Article: Twins Front Office Stands Behind First 25-Man Roster

[Parker Hageman]

Like always, the Minnesota Twins’ Opening Day roster decisions seemed to surprise many.

 

The reaction was understandable considering Byungho Park had manhandled pitching and appeared to have found some semblance of plate discipline in the process. More than that, they opted to carry 13 pitchers and not one of them was the younger and perhaps more potent arms like Jose Berrios and JT Chargois. Not to mention Alex Wimmers, who many thought earned a spot this spring, was also ticketed for Rochester.

 

On paper the roster is powerfully unsexy. As unattractive as it looks, the Twins front office say they have the necessary personnel on the roster to start the seasons in the right direction.“I think when you look at a team and when you are building toward what we talk about all along -- a championship caliber team -- you need to build around a young core of players,” Twins Chief Baseball Officer Derek Falvey said in the drizzling rain during Sunday’s workout at Target Field. “I think a lot of that core is here.”

 

Over in fair territory, Falvey’s inaugural 25-man roster took infield and batting practice on a gloomy and chilly Opening Day eve. Falvey, of course, did not construct the roster on his own. In replacing Terry Ryan, the Twins organization now has a two-headed decision-making monster in the form of Falvey and general manager Thad Levine. Combine that with the vital input from field manager Paul Molitor and suddenly there are multiple voices and influence over roster decisions in the new front office era.

 

While the three tenors are singing in unison, the process of finalizing the 25-man roster did not come without what Levine considered positive debate from the group in private.

 

“Everyone has a difference of opinion,” the Twins general manager said about the whittling of the roster. “I think one thing we are going to do throughout our careers here together is that we’re all able to air those conversations behind closed doors but when we walk out we are going to be in concert with one another. I think that’s healthy.”

 

Any analytical-slated front office worth its weight would tell you that spring training statistics are virtually meaningless. Heck, even the old-school scouting front office knows better than to trust spring training performances. Nevertheless, it was hard to dismiss Park or Alex Wimmers’ performance over the month of March. Sure, the games may be meaningless but Park was still mashing the ball. He was showing improvement on higher velocity fastballs. He was controlling the strike zone better. That had to account for something and that undoubtedly led to interesting internal discussions in the manager’s office.

 

“Quite frankly, I think if everyone thinks the same way and it’s quote a no-brainer we’re probably missing something,” said Levine. “So whether or not someone is specifically playing the devil’s advocate to make sure we’ve talked about the other side of it, I think that’s healthy towards the decision-making process.”

 

As Falvey tells it, emphasis on the final roster spots was placed on players who they believed can establish the identity of the team. Falvey said that the Twins believe they have the right core of young players in Byron Buxton, Max Kepler, Jorge Polanco and Miguel Sano to build around, so they wanted to have experienced players who have a strong track record of being prepared and diligent about their work.

 

“We talked a lot about the culture we wanted to create in the clubhouse and how that leads to what we want on the field,” Falvey said. “Guys like Matt Belisle, Chris Gimenez and Craig Breslow, guys who have been around other organizations and some really successful moments in time. They know they have to hold themselves to high standards at two o’clock in the afternoon when no one is paying attention or nine o’clock in the morning on the backfield in Fort Myers.”

 

With the current roster working out on Target Field, Levine stresses not to focus on the here and now because that will change in an instant. As a veteran of the Texas Rangers’ front office, he’s seen how quickly the roster can churn due to injuries and performance. One of his strengths coming into the Twins organization is his ability to diagnose roster issues and swiftly respond.

 

“Unequivocally, we all put a lot of pressure on that 25-man roster for Opening Day but in practice, it’s going to change dramatically over the course of a year,” said Levine. “It may change dramatically over the first 10-to-15 days of the season, you never know.”

 

“Our focus at the beginning is to make sure you have the next wave of defense and the next wave of defense after that ready and lined up and I think that’s what a lot of spring training is nowadays. It’s less about who is making your Opening Day and who you believe can help you win games throughout the course of a year.”

 

That means Park, Vargas, Berrios, Wimmers and others better be ready in Rochester when their time is needed.

 

“Those guys will help us at some point this year,” Levine said. “We know that. We feel more confident about that coming out of spring training. It’s not an if, it’s a when.”

 

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[Hosken Bombo Disco]

Did anybody ask them who else besides Mauer will be playing first base? What was their answer?

[LeatherAntenna]

ST stats are meaningless just as 0-9 opening season stats are meaningless. Seriously if ST stats are meaningless then why do we even have ST? We need to spend 30+ days getting warmed up? Here's to hoping Park makes the front office look silly.

