How Does Carlos Correa's Signing Impact the Twins' 2023 Opening Day Roster?

[LA VIkes Fan]

Well, with Garlick being DFA'd today, I wonder if that puts Celestino on the opening day roster for now. I understand that he can play CF (sort of), but I think that Gordon is almost as good so I don't think one keeps Celestino around just for that reason. He could really use a full year's worth of the bats in AAA to improve as a player.

As the eternal optimist, I'm hoping that the Garlick DFA signals they have either a trade or potential free-agent deal coming for a right-handed hitting outfielder. Combined with a Kepler trade, hopefully as part of the package to Miami for a pitcher, that would really improve the roster. You essentially have a starting outfield of Buxton, Gallo, and some combination every day of Larnach, Gordon and this new RH hitter. Plenty of at bats to go around there particularly when you realize the DH slot is open for 1 of the outfielders not being used or or whoever of the Miranda/Arraez/Kirilloff group is not playing 1B or 3B that day.

So to me, the OF roster on opening day is Buxton, Gallo, Gordon, Larnach, and a new RH hitting OF. Unless there's a trade of Kepler - and I think there will be - the real issue is Kepler vs. Larnach on the roster. For a lot of reasons, I think Larnach is the call and Kepler should be traded even if it is for solid prospects rather than MLB pitching. . Larnach needs MLB ABs, not AAA ABs, at this point he appears to be a better hitter than Kepler when he isn't injured, and he certainly has a higher potential ceiling.  

[nicksaviking]

4 minutes ago, LA VIkes Fan said:

Well, with Garlick being DFA'd today, I wonder if that puts Celestino on the opening day roster for now. I understand that he can play CF (sort of), but I think that Gordon is almost as good so I don't think one keeps Celestino around just for that reason. He could really use a full year's worth of the bats in AAA to improve as a player.

 

I've been saying all week the the Marlins likely have no interest in Kepler, but I suppose if they are working a deal with the Twins for pitching, a Kepler for Soler swap as a side part of the deal may make sense. Soler's righthanded and Kepler is cheaper.

[HerbieFan]

With durability concerns in the rotation I wonder if they start with a 6-man rotation?

[William K Johnson]

3 hours ago, jmlease1 said:

Miranda is going to be given every opportunity to play 3B, he's played is acceptably in the minors and wasn't dreadful so far in MLB. There's basically no way Farmer starts at 3B unless Miranda becomes unplayable there and so far he's not.

Garlick almost has to slip on to the roster somewhere (replace Celestino; between Gordon, Gallo, and Kepler there's enough options when Buxton gets a rest and Celestino can come up if Buxton goes to the IL) right now. We still need his RH bat availability. Gordon is out of options I think and played well enough last season that he has to make the Opening Day roster or be traded.

Miranda was terrible at third last season.   When he did catch the ball, you never knew where the throw was going.    Honestly, he didn't even handle first very well.    He is a right-handed DH.

[GV14218]

5 hours ago, mac098 said:

With Buck, we need him to stay healthy for 130-145 games.

insert laughing emoji here: ______

[TCSquad]

With everything dependent on the players staying healthy, maybe the most important offseason signing this fall/winter was Nick Paparesta?

[old nurse]

Any team that trades for Kepler I would think that it would be a contending team trying to plug a hole in the outfield. He has 2 years of control left. That is not really a building block for a developing team. Larnach, Kirriloff, Arraez or even Wallner would be something a team could build around. 

[jimbo92107]

As observed, adding C4 to this lineup provides a lot of options. No more need for Farmer to be just adequate at SS. Now he's either 3B or utility IF. No need to rush Lewis or Martin to the club. Positionally the team looks pretty good. 

The pitching situation cannot be calculated. It would take too long, and probably just end up being 42. Twins have major pieces of the staff coming off serious elbow and shoulder issues, plus a bunch of rooks and prospects, some of whom also are members of the TJ club. Can this crazy quilt of injuries and inexperience be refashioned into the yarn from which great seasons are woven? The only real way to proceed is to give first crack to the talented but recently repaired. As they break down, you work your way down by seniority until you reach Falvey's cousin's talented kid in sixth grade. Just don't let him throw a curve yet.

