. You have to ask who on the roster is actually tradable and what they can bring back to the team besides prospects, of which the Twins have their own fair share. Of course we may consider the Twins somewhat prospect rich, although baseball as a whole has a lot of underseasoned prospects who will be jettisoned by teams in the coming month, too. Are any of our prospects worthy of being loved so much by an over-salaried team, or a team feearing their own potential free agents, that they want to badger the Twins front office with communication. Then it boils down to money, how much, how many years in a contract. We see what happened when the front office proved to us that they would spend money bigtime on Donaldson. They got applause, until you start thinking about it in the long-run. Plus, any free agent looking to come to the Twins will come for one reason only - to rebuild themselves into a bigger and better future contract. If the difference is 10-15% in dollars, players will look closely at the winning possibilities, as well as how the market plays to their own success. Baseball is, after all, a team sport. You are only as good as the players around you, and a bad team can bring you down, or they end up trading you, which wasn't your choice when you signed and committed, but is part of the game.

It's so much fun to speculate, make trades, and sign free agents. If anything, it makes us, as fans, look at players more closely that are free agents or on other rosters. The Mets need nothing more than to come and visit Twins Daily to find their next general manager!

One year of Sean? Three guys who all faced injuries last season? Not sure if can, or would want to sign Sean longterm. Could Sano play better in Fenway or Yankee Stadium? I would trade Garver to Florida if you can get a rotation arm...plus a prospect or two. Donaldson then becomes the primary DH who can also play in the field. But does DOnaldson NOT want to play in the field. Of course, you can rotate with Kirilloff and Miranda. I do expect Miranda will struggle some. I would like to see him placed fulltime in a position and go from there. Rooker or someone in left until we get Larnach back. Of course, the Twins could deal Buxton and/or Kepler, too. What a mes in the outfield. The Twins have decent guys in the minors like Kerrigan, Contreras, Boyd, WHiefield (and Wallner), but none are the long-term solution to any of the outfield positions right now. Martin and Lewis WILL BE in the hunt at some point. Celestino could play everyday if you are rebuilding rather than being competitive. Buxton is the true key to the outfield and you go from there. I would gamble 3 years at $60 and hope you get 350 games out of him in the field. I don't know if I would gamble 7 years with the potential for 500 games, as well as him shifting to one of the corners in 4-5 years max.

Fact: The Twins have decent set-up candidates. Dream: Could Alcala develop into the clser role...as early as 2022? Fact: You don't need an expensive, lights-out closer if you aren't going to play .500 ball or better. If the closer will get you to that level and keep you there, spend the money. Question: Are closers good long-term deals? Do they flame out? Do most closers have a 3-5 year lifespan, at best? Wondering: Is Joe Ryan really a top of the rotation arm, or can he get read and be better suited to the closer role with his mix of pitches. Knowledge: I'm sure the Twins are watching closely the situation with Rogers, The pain is, if the Twins don't offer arbitrration, they basically can't resign him, correct...for the lowly amount another team might.

I'm suddenly seeing the Twins resign (and early) ann three of the free agents. Of course, Colome is either an acceptance by him or a buyout. Pineda may be grabbed, as well as Simmons, for decent prices that the front office can't refuse. Expecially with the collective bargaining agreement out there. My gripe on any of the three is evaluating their worth at this season's trade deadline. They got the Twins nothing. Na-na for legit offers. And, in a losing season, the Twins chose to give all three innings that better could've been given to players for the team's future...if nothing else for experience, and certainly evaluation. $15 million for the three may be in the works. Too much? Too little? What else could you egt for $15 million to make the team better!

Living the Dream! Plus, he will be in demand for any Braves card shows!

Berrios and Buxton are going to be really great -- for other teams. Twins banked on a bunch of arms that never materialized.

Baseball is a funny sport. You can sell being competitive. And the hopes for coming out of April into May in a good spot is intense. But, yes, we are sold on beingg excited as the Twins face a bunch of teams on the same level (any superstars in the Central compared to either coast). And then we are sold as being the underdog, shades of 87 and 91, and that it will be a miracle if we survive the post-season because we are not good enough to be here but are here. And next we then hum and ho about how we just needed "x" to go all the way.

