Rosterman

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.

The Twins will have to think PLAY-OFF roster if they keep playing as they do. They also have the potential to go to a 6-man rotation to rest their five-inning throwers if truly in the playoff hunt with the return of Santiago and Mejia. Yes, I would like to see Curtiss and Reed and Rucinski come up for the bullpen. (Remember: you can move guys up from Chattanooga if the Red Wings need players) have to remove other guys. I would also weigh how important names like Turley, Boshers, even Pressly are for the far future Twins, who will also have to make a decision on Ryan O'Rourke. In the hitting department, the Twins need to decide who is on first and who will DH. They don't have a DH. I would rather see Granite in the outfield and Kepler or Rosario at DH at times. Yes, I would rather see Park up, too, but the Twins will probably let him sit out the off-season and come to spring training (or he will buyback his contract). Vargas or Park, but not both. Because you also have Palka. Like Adam Brett Walker last season, you have to ask why you are protecting this guy if you don't have any intention of playing him. If he can come up in September and do some Chris Parmelee numbers, he could sick around for another season. Otherwise, sadly, you may see him walk. And do you give Vielma some bench time, or just write him off. If you plan on keeping Jorge at shortstop, are you keeping both Eduardo and Ehire going into spring training? If you are going to arbitration, then adios to Vielma who will be replaced shortly by any number of shortstops in the system not named Gordon, Lewis, Javier or Marte. There isn't really a lot of question on how to bring up batting wise. Again, who will NOT be here in 2018 (Grossman, Vargas, Gimenez?). Then the question comes, is Molitor willing to play these guys the correct way (whatever that is). Just think of the joy you will bring to so many of these guys who, with a September callup, will more than double their salary for the season. May cost a few more hotel rooms and more meal money, but...man...how much have the Twins spent on airfare between their affiliates and the major league club this season anyways?

Basically they were started with nothing and a bunch or promises. But two starters went down (May and Hughes) and happily there were enough AAAA bodies to start the season and more pickups to keep things running fairly smooth. Think of poor Rochester which has had 40+ pitchers thru their mound. It was a season in which you hoped some promising guys would make the rotation at some time during the season (Gonsalves and Stewart, for example). Neither have, and it looks iffy as any of the prime prospects would break camp next season. Same with the bullpen, which by this time should've had names like Burdi, Reed, Melotakis, Chargois, Jones, Bard holding fort. Instead we have Busenitz and Hildenburger with Rogers and Duffey and pray for a complete game. That the Twins have survived this far into the season without a dominant closer (Kintzler is still a set-up man in my opinion) is beyond words. And no closer on the horizon. And all those fabled names? Most will be lucky to work into the picture sometime next season, if they ever do pan out (Reed being the closest, Chargois we don't know where he is -- hanging out with Zach Jones, perhaps - and maybe some names like Curtiss jumping ahead of the pack. They may have spent a tad too much time with some folk (Haley) and the 40-man thing is a constant mess, because once you pass them off, you may not see them again (Wheeler, Wilk -- not that they are missed). Seriously, at Twinsfest we thought we had Santana, Gibson, Hughes, Mejia and May and Berrios fighting it out. We knew Kinzler could close, but Perkins would be back sooner rather than much later. We hoped Duffey and Rogers would give us innings. Haley would be the true long man. Chargois and Pressly would throw heat and be closers in waiting. Tonkin was a distant backup. And Breslow and Belisle were the old men to turn to if someone couldn't open the season. All that looked pretty darn appetizing, compared to what the pitching buffet has served up so far. I think the plan was to really get work out of May, have Hughes come back, Perkins make a statement, and any number of prospects would be pushing on the door handle wanting "in" by July, if not August. The thing is, the team is still as unsure about 2018 now as it is 2017. Any arms from the old regime going to finally come swinging thru the doors and dominate...I say lucky if they get more of a looksee (Jorge, Rosario, Romero for example) next year and lots of ray of sunshine come 2019. But what to do before then. Long-term some guys, or patchwork a staff again by asking Colon to return and hitting the waiver wire for guys hungry for another opportunity in The Show?