[MABB1959]

The signing as of right now says this season will be the same as last year unless all injured players return, play AND stay healthy.  It's now or never to get Buxton in the field.  If he goes down right away, they need to deal with it.  

[Florida Flash]

4 hours ago, RJA said:

Too many outfielders and infielders so there will be a trade or trades. I suspect Kepler is gone, and maybe an infielder. 

Agree with that. I also would like to see if they can get anything for Pagan and Lopez, but I seriously doubt there would be any takers.

[Florida Flash]

Just now, MABB1959 said:

The signing as of right now says this season will be the same as last year unless all injured players return, play AND stay healthy.  It's now or never to get Buxton in the field.  If he goes down right away, they need to deal with it.  

My father in law, and avid avid Twins fan, albeit pretty cynical, assures me that Buxton will be out with a season ending hang nail by May 15th.

[jmlease1]

3 hours ago, William K Johnson said:

Miranda was terrible at third last season.   When he did catch the ball, you never knew where the throw was going.    Honestly, he didn't even handle first very well.    He is a right-handed DH.

he played 30 games there in 2022. (he'd barely played 1B his whole career before being asked to jump in there for the twins in 2022) Maybe give him a chance before consigning him to DH. Trevor Plouffe started out so poorly at 3rd he described himself as having winning an Iron Glove. Corey Koskie had stretches early on where it looked like he was using a frying pan instead of a glove. both turned out pretty well over there.

[Shaitan]

If Kirilloff or Larnach can take the next step, this lineup looks solid. As it stands, I'm iffy about the OF and I'd like more reliable pitching depth. Lewis as a replacement if the OF is struggling mid-season adds a little promise.

[stringer bell]

Against left handers, Miranda should be 1B/DH with Farmer at third. Farmer had better platoon splits against lefties than any Twin. 

[se7799]

10 hours ago, jimbo92107 said:

If Miranda has been working out over the winter at 3B under Corea's wing, then he might be surprisingly good at third. 

If I remember correctly..they were unable to align their schedules.  Stayed in contact but unable to workout together unfortunately a lost opportunity.

[Doc Munson]

I actually now hope the Twins do NOTHING ELSE this offseason.  At this point it is a strong ball club.  In order to go deep in the playoffs we may need to add pitching, but I do not think we need to add pitching to be in contention.  We have some top quality prospects, but they shoudl really only be dealt at this point to put us over the top.

Lets roll with the rotation listed above, along with the young near MLB ready prospects for the first half of the year.

I think the worst thing the Twins could do at this point is give up some potential top prospects for pitching too early.

 

Last year was the perfect example.  we traded Chase Petty for Sonny Gray. What did that do for us? Yes Sonny Gray had a very good season, and should help this year as well, btu we still didn't make the playoffs. Completely "happenstancily" if that is word, and it does not mean we should not give up good prospects to get good quality MLB players, and yes Chase may never pan out. but that is not the point The point is, you just don't trade that quality of prospect until you HAVE to. You can trade from organizational depth early on in the preseason, but shoudlnt trade top prospect suntil you have to or unless the deal is too good to pass up. (and was the Sonny Gray one???maybe)

 

ANyways I am rambling again.

 

My point is I like our team as it sits. I think we can contend with it. Lets make some moves and even trade some top propsects, just not now. start the season relatively "AS IS" and then be aggressive  B-E aggressive mid season. :)  LOL

[Fatbat]

15 hours ago, Beast said:

The roster on paper looks great, but a lot of things needs to break right in order to be successful:

-Buxton needs to stay healthy

-Arraez needs to stay healthy

-Alex K needs to stay healthy and return to his once promising form.

-Tyler Mahle needs to stay healthy.

-Ober needs to stay healthy (if not, Varland/Paddack need to be good).

-Kenta Maeda needs to return to pre-injury form.

-Jorge Polanco needs to stay healthy

-Duran needs to remain a dominant bullpen arm

-Pagan needs to stay out of high leverage roles

-Lopez needs to figure things out and return to pre-trade form.

-Jax needs to take another step

-Kepler, if on the team, needs to see this theory of the shift ban helping him come to fruition.