[LeatherAntenna]

Did anybody ask them who else besides Mauer will be playing first base? What was their answer?

perhaps the question should be who else shouldn't be playing first base?

[Parker Hageman]

Did anybody ask them who else besides Mauer will be playing first base? What was their answer?

 

I believe last week Molitor said the backup is Gimenez with Kepler as the emergency beyond that.

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

Do the new rules allow for backdating the disabled list into spring training? If so, was there discussion of putting Vargas on the 10-day Disabled List instead of optioning him? 

[Oldgoat_MN]

 

I believe last week Molitor said the backup is Gimenez with Kepler as the emergency beyond that.

OK. So when a LH is pitching for the opposition and neither Mauer nor Castro should be batting who is going to catch? Who is going to play 1B?

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

 

I believe last week Molitor said the backup is Gimenez with Kepler as the emergency beyond that.

Thanks for the info.

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

 

OK. So when a LH is pitching for the opposition and neither Mauer nor Castro should be batting who is going to catch? Who is going to play 1B?

I get that the roster will change quickly, but... sheesh. The plan was for Mauer to DH  more, and he's also a candidate to be pinch-run for occasionally. Not a lot of flexibility here the first week or two.

 

 

 

[Dr. Evil]

I like what I am hearing from new management. They sound good decision makers and management team builders. I'm optimistic.

[TKGuy]

2 man bench. While the first ten days of the season don't mean much, we were out of the playoff race in two weeks last year. I agree with Dozier, expect the playoffs, which I do (although that probably means I need to have my head examined).

 

I'd take competence to start the season

[USAFChief]

I get that the roster will change quickly, but... sheesh. The plan was for Mauer to DH  more, and he's also a candidate to be pinch-run for occasionally. Not a lot of flexibility here the first week or two.

I think the plan should be for Mauer to be on the bench more.

[Dantes929]

 

ST stats are meaningless just as 0-9 opening season stats are meaningless. Seriously if ST stats are meaningless then why do we even have ST? We need to spend 30+ days getting warmed up? Here's to hoping Park makes the front office look silly.

Of course you need 30+ days getting warmed up and ST stats are pretty meaningless.   I don't know why you equate 0-9 opening season stats with ST performance.     Last year the Twins were 19-11 and I think they won 8 of their last 10 before the season started.   One of those stats truly were meaningless and one was not.     Angels were 19-8,    Arizona was 24-8.  Cubs were 11-19 and the Giants, Red Sox and Dodgers were just as bad.   I think they should have kept Park up but if spring stats meant as much as regular season   then Luke Hughes, Kevin Slowey and Brian Buscher would be all stars and Justin Morneau would have been off the roster.

[Platoon]

Parks removal from the 40 man was likely his undoing. To replace him on the 40, after determining he might not be able to handle MLB pitching based on ST would have been difficult. Not impossible, but difficult. The bench is short enough as is, and this would have forced RG into the OF 3-4 days a week. Ugh. If Park proves he can hit AAA fastballs with consistency, then you can bring him up and hopefully move RG. No I have not forgotten DanSan. But he would need to be replaced by a true utility player, with the bench as short as it is. Yet another pitching related problem.

[Otto von Ballpark]

Do the new rules allow for backdating the disabled list into spring training?

No. At least not the 60-day DL, if that is what you are referring to. A player put on the 60-day DL in spring training can't be activated until day 61 of the regular season.

 

The regular 10 day (formerly 15 day) DL can be retroactive by up to 3 days before opening day.

 

http://www.thecubreporter.com/book/export/html/3538

[JaleelWhite FanClub]

 

I get that the roster will change quickly, but... sheesh. The plan was for Mauer to DH  more, and he's also a candidate to be pinch-run for occasionally. Not a lot of flexibility here the first week or two.

 

This 25-man proves that Mauer is untouchable within this organization, no matter who's in charge. His backup at 1B is the backup catcher? Count me highly doubtful we'll see much of a platoon at first this season.

 

Two more years ...

 

Let's hope the Twins don't see a lot of lefties over the first week or so. I mean LH opposing pitchers as opposed to LH hitters, as our 13-man rotation can match the hell out of the numerous washed-up vets we've collected out in the bullpen.

[jorgenswest]

Spring training stats are useless in projecting who will perform well in April. They shouldn't be kept or considered in roster decisions short of any pitch level data collected on velocity, location and spin rate.

 

That doesn't mean spring training is meaningless. The thoughts and observations of a skilled staff interacting with players in work outs and games has significant meaning.

[nicksaviking]

Ah, but will the front office stand behind the left side of the infield while they're taking sharp grounders?

[drjim]

Ah, but will the front office stand behind the left side of the infield while they're taking sharp grounders?

