Rosterman

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.

It's so tough, because of the Twins position in the standings, to have any idea of who might be available, unless they want to absorb some big contract, which could happen when a player is sent thru a second time and doesn't need compensation. I think the twins may be looking at that venue more and then deciding what to do with the player after-the-fact.

I'm not seeing it. Not sure what the whole organizational picture is. The coaching staff changed, but the results have been glamorous. The Twins are, indeed, in a weak division in some ways. Who has improved? Who hasn't improved? Is there stability on the 40-man roster, let alone the 25-man roster. Part of it will be the expectations the front office sets for 2018 and beyond. Rebuilding mode, or do they think they have enough pieces (they don't) to remain a contender of sorts in 2018. More interesting to see will be if there ARE major shakeups throughout the minors. If the Twins return to signing lots and lots of minor league free agents, or if they actually push prospects. Be interesting to see if some movements start by people leaving (in the front office) rather than being elt go.

I thought Granite handled himself well and would rather see him get turns in the outfield than Grossman, at this point. But the Twins still don't have a bonifide DH. Vargas isn't cutting it. They won't give Park the opportunity (even with some open roster spots). Palka will have to surge at Rochester to get a September call-up. But they still lack that bat, and I don't want Escobar there. Looks like Polanco might be coming alive. Not sure what to make, or who to put, in the rotation. It was the bullpen getting lumps before. But that has settled down, and pretty much any name from the Rochester bullpen would add more sense to the pen. But who can you send out in the rotation? When Bartolo Colon is your best starter, something is amiss.

It's a lefty thing. Let him get his feet wet. He may not be top of the rotation, but is he better than some of the names we already have out there (Hughes, Gibson, Santiago, maybe even Mejia...not to mention Gee or Colon)? The guy was nervous. If you can figure out a way to not have guys get nervous...and to throw like they should...not how they feel...maybe everything would be perfect. Only time will tell.. Quick call up. Starting a game earlier than scheduled. How are the Twins over .500 is what I wonder!?!

A short change of locale. Get him under the wings of being against some older talent. He will return to Florida for the Fall Instructional League, I'm sure. Different roadtrips on the horizon. A stepping stone to maybe starting with the Kernels next year. After all, want to see Royce graduate out of the short-season teams if at all possible and not sit in Florida during the early months of 2018 playing piickup ball.

I'm excited. I don't think we really lsot anything in Garcia compared to what we gained. Kintzler was not your ultimate closer. As we see, Belisle is perfectly able to do the same, and sure the Twins could patch together someone else in Hildenberger/Rogers/Pressly if push-came-to-trade. I'll say this, it will help to sell tickets going into September, which is what the Twins have to do. Will it save Molitor's job? Will Paul figure out the lineup? Will Buxton get above .250? Will Dozier hit more home runs than Sano? How do you market this stuff? And, seriously, what prospects do you bring up? The ones the Twins truly have to bring up are back-of-the-pen/bench types like Palka and Vielma to see if they should stay, and folks like Melville, Slegers, Hurlbut even Melotakis to see if you should consider keeping them in the organization in some way. Besides Reed, everyone else is still considered "sometime in 2018" or beyond. What is still amazing is that the Twins have two 40-man roster spots open, that Colon is still a Twin, that Santiago may be coming back, and that Glen Perkins may re-emerge before September 1. The bigger backup is happening in the minors where Gonsalves and Bard pushed Yohan Pino and Baxendale backwards. Go figure on that. I'm not sure who they could truly add, unless they want to grab some big discarded contract when a guy goes thru a second time. But the more the win, the lesser chance they have of doing a decent waiver claim anyways. Talk about a pleasant surprise and some overachieving. Now we have to figure out why the team is so horribly bad at times and what can be done to prevent that from happening. Where is Gibson?

Let's hear it for Dillon. Between him and Belisle the Twins are step at closer. Why is Busenitz up here if you aren't going to use him. Suddenly have that extra Granite bat would look pretty good, especially when you had a weak bench when Sano was down.

We need to sign Mark Hamburger!

So where is Vielma in this mix. Niko will be a minor league free agent. Is he good enough to let the backup duo walk, perhaps? A pitcher like Melville is interesting. Is he backup at AAA. Do you add him to the 40 man for a September callup, or do you put mroe stock in Hurlbut or Slegers, for example. We still have Rucinski in the mix. Turley is out there. Wimmers will need someplace to go. Is ZTonkin a piece to reinvest in right now?