They are still a .500 team, which is what we all hoped MIGHT happen this season. No depth in the bullpen. There is possible replacement arms, but we are not sure how they will produce. We have two starters and Colon. Any pitcher can win if you team scores 6-7-8 runs. But if they can't, and don't pitch into the fifth, let alone much past, you have a major weakness. The lineup never seems to work, except for the occasional big inning. Is there match-up rhyme and reason? Isn't there something to the fact of players being comfortable hitting around other players on a consistent basis? It's a mess. Who to bring up. Who to send down. Who to send packing? Is there still any worth in some players in the marketplace (Belisle) and if offered a choice package would you move one (Santana). We should all be happy for the ride. But like in 2015, the team may be winnings...just...but really isn't GREAT! It's good for putting people in the stands (always a plus) and the selling of concessions...and if they can win, or even jsut stay in second (although third wouldn't be horrible) it would help to market the team after super bowl madness calms down in the spring.

And, regarding field management, that is something I want to see...I want to be the fly in the room. All depends on what Fahley and Levine want to work with, in the end. The direction they want to send the team. More prospect building (hire from within), keep Pohlad happy (Molitor stays). But something isn't quite working right on the field, or so it seems...or a lot of names are getting a looksee as the big brass see how players play in Target Field (not too well this home field advantage in 2017).

I picture the Twins being aggressive on how players do in the GCL. Waiting for the Elizabethton season to start is jsut too much for TOP prospects. Regarding September call-ups, here is a new wrinkle... Who do the Twins call-up IF they have to set playoff rosters? What would be their rotation, bench and bullpen. Would Granite get shuffled up and Garver shuffled down. What is the fate of Vargas in such a scenario. Thinking that you can make changes after September if names like Grossman and Sano are still on the DL, who do you choose? Do you cycle out Perkins on a DL call. But then who do you bring up. And you still have the 40-,man adds and subtract. I hate to say ONE LOOK in or out, but Melville and Turley may fall under that umbrella. Letting them both pass thru 40-man waivers at this late point, doubt anyone would grab them, and you could still resign them in the off-season. So, who do the Twins put on their Playoff Roster? Rotation of Santana, Berrios (Mejia will still be on the DL), and who? You have to take another look at Slegers. You have to find someone. Colon still in the mix. Again, you can do some movement after the fact because of Santiago and Mejia. But Gibson as a lock?

It kinda harkens back to 1987 where the team survived with 2 1/2 starters and a bunch of wannabees in the bullpen. 17 pitchers then, 12 made a start at least. Three were regular starters. No one was outstanding in the bullpen, except maybe Senor smoke. The lack of prospects to step in and Twins having to pull together innings from a variety of unlikely sources. Sadly, time will show that few of these guys will pan out more than a season or two in the organization. Be interesting to see how September plays with Twins pitching futures. Sadly, it means jettisoning many of pitching past, and giving an opportunity to some guys who may only be partial season stoppers next year.

Well, since the Twins have to be pitcher heavy, I guess I would like to see Granite. But who is the DH then, Escobar? Okay, let's bring up Garver! But watch, The Twins will bring up Daniel Palka!

Shows how many of the drafted guys don't really pan out. You spend a lot of money here on potential. Man, put that 2011 behind us (and probably will when only one guy is kept on the 40-man, if even now, from that class). As a side note, sometimes interesting to see what players have drifted to other organizations from these classes. Only notables are Tyler Jones and Kyle Barraclough from the class of 2011. A bit more than a dozen players from all those draft classes are playing, or signed, with different organizations.

Yes YES so many talnted arms, and from the unexpected. But, man, talk about having all your TOP prospects go down at once. What a bullpen that would make, if healthy. ' Think the Twins are sitting pretty well. They do have to move on from the also rans, even in invites to spring training. The prospects should be equal to the Tonkins, Wimmers, Boshers, Presslys and Duffeys. A whole new look for Twins pitching. Now who is the rotation, what with May on rehab and Hughes probably gone. Berrios, Santana and whom?

Gee or Enns. Whichever isn't up for the starter job, although I would bring upSlegers or Melville in the meantime. Boshers could be gone. Pressly is on thin ice, but I still think he has potential. Thank goodness Santiago is not coming back soon, although I was hoping he would pitch a game or two, be put on waivers, and grabbed.