Rosterman

Trade Chip!

Sanp would be a wonderful bench bat and possible DH. The Twins could, conceivably, go with a four man rotation and 7 pitchers in the pen. Who would be those BEST seven? Better yet, who is the odd starter out (Mejia, Colon)? I might be hard-pressed to keep DUffey on the 40-man, depending on the state of prospects. Granted, so many of the potential 40-man prospects probably won't start the season with the Twins (Rosario, Jorge, Romero, Curtiss, Enns, Moya, Littell as examples) that the Twins will need journeymen to fill in the holes. But, again, if you have NO HOLES on the 40-man, who stays and who goes.

Well, the outfield is set for a few years until a new crop comes along. You have to be happy that Sano will be somewhere. 2B/SS seem set for now, so we have to worry about the corners (unless Mauer is extended) and who is the DH if Sano stays in the field. I was hoping to get more of a look at Garver behind-the-plate as he seems to be it for the future after 2019. I guess we should be happy that Santana is still around and that Gibson ahs found his way to throw. I don't have a lot of long-term future stock in Mejia, not even short-term. But can't name for sure who will be on the 2020 rotation staff yet. Like ALL those relief pitchers of old, we have yet to classify where any of these guys will perform best in the bullpen. Who is setup, is there a longman, who can close someday Escobar has proven to be a surprise that I would almost write him at third next year with Sano as DH. But the number of players the Twins have to start protecting on the 40-man this season and next will make for some interesting watch. You can add them and protect them, but does no good if they don't play and some others have to take their spots and you lose them when sending them off-40-man waivers.

It is such a strange thing to address. The Twins, obviously, are in the playoff hunt. We have never this seson seen such a regular lineup with guys basically sitting in the shadows of the bench, like they aren't on the team. Same with the bullpen. You have two problems. You are coming up on guys pitching waaaay too much than necessary, from both their minor and major appearances. Bringing up arms from the minors is NOT bringing up fresh arms. You are bringing up guys who have pitched more often than not on a regular basis and can be tiring. The arms in the majors face the same. Some should've been totally jettisoned by this time (Pressly, Boshers, Tonkin are examples). The only PLUS is that you have a multitude of arms and can bring them out to face 1, 2 or 3 batters ONLY. Use a lot of guys in a game with minimal work, as seen last night. Can you do this back-to-back-to-back? Doubtful. What hurts more is the starting depth. Yes, you want your starters to go long. You want to have PLUS starters who can get you into the 7th. Yes, if you are ahead, as it seems in any game Gibson pitches, your best starter is pulled because why waste his arm with a big league. So you need potential starters. You need the ability to go with a six man rotation, if necessary (if NOT in the playoff hunt, would be easier to do). You need more guys like Gee and Slegers to co-pitch a game and hopefully not stink, at times, as well as giving you a good look at future possibilities. While other teams (Indians, Astros, Red Soxand even the Yankees) can start to position themselves for the playoffs, the Twins pitching staff is having to show up and pitch like every game counts (and it does) and the offense has to be productive, too. You like to think that throughout the season you have a roster full of the best players who you can actually use in a game. Even calling guys up in September, you want to believe you can trust them in 3-2 games. But there seems to be a lot of names that Molly ignores. Of course Perkins and Curtiss are getting shortshifted and there are others he doesn't really trust. Grante and Goodrum and bench chum it seems (as is Vargas, at times). Tought call. These guys are going to be exhausted if the Twins win the Wild Card, the one-off, and have to go towards playoff heaven.

You don't have to push your starters. Especially 44-year-old guys. If you get five innings, you leap for joy. if you get six, be more than happy. No need to run them out for seven. Keep them strong down this stretch, and you need to keep the bullpen arms alive. You had four pitchers you could use. Three more you could use today or tomorrow. And you still have Slegers getting left out in the cold, too. Dougie M. Gonna miss you!

Knowing when to pull. And for guys like Curtiss, picking the right batters and situations. With 17 hurlers on your staff, you can use them for one batter situations, if you like.

You have 30+ players on the roster. If you aren't going to figure out how to use them properly, then why are they on the roster. Granted, you are totally inconsistent in putting together a lineup. You CAN rest a Buxton (yes, he did homer yesterday) but part of the game plan is to keep your players as fresh as you can. Especially the bullpen. Don;t use guys for a week and expect them to shut people down in horrible situations? You have to mix and match the bad/okay bullpen guys with a gem. If the bad/okay guys get thru an inning so you can use another bad/ok guy, you go for it. I'll be happy if the Twins play .500 ball for the season. Anything after that is a bonus. If they make the wildcard playoff game, I'll watch them play the Yankees in New York. I'll fall off my chair if they go beyond that and will dance nakid in the streets if they win the world series. Yes, it would be ncie if ALL September games, at this point in Twins history, were meaningless and you could see what you have and what you will have for the future. I'm a little disappointed with the lovefest for guys that shouldn't be back next season (like Belisle and Grossman and one of those backup infield guys, and even Gimenez...let Garver catch Berrios in the least...let Garver catch in the least). I would also put more stock into giving Curtis innings, as well as Enns and Jake Reed and such than dragging out the ever-rising ERA guys of Pressly and Boshers and (soon) Tonkin). We will cringe and say we can't lose games to teams like the Royals at this point, especially when our best pitchers are on the mound. But the lineup has some blame, too...not doing their thing, or not doing stuff like working on bunting earlier in the season so they can do it when it counts. Sigh.