I was hoping they would have put Sano somewhere where he would do less damage on defense. Like RF.

[nicksaviking]

I was hoping they would have put Sano somewhere where he would do less damage on defense. Like RF.

Trolling is expressly prohibited on Twins Daily.

[drjim]

Trolling is expressly prohibited on Twins Daily.

In my defense I'm only half trolling.

[spinowner]

 

This 25-man proves that Mauer is untouchable within this organization, no matter who's in charge. His backup at 1B is the backup catcher? Count me highly doubtful we'll see much of a platoon at first this season.

 

Two more years ...

 

Let's hope the Twins don't see a lot of lefties over the first week or so. I mean LH opposing pitchers as opposed to LH hitters, as our 13-man rotation can match the hell out of the numerous washed-up vets we've collected out in the bullpen.

Mauer is still one of the top nine hitters in the organization. As such he should be in the lineup as much as possible.

[rghrbek]

Giminez has had some "really successful moments?"  I can buy into surrounding your core with veterans, or different veterans (as we have Dozier, Mauer, Castro, Grossman, various starting pitchers, and relief pitchers).  However, what about these 3 guys mentioned in the article are going to make a huge difference to our core?

 

I am not getting it, especially with a lack of right handed bats...

 

Oh well...win twins!

[Parker Hageman]

Giminez has had some "really successful moments?"

 

 

Not that they themselves have had successful moments but that they've played in successful moments in time. While he didn't play in the playoffs for Cleveland this year, Gimenez was involved in all the meetings with the coaching staff and pitchers. Here's a report from Fangraphs:

 

Once Bere, Callaway, and Atchison have all done their individual homework, it’s time for the pre-series game plan meeting. The meeting takes place in the coach’s office in the clubhouse, and consists of the three pitching coaches, catchers Roberto Perez, Yan Gomes, and Chris Gimenez, and each starting pitcher in the series, in this case, Kluber, Tomlin, and Trevor Bauer. Callaway leads the meeting.

 

“The meeting is both verbal and visual,” Callaway said. “We just sit down real informally in the coach’s office in a little circle and just spitball and talk.”

 

 

 

[USAFChief]

 

Mauer is still one of the top nine hitters in the organization. As such he should be in the lineup as much as possible.

"Top 9 hitters in the org" isn't the proper comparison.  The proper comparison is "top hitters who only play 1st base/DH."

 

And against LH pitching, I don't believe Mauer is at the top of that group.

 

 

 

 

[blindeke]

Can't Kepler play 1st base?

[Parker Hageman]

 

Can't Kepler play 1st base?

 

He's reportedly the emergency first baseman.

[Intramural Legend]

 

Mauer is still one of the top nine hitters in the organization. As such he should be in the lineup as much as possible.

 

It may not matter to all, but I will say that he is also the BEST defensive option at 1st 

[Mike Sixel]

 

OK. So when a LH is pitching for the opposition and neither Mauer nor Castro should be batting who is going to catch? Who is going to play 1B?

 

It's not like that will ever happen (after opening day)...

[Rosterman]

 

Parks removal from the 40 man was likely his undoing. To replace him on the 40, after determining he might not be able to handle MLB pitching based on ST would have been difficult. Not impossible, but difficult. The bench is short enough as is, and this would have forced RG into the OF 3-4 days a week. Ugh. If Park proves he can hit AAA fastballs with consistency, then you can bring him up and hopefully move RG. No I have not forgotten DanSan. But he would need to be replaced by a true utility player, with the bench as short as it is. Yet another pitching related problem.

 

Yes, not being on the 40-man is often a player's undoing. Like being out of options sometimes give you a bit more slack. But as proven by all the"talent" the Twins signed and brought to camp, you can find replacement players for fringe players/prospects. I harp on this, but you have to - at this point - look at who will be on the roster next season, and preferably beyond. This is the future of your organization. Then you decide if they need LOTS of seasoning, still, in the minors - or need to work-it-out at the major league level. Few players go right from the minors to stardom in their first big league season. Many spend a season (or two) adjusting and then become mainstays in an organization or in pro ball. 

 

As to 30-days of spring training. It is a way for guys to egt into shape. Maybe they don't need as much time as they did in the past, where they toiled in other jobs and reporting to camp early was a financial hardship compared to today. Besides the "meaninglessness of spring training games" that is harped - if you win OR lose - it is also a wonderful promotional angle for the season...if people still read newspapers or if TV can be brought into the fold. You used to have a story a day - a happy story - about the team, mixed in with the new food at the park stories and all. But that ahs gone bye-bye with the failings of the press to increase readership.

 

I'm waiting to see how the team markets itself after Game One is over!