Rosterman

He is one of those guys that you like a a fourth outfielder, someone who plays with heart and soul. And given a full season of play will also give you his best. Names like Robbie Grossman, Lew Ford, pop up. As long as there is a job open (and every team has them), and your salary demands are within reason, well, Cave will play - health saying - for at least five more seasons. Look at the Twins this season. They let Wade and Baddoo go elsewhere. They went out and signed Broxton who was in the hunt at spring training, but lost out to Garlick, neither as good overall as Cave at the moment, but turned out to be worthwhile. They also had Refsnyder in the mix. Broxton really tanked at AAA in the early months, otherwise he would've been here. Cave gave the Twins one important step - he could be a better than average centerfielder. Someone better than using your spare infielder. He can play center better than most, which is what you want. Can we write off his hitting woes as tied into his back? Perhaps. Chances are Cave won't be on the roster come post-season. A younger face will probably need to be protected, and he will enter free agency, still with an opportunity to return to the Twins (money), or go elsewhere if there is an opportunity with another team to be a regular.

Larnach made a pretty big jump in the pitching he is facing, considering he was half-a-season at AA ball back in 2019. to Would I have loved to see him stay longer at AAA, or backstep to St. Paul when he was slumping? Of course. I keep thinking of another guy who was 24 and in dire straits (even after having a two-season jump on Larnach), named Justin Morneau. He had to be called into the manager's office before figuring it out. Shades of Carlos Gomez who struck out 140+ times in 152 games, and also needed to be in the minors but learned on the job. Think how difficult it is when you are still holding onto ways that have been successful for you as you rose thru the minors and the adjustments you have to make when you are facing guys who don't belong in the minors anymore, coupled with people who watch every pitch you take on video and translates it into analytics. My bigger concern is Kepler, who I felt was the hardest working outfielder the Twins had ever seen. What caused that downturn. The secure contract? Abilities fading sooner than later? Garlick was the first. He went down, as did Kepler, and Buxton bigtime. Refsnyder has missed waaaay too many games. Celestino was no way ready and glad he is getting at bats at AAA (he would have been spending all this time at AA ball, remember that). The Twins have played Gordon, Arraez, Rooker, Lin and we want to forget Cave in the outfield. That Astudillo hasn't been out there is beyond me. There is little need to send him to AAA and add Broxton or Kerrigan or Contreras to the roster (okay, why is Cave still here?). They are only stats, and one would think this guy many of us was toting as second to Baddoo as a rookie-of-the-year awhile ago will be just fine when the Twins return to winning ways.

So, when do the draft picks see some action, and who might start with the Mussells over just FCL games. And, will there be a Twins Instructional League this Fall. Plus, will there be Fall baseball leagues and who are the best bets for the Twins to send?

When the Twins brought him up, thought it was to start, but he sat and then came into games in relief. He has always been a starter. They is a certain routine established. A mindset. We see that he is, still, a starting pitcher. Yes, he would be available if he could pitch relief, especially long relief with the potential to go thru a batting order more than once. But now he is pure rotation arm, and glad he is working his butt off.

2022. Jeffers and Rortvedt catching, with Garver splitting time between 1st/DH and catching. Somehow we end up with Sano at first base. So, where do we play Kirilloff? Looks like the Twins love Polanco at 2B, which pushes Arraez to 3B, and then Donaldson to more DH play. Who plays shortstop? I would picture that if the Twins are looking at 2022, I would have Miranda playing everyday at third base, Polanco butchering us at short, Arraez everyday at second, and Donaldson when he wakes up feeling okay being the DH. Oh, yes, we play Kirilloff in left, Kepler in right, and Buxton in center, I guess. Larnach better have a good spring if he wants to make the team. Management has shown that they have an uncanny ability to find spare outfielders, so no need to keep anyone else on the 40-man except Celestino. We want Polanco playing everyday. We also want Arraez playing everyday, but we want more from third, more from left or right than he gives, more from shortstop. Balazovic and Strotman both need at least 3-4 starts in the majors before the season ends. I picture Joe Ryan being a lights out closer candidate. Anyone over 30 in the bullpen, and anyone on the disabled list come season's end should be questioning where they will be come 2022.

The new Twins built on new (old) pitching. Man, making furture roster decisions hard!

August trade waivers are no more. You put them out there and they are gone.

