Front Page: 6 Potential Non-Roster September Call-ups Who Could Impact Games

[Otto von Ballpark]

Or, as another example, let’s say Nelson Cruz hits the IL on August 25. He’s healthy and ready to be activated on September 10 (IL goes back to 15 days next year too remember). But the Twins already have 28 guys. How do the Twins activate Cruz other than by optioning out someone?

Interesting question.

 

If they do go forward with the 28 man limit, I wouldn't be surprised if there is an September injury/activation exception added to the option rule.

[Otto von Ballpark]

How does Hildenberger get left off of these discussions every time?

This article is about "non-roster" guys (meaning non-40-man roster guys).

 

I expect most guys already on the 40-man, like Hildenberger, Smeltzer, Stashak, Littell, etc., will all be recalled.

[Jham]

I believe Tortuga and Wade are more valuable on the IL. To make the playoff roster, a player must be on the 40 man by Aug 31, OR replace someone on the IL provided that player has served the minimum time on the IL. Wade and Tortuga could both be added added to the 60 day, and then anyone in the organization could come up and be post season eligible.

[Jham]

This article is about "non-roster" guys (meaning non-40-man roster guys).

 

I expect most guys already on the 40-man, like Hildenberger, Smeltzer, Stashak, Littell, etc., will all be recalled.

Forgot the original premise of the article!

[Otto von Ballpark]

I believe Tortuga and Wade are more valuable on the IL. To make the playoff roster, a player must be on the 40 man by Aug 31, OR replace someone on the IL provided that player has served the minimum time on the IL. Wade and Tortuga could both be added added to the 60 day, and then anyone in the organization could come up and be post season eligible.

Who would you want to see in the postseason that won't already be on the 40-man on August 31st? There is still an open spot to add Graterol; another could be opened fairly easily for Alcala if he warrants it (I am thinking Diplan's or Stewart's spot). I don't really see anybody else -- the minor league season ends Sep. 2nd, so it's not like a guy like Rooker is going to change minds with a dominant September performance. And we're not going to call someone up to make their MLB debut in the postseason either.

 

If someone gets injured *during* the postseason, we can also replace them with a non-roster player who was in the org on August 31st. We don't need any guys on the IL to do that. (Might come in handy for a true catching emergency -- Wilin Rosario? Or maybe if we had a Billy Hamilton pinch runner type who got hurt in the postseason, and we wanted to replace him with an Ian Miller in a similar role.)

 

Edit to add: I suspect getting Astudillo and Wade some MLB reps in September is more important than trying to sneak other guys on the roster. Astudillo will be needed if there is any catcher injury, and Wade may be needed in case of an outfielder injury.

Edited August 22, 2019 by spycake

[Jham]

Who would you want to see in the postseason that won't already be on the 40-man on August 31st? There is still an open spot to add Graterol; another could be opened fairly easily for Alcala if he warrants it (I am thinking Diplan's or Stewart's spot). I don't really see anybody else -- the minor league season ends Sep. 2nd, so it's not like a guy like Rooker is going to change minds with a dominant September performance. And we're not going to call someone up to make their MLB debut in the postseason either.

 

If someone gets injured *during* the postseason, we can also replace them with a non-roster player who was in the org on August 31st. We don't need any guys on the IL to do that. (Might come in handy for a true catching emergency -- Wilin Rosario? Or maybe if we had a Billy Hamilton pinch runner type who got hurt in the postseason, and we wanted to replace him with an Ian Miller in a similar role.)

 

Edit to add: I suspect getting Astudillo and Wade some MLB reps in September is more important than trying to sneak other guys on the roster. Astudillo will be needed if there is any catcher injury, and Wade may be needed in case of an outfielder injury.

I mean, there are 6 guys referenced in this article alone... but really, for me it just insures roster flexibility. If Kepler goes down on September 1, Cave and DeAza might get shots, but I'd hate to rule out Larnach or Kiriloff. If Polanco got hurt I'd at least want the option of rolling with Nick Gordon or even Lewis. If Graterol gets sore and Alcala is wild, I'd want to consider an arm like Duran. It's the playoffs. We need our best players out there.

 

I get that these scenarios may be unlikely, but the IL eligible for activation is the only way to add a playoff eligible player between Sept 1 and the playoffs. potentially you could roster a player then IL them when the playoffs started, but presumably you'd rather see them debut in the regular season them the playoffs...

[Otto von Ballpark]

I mean, there are 6 guys referenced in this article alone... but really, for me it just insures roster flexibility. If Kepler goes down on September 1, Cave and DeAza might get shots, but I'd hate to rule out Larnach or Kiriloff. If Polanco got hurt I'd at least want the option of rolling with Nick Gordon or even Lewis. If Graterol gets sore and Alcala is wild, I'd want to consider an arm like Duran. It's the playoffs. We need our best players out there.

 

We already have a ton of depth and flexibility on our roster, though. At full strength, we have Marwin, Adrianza, Astudillo, Cave, and possibly even Arraez on our bench, collectively capable of playing anywhere in a variety of configurations. Even if multiple regulars go down, there is really no need to dip down into guys like Lewis or Kirilloff (who haven't exactly lit the world on fire at AA).

 

Same on the pitching side -- while Graterol and Alcala are intriguing additions, we have about a bazillion other pitchers already. A ton of relievers, including some promising ones who can't even fit on our 25-man right now (Littell), and several capable of starting too (Thorpe, Smeltzer, Dobnak). I can't see any circumstances where you would need to reach down for Duran coming off a non-dominant AA performance.

