Twins option 7 players to minor league camp

[Musk21]

LHP Lewis Thorpe

RHP Jhoan Duran

RHP Jorge Alcala

RHP Dakota Chalmers

INF Nick Gordon

INF Travis Blankenhorn

OF Gilberto Celestino

 

RHP Fernando Romero was placed on the restricted list.

 

[AZTwin]

LHP Lewis Thorpe

RHP Jhoan Duran

RHP Jorge Alcala

RHP Dakota Chalmers

INF Nick Gordon

INF Travis Blankenhorn

OF Gilberto Celestino

 

RHP Fernando Romero was placed on the restricted list.

Very surprised about Thorpe this early.

[LewFordLives]

Yeah, surprised Gordon and Thorpe went this early, seeing as they will probably be called up at some point this year. Maybe the brass felt they could get more playing time on the other side of the fence. Otherwise no big surprises.

[Rosterman]

Right now, if a player isn't going to make the opening day roster, you want them out of camp and optioned to the minors. If they got injured while in major league camp (and on the roster) they would have to be kept in the majors during their injury recovery. You can always call them over for play, but that option out is a necessity.

 

So, we pretty much know who is on the roster. Hill will go on the 60-day. SO two spots will open if you decide to add a minor league free agent. Be interesting to see how long Romero is out. 

 

So we have Wade and Cave battling for the outfield spot with Astulido. Two of the three can be kept if Buxton opens on the dl.

 

Imagine the Twins will go with someone not on the 40-man for a bullpen spot, otherwise choices are Wisler or Poppen. Smeltzer is still in the mix.The Twins do need aother lefty in the pen. Be interesting to see if Dobnak is the 5th starter to start the season.

[twins_89]

Not really any surprises in the guys getting optioned. The only players listed who had any real chance to make the 26 man roster were Thorpe and Romero, but unfortunately they both missed too much time to be in the running for a spot.

[High heat]

Seems to me Celestino has played ton of inning this spring with Buxton out.  I know they don’t want an injury and him to accumulate service time but hope to see him get more ST inning in CF.

[Dman]

 

Very surprised about Thorpe this early.

 

Agreed.  Is Thorpe just not in game shape or do they feel Dobnak had that 5th spot pretty much locked up at this point?  

 

Also can someone explain to me why it makes sense to put Romero on the restricted list?  I would think he would be back not long after the season starts or is that process going to take longer?  Also even though he doesn't take a 40 man spot while on the list can the Twins really afford to use that spot on someone else when they would likely only have spot for short period of time and then need to be optioned?  I guess I don't see the advantage unless he isn't coming back anytime soon.

[Dman]

 

LHP Lewis Thorpe

RHP Jhoan Duran

RHP Jorge Alcala

RHP Dakota Chalmers

INF Nick Gordon

INF Travis Blankenhorn

OF Gilberto Celestino

 

RHP Fernando Romero was placed on the restricted list.

 

 

Thorpe was a surprise but there must be a reason.  Gordon, Blankenhorn and Celestino all looked a bit over matched at the plate so probably not a bad idea to have them move over.  Alcala looked a little shaky to me as well.

 

Duran and Chalmers pitched well so no reason to be sent down other than they just are not going to start the year with the big club.  

 

Was nice to get to see some of these young guys get a chance and see how they perform.  

[Steve Lein]

I'm disappointed they've sent Thorpe across the parking lot in the first round, but it's hard not to agree with it since he was not at camp for over a week.

 

Chalmers was good in the game I saw him last week. Up to 96 (that I saw) and struck out all three hitters he faced.

 

Gordon had a nice single, but it doesn't appear he ever really grew into his body and didn't see him get challenged at all in the field in the few innings he was at SS.

 

The most interesting set of cuts for me I think will be the next one. May tell us something (probably not with how set the rosters are, but it's fun to think about) about who the Twins think is making a case to crack the roster.

 

Trevor Larnach, Edwar Colina, and Alex Kirilloff looked good. Would have liked to see the outfielders have to make some plays to get a better gauge on them. I would venture Larnach is ahead of Kirilloff in that regard right now.

 

Larnach hit a bomb in the game on Friday I was at, then Matt Wallner put the finishing touches on the comeback win with this (excuse my commentary, haha): 

[howieramone2]

Good job Steve. Makes me wish I could still play.

[amjgt]

Someone needs to get in Thorpes ear and tell him not to be so damn whiny on Twitter. If you don't know why you got sent down, then you're the problem. 

[FormerMinnasotan]

I can’t understand why Chalmers and Duran were so underused up to this point in Spring Training. Duran only pitched 2 innings and Chalmers only pitched 1 inning of Spring Training ball. I would have figured the Twins would want to see a little more of Chalmers and Duran before they got sent down to Minor League camp.

[howieramone2]

Actually the Twins see them all the time. At any time they can bring them right back.

[Seth Stohs]

 

Actually the Twins see them all the time. At any time they can bring them right back.

 

Anytime starting opening day. Players Optioned in spring training can not play in further MLB spring training games. That's 

[lecroy24fan]

 

Agreed.  Is Thorpe just not in game shape or do they feel Dobnak had that 5th spot pretty much locked up at this point?  

 

Also can someone explain to me why it makes sense to put Romero on the restricted list?  I would think he would be back not long after the season starts or is that process going to take longer?  Also even though he doesn't take a 40 man spot while on the list can the Twins really afford to use that spot on someone else when they would likely only have spot for short period of time and then need to be optioned?  I guess I don't see the advantage unless he isn't coming back anytime soon.

 

It's likely he won't be back when the season starts. It's probably more complicated than is being said publicly.