For trade and free-agent replacement spots, you keep guys that may then get thru waivers and you try and resign, like perhaps Thorpe and Garza, for example. The pain of releasing a guy from the 40-man is that any team can claim him (in their respective order). So you lose them most likely, IF they are worthy of a 40-man spot elsewhere. Plus you gotta be careful as you can't waiver a guy who was a Rule 5 add from your own system until spring training. You can trade 'em, but can't waiver them.

Just noticed that D.J. Johnson, a name from Twins farmland past, has been put on the disabled list by The Rays, after obtaining him in a deadline deal with Cleveland. The guy started with the Rays, went to Arizona, and the Twins had him in their system in 2014-15 before leaving as a free agent and signing with Miami and then the Rockies. https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=johnso009dan

Cano is tough, as he is old, but only in his third season in the minors, so technically the Twins don't even need to protect him all of 2022, which I would assume that they will probably do at this point. He could get an early spring training invite and go hot from there. So the issue with Cano. Do you add and protect him, in what is a worthless season, at the expense of...who?

Well, the joy of mVincent is that he is not holding down the rotating roster spot. The Twins can't send him out without sending him thru waivers again. So picture him now. Maybe Kyle Barraclough will be next, followed by Joe Harvey, Robinson Leyer and, heaven forbid, Ian Gibault. ANy of those guys, adding in Sean Gilmartin, would not be able to be sent back down to the minors without others getting a chance to claim. Of course, the Twins still want a few more innings from Garza before switching him out. And they can play musical chairs with him and Garcia for the moment, if need be. Plus, the Twins will have the same problem when Luke Farrell and Derek Law come back. They can both do rehabs, but will have to stick on the Twins 40-man or waived off. The other question is are the Twins going to do anything with names like Albers and Shepherd. Again, guys that would need a clear roster spot. But are they work it, now. Ian Hamilton and Jovani Moran are the odd guys out at the moment. One (or both) will be on the Twins roster come the off-season. I would think the Twins would like to get a looksee at Hamilton. Maybe they will wait until the Saints season ends in late September. When they can add two more guys to the roster. Musical waiver claim pitching time is here!

The rotation sucked coming out of spring training. Maeda couldn't pitch five innings. Dobnak was a wreck. Berrios barely got to the sixth at times. Happ and Shoemaker didn't thrill. Even in this day and age of 100 pitch counts, you better have competent enough starters to occasionally finish a sixth inning at times. Otherwise, you better have a strong 2-3 inning lefty AND righty in the pen, which is totally feasible when you carry eight bullpen arms. But only if those guys actually work. The Twins pen also got hit with Colome being...well, crappy. Plus the dreaded inherited runner to start the tenth (which doesn't show up in ERA). Combined with the fact that Stashak sucked bigtime, Duffey imploded a bit, and Rogers IS NOT a closer. When you best pitcher is Caleb Thielbar, who is really only best facing 2-4 batters, something went wrong. And now they add 35-year old Nick Vincent, after sending out Farrell (who was a minor gem), Law, Anderson, Waddell, Coulombe, Jax in relief, Thorpe couldn't get thru a batting order, a 24-year old Burrows who has age on his side for the moment, and also Gant and Garcia. And it doesn't look to be better. Having names like Barnes, Ober, Balazovic, Winder - all guys who will still be on inning caps NEXT season, more or less. So you need the Gant. You need the possible Smeltzer or Thorpe. They have used 20 guys as mainly relief pitchers this season already. 20! 6 are basically at 40 or more appearances (okay, Caleb has 39). 2 of those are now disabled. Another five have pitched in at least 10 games. The biggest disappoint was Colome not doing his job, or the Twins starters not doing their jobs. Eight games, if they turned out different, would put us tight with the Indians in the standings, think about that.

