Rosterman

Solid first two innings. 17 strikes. 4 balls. Then that interview. Okay, fine......at least wasn't talking to mom when the home run was hit. I liked the analysis, where he was throwing fast balls strictly thru the order, so he could come back and surprise everyone he next time thru, except he started to pitch a bit tricky, which led to a walk and a bunch of 3-ball counts in the third, and a higher pitch count. Trust your stuff (and your mix) and the fielders. Refysnder almost blew it trying to catch the double in the third, but Buxton was in the right place. An thank goodness the base runner fears Buxton's arm, what an awful throw...but the runner balked and stayed at third. Not that it mattered. After showcasing uniforms on all the bases the previous night, the Twins wanted to end this game early to fly sooner to Florida, I guess.

The Qualifying Offer has ripped to shreds the one year vet taking a team by the noise and leading them to heaven. Never ever another Jack Morris. You may like a pitcher like some of those mentioned above, until they start talking three years, or even five years or more...at a healthy salary. So you do more dumpster diving, searching for guys looking for a comeback contract, or figure out a way to sign and keep your own, like the Twins have done with...Dobnak. In reality, baseball is life (and politics). You hope for the best, but life throws a curve and expectations seldom work to one's hopes and dreams. For 2021 we would've loved to see the Twins sign a starter bigger than Berrios, and a bullpen closer to shut things down. Out of all the names in the free agent market last season, who did the Twins truly miss with, or better yet who did the Twins successfully NOT sign and dodged a bigger bullet. Another year as an armchair general manager for many of us. And what does it actually do on our resume...make us a bigger name in fantasy league ball, which pays as well as on-line poker against a computer where we win billions on the dollar spent. And lose them, too.

Both Vasquez and Berman will be min or league free agents, so they could walk if NOT placed on the 40-man during the off-season., Vasquez ahs the ability to hit a lot of batters. And is probably behind others for the lefthanded prospect spot at this point. Berman may not be a lights out catcher, but the Twins will undoubtedly lose Telis from AAA and Hamilton from AA. Players may have a tendency to resign with a new organization if they are handled well the last month. Players will pretty much walk if hey are being passed over when a possible advancement could be had, and there is depth pushing behind them. The Twins aren't strong in catching right now. Kyle Schmidt made a two-level jump to St. Paul, partly because Rortvedt was called up and Telis is playing more first base. Yes, it probably could've been a straight cash deal, but basically is a soon-to-be-gone player for a soon-to-be-gone player. The Dodgers COULD use Vasquez in the playoffs as he is dynamite against lefties. Will wait and see. Both both will be looking for work in the off-seson. If Berman can hit above the Butera-line, he could stay with the Twins for another season. Look to see him get lots of action in St. Paul.

Stevie Berman. Shades of missing out on Drew Butera. Well, maybe Vasquez will get to throw for the major league Dodgers and be in the playoffs. Kudos to a fine lefty who only had a distant opportunity with the big ballclub. One less pitcher to still call up in 2021.

I want to thank the Minnesota Twins team for standing out in the field and letting us see their uniforms of the day! This was better than a fashion show as the plays could stay stationary once they got to a base with no need to go full circle!

He keeps catching and catching and catching. Good for Drew Butera. He could make the post-season. Speaking of post-season, Keon Broxton managed to sign with the Brew Crew and assigned to the minors, but eligible to be recalled for the post season. Remember how this guy was tearing things up, so much so we forgot about Kirilloff and Larnach at the end of spring training and it was between him and Garlick and Rooker to break with the team? https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2021/08/brewers-sign-keon-broxton.html And the Rays signing Slegers. Well, it is basically just an earlier signing as a minor league free agent, in truth. Not necessarily a 40-man spot, but a spring training invite and a tad more money than most guys will make at AAA, and thus making him likely to move in the Rule 5 draft.