Yes, the front office did buy a couple of years back. Maybe not the best use of monies, but they did spend money. Not sure what the purpose is...just to look to be competitive or what. Comes back to Target Field, the most beautiful stadium in baseball. The Twins ahd a given for the first couple of seasons where the stadium sold the tickets (and they sure did their best to use the stadium to sell tickets). And the baseball experience, once the product on the field is made whole, can be truly beauitiful. The new stadium was supposed to make the Twins competitive in the free agent market, and also able to spend money to keep their own under contract. Name the splashes they made on the free agent market. Name the home-grown talent that walked away to other teams. See the front office cry because they truly did want a winning team, selling out the stadium constantly, so they could really jack tickets, instead of the nickle and diming they are doing for select games and sections right now...squeeze that lump of coal and you'll get something...maybe. So maybe we all can afford to go to a Twins game because they haven;t been that god,really. And even that bit of light a couple of years back...like this year...barely creeping above the .500 mark and with the added wildcard, you can almost seem like a post-season threat. I like Dozier. Not sure what we will replace him with. He is not a premiere second baseman, sadly, otherwise there would be more knocking on the door. Mauer is a solid player, good on the field, can hit decently...but each year his numbers put him further and further away from a Hall of Fame vote. He would've made it had he stayed a catcher and played accordingly, even 2/3rds time behind-the-plate. I don't fault the move, really don't...but we now have no place to put him on the field or the lineup where he scares the other side.Players want to play on winning teams? They want to go to the post-season? Good luck if you can predict who and when. Best is to play 200% the first half of every year and hope someone needs you badly as a position replacement and you are a worthwhile investment. Joe and Brian, right now, have contracts that other teams really don't need to take. It's a sad state that you aren't a GREAT deal, maybe not even a good deal, especially when compared to what a team already has or other pieces in the marketplace.

Found it strange that after two complete games in three games, the Twins chose to deplete their bench by sending down Granite when they brought up Gibson. No bench at all. Or a weaker line-up. Have to start thinking hard about who they need to bring up and where to bat them in thee order. The Twins still want to be competitive and win? Well, it ain't happening with what they put on the field today.

Not sure if Joe Mauer will be a manager. Probably just one of those roving Twins as he loves retirement. Even the life of a coach is a lot of road games. Although his brother Jake has the potential to someday manage the Twins.

Yes. They did good. Murphy pretty much played himself into a nothing role in the organization. That they were able to flip Garcia, and if they had waited a day that trade MIGHT not have happened at all, was genius. Kintzler has been good for the Twins, but is he THAT good and that the Twins managed to get a possibly rotation piece was a fantastic return, plus they can better negotiate to bring Kintzler back (as a setup guy if they wish) then if they had let him walk themselves. I'm sure the thoughts of arbitration signings of Santiago and Gibson, as well as bring Breslow and Belisle into the fold, were along the line of filling holes and having a possible trading chip in a year in which -- if polled -- no one would've thought that the Twins would've held first place in the division and bee in the playoff hunt STILL come the All-Star break. But this stuff, call it for what it is, doesn't always pan out. Hopefully the Twins will move on from Gibson. Plus the many other pieces are more valuable to keep than move, all of a sudden. Some of this can change. If someone claims Santana, do you jettison his 2018 salary commitment for a prospect or two, or is he the anchor and maybe only bright spot in the soon to be young rotation of 2018. You have to make a decision on Dozier, and right now he looks to be a longterm Twin. This season will actually lower his value compared to what he might've been worth - trade or salary-wise - this past winter. But he gives you predictable offense and, as I have said in other posts, he could be a DH who plays a position 2-3 years out. They still have to address Mauer. No first base replacement yet. So Joe is better than...nothing. And the field staff question will be big this off-season, especially when the minors continue to thrive with the coaching talent down there...should more of them come north, or do you totally go outside. We are in a rebuilt. The front office did try to find pieces that might be flippable for a rebuild. They have added four fine pitching prospects for near nothing. But, again, I seem to remember Terry Ryan doing something like that when he did the centerfield shuffle-off of some players for pitching, too.

So who are the pitching matchups for this series! Wouldn't it be nice to have seen Romero this homestand?

What about the names on the 40-man. Like Vielma, Palka, maybe Rosario. Do we keep them on. Will they really contribute to the team in 2018? On the plus side, you can drop names as you add. On the minus side, you can't drop 40-man adds until sometime in spring training, if they are added during the lead-up to finalizing rosters. So in some way,s you do add some suspect names come September (Slegers, Recker, keep Vargas, Park) to move off if you have a free agent signing or something. But Diaz, it would also mean a tam keeping him on heir 40-man for at least the next three years while he develops (sitting on the bench in 2018) and he would be open game if removed at anytime after that. But depends on how much the Twins think he is a Mauer replacement, which opens another basket of thought - how long will the Twins have/need Mauer on the team and doing what? At this point in time, I would rather longer-term sign Dozier to factor into DHing in the future as well as play the field (I would imagine Dozier could play in a pinch 1B/3B/Of) than Mauer, who would be confined to 1B or DH, and is not the guy I want as a fulltime DH...assuming Sano stays healthy an can play third for a few more years, too. I shake my head in wonder that we pretty much all thought the Twins bullpen, today, would've had names like Reed, Burdi, Cederoth, Bard, Jones, Chargois, Jay by the end of this season. How the life of prospects change.