We will get a true picture of the minor leagues going into next season. After the washed-out 2020, in which the Twins did pay all their minor league guys, we saw the Twins front office front-load the upper two levels with more than 30 minor league free agents. The ONE big issue has been injuries. Currently the Twins have Duran, Colina, Dobnak, Smeltzer on the 40-man roster. Earlier they had Thorpe and Balazovic. Plus you have assorted other names out with injuries. Not to mention names like Sands and Enlow and Canterino who would all be playing above current roster space. Not to mention Winder. The Twins are carrying/relying on a lot of pitchers that just aren't...pitching. We sit here in Twins Daily land and seldom look at the big picture day-to-day. 40-man roster management is an art. Every player in the system is evaluated on where they are today, should be tomorrow, will they move too fast and need to be added to a tight 40-man, or flare out a bit and be grabbed by someone else. I can see the Twins holding back on Sands, Enlow and Villamont with hopes no one will see them major league ready and allow the Twins to get another year of minor league play before making their own hard decision. The washed out 2020 season allowed players to move towards their own free agency, but there will be a helluva a lot of players switching organizations come this winter because they have stagnated in an organization, grew older, and jobs will be harder to find as organizations suddenly have a full draft of guys to put into their system. I like what Falvey and Levine have done with the coaching throughout the system, bringing in collegiate coaches, and getting a solid system in place. Making Fr. Myers your low-A team to also feed off of the FCL League is great. The Twins have a wonderful complex. I may disagree on many of the free agent choices, but did expect better results overall. I do keep thinking back to all those early extra innings lost. If we had dominated, we would be sitting where Cleveland is right now. I will blame the front office for not spending on a first rate closer and a #1 starting pitcher, both in limited supply. Would the Twins have been better served with Hendricks in tow? Keeping May? Well, they get to try again, see if anyone wants to come here. If I have a frustration, it is more on the field. Establish your couple of severe batting orders and stick with them. Get players and give them a position. So many guys have played anywhere and everywhere. Maybe it is fun for them, but it reminds me of T-ball. And don't be afraid to cut guys, NOT just the revolving 40th player thru the bullpen staff, but others. Especially in a losing season. Total looksee has to be on 2022 and beyond. Yeah, Colome and Coulombe are fine, Burrows needs a long look, Farrell may be a keeper if you like Wisler. But if these guys are truly coming back in 2022, you can probably still get them, and keeping them on your roster doesn't make it any more likely that they will come back once the season ends anyway. Falvey and Levine are still dealing with the previous administration. I ask myself every year "what to do with Sano." Kepler signed a decent extension, and may end up being the 4th outfielder because of it. We saw them pull the plug on Berrios to go in their own direction, and that deal looks good. They seem to be prepping for a team without Buxton, although we pretty much have been that way for 2021. Lots of player decisions. 26 players need to be here that can play, Preferably all year, in Target Field. Another 10 have to be ready to play from Day One to 30 days out. We can't have a roster full of guys who gave little to the major league club in 2021, starting with Buxton's paltry 27 games and including no shows from Duran, Balazovic (so far), Colina. Little from Thorpe and Smeltzer. Pitiful from Happ and Shoe and Colome. Guys like Stashak eating up a spot with Law and Farrell. At one point our outfield was Rooker, larnach and Refsnyder. That says it all, and definitely not the plan Falevine saw going forth! Plus an infield of Garver, Astudillo, Polanco, Sano.

Who plays where? We all like Arraez in the lineup, often leading off. He works the count. Gets on base. But we hate him at second, Donaldson is better at third, and he just isn't the hitter we want in right or left (not that Kepler and Larnach are making us happy.) We all hate Polanco at shortstop. Yet if we don't have Simmons, who do we have at short - Polanco. At least until the arrival of Martin & Lewis, and then we have to wonder who will actually play where and when. At what point do those guys make us not feel bad if Buxton walks. Since this is about Gordon, is he just a solid utility guy, for at least another season? Can he play 2B/SS/3B/OF as necessary? If so, his speed is good, but is he a better bet than Astudillo? Is he more valuable than Jake Cave? Should Cave be repalced next season by the older Refsnyder? Is there any reason Cave, Garlick, Refsnyder should be kept on the 40-man, considering as long as we have Sano, Kirillof will be playing the outfield, or playing 1B/DH with Sano, Garver and maybe Rooker. Is Rooker long for the Twins in the off-season? If the Twins don't resign Cruz, then I picture Garver/Sano will be the primary DH with a little bit of Rooker in the mix. Which means Garver will also be the third catcher a la Astudillo, with Rortvedt coming up fulltime to spell Jeffers. Man, in some ways I'm tired of all this positions shuffling. The other night Garver at first, Astudillo at second, someone at short, Sano at third. An outfield of Larnach, Refsnyder, Rooker? Who's anywhere? But the Twins will go into the off-season before making final 40-man decisions with Cave, Refsnyder, Gordon, Rooker and possibly Astudillo. They have a few people to add because of Rule 5, Lewis the top one - Enlow, Sands, Villamont, Winder, Sisk are all at AA so not as appetizing. They have Javier, Weil, Watson, Moran, Miranda, Lujan and Wells, Maciel, Cabbage, Bray, Ryan, Caleb and Ian Hamilton, Vasquez all approaching (I believe) minor league free agency. Who will go, who will walk away, who might stay will be the question.

Watching the occasional St. Paul Saints game! Boy they have baggy uniforms.