Looks like the Twins cleared a 40-man roster spot by outrighting Edgar Garcia. They need to do another when they bring back Dobnak on Friday, supposedly. Of course, Madea could be moved to the 50-day IL since it looks like his season has ended. Rotation: Ober Ryan Jax Dobnak Gant (although I want to see Albers also get a chance). The Twins DO need to figure out a way to see Strotman this season. And it would be nice if Balazovic would get at least a start (or two) for a taste of major league life. I guess it all depends on how Dobnak and Jax do the next couple of times out. Jax could be optioned back to St. Paul and help them end their season, as could Dobnak...who has to be playing to stay on the 40-man. He still has potential, but due to the contract he signed he does give the Twins flexibility to remove him if he is just so-so, and still work to get him back to the team (while off the 40-man) for 2022 and beyond.

I didn't know they suspended those changes. Thought it was still going to 15 pitchers max going into September. The Twins removed Garcia from their 40-man, so that spot is for Ryan (or Dobnak). Either way, another roster spot will need to open. Is Albers getting another start? I would rather see Gant in relief of him, or Dobnak, if push came to...shove.

Will Larnach be a September recall?

I can't get excited about MOST of the minor league free agents the Twins signed and have been shuffling thru the pen. They were minor league in-season free agents for a reason, and more than likely will remain so once all teams start cutting players and adding prospects. The Twins need to make decisions on Stashak, Smeltzer, Dobnak (who can be designated off for #'s sake and still stay a Twin as it is doubtful anyone would pick up his contract - remember Nick Blackburn). Also, Gant, Thorpe, Garcia, Jax, Barnes, plus Astudillo, Cave and Gordon. These are tried and true organizational talent. Not stunning, but developed and you know what to expect, or not. I' m an arm chair general manager, have a couple of open roster spots. Am I salivating if any of these names appear on the waiver wire: Albers, Thielbar, Farrell, Law, Colome, Minaya, Coulombe, Gibaut, Vincent, Garza Jr., Barraclough, Burrows (we know no one cared already), Garlick, Refsnyder...not to mention Gilmartin, Shepherd, Leyer, Nunn, Nittoli, Boyd, Burt, Manoah, Johnson, Koch, Garcia, Harvey, Maggi. Vasquez. Would we rather find spots for: Hamilton, Moran, Kerrigan, Contreras, Miranda, Winder, Cano, Mason, Sammons, Ryan, Cabbage, Lewis, Schulfer, Sands, Enlow, Vallimont, Gore, Lujan, Funderburk, Beck and Waner Javier? Granted, we don't need to worry about a bunch of these as they are lower in the minors, but if any of the above are gone, they are gone. But the minor league free agents are still sustainable to be kept if you pay them enough and convince them to sign a minor league invite to camp. The bigger question is, of ALL the names that I listed in this post - who makes the Twins a better team, a more competitive team in 2022, and would actually take the playing field and contribute at what salary cost. How many are solid placesetters. Who has real value to a rebuilding team in the shortterm How many are longterm assets.

