Rosterman

The bigger question is if the guys will contribute to the team in anyway in the 2018 season. Right now the Twins have a gaggle of players who are probably destined to start in the minors and you can question the amount of time they will spend in the 2018 majors: Curtiss, Rosario, Romero, Jorge, Palka, Goodrum, Slegers, Enns. Some need more AAA seasoning, some need to play at AAA. But that is 8 names of guys who would probably not break camp. Add in the names of Boshers, Turley, Mejias, Vargas, Granite and Garver, plus Moya and you have another 7. 15 players. Depending on who the Twins keep (Grossman, Gimenez, Adrianza for example), you wonder who from the above 15 names MAY be removed from the 40-man, which will already see: Santiago, Colon, Belisle, Gee departing as free agents and decisions also made on guys who could very well be disabled in 2018: O'Rourke, Chargois, Hughes and May. 22 names from a roster above 40 names (43), reduced by one already with the departing Perkins. And we want to add at least 5, but maybe as many as 8 to the mix, with Reed being, in my opinion, the longshot to open the season, but the other names under consideration probably having a better opportunity to get big league innings and at bats than most of the names on my list above.

I would ease May back in. He will have to work up towards 120 innings in 2018, as an example, if he is fairly ready to go. I would baby him and keep him on the DL if the season opens and he is not quite there, allowing him to rehad in Ft. Myers (and not use an option) for the colder weeks up north, then work him into long relief or spot starts. Or, there is the chance you might find that he could be closer material. But if he fully recovers, the Twins should have decent control of his services for his 29-31 years of age. And go from there. Curious, more, about the state of Chargois. And even if Zack Jones is in the mix.

Always tough this #1. We have had Sano and Buxton...but Rosario has been the guy who has shined and he was never considered the Top Prospect in the system. Us armchair general managers have to take a second seat to the real guys.

Some tough decisions. Where will Escobar play. Third base, always a backup? Dozier, extend or not. Polanco...will he be the shortstop next season and second baseman after that, or will that position fall to Gordon. And then you have the wealth of guys still coming forwards: Palacios, Lewis, Marte, Javier. Where and when will they play.

Interesting the say Molitor didn't have in choosing guys he will work with on the field staff. Now have to see who the Twins add as minor league pitching coordinator.

Granted, you need some bodies to keep around in cae you do add a free agent or whatever, and they can't be any of the guys to drop from adds in the November additions. I'm not sure if Phil Hughes is out-of-options and could be run thru waivers and if not claimed stashed at Rochester, a la Blackburn in the past. If he is not going to pitch in 2018, I would say move on anyways. Likewise Ryan O'Rourke. Do you keep him and not Boshers? Surely not both. Let Gee play the marekt. Make a move if you rally think he is the longman or starter in reserve that you wish. Trevor May, hopefully, will return and fill that job as he works his way back into the 2019 rotation. So Gee.....no. Turley and Tonkin and Slegers and Duffey. You can keep any, but not all. A couple and still expendable and resigned to minor league contracts, although Tonkin would surely walk, as would probably Turley. Wimmers has left. Other spots? Adrianza AND Goodrum? One or neither at this point. Keeping Granite makes Palka expendable. That they didn't call him up for a cup of coffee in September makes him the second going of Adam Brett Walker. Did the Chargois stock disappear? Like Melotakis, and Zack Jones.....has Luke Bard and Jeff Reed pushed by them as prospects, as well as Curtiss and Moya. You have to wonder if Rosario is necessary to keep on the 40-man. Would someone grab him. Left-handed with promise? But enough promise to spend another year on the 40-man? In putting together the 40-man, I would ask of the names that will be dropped - IS THERE ANY CHANCE THEY WILL BE A PART OF THE TEAM COME 2019. Like Vargas. Maybe his payday is Asia. Park is still in the mix and under a biog contract. And what to do with Grossman. Pretty bad when you could cut out 15 or so guys with a slice of the knife. The problem is you can't replace them ALL with guys starting at A or AA ball, or who need at least part of a season of seasoning at AAA. Removing some from the roster means other teams can claim them and stash them. Not adding them to the 40-man means Rule 5, and as we saw with Stu Turner and the Reds...you can stash an AA player for a season if you really want that player. Can't wait to see how it all shakes out.