If we are cleaning house, might as well add Garver into the mix and pick up some bodies from Florida. The flaw is twosome. First, if the Twins are jettisoning proven major league talent for prospects, what would motivate someone to come here, unless they have a really good idea of whom will be abcking them up at first base, third bse, centerfield and, for all intents and purposes, shortsop. Not to mention a bullpen with no lights out stopper of late jettisoning blankly, at least, a strong setup guy. If I would be signing a multi-year contract, I would want to see a lot of guys doing the same. But that doesn't happen these days as a group effort. Who would be the signing leader (and for how much). Second is, again, back to roster construction. Right now, looking at the Twins current and intended 40-man roster for the season, you have a tough time seeing 26 standout guys who will hold their places on the roster. You see a lot of filler or potential. Plus, suddenly, you are expecting betters from Kepler and Jeffers, potential from Kirilloff and Larnach, and that Arraez can play third. The rotation is still a mess, and if you sign a lot of guys (or trade for other top arms), you pretty much are passing over the next potential cropy of arms in the Twins system. How mych faith do you put into Balazovic, Duran, Winder, Sands, Enlow, Ryan, Ober, Woods-Richardson, even Strotman and Barnes, to be a part of Twins destiny. Are they not worthy? If not, then why keep them! I have oft admired Billy Beane how he manages to shuffle playes, dealing them out and about, like with a whim, but still always fielding a decent team. In Minnesota, we want more than to be contenders in the Central and get wiped in the playoffs. It ain't happening with any masive free agent signings. The team has to position thru traes or development to be in a position where one or two free agents, even in beaking the bank one-year style, can come in and give the team that boose. How rich can you make a farm system of unprovens? We have that, right now, if we can keep them healthy. If scouting is correct, we can trade vets and or prospects for real pieces.

I would want to keep all three for fodder for next season. They have to be better than the majority of arms the Twins waded out. Hamilton would have to be sent thru waivers (again) if added to the 40-man and cut at any time. So you want to be pretty sure that you will use him, or maybe just keep him at AAA with a slightly inflated minor league contract. He wilal be able to ask around for his services. Same with Ryan Mason, who (I believe) is also a minor league free agent. The Twins elevated him to AAA to see if they need to add him to the roster. Cano will get more time at St. Paul, but a lovely addition. As we saw with Moran, you want the ability give guys time to get hit a bit, and then go work on stuff. Wish the Twins ahd done that earlier on Moran so they could send him back-and-forth, rather than keep bringing up guys like Barraclough, Vincent and the ink. But the Twins sooooooo wanted one of these minor league free agent guys to find a permanent palce on the 40-man. Of course, in the bigger scheme of things, the Twins need to make hard choices on Smeltzer, Thorpe and Stashak. Are any of them bullpen arms going forth. Same with Bryan Sammons and Griffin Jax...both could be bullpen opportunists, probably as good as any waiver wire pickups. All of the five mentioned above could forego 40-man roster spotting and hopefully stay with the Twins on a minor league contract status. Another intriguing name is Judson Gore. The Twins kept him in Wichita so he may be passed in the Rule 5. But he could quickly advance as a bullpen arm in 2022.

All these college guys that didn't get much play before season's end. Be interesting to see where some of them start, after the Fall Instructional league and other work at the Ft. Myuers complex.

I can stomach Sano if ALL the other postion players are playing their competitive skillset. But in a team of weak bats, we don't need a solo home run guy when he does hit one, and all his strikesouts when men are on base. If we are stuck with Donaldson, time to say goodbye to Sano and see if Miranda can work into the mix, especially if Garver also can play 1st or be a regular DH. If Sano and Garver were bvoth traded away, I would strongly consider reuniting with Crus for another season. Right now the Twins are like a House, the model home, that has some geat touches (Sano, Donaldson), but wouldn't you rather have something useful than what just looks good on paper.

Sounds good. Would love for all of that to happen. Two free agent bullpen arms and two free agent pitchers. You have to jettison three guys from the current 40-,am roster. A fourth if you do sign a shortstop. Starting the season with Celestino and Kirilloff in the outfield, Jeffers catching. Is Rooker still on the team? I would be even more pleased if could move Donaldson and get some of that payroll back!

Luis Arraez?