Okay, St. Paul is playing games thru the end of the month. Instead of Playoffs, the AAA just extended the season, for more action and game revenue. The other levels all end seasons by mid-September, so we will be able to shuffle some players around. Not alot (still have housing and how much experience is it for them to go to a strange town for two weeks). People seem to forget we have Albers. The guy who was part of a shutout the other day. And the Twins still have Gant listed as a starter. We have two players, Randy Dobnak and Luke Farrell, coming off 60-day disabled lists, which means we have to designate two players off the current 40-man roster. Of course, one could be moving Maeda to the 60-day after Wednesday's surgery. Another could be ending he season for either (or both) of Thorpe and Pineda. I almost picture Derek Law being a non-factor and NOT returning to the Twins, as his 40-man spot may be more valuable...plus who goes. Strotman is on the 40-man. So is Balazovic, who would need to spend a day at AAA before coming over. And if the Saints elevate anyone from Wichita, it should be Balazovic. I would like to see Balazovic pitch twice for the Saints and twice for the Twins before the end of the season. Ryan and Moran (and Mirada) all would need 40-man roster spots. People have to be taken off the 40-man for them to come onboard. My simple procedure would be to send Cave away, move Rooker back to St. Paul, and bring in Celestino. That would give us one spot. I would send Simmons off and bring up Miranda to play third or first with Sano and Donaldson getting more reps at DH. Give Simmons a chance. And, he's not coming back, at least for $10 million, in 2022. Colome is the closer, it seems. Again, I hate to rag on the guy, but he gave us nothing earlier when he could've been a valuable trade chip. He is showing signs of closing ability on a team in which winning games in only a factor in keeping you from the Top Draft Pick. Some team would claim him, the Twins to recoup some salary. Isn't that a plus? Maybe pay for the Annual Holiday Party. That would allow the team to add Moran as a bullpen arm, and keep their current stable of relief pitchers. Law, Garcia, whomever being move off the 40-man would allow Ryan to be added. Plus, yes, the Twins get two freebie adds, here. And they both have to be starting pitchers when you only have three legit starters currently on the mound. Of course, if you don't want to kill St. Paul, you can also shuffle Jax back into their picture to work on his velocity and stuff, and let him get some winnable highs before the off-season. Two players can be added with no send-downs after September 1. Two players coming off the 60-day disabled list soon, and one the regular disabled list...not to mention Garver perhaps. You have to get rid of two 40-man spots for the returning players. If you want the rookies to play, you need to find three more open 40-man roster spots.

They are actually drawing rather decently considering that Minnesota followed the rules for Covid reopening protocalls. What surprises me more is that there are tickets available at every Saints game. We also forget the Twins did good in the short 2020 season. And, budget wise, they paid ALL their minor league players for the season, although they gave walking players to some 30 right at the end of last September.

Miranda and Moran could become minor league free agents if they aren't added. Royce Lewis is eligible for the Rule 5, as is Josh Winder. Trey Cabbage is a potential minor league free agent. Cole Sands and Blayne Enlow are Rule 5 eligible, as is Bryan Sammons. Plus guys like Kerrigan and Contreras are Rule 5. Former Twins Aaron Whitefield and Andrew Vasquez are also minor league free agents. There will be some house cleaning amongst all the minor league free agents the Twins signed (30+) and their own guys who have come of age. Be interesting to see how the rosters are also shuffled in the minors. We forget there is a minor league part of the draft. Oh, and Wander Javier could be grabbed, too.

This is ignorance. Refsnyder was a plus. For a while Kyle Garlick was, too. Robles was actually a plus since the Red Sox traded something for him (although Happ wasn't a plus).

Think of it this way...the clubhouse sewing machine is kept constantly busy creating uniform backs.,

Donaldson's worth is all about his play in the field and his bat. Just gotta keep healthy. Colome almost threw away the game, literally when you watch him bounce balls around the plate. I guess the Twins want him to get a BIG contract in 2022, and it will probably be from them.

Won't Albers start again. Looks like Dobnak on Friday. Gant should be the bullpen arm the Twins call on in short-started games. I'm sorry.