The Twins, if they can, sign these guys for a reasonable amount to still make them trade worthy, a la Denard Span. The flip side is that they may not get better. Buxton, right now, has the msot value patrolling centerfield. Unless Krilloff is a sure fire centerfielder, your best bet is Granite, who is mreo of a backup or corner guy. You hope Kepler matures and puts up similar numbers like Rosario did this season. You wonder if Rosario can manage to stay the same, or even get better. If that is true, for the above, the Twins have a longterm outfield for 5-6 years and if you can reasonably sign these guys past their arbitration seasons with an option, I would say go for it. The only other factor is Rooker. Is he an outfielder> Will he be able to handle first? Or is he jsut a bat. And will he be a major league bat. It's interesting,dangling salaries out to a whole host of guys (jncluding Sano) plus factoring in what to do with Mauer and Dozier...one to three more years for both - Idoubt you would give either a one-year qualifying offer, although that would not be beyond (as with Santana) if the funds for that aprticular season is there. The Twins only have 2-3 obvious salary needs. It would be nice to add a right-handed bat who can also play a position, possibly a backup infielder guy, too. The Twins could spend big on a core starter. They could also spend on a solid relief pitcher, and sign a few AAAA guys to fill out the system. I think the Twins MAY finally have some strength in the bullpen if Bard and Curtiss and Rosario and Moya and Cahrgois and Melotakis and Reed can join the likes of May and o'Rourke to keep us from using Tonkin, Boshers, and others. We also have to put Enns into the mix. So the Twins have an abundance of relief pitching probables. Just how to use them, and who is ALSO the next, say, Hildenberger or Busenitz.

In some ways, the Twins may have prospects galore. They have to make some hard-lined decisions on WHO they think will be a part of the organization from all the players in A ball and above...how many can actually make the grade, and if it is too many, start to deal them when they might have a perceived worth. Are Romero and Jorge still fixtures for the rotation. Is Gonsalves the lone guy coming up in 2018, and if the Twins sign or trade for a BIG free agent, do they need Romero AND Jorge right now? Is Stewart viable? Has Thorpe increased in value? Who are the prospects in line for 2019 and 2020. Could the Twins sacrifice Rosario or Kepler? Is Buxton on the centerfield swing door? Is Nick Gordon the real future, or is it the next bunch of Lewis/Marte/Javier that will push for the infield. If not Gordon...is he at his highest worth now and can you stomach continued Dozier/Escobar/Polanco until 2020? The Twins have a lot of youth that could play in the majors, just not maybe with the Twins. And if some of them can bring important NOW pieces to the mix (remember, not all rookies shine in their first couple of years of major league play).

I think the Twins COULD go without and see what they actually do have. I don't see the need to bring back Belisle, or to offer a contract to Kintzler. Try Busenitz or Pressly or Hildenberger. Hope Chargois comes back. Have the loser be the chief setup guy with Rogers. I would like to see them make roster space by departing with the Boshers and such.

There is quite a big picture outlook the Twins front office has to look at. Who will play where in 2018. Who is around and playing where in 2019 and 2020. Who is in the pipeline to replace (say our outfielders, for sure). What players can offer position change. In Sano's case, will he be the second coming of David Ortiz, someone who can play DH mostly for the next 14 years at whatever is considered a good solid average major league salary (probably $20-25 million as we get into his thirties). Is that worth it. Will he sustain? Can you go for a 10-year deal? Is the Twins DH of the near future a Dozier or Mauer? Who plays first in the longer runoo The front office should have a pretty giid idea of how the roster will shake out for the next three seasons right now, and a solid idea of who they hope to retain up to five years from now.

How many games did Santana lose or no-decision because of meek offense or a bullpen that couldn't hold the lead. Berrios is still a work in progress, but has the potential. Gibson is getting a BIG second chance. And then there is none.

I doubt it will be a one-year contract. Even a two-year puts Molitor on the bubble as absorbing a year isn't beyond the budget or front office needs. A three-year would keep him in place for at least another season, sink or swim. I'm more interested in the workings on the coaching side of things, and the shakeup (if any) of the minor league staffs.

It also appeared that the strike zone was a bit tight (for both sides). Santana should've adjusted and thrived. I wouldn't have thrown Berrios out there right away (bring in a lefty first) or just go with one-inning wonders for the rest of the game. Don't have Hildenberger start a second inning. Overall, pitching won out. The Yankees have the hard throwers we have only dramed about having in the system

The ump had a tight zone for both sides. So, its a game to use A LOT of pitchers in a correct way. One team id. The other team didn't.

