Roster Crunch

[stringer bell]

The Twins 26-man roster is in permanent flux, as most major league rosters are. They have run a lot of players on the Injured List, but there are several players on the road to return to the active roster. Within this week, Kyle Garlick and Sonny Gray should be added back to the roster. In addition, Alex Kirilloff is absolutely mashing for the St. Paul Saints. 

I am of the opinion that it is past time to bring Kirilloff back to the Twins. His stats in the past weeks are beyond excellent. He is crushing there and has shown that right now he is dealing with whatever residual wrist issues he might have.

Assuming there are no new injuries, the Twins will be hard-pressed to choose players to option or be designated for assignment. Adding Gray, Garlick and Kirilloff would require demotion or designation of three players. Who might that be? Here's my take:

Jose Miranda--Miranda has had a good month of June and is getting pretty consistent playing time. He plays first and third base (but not well). Miranda's overall stats are below average and IMHO his defense has been a disappointment. With Garlick providing a right handed bat, I think Miranda is the #1 candidate to be removed from the roster. 

Nick Gordon--Gordon's left handed bat really isn't needed, however his defensive versatility is of some value and he does have plus speed. Further, Gordon has no options remaining. To be demoted, he would have to be exposed to the other 29 major league teams. 

Trevor Larnach--The new, improved version of Trevor Larnach had a WAR of 2.0 about two weeks ago. He has demonstrated improved plate disciple, used the whole field and really has looked like an improved defender in the outfield corners. However, he's the flip side of Jose Miranda. His hitting has dried up recently. He is 5-44 in the month of June. On balance, Trevor has taken a step up, but it only figures that Kirilloff would produce more at this point.

Kyle Garlick--Garlick is a 30-year old outfielder with limited upside. He is passable as an outfielder, but his reason for being on a major league roster is his ability to hit left handed pitching. So far, in a limited sample, he is again mashing against lefties. Garlick has the "lefty killer" role with the Twins and there is really no one available to fill that role if he were demoted. Like Gordon, he can't be optioned and would have to be exposed to waivers.

Among the pitchers who could be demoted, only two can be optioned, I believe. Jovani Moran has performed well for the Twins and is left handed. Trevor Megill also has performed quite well, but he has two options available. Otherwise the Twins could DFA Thornberg or Cotton. The long-shot that would appeal to TD readers would be to release Tyler Duffey. There are more pitching returns on the horizon. Danny Coulombe and Bailey Ober will have spent their IL time and should be healthy by the end of the month. 

Of course, this is probably a fantasy exercise. By far, the most likely event is Injured List assignments to players currently unknown. Opinions on what the Twins will/should do are welcomed.

[Trov]

These things tend to work themselves out.  How often when one person is ready to return someone else has an injury issue?  Not saying that they do not actually have one, but for example both Polonco and Gordon have been getting some rest due to some small issues.  It is possible one of them get put on DL if neither is 100% when a roster move needs to happen. 

If no one is going to go on DL, I would not option Gordon right now.  He will not pass waivers and he does give some value to this team.  

[Rosterman]

You didn't even mention Josh WInder, who I believe will be kept in St. Paul to start regularly as long as the Twins have five arms in the rotation. The Twins are now on a run of series, as well as the All-Star break, where they actually have significant off days. It will hopefully mean that if the Twins need an emergency starter, they will be able to call upon an able-bodied and more experienced Winder, while Sands works on overall improvements in St. Paul.

The Twins still have to remove two pitchers as some point. Both Megill and Moran pitched last night, so sadly one of them will be sent out for Gray. Moran's lefty arm may not save him.

At some point, if team's have to cut back to 13 pitchers, then the Twins will send out Megill. The two guys with options are then available if the Twins do decide to do anything with pitchers who would have to face a waiver wire.

Cotton is on the bubble. Thornburg will get a few more chances. The consensus of many of us is that Duffey should just be cut loose. Sadly, Joe Smith has also been less effective of late. 

So we know we have at least two arms in the wings once the Twins make roster moves, as well as a hopefully improved Yennier Cano who should put his major league experience to work in St. Paul. Austin Schulter and Evan Sisk have both been promoted to St. Paul from Wichita for good look sees. Ian Hamilton is still an arm to be reckoned with.