What we have here is a BIG serious group of guys who basically joined the Twins as minor league free agents, and the majority will also fulfill dream on the off-season. Who would get offered a 40-man spot with any other team is the question. How many would get a serious invite to spring training. If the Twins literally let walk every relief pitcher they signed in this way during the season, there should be one for every team in the league, and considering most passed on these guys already.... Albers, Thielbar, Farrell, Law, Waddell, Minaya, Coulombe, Gibaut, Vincent, Garcia, Garza Jr., Barraclough, Burrows. And add to the mix Vasquez, Shepherd, Leyer, Nittoli, Nunn, Manoah, Lau, Koch, Garcia, Gilmartin, Hamilton, Harvey - man ohhhhhh man, That's a Million-dollar minor league bullpen. And #12 million if they all played in the majors. You could buy a.,..Happ, or Shoemaker for that kind of money. Let's ask this: would you keep any of these guys over, say, adding or keeping Smeltzer, Thorpe, Jax, Barnes, Stashak, Gant. The majority slot behind those arms, and even some of those names aren't safe. Throw in names like Colina, Winder, Sammons, Moran, Mason, Ryan, Strotman, Sands, Enlow, Vallimont, Gore, Lujan. Would you want these 18 guys in the organization in 2022, or the 24 in the previous paragraph. I suspect you will have a chance to resign any of the 24. You could actually offer them 40-man roster money to take a minor league contract, if you really feel the need to have them on the team. Sure, Albers and Thielbar are showing signs of solid life for aging lefties. Gibaut did okay first time out, Gazra has life, Hamilton has promise, Minaya has been dependable. Farrell looked like the second coming of Wisler. Coulombe was better than Colome, but still an aging lefty. I would picture the Twins keeping one of Albers, Coulombe and Thielbar. Boy, in reality it is depressing when you remember the 202 bullpen of May, Alcala, Rogers, Duffey, Stashak, Romo, Clippard, Wisler and Thielbar (with Colina, Gearrin, Poppen, Minaya, Littell and Coulombe in the wings - how many of those are still Twins). And then you have 2019 with Rogers, Littell, May, Harper, Morin, Magill, Duffey, Parker, Stashak, Romo (and names like Mejia, DeJong, Adams, Vasquez, Eades, Poppen, Torres, Dyson and Graterol - how many of those are still around or were kept). We know the Twins, for 2022, will be keeping Rogers, Duffey, Alcala, Gant - wait, WOW, that is it? We NEED HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rick Eckstein, former Twins minor league hitting instructor and major league coach, let go by slumping Pirates. https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2021/08/pirates-fire-hitting-coach-rick-eckstein.html

Dobnak will get the call next. And the Twins may have to make a roster move, unless they are ready to move Maeda to the 60-day. Farrell and Law may be close behind. I would swap out Jax for Strotman at the moment. Of course, the Twins can add two arms Wednesday if they have the roster spots open. Without sending anyone out. Who would that be? Ryan would make a roster move happen on the 40-man. Farrell would do so, too. How do we get Miranda and Moran to the majors?

I would still give Strotman an opportunity in September. Just see how he fares on a major league mound. He is, after all, on the 40-man. Do you keep him? Now is the time to test and look at the results.

Rickey Ramirez is not having a good year in the Orioles system. We lost him in the minor league portion of the Rule 5 draft. Can anyone explain to us the rules of that portion of the draft, and who should the Twins worry about losing? https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=ramire004ric

Balazovic needs at least one start in the majors this year. Maybe that makeup game at Yankee stadium. That would ne eye opener for him. Strotman needs to be the next arm up, and Dobnak needs to replace Gant, pushing Gant to the pen. Yep, the Twins can do a shuffle. Keep the spirits of St. Paul high and send Jax back down for the final season run, too...we have seen what he and Barnes can do, and if both are here for spring training, they may have tackled issues during winter ball. Strotman, Ryan, Moran and Miranda all need to be added in September. The Twins need to remove two guys from the 28-man to accomplish this, compounded by the fact that they maybe have to let Farrell, Dobnak and possibly Law still play out the season in the big leagues. Unless Dobnak is lights out, he is a candidate to be designated for assignment as no one will grab his contract and the Twins can still have him come 2022. Law is...well, fighting for a spot against Garcia, Barraclough, Gibaut, maybe Minaya, possibly Gant, Garza Jr. and Coulombe. I'm sorry, bye-bye to your close Colome, unless you really think he is a worthwhile possible signing for 2022. You jsut don't have room for him when auditioning for the new year. Let Duffey handle to job. Gotta make a hard decision on Thorpe, who you can just send back down if you wish. And do we rally need to see Pineda pitch again? I can get excited about giving 4-5 starts to Strotman, Ryan and Balazovic as the season winds down, can applaud Albers if he keeps shining and becoming one of those wonderful stories, and that Ober can still pitch another 25-30 innings and not hurt his arm. I'm thru with free agents to be, can live without any minor league free agents who will still be minor league free agents come 2022 and don't need a roster spot tryout in September, and hope the Twins can still break the million mark in attendance for 2021.