Time will tell. The Twins have so many bullpen arms, but the ones we thought would be here in 2017...weren't. And the league catches up to players, or players don't adjust, so you never ever have too many guys. Hard-pressed to say who the rotation will be in 2019. And you need people like Wade (as well as Granite) when you start deciding the longterm worth of Rosario or even Kepler. I assume Buxton will be a keeper.

It all comes down to one game at a time at this moment in the season. You win here or go home. Worry about the next round once you get there, and happily the Twins have a number of players to shuffle. I was hoping for C.C. so the Twins could play the early bunting game again. This is where I want a camera in the clubhouse, watching the players arrive, who is jittery, who is not. Yankee Stadium. Big crowd. What is Molitor's speech to the team? Coaches pulling people aside. The feel of batting practice. All these under 25 players on the team in what might be the biggest game they ever play (hopefully not, more in the future). And what IS the feeling back home in the Twin Cities? Rain dampened the home closer. But still, not sellouts for ALL three games this weekend.

So where does this leave Slegers in the Twins scheme of things. If he'd pitched a dynamite game, going 5-6 innings, would he be the 4th starter? Has he become roster fodder sadly at this point, a possible prospect, but still behind others in the wings who might deserve a 40-man spot, as well as the many many "others" who are no longer prospects but won't part ways with the Twins (perhaps Pressly, Boshers, Tonkin). Yes, the Twins did make the Wild Card. Yes, the call-ups from September got less exposure than necessary, although they have experience of riding the bench and being in a playoff situation. I hope some make it to spring training to show what they can do against somewhat major league pitching. Can't wait to see the lineup for tomorrow's game.

Hopefully he IS the DH for the final two games. As a bench bat he can be valuable. If his swing is back, he can DH. You still need to see him run the bases. Putting him in the field? Not a chance at this point. But considering you need one starter and a bunch of arms for the wild card, and 4 starters at best and 7 bullpen arms, yes...add him to the playoff roster!

I'm baffled by the lineup. Mauer batting second. Polanco third. Escobar cleanup more often than not. Rposario and Buxton on the backside. Even you DH batting ninth. But, considering how the bullpen seems setup, I shouldn't be surprised. But, it worked!

There is some way to grow with the current crop, but I hope the front office doesn't fall too much in love with certain pieces that are...to say the least, expendable. And not really sure how to read Molitor. Did the Twins win despite him (as in 2015) or is he really a good manager?

I would've set up Mejia to pitch yesterday with Colon pulling illness and have Gibson pitch a crucial game today against Cleveland. Ah, well...what do I know...except that the Twins only have three starters going into the playoffs. No showcasing of Slegers?

They are still not done re-evaluating the team. The off-season will be crucial. How they deal with, say, Grossman and Escobar as well as Belise. What they end up doing with Hughes. Park is still in reserve and sacrificed from being on the major league roster because of 40-man issues. They added some fine pitching prospects (shades of May and Meyer) but others languished and we desperately need a killer 4th or 5th starter...before this season ends. Lots of names will have to be protected at the expense of whom. Curious on the obvious overhall of the minor leagues happening, as well as any major league front office changes. Will they spend money? All the profit the Twins will be making closing weekend when they control full-price ticket sales (nothing much on stubhub right now). It's nice the Twins will go out of the season with a bang. They need to develop a top-flight advertising campaign to combat the SuperBowl hype that will be front and center when they are about to do Twinsfest and start the minor league season, not to mention the next season ticket push (will prices rise?)

I would've brought Mejias in from the pen and pitch Gibson tomorrow.

A part of me wants to see the Twins stay the course and pitch Colon in place of Mejia and have Berrios and Santana ready out of the gate against whomever with Gibson pitching game 163. No need to over rest any of the starters,. or pitch any early before the end of the season. I would figure out a way to tryout Mejia and Gee and Slegers in long relief roles, just in case. Torn between the needs of the bullpen: Belisle, Rogers, Hildenberger, Busenitz and two of the three above. Not sure who I want as the extra guy in the pen. Probably Pressly although I don't know what went wrong with him this season.

I would personally go with Colon/Gibson/Santana for the series, setting up Santana and Berrios to pitch if we actually can beat the Yankees in the Wild Card and having Gibson pitch the 163rd game...because he has been so good of late and would be an unexpected pitcher for the Yankees to face.