Anyone else of interest from the myraid of minor free agent pitchers housed in St. Paul?

So, when Garlick returns, will it be at the expense of a pitcher due to new requirements, or a batter. The pain of sending out Miranda is you lose your primary backup at first.

Gordon is out of options.

Garlick is, in some sense, that perfect 13th bench guy (26th player). He is still the fifth outfielder, though.

Kirilloff needs to come back, yes. That would be at the expense of Miranda (currently on a hot streak) who could spend more time at third base (rather than first in the majors) in the minors as the heir to Gio. The Twins could also send out Larnach to have him work thru the slump in St. Paul, allow Kirilloff to play left field. And maybe bring back Larnach once a hard decision is made on, say, Garlick.

It is still confusing. The published roster still sits at 41 players (is Palacios really a Twin Twin?). At some point, the Twins will make decisions on players like Cotton, Duffey, Smith and Thornburg. Any of those names departing opens a 40-man spot.

The Twins also have Balazovic, Henriquez and Strotman basically in limbo. Combined with Godoy and Contreras, the Twins have five players that thru their current play, really don't have a whole heckuva a lot of value in the trade market, and would argue if any team would put them on their own 40-man. (Okay, I would gamble on Balazovic, which is also what the Twins will do even into the off-season, barring a major injury or total meltdown or the guy on the mound).

Moran leaves now for Gray. Garlick replaces either Megill or Miranda. Kirilloff replaces Miranda or Megill. Jake Cave stays late after every game waiting to hear from Gardenhire if he is going back to the majors.

[tarheeltwinsfan]

This is not a bad problem, having too many players who could help the Twins and who deserve to be playing in the majors, but these decisions will keep a GM up at night. I'm glad I don't have to make these decisions. Of all the proposals I have read in this topic, Rosterman's proposals seem the most reasonable. 

[nicksaviking]

Miranda has been hitting pretty well since the FO surprisingly kept him on the roster when Correa was activated, I wouldn't remove him now.

I'd let Gordon go. As noted, his lefty bat isn't needed and with Kirilloff back, he'd be about the sixth OF option behind Buxton, Kepler, Larnach, Celestino, Garlick and now Kirilloff. 

I don't want to keep Gordon on the roster simply because I don't want to lose him all together, seems that's what a rebuilding team would do, not a team trying to win the division would do. Besides, if he's as regrettable losing as some think, the Twins should be able get something for him. 

[Dman]

I think it is going to take a position player injury to get Kirilloff back at this point or pitchers cut down to 13.  It is just so hard to see game after game where he is excelling at the plate and be OK with leaving him there.

I do agree that Gordon is looking like the odd man out but the Twins probably need to wait until closer to the deadline to sort that issue out.  

Miranda is a right handed bat that they like to use against lefties so it seems doubtful they would send him down at this point.  I guess we all play the waiting game until a spot opens up.  It just seems like the Twins could use a hot bat and Kirilloff seems to have one right now.

[Mike Sixel]

I see zero reason to send down Larnach due to 44 at bats.....that's not even a tiny sample size.

I'd consider Miranda, but they need RH bats.....

Gordon? I'd roll that die. If two guys get hurt, call up Steer to be Gordon. 

So, I'm still not sure who the third player off the team needs to be to get AK on the roster.

Before someone says "make a trade".....it just isn't trading time yet.

[raindog]

For the short term, they should IL Polanco. He's out of the lineup again today. Just give his back and ankle some rest and quit playing short-handed. 

[Muppet]

I'd let go of Gordon. He's good enough to get consistent playing time with a team who needs his skills. If they aren't able to trade him, they should let another team grab him. 

[DocBauer]

So I like Gordon for his role: OK hit, speed on the basepaths, OK defense for three spots in the infield, and a pretty good OF with excellent range. He's young enough to show improvement as well. I do think his time with the Twins is limited due to Steer, Julien, and to a lesser extent, Helman and Palacios. 