Alocating funds. Always tricky when going after free agents. You get someone who you think will compliment your team, especially with another name, but somehow you don't get one of the guys, or worse yet, neither. Buxton is the key. Secondary is what to do with Sano. Third is if there is any interest in Donaldson. Be interesting to see if there are alot of free agent signings before collective bargaining hits December 1. This will give a big idea on the pricetag for talent. If players are willing to gamble and sign NOW or wait until the future. Of course, amidst it all, teams will be in the hunt for trading. I wish putting together the perfect team was as easy as spending the money to get the pieces one thinks will work. But the flip side is that someone else is also out there that will pay more or offer better. Amazing how every team is looking for mmuch of the same things each season - top of the rotation arm/s, better bullpen, middle infield - and instead of 60 or 90 first class choices for such positions, there is only a half-dozen, and lots and lots of maybeeees.

Two ways to deal with minor league free agents: you give them a contract that far exceeeds the probably minimum they might get from another team, or you add them to the 40-man. Reasons why a player will switch teams once he becomes a minor league free agent? They team doesn't want him back. Someone offers you more money. You see less blockage in your way to advance in another oprganization. If you are a minor league free agnt that would just be putting in time at the AA level because of two much competition, or if you are AAA filler, you can make a decent living signing with pretty much any organization. Of course, any min or league player risks getting released from the non-binding contact and suddenly faced with job outlooks that often league to independent league ball with the hope for a comeback in a minor league system of a major league team. The lost season set so many players back. Every major league team is in the same situation, players they wish to keep not advancing past AA ball. So will be interesting to see what prospects might be changing teams, compared to the three dozen folks the Twins signed as basically AAAA fodder last season. That being sai,d I hope the Twins are not hasty in resigning either Pineda or Colome, although their decision on Coleme means spending $1.25 million for nothing or $5.5 million for something. Is Colome a better keep on the 40-man than, say, Jax or Garza or Which of thor Thorpe or Smeltzer, any of whom would be jettisoned if they kept hiose names, if any, would remain on a Twin on a minor league contract and the hopes that they can crack the team out of spring training?m.

The Twins have to take care of centerfield and go from there. Then, they seriously have to evaluate Trevor Larnach and Max Kepler. There is something about baseball - playing the game, or working at playing the game. Natural ability only carries so far (see Delmon Young and, in many ways, Sano). Kepler has always been a hard worker, but something just isn't working at the plate that makes him above the standard journeyman outfielder right now. Larnach had his eyes opened. You may be hot stuff going into a draft. Like Jose Miranda, you may be the #1 hitter in the minors. But once you hit the majors you suddenly discover that there are 8-12 players on very roster equal to your ability or possibly better. The only lesser players are those that play specific roles (back up catcher, extra outfielder, spare infielder). A great job, being a role player, if you can get it. But baseball is work. You see it in Sano, who starts to lay off that outside low corner pitch, but then...right back into the swing and miss groove. Constantly have to come to the park and WORK! It is a job, folks. But once you hit the Big Leagues, the desire to win far outweighs, for most teams the majority of the time, the art of just playing ball as an entertainment. Who plays the outfield in 2022? Well, we don't want Arraez out there. Lewis and Martin are in the wings. Matt Wallner is, too. The minor league corps of Kerrigan, Contreras, Whitefield, and others aren't getting me anymore excited that Rooker or Celestino at this point. Does Mirada need a fulltime spot - left field, perhaps? Used to be that decisions on offense, the question we asked was "what about Sano." Now we ask "what about Buxton."

And, most everything here has already been discussed (and continues to be discussed) here:

I was surprised at the lack of quality starts in the minors this season. Of course, in developing a pitcher, you like to see if they can get thru one whole batting order, where they face both righties and lefties. In this day and age, starters that can comfortably get thru a batting order twice seems to be the sad norm. You actually want pitchers to see if they can fool batter three times to be an effective starter, although with 8-man bullpen (maybe 9) you only need to pitch five innings. What has this game become. Also, when you look at a pitcher like Jax, wouldn't it be nice to have a guy who can always pitch at least two innings, maybe three, and do it without multi-day rest? Yes, we forget the Guardado, Hawkins, Perkins, Nathan, Aguilera amongst others all started at rotation arms (and mostly failed, compared to bullpen numbers). Heck didn't the Twins have a guy named Hendriks recently?