-Joey Gallo needs to be better than last year and provide some power numbers

If all of those things happen, we win some playoff games and may even be a World Series contender.

All of those things won’t happen.  If none of them happen, we stink.  If some of them happen, somewhere in the middle.

Thats my main gripe with this FO.  Things are currently constructed in a way that requires all of these hypotheticals and what-ifs to take place.  A lot of them aren’t real likely to happen (Buxton being healthy, Alex K. returning to form, Maeda returning to firm, shift change reinventing Kepler, Gallo performing, Duran maintaining a ridiculous level of performance, Lopez returning to form).  Take a bunch of things that aren’t likely to happen individually and combine them…..we’re not looking at great odds.

I’m excited for what could happen.  I think we’re fairly likely to start the year hot and fizzle out a bit as everyone breaks down again.  Don’t think it’ll be as pronounced and disgusting.  But, we’re much more likely to see a repeat of last year than make the ALCS, the way things sit today.  That’s my threshold for a successful year.  Not interested in regular season wins or division titles in in an awful division at this point.

 

Who knew that MN sports teams can simply get lucky at times and set records. I remember that time when the twins went worst to first .  Heck even the Vikes just went 11-0 in close games this season. Buxton et al might just stay healthy and the twins might just make a deep playoff run in October. 

[Fatbat]

Celestino needs to develop in AAA longer so he will only be called up when Buck gets hurt. AK will be on the roster if he is healthy because he can play corner OF/1B/DH. By July, Lewis will be mashing in St.Paul and will be the first call up when literally anyone goes down cause he can play IF/OF.  

[awmonahan]

18 hours ago, LA VIkes Fan said:

Well, with Garlick being DFA'd today, I wonder if that puts Celestino on the opening day roster for now. I understand that he can play CF (sort of), but I think that Gordon is almost as good so I don't think one keeps Celestino around just for that reason. He could really use a full year's worth of the bats in AAA to improve as a player.

As the eternal optimist, I'm hoping that the Garlick DFA signals they have either a trade or potential free-agent deal coming for a right-handed hitting outfielder. Combined with a Kepler trade, hopefully as part of the package to Miami for a pitcher, that would really improve the roster. You essentially have a starting outfield of Buxton, Gallo, and some combination every day of Larnach, Gordon and this new RH hitter. Plenty of at bats to go around there particularly when you realize the DH slot is open for 1 of the outfielders not being used or or whoever of the Miranda/Arraez/Kirilloff group is not playing 1B or 3B that day.

So to me, the OF roster on opening day is Buxton, Gallo, Gordon, Larnach, and a new RH hitting OF. Unless there's a trade of Kepler - and I think there will be - the real issue is Kepler vs. Larnach on the roster. For a lot of reasons, I think Larnach is the call and Kepler should be traded even if it is for solid prospects rather than MLB pitching. . Larnach needs MLB ABs, not AAA ABs, at this point he appears to be a better hitter than Kepler when he isn't injured, and he certainly has a higher potential ceiling.  

Agreed - between Gordon and Gallo, a back-up at CF is covered. We need guys if/when Byron goes down, but we don't need three of them. 

[TopGunn#22]

As the roster is currently constructed there are going to be some trades coming to better align talent on offense and pitching.  I like Arraez and Polanco, but with Julien and Gordon I could see one of them dealt.  Kepler, Gallo and Larnach are too similar for one of Kepler or Larnach to dealt.  Miami is a potential trade partner but so is Colorado with maybe a German Marquez and Connor Joe type of deal.  I would certainly look to sign Chafin.  And with Theilbar still being effective but 35 years old, signing Chafin would enable the Twins to include Theilbar in a trade if a bigger deal was possible.  

[HoskenPowell]

Sign Chafin for the pen and go get one the Marlins starters they made available......trade Keplar / Larnach or AK to get that starter from Miami.  Don't waste these Buxton/Corea years.

A healthy productive Maeda can make that rotation a LOT better......remember folks he got CY Young votes only a few years ago.  He can be THAT good.