The only problem is, while he's easy to replace as a 2B/3B/LF option, he's the #3 CF and #2 SS. Are the Twins comfortable with sliding Polanco over to cover SS when Correa is out? Are they OK with sliding Kepler over to CF as the #3 CF if needed? I'm not saying these are devastating options, or that someone can't be brought up the next day if there is a health/injury issue, I'm just stating that is Gordon's prime value to the team at the is moment, along with some PR duties. To bring on Kirilloff and Garlick, someone needs to go. Gordon is the most obvious, unless you are going to send Miranda or Celestino down, and I just don't see that happening, or as being a good idea.

 

[Jack Griffin]

2 hours ago, Rosterman said:

Jake Cave stays late after every game waiting to hear from Gardenhire if he is going back to the majors.

Thinking of this, anyone else get super panicked when Buxton hurt his knee against BOS and Jake Cave was pulled from his AAA game coincidentally the same day? I thought for sure we were gonna see anther 300 ABs of the Cave man lol

[USAFChief]

3 hours ago, Jack Griffin said:

Thinking of this, anyone else get super panicked when Buxton hurt his knee against BOS and Jake Cave was pulled from his AAA game coincidentally the same day? I thought for sure we were gonna see anther 300 ABs of the Cave man lol

It's only mid-June..

 

[Sean.h]

AK should take Miranda's spot. Miranda needs more time in AAA to work on his defense and take the occasional walk (29/4 K/BB in the MLB)

[SwainZag]

9 minutes ago, Sean.h said:

AK should take Miranda's spot. Miranda needs more time in AAA to work on his defense and take the occasional walk (29/4 K/BB in the MLB)

Miranda was always a swing first guy and never took many walks, but I am more surprised by his K rate in the majors.  Not surprised it's up over AAA, but going from 14 to 24% is a big uptick.  I wouldn't be that surprised if he goes down for Alex.

[tony&rodney]

FWIW and just from watching on milb.com, Kirilloff looks very confident and strong right now. In the top of the 9th inning tonight he was walked on four pitches, none of them even remotely close and the pitcher threw plenty of strikes to both Steer and Garlick. Alex is tuned in.

[stringer bell]

2 hours ago, Sean.h said:

AK should take Miranda's spot. Miranda needs more time in AAA to work on his defense and take the occasional walk (29/4 K/BB in the MLB)

It isn’t even that he doesn’t walk much. Much like Astudillo, pitchers can get Miranda out without throwing a strike. Like most, he’s a much less dangerous hitter with two strikes and swinging at pitches out of the strike zone have gotten him behind in the count frequently. 
 

SSS, but Miranda’s defensive stats are really bad. He has made his share off defensive mistakes and then some. 

[stringer bell]

Barring Injured List assignments, I’m believing that Miranda will be optioned when Garlick is activated and that by next Monday. Kirilloff will be promoted at t guy he expense of an option of Trevor Larnach. 
 

The club is at 14 pitchers now and I would guess that they option Winder to AAA (if he stays down a few weeks, they will gain an additional year of team control), but when Ober is back, another bullpen arm is in jeopardy so Megill could be optioned. 

[Brandon]

12 hours ago, raindog said:

For the short term, they should IL Polanco. He's out of the lineup again today. Just give his back and ankle some rest and quit playing short-handed. 

Move Arreaz to 2nd let Killeroff play 1B.  Done…. Then send down 2 pitchers. Probably Moroni and Megill

[Jeff D.]

All valid points and supported with data and thought. I've been a Twins fan from about the first pitch as a team, though years 1 and 2 are a bit fuzzy.....I do remember Cookie Lavagetto and others (how can you not remember a name like Cookie?).

What I have learned over these years is that we as fans have the answers and what happens are usually surprising to the fans. As I've grown to become a geezer, I just let the stuff flow. I see Larnach and Kirilloff being on the team patrolling the OF next year with Buxton. I like Gordon and Garlick but not sure we will see them in Twins uniforms next year. I would like to see Correa and Urshela with the team next year. We could use upgrades at catching. Both with the bat and defensive skills. Arraez is a gem that must be protected even more than Buxton. Arraez is one of those players that will continue to become better and wiser. He has that "thing"......Puckett and Carew had that. 

It really does not matter what this geezer thinks or jots in any social media site. The Twins will make the decisions and as a Twins fan, I'll find a way to live with it and cheer for the team.

GO TWINS!