I we using AN OPENER?

I'm looking at names the Twins might lose as they become minor league free agents (besides the 33 minor league free agents the Twins signed this season on the rosters of their two top affiliates). Lachlan Wells, Aaron Whitefield (who played for the Twins briefly but still at AA), Zander Weil, Tyler Watson, Jovani Moran, Jose Miranda, Ryan Mason, Hector Lujan, Gabriel Maciel (one of the top guys in the trade of Escobar). Wander Javier, Trey Cabbage, Adam Bray, Joe Ryan, Caleb Hamilton, and Andrew Vasquez. Because of time in the organization (and correct me on any of the names), these guys could basically walk away from the Twins and take services elsewhere. Moran, Miranda and Josh Winder and shoe-ins to protect at this point. The Twins are seeing how Ryan Mason plays at AAA. Anyone love Cabbage? Hopefully others will just resign for another year as the Twins promise to move them up in the system. Most of the Rule 5 guys are in the lower minors so unless someone wants to advance someone quickly (like the Baddoo), they should be pretty safe. Chris Villamont, Royce Lewis, Cole Sands are the major concerns. Sands, like Blake Enlow, is still in Wichita and will probably stay there if the Twins are thinking of sneaking him thru. Jimmy Kerrigan and Mark Contreras are both eligible, but probably are safe with the influx of outfielders and neither are considered more than safe depth. Other names in Rule 5 play are Adam Phillips, Tyler Featherstone, Jordan Gore, Derek Molina, Bryan Sammons, Chris Williams. Luis Rijo is available, as is Ernie de la Trinidad, Jonathan Cheshire, Austin Schulfer, Evan Sisk, Melvi Acosta and Jair Carmago, not to mention the new guy the Twins got for Robles. What I do truly find amazing, when a minor league team was cut, and you did keep all your minor league guys on payroll for a year, that the Twins went out and signed, what I believe, to be a record 33+ players to fill their upper minor league rosters (they also signed a good dozen from the college league and indy ball who will probably be around for another season).

Very obscure. Greg Deichmann, an unsigned 26th round 2016 draft by the Twins, made his debut with the Chicago Cubs after spending years ion the Oakland system. draftee in the

I would also put Miguel Sano into the mix, if he can get his average up and approach the 25-homer mark. But who do the Twins have to replace. Well, with Rogers, anyone they could BUY as a closer. There seems to be some left-handed ams in the minors on the cusp, and we can still drag out Columbe and Thielbar for another season...I guess. Miranda will be added to the 40-man. The question is more if he will come up in September and get some exposure, Thus do you go with Donaldson and hope he IS tradable next trade deadline. Getting rid of two outfielders. I would rather see Kirilloff at first base, thus keeping Kepler and his contract, still, in Minnesota. I think the Twins will play out half-the-season with Buxton, unless he does return for 25-30 games and really rakes. We need value for him. I would rather see him help us in center and play for his free agent contract with all his abilities in 2022 and just give him a qualifying offer and get a top signing...or trade at mid-season. I see the Twins sticking with Rooker and Garver as possible DH candidates, also capable of playing first, which means the Twins will have another catcher on the roster besides Jeffers. September is important. Do the Twins look at anyone and everyone they can fit into the current 40-man musical chairs, or not.

As long as you can keep him on the 40-man, he has more option seasons. When I saw him enter the waievr field, thought "oh, my!"

When I saw that the Astros had put this guy on waivers, I thought "this would be a nice pick-up for the Twins." Plus, they had the 40-man roster spot opened. Just another arm to give a tryout for the 2022 bullpen. https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2021/08/twins-claim-ralph-garza-jr-waivers-astros.html

Marcos Diplan added to the Orioles. The guy was a cash purchase to the Twins from the Brewers back in 2019 and he spent final two weeks with the Twins, on the 40-man roster, before being waived and then claimed by the Tigers, who also tried to run him thru waivers and he was claimed by the Orioles.

A fun read. https://tria.com/dr-john-steubs-celebrates-31st-season-with-the-minnesota-twins/

The guy we traded to the Yankees for Jake Cave. And some were even talking that he would've been a good piece to send back towards the Twins if the Yankees really had an interest in Berrios.

And the Rays took a further hit to their pitching depoth, losing their second of two former Twins that they waivered off the roster, Sean Poppen joins the Diamondbacks, after pitching just 5+ innings this year in the majors for the Rays and the Pirates. Former Twins relief arms are giving new meaning to the moniker "journeyman."