[JD-TWINS]

19 hours ago, LA VIkes Fan said:

Well, with Garlick being DFA'd today, I wonder if that puts Celestino on the opening day roster for now. I understand that he can play CF (sort of), but I think that Gordon is almost as good so I don't think one keeps Celestino around just for that reason. He could really use a full year's worth of the bats in AAA to improve as a player.

As the eternal optimist, I'm hoping that the Garlick DFA signals they have either a trade or potential free-agent deal coming for a right-handed hitting outfielder. Combined with a Kepler trade, hopefully as part of the package to Miami for a pitcher, that would really improve the roster. You essentially have a starting outfield of Buxton, Gallo, and some combination every day of Larnach, Gordon and this new RH hitter. Plenty of at bats to go around there particularly when you realize the DH slot is open for 1 of the outfielders not being used or or whoever of the Miranda/Arraez/Kirilloff group is not playing 1B or 3B that day.

So to me, the OF roster on opening day is Buxton, Gallo, Gordon, Larnach, and a new RH hitting OF. Unless there's a trade of Kepler - and I think there will be - the real issue is Kepler vs. Larnach on the roster. For a lot of reasons, I think Larnach is the call and Kepler should be traded even if it is for solid prospects rather than MLB pitching. . Larnach needs MLB ABs, not AAA ABs, at this point he appears to be a better hitter than Kepler when he isn't injured, and he certainly has a higher potential ceiling.  

Kepler has to be traded. Can’t carry $20 million combined salary with he & Gallo.

Celestino had 324 AB’s in ‘22 with 12 doubles & 2 HR & hit .238. Gordon had 405 AB’s in ‘22 with 28 doubles & 9 HR & hit .272. Gordon getting rapidly stronger, gained 25 lb from January to July. How many HR did Larnach & Kirilof hit in ‘22??? Gordon’s going to play every day in LF or CF. With 550-600 AB’s he’ll hit 14 HR & 40 doubles! 

Garlick is mediocre & maybe a guy we pick up again if we can’t make another move. Last resort. I do like Garlick more than Celestino! We should pick up Andrew McCutchen to play opposite Gallo in right when lefties throw against us. McCutchen can spell Gordon vs. lefties occasionally as well.

I see comments routinely that Buxton “….,needs to play 135-145 games this year for our success.” Get real! If we get 120 games with 85 in CF I’ll be surprised & ecstatic.

Lots of Larnach - Gordon - Gallo OF against right handed pitching in ‘23.

OF: Buxton - Gordon - Gallo - Larnach - McCutchen 

IF: Miranda - Kirilof - Araez - Farmer - Polanco - Correa

C: Jeffers - Vázquez

Starters: FA/Wacha or Aquired via trade guy - Mahle - Ryan - Gray - Ober

Pen: Moran - Thielbar - Megill - Jax - Maeda - Duran - FA/Fulmer - FA/Chafin or Hand

Roster room comes with trading a pitcher (Winder - Sands - prospect) with Kepler - Pagan - Celestino for front end starter. Maybe 2 trades, as we now have some IF depth with our Farm System & CC’s signing.

Alcala - Varland - SWR all getting sharp in St. Paul…….Walner playing every day in St. Paul to potentially take Gallo’s spot if he’s not playing well through June. 

Improving pitching to start year is our key - we have plenty of depth elsewhere. We have BP depth with a FA signing or two. EXPERIENCED starter would be great to enable Maeda to be in the pen.

[AlGoreRythm]

On 1/11/2023 at 9:57 AM, mnfireman said:

 I would also hope that they are stretching Duran out to be a starter and compete with/compliment Maeda

Why on earth would you mess with success regarding Duran? He was one of the top 3 relievers last year, if not the very best.

He's had issues staying healthy as a starter in the minors and it was pretty obvious last season that his velocity ticks up a couple MPH when he's coming out of the pen rather than starting.

Trying to make him into a starter again seems like a recipe for the IL and we certainly need him at the bank end of the bullpen. Without him there we'll end up seeing a lot more Pagan than anyone wants.

[jmlease1]

22 hours ago, davidborton said:

Agree. There is no rhyme or reason to his endless lineups. Or better expressed, my algorithms can't discern them.

ooh! ooh! Someone referred to Rocco as a computer! that's like, BINGO, right?