The Twins don't need Larnach at this point. Refsnyder is holding down play, and you got Rooker and Cave. Rooker should be DHing. But then we have the problem of where/when to play Arraez as long as Simmons is on the team. Donaldson is the perfect DH for now, and would be wonderful to see Miranda come in and play third, with Simmons (sadly) gone and Arraez and Polanco holding down the middle infield. You still have Gordon and The Turtle on the bench. Rortvedt also on the bench. We need to see Miranda. Roster crunch time is coming. If the Twins activate Dobnak and/or Farrell, they have to remove guys from the 40-man. One way is to immediately put Maeda on the 60-day, since it is doubtful he will be back. Also, to make hard decisions on the probable return, or need to return, of Thorpe and Pineda. Of course, Dobnak and Farrell also means a couple of people have to leave the current roster. Who goes. W already sent out Garcia and Barraclough, both who could also be 40-man removed. Law MIGHT get a chance to pitch in the majors again, but he also could be 40-man removed. But none of those three are on the current roster, which is down two rotation arms (unless you count Gant). The Twins need to add at least one starter (Strotman next BECAUSE he is on the 40-man), but who leaves. Wait, we can add two players to the roster come September 1. So I see Strotman being one. But the another should be Ryan, but then you need a roster spot. They should also promote Jovani Moran. Okay, who leaves the now 28-man roster. Whew. My mind is numb. And hopefully Balazovic to the Saints. Maybe at some point, switch out him and Jax, to at least get a couple of starts for a hot prospect. Dobnak and Farrell are complicating things! Look out Rooker and Cave!

So correct. Can any of the New Breed top 150 innings? Of course, with new pitching requirements, that's only 30 starts of five innings a start. Like for 2021, the Twins need a rotation arm who would've slotted ahead of Berrios in appearances and quality. They still need that more than ever, a leader on the mound who can pitch every 5th day and go in the area of 6 innings or more. He doesn't have to be the best, just solid and durable. Sure, you can also fill in with a Pineda again. If push comes to shove, you explore. But not sure how many more Pinedas or Odorizzis we need to offer multi-0year contracts to pitch. I would rather see the Twins trade, and let us see how much there is to gain from the farm system. Last I looked, the Twins have 180+ players under contract as this season closes. 130 of them won't be in the Twins system at all come 2024. Deal them or let them walk or quit or be claimed. It is always interesting how season's progress. 2021: Berrios, Meada, Shoemaker, Happ, Pineda with Dobnak and Thorpe starting in relief and Smeltzer in the wings and the potential for Duran and Balazovic to appear. We end up with Jax, Barnes, Ober, Albers, Gant and names like Sammons, Wilder, Canterino, Enlow, Sands, Strotman, Ryan, Balazovic as possibilities for 2022 (not to mention Duran. Amazing how it all changes. And considering most teams are happy with, say, two addition to a rotation one late summer who MIGHT carry over to the next season....... A big lot of hope and possibilities who need innings, strong pitch accounts, and general experience. I am flustered with 30 games left, no experience in the rotation, a season all but lost and if you lose 100, do we really care or think we would be happier if they only lost...say 90?. You have pieces like Balazovic, Ryan, Strotman, even Sammons that just need a dozen innings, or 20, or maybe even 24 to send them into potential winter ball or off-season prep to come to spring training. The innings are there, give it to them. I love the Albers story. We can elevate others who were signed as minor league free agents, but guess what -- they will still be minor league free agents next season, too, and can be resigned if necessary for depth. But, yes, the Twins need to spend big on a pretty surefire arm...one who will take their Berrios money. They can easily find a filler or two who is probably competent and might draw interest at trade time more than Pineda did. They also need an ace closer. They need to identify if any of the "potential starters" might make a bitter fit in the pen (something some exposure at season's end could also offer). They need to make hard decisions on Dobnak, Smeltzer, Thorpe. Potential, still. Or time to keep moving on.