I feel bad that Palka isn't getting a callup, a looksee (shades of Adam Brett Walker). Just a bat that could offer some punch (and what about Byung-Ho Park) would be a blessing in a late-inning situation.

The Twins have to pay what they have to pay Gibby because of arbitration. The redeeming factor for keeping him is that the Twins don't have, as of today, a solid 7-8 depth. They have Santana, Berrios, Gibson, Mejia, Slegers and partial May for next season. Will Hughes come back? Is Turley really an option? How soon before Jorge, Romero, Gonsalves are ready. Who are the guys you further drag out and protect on the 40-man? If Gibson was pitching like this two months ago, we would be in front of the Yankees, and he might've been tradebait.

In some ways, you are comfortable going into the off-season with Dozier as a tradechip if you could replace him with Polanco and keep Escobar at short and know Nick Gordon is coming up, and Ehire is a reserve for now. What I'm afriad of is that the Twins field staff and Front office are falling in love with people like Gimenez, Colon, Escobar, Ehire, Grossman and any number of relief pitchers. We should still have a looksee at Palka this September )could he and Granite, say, replace Rosario and Grossman if used as trade chips). Who is at DH, Vargas, or is Park still in the mix. Would we rather see Jake Reed than Tonkin or Boshers or whomever. Not to mention Enns.

Looks like the Twins, according to Molitor, are done with the September call-ups. No to Daniel Palka, who would be a nice bench bat. Enns also, another left-hander that probably has more future Twins potential than, say, Boshers. Byung-Ho Park. What will become of him?

Bring Back Wilk. Seriously, Santana is the Guy!

Buxton Dozier Mauer Sano Rosario Kepler Grossman Castro Polanco

So what is the skinny on J.T. Chargois? And what gives with Zachary Jones?

It is a tough call. $5 million for Gibson? If you let him walk now, you really can't sign him back right away. Would be interesting to see what the market for the guy truly is. But as we saw already, he had no value last season. And when you could've traded him this year he was horrible or disabled. Can you spend that money better elsewhere? The question is: how far do the Twins really go this season (slightly above .500). Do they make the playoffs? Is next season STILL a rebuild year towards 2019, or not?

Three things: Line-up construction. Trust your bullpen. Santana was at 96 pitches before the 7th. Did he have to come out and pitch the 7th? What the Twins need is a bench. Someone to pinch-hit for Garver with 1st and 3rd and two-outs. Good experience for Garver, but what wouldn't give for a Thome or Baylor or even a Phil Nevin at times.

See what Gibson can do if he enters the free-agent marketplace, that is the question. Is he worth even the cheap cost you can pay to keep him? Colon, he of 1 1/2 pitches, will test the free agent marketplace. Remember, the Twins are paying a pittance for him the remainder of this season and he managed to grab millions from Atlanta. Is he worth that roll of the dice in 2018? Be interesting to see how the new administration values the work of all the field staff. They want someone they can work with. Not to say they can't work with Molitor. But the off-season will be interesting. Especially organizational wise in the realm of coaches and such.

Well, they should be getting five guys back: Castro, Grossman, Sano, Santiago and Mejia. One will be a starting pitcher, otherwise, they have to figure out if they want Slegers to start, go with a 6-man, keep Gibson or Gee in the rotation (I would almost make Gee a longman if he stands a chance of resigning with the Twins for 2018). The kilelr is: how much do you give to Santiago (a free agent) or Grossman or even Gibson in the scheme of things. Which brings to mind callups. Are Boshers and Turley in the plans for 2018? Will they add more to the bullpen than giving, say, Ruchinski another chance, or adding Reed? The only Recker is added back in is if Castro is gone for the season and they can 60-day him (which eliminates him for post-season if he is able to come back). The Twins HAVE to make a decision on Vielma and Palka. Both need a chance to get some major league at bats, show their willingnes to step up...because they can be passed or forgotten in 2019. Even Byung-Ho Park, who the Twins will probably NOT call-up because they don't want to run him thru waivers again but would like him to be a possible alternative at 1B/DH in the spring. Jorge, Rosario...probably not. Romero has been shut down. Chargois...we need to know how serious the issue is. WIll the Twins cut ties with this promising arm? Couple more days, then another week-and-a-half. Some players are salivating about that major league meal money!