It is all about dropping guys for necessary roster spots. Lewis, Miranda, Winder, Sands, maybe Enlow. Smeltzer, Stashak, Thorpe are BIG decisions. (I would get rid of two of these). You can trim the outfield. Garlick probably gone, Refsnyder also. Cave on the bubble. Rooker a possibility if you sign a free agent. (I would egt rid of two of these, possibly three.) Astudillo is not necessary. (Filler for now, gone if you sign a quality free agent). Thielbar or Coulombe are not necessary if you sign another quality lefty. (Both could be keepers). Jax and Garza could be on the bubble. Gone if you sign a free agent starter and a quality bullpen arm). I see no reason to keep Dobnak on the 40-man. No team will claim his contract, or if they do, are you crying tears? He can still remain Twins property. (Gone especially if you sign or trade for a quality starter). You don't need to remove ALL of the above, only 3-4-5 at most, and then jettison others if you sign free agents or claim some minor league free agent better than that particular person. If the Twins are truly going to compete, stay away from the Rule 5. Also, stay away from minor league free agents that need a 40-man roster spot. I look back and AAA/AA were filled with non-Twin prospects last year. If you aren't competing, look for that Rule 5, yes. But I would also closely look at who on the roster CAN actually contribute in plus ways in 2022.

The case of money and Big Market isn't always best. He would have continued to dominate in Minnesota. Career ended too short. If he had won that third Cy Young, although he should still be considered the ex facto winner of that Cy Young when looking at his Hall of Fame credentials. Tony Oliva? Jim Kaat? Something about ex-Twins in the Hall of Fame!

Eddie was not worth the $10-12 million. The Twins felt they had Kirilloff in the mix, Cave as backup, and even felt good enough about Rooker to let Wade go. It was all about money, and the Twins invested that money in Happ and Shoemaker...and, yes, it didn't look as bad as it turned out to be. Will be interesting to see what happens with Eddie in the off-season. Will he find a taker who will give him $20-25 million for three seasons? Do you see him getting more? I'm sure if the Twins could've signed him for $20 million, they might've taken the gamble. I'm sure Eddie thought he would do better than the $8 he got from Cleveland. But like with Ortiz, hands were tied. You pay them more than you think they are worth at the moment, or let them walk. Ortiz passed thru alot of waivers, Eddie was passed over by a lot of teams. The economics of arbitration. You either sign them early (Kepler, Polanco, Sano) or it swings to the advantage of the player to head for free agency - but that only works if the player produces to get the BIG or multi-year contract.

Ober was maxing out on innings after sitting out 2020. Same could be said of other arms. Albeit this was the season to let pitchers go through that batting order again. And if you needed more arms, they were down on the farm. I still felt Balazovic and Strotman needed to throw in the majors in 2021, just to get the taste out of the way and have something better to work on during the off-season. And if the Twins were really concerned about innings, they maybe could've wrangled another arm or two with starter qualifications rather than continuous promotion of bullpen arms who they really didn't see a need to keep come the off-season. Yes, Albers could eat innings after you were forced to sit Ober.

I haven't figured out the best spot to bat Buxton in the order. Of course, it would help if there were better batters to put around him. Too often people equate speed with stealing bases, but a lot of it is taking that extra base and testing a fielder, or coming home on a sacrifice. You have to figure the Buxton camp almost wants to see the arbitration process. He will, undoubtedly, go forward towards the $10 million mark. What the Twins offer for their end will go along ways towards Byron playing ball with the Twins. His next alternative is to take a qualifying offer at the end of 2022. Buxton's best bet would be to be a trade piece during the season, which means a team will pay "how much" for half a season of play. Buxton and his agent know full well that if Byron has a good, solid 2022 season, he can easily get $100 million for 4 years. If he excels, maybe even push that envelope more. Four years pushes him into an arena of another contract, as a corner outfielder. Would that multi-year contract exceed, say, $33 million for three more seasons? The Twins best bet would be incentive LOOOOOONG-TERM contract, like the 7/$133 fielded above with play incentives on top of that. There was no reason for Byron to take the Twins 2021 mid-season offer of many many years and around $80 million or so with LOTS of incentives. He is playing purely for 2023 at this point, with hopes that he stays healthy all season and has production going on around him. We all ask "how much is enough" and so many of us, in a similar situation, would not want to be taken advantage of. Yet a team CAN only focus so much of their salary on a single player and, sadly, with Buxton there are questionable futures attached. It is sad that in baseball there is no crying, but it all comes down to money in so many players and how they see their love of the sport.