Edited August 22, 2019 by spycake

[Battle ur tail off]

 

Don't they burn an option year if they add players to the 40 man in September? After Buxton last year, I don't see them taking service years lightly and adding Graterol or Alcala.

 

If they won't add impact players through FA or trades, then they damn well better not care about service time when it comes to adding some talent from your own system that has a chance to make a real impact on a winning season. 

 

If they don't add Graterol, I'm pretty sure there will be some angry people. Why not use your best option? Who knows if the guy gets hurt in a year or two and is done? It's happened plenty before. If he is producing(which he has been) and they feel he is ready and can help the club, not getting him up here over service time is a disservice to the ML team and its fans. 

[stringer bell]

 

 

Same on the pitching side -- while Graterol and Alcala are intriguing additions, we have about a bazillion other pitchers already. A ton of relievers, including some promising ones who can't even fit on our 25-man right now (Littell), and several capable of starting too (Lewis, Smeltzer, Dobnak). I can't see any circumstances where you would need to reach down for Duran coming off a non-dominant AA performance.

 

Referring to "Lewis", you were meaning Lewis Thorpe?

[Otto von Ballpark]

I wonder if Nick Gordon could find himself transferred to the MLB 60-day DL to open up another 40-man spot in September (assuming we fill our currently open spot first, of course). He seems to be the top candidate for such a move -- our other injured guys on the 40-man all seem to be near or hopefully returning (Buxton, Astudillo, Wade, Gonsalves, Poppen).

Replying to myself:

 

While Gordon could be moved to the MLB 60-day DL to open up another 40-man spot, it wouldn't be enough to make a non-40-man player eligible for the postseason. Apparently days on the minor league DL don't count toward him serving the minimum 60 days:

 

"However, time spent on a minor league 7-day Injured List or minor league 60-day Injured List does NOT count toward the minimum number of days a player must spend on an MLB Injured List if a player is recalled from an optional assignment or has his contract selected and is added to an MLB 40-man roster prior to being reinstated from a minor league injured list."

 

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

[Otto von Ballpark]

Referring to "Lewis", you were meaning Lewis Thorpe?

Yes, sorry.

 

I edited it now.

Edited August 22, 2019 by spycake

[bird]

 

DFA Hildenberger and add Graterol + Alcala

 

 

 

It may be as likely that Hildy makes a solid contribution down the stretch rather than Graterol or Alcala.

[Jham]

We already have a ton of depth and flexibility on our roster, though. At full strength, we have Marwin, Adrianza, Astudillo, Cave, and possibly even Arraez on our bench, collectively capable of playing anywhere in a variety of configurations. Even if multiple regulars go down, there is really no need to dip down into guys like Lewis or Kirilloff (who haven't exactly lit the world on fire at AA).

 

Same on the pitching side -- while Graterol and Alcala are intriguing additions, we have about a bazillion other pitchers already. A ton of relievers, including some promising ones who can't even fit on our 25-man right now (Littell), and several capable of starting too (Thorpe, Smeltzer, Dobnak). I can't see any circumstances where you would need to reach down for Duran coming off a non-dominant AA performance.

I mostly v agree. I have an irrational love of Jhoan Duran. But for the playoffs, going into Houston, with a choice of Cave, Wade, or Larnach... I think I'd roll the dice on Trevor's superior talent and CWS experience. I'm not usually a big "call up the prospects and see what we have" guy. But I think we know what we have. And I think Larnach and AK are better than Cave and better LH bats than Adrianza. Couldn't fault anyone for rather having Cave or Astudillo. Versatility means little in the playoffs.

[Shaitan]

 

If they won't add impact players through FA or trades, then they damn well better not care about service time when it comes to adding some talent from your own system that has a chance to make a real impact on a winning season. 

 

If they don't add Graterol, I'm pretty sure there will be some angry people. Why not use your best option? Who knows if the guy gets hurt in a year or two and is done? It's happened plenty before. If he is producing(which he has been) and they feel he is ready and can help the club, not getting him up here over service time is a disservice to the ML team and its fans. 

I don't disagree with you, but I do question if a player who hasn't thrown an MLB pitch is really the best option. Sometimes, yes. Always, definitely not. I'm not enough of a scout or prospect hound to make that call so I'm not getting personally worked up about it.

 

I 100% agree that it's different this year (pennant race) than last year (lost season), even though I made the original comparison to not recalling Buxton last Sept.

[Battle ur tail off]

You might be right. He might not be the best option. I just feel like if you can bring it over 100 mph and have any semblance of control paired with almost any off speed pitch, you are gonna have success.

 

Either way, they would have time to audition him before they decide if they really wanted to use him in the playoffs. I think it's worth the try. A guy like that, if successful could be a huge piece for any playoff run.

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

But for the playoffs, going into Houston, with a choice of Cave, Wade, or Larnach... I think I'd roll the dice on Trevor's superior talent and CWS experience.

But with our roster flexibility, it probably doesn't even have to come down to Cave, Wade, or Larnach in a starting role. There's still Marwin, Arraez, Adrianza, etc. Also Cruz for a real disaster injury corner OF scenario!

[Jham]

But with our roster flexibility, it probably doesn't even have to come down to Cave, Wade, or Larnach in a starting role. There's still Marwin, Arraez, Adrianza, etc. Also Cruz for a real disaster injury corner OF scenario!

I know. #1stplaceproblems !