What struck me most when Falvine talked at the State Fair, both are still getting their feet wet with knowledge about the players in the system. They are pleased with the progress of the guys already in the majors, and they talked of players in the minors stepping up when called upon them, using the example of Hildenberger, Curtiss and Busenitz -- all three pitchers were on the Twins radar but behind such names as Chargois, Melotakis, Reed, Burdi, Jay, Bard -- for being a part of the Twins this season or next season. It is a funny game, baseball. With a team like the Twins, especially on the pitching side, you CAN get the opportunity to come to the majors. Some only get a sip of coffee and then are gone (Wheeler, Melville) as you almost MUST produce, especially if from outside the organization. And then you get Slegers, who could easily get lost in the shuffle, too, even after a most fine start for the team. Of course, just pitching well for a moment in the majors doesn't always translate into a job the next season, or even another chance in the majors, yet we still have the Andrew Albers of the world that show strange things can happen. Fun looking at the lineups above and remembering the names that were supposed to make it, and wondering what happened to the many that didn't.

We might see some movement of players as the playoff situations come into finality. Depends if the Twins bring anyone up immediately. Anyone notice that Tyler Jay is back with Ft. Myers? He also is going to the Arizona Fall League with Wade, Hackimer and Paul. When asked about September auditions at the State Fair, Falvine both mentioned that Molly is in the mix...and although they want guys who will impact the playoff run, they aren't adverse to having guys just come up to get the aroma of being in the majors.

At the state fair on the 28th the powers-that-be were talking with fans and basically names have already been added (Garver, Granite, Curtiss, Hildenberger) and they expect FIVE more to be added soon: Santiago, Mejia, Castro, Sano and Grossman. The consensus was that players may be allowed to develop in their team playoff situations. There will be a call-up or two right away, and a few more when the minor league season ends. No specifics, although (not counting AA) there aren't many names to consider.

Unless Slegers would be needed to start, there is no rason to bring him up right away to the Twins. Let him start a playoff game or two. Sand Diego, which is in their own AAA playoff hunt, was smart to sign Melville, with an open spot on their 40-man, helping the minor league team and giving them another option of a guy to possibly keep.

Be interesting to see any roster shuffles come the end of the week. Who goes up or down for the minor league playoffs, and who do the Twins want for their own playoff possible run roster.

It's going to be an interesting off-season. See the main lineup remaining intact, as you show, except who will DH. The only newcomer would be Nick Gordon, but he will have to shine at Rochester to start the season, and then bumo someone to the DH role (Dozier, perhaps). I don't see much happening in the trade department, unless the Twins can move some arbitration players for prospects. They will have to make decisions on Grossman, Escobar, Gibson, Ehire at some point. If another team wants to control any of these guys for what they are worth, fine. Otherwise they go into free agent limbo. Quite frankly, I picture the Twins being tough on arbitration...and letting many a body walk... Because, they only have two fur sure starters in the rotation. They might be able to buy someone, but at what cost. That person would charge more because the Twins don't look like competitors. Let's get this straight, unless the Twins really pull out the stops and blow everyone away and go thru the playoffs and make it to the world series, they will probably be a person standing jumping for the roses at the wedding, not the bridesmaid even. The rotation is still a shambles. If anyone MAJOR from the farm breaks it, it would probably be Gonsalves if he has a stunning spring. Picture Jorge and Romero there eventually, but maybe not until August. You have May in the mix, but he needs to rebuild. The bench. A reunion with Trevor Plouffe? The guy could give you some playtime at 3B, 1B, OF and DH. He'll be cheaper than he was this year. Is he cheaper (and better) than Escobar or Ehrrie? We will see how Granite does with his time up here. He could be the 4th outfielder. But it would be nice to have a bigger bat. Of course, Park will still be in the mix. Unless he goes back to the Asian marketplace to play. Which is also where Vargas should probably go if he wants a good payday. Couple of years abroad and he can still work his way back into a contract in the majors. I like the bullpen. It will be interesting to see where the Twins go with Perkins. They still don't have a bonifide closer. But if you don't have a rotation, then better get some long arms in that pen. So pitching is the Big if! Even the promising arms from the minors (Reed, Chargois, Bard, etc. are all power short inning guys. You wear out your pen if you have a rotation that can't get into the 6th inning. And it will be interesting to see what happens with the field staff. The Twins have some fine names down-on-the-farm, but switching them into the mix in 2018 is not necessarily a plus, as most of the guys they are working with are either learning bad manners in the majors, or at least a season away in the minors. The question, again, on trades. Is there anyone another team is dying to have that is on the Twins roster? The question, for free agents -- don't just sign for the sake of signing. If you msut play it safe, do it next season and make it a true rebuild with the hope of getting enough people up into major league play so they will perform stornger come 2019. And be interesting to see Twins fever. It will be a horrible baseball off-season, with the Vikings still living off the new stadium, and Super Bowl fever in the air and commanding ALL the media coverage.

You still have to look at a Jack Morris. Dominant pitcher of his decade/era. He gave up runs (like Bert did homers), but he was a stallion out there on the mound. So longevity is not always an issues, either. It's such a crazy world where the baseball writers vote for these things, especially when the terms of a baseball writer may no longer cross generations of players.