Twins sign Solano

Larnach goes to the minors if everyone is healthy, He will play everyday until needed. That leaves 13 hitters on the 26 man roster. Two catchers, Kiriloff, Polanco, Correa, Miranda, Kepler, Buxton, Gallo one of these will DH or play the field so a regular can DH - Farmer, Solano, Gordon, Taylor. Facing RH starter probably Gordon main DH

Increases our depth and gives us more flexibility to pinch hit for Kiriloff and face lefty starters and play 1B when Kiriloff is hurt. If Kiriloff is out and Twins need a lefty bat they recall Larnach.

These moves may be a reaction to the minor league we trotted out last September when we could have been in a pennant race. I think this move makes a lot of sense. 

6 hours ago, dxpavelka said:

Lot of things can / probably will happen between now and the time that decision needs to be made.

I don't disagree, but it's a strange move to make nonetheless.

Someone make this make sense for me. Is Solano going to start the season at AAA? If he doesn't that probably means that Gordon is gone? 

12 hours ago, pierre75275 said:

But why? This move along with the Gallo is very puzzling to me? Who is your bench? Jeffers, Taylor, Farmer and one of Gordon or Solano? 

Are we running with 14 position players?

Are planning on using St Paul as "resting " not official DL place for pitching?

This is puzzling.

There are 5 bench players when you don't have a designated DH.  The bench is likely Jeffers / Gordon / Farmer / Taylor / Solano.  It still does not make sense and there is probably another move on the horizon.

1 hour ago, rwilfong86 said:

I don't disagree, but it's a strange move to make nonetheless.

We're at the what the f moves portion of the calendar now.

1 hour ago, Brad.dahlen said:

Someone make this make sense for me. Is Solano going to start the season at AAA? If he doesn't that probably means that Gordon is gone? 

Let's hope not!

12 minutes ago, rwilfong86 said:

Let's hope not!

After thinking about it some this morning, I think it is more likely that Gordon would be the opening day DH, Larnach to AAA, and Solano as the 4th bench spot.

I know we are already in spring training and getting closer to the season but this move could be pointing to a potential Larnach or Kepler trade.

14 hours ago, Otwins said:

Larnach goes to the minors if everyone is healthy, He will play everyday until needed. That leaves 13 hitters on the 26 man roster. Two catchers, Kiriloff, Polanco, Correa, Miranda, Kepler, Buxton, Gallo one of these will DH or play the field so a regular can DH - Farmer, Solano, Gordon, Taylor. Facing RH starter probably Gordon main DH

Increases our depth and gives us more flexibility to pinch hit for Kiriloff and face lefty starters and play 1B when Kiriloff is hurt. If Kiriloff is out and Twins need a lefty bat they recall Larnach.

These moves may be a reaction to the minor league we trotted out last September when we could have been in a pennant race. I think this move makes a lot of sense. 

Agreed -- this doesn't seem overly complicated. 

1. There are 17 position players on the 40-man. Take out the injured Lewis, and you're at 16. 
2. Julien hasn't had a single at bat at AAA, so you're probably at 15.
3. Celestino ought to have more time in St. Paul, so you're probably at 14. 
4. And a 13-man MLB roster.
5. Two are catchers. 
6. So, can you can promise that none from among Miranda, Kirilloff, Polanco, Correa, Farmer, Buxton, Taylor, Larnach, Gordon, Gallo, Kepler will start the season on the IL?
7. Because if one of them does go on the IL, your only remaining option is Wallner and his 57 MLB at bats. He's also a lefty-hitting corner outfielder. Somewhere, I'm thinking I heard somebody mention (maybe even on TD a time or two!) that we've got plenty of those.
8. So unless you want to call up another lefty-hitting corner outfielder (including if it's to replace an infielder!), you need another option on the 40-man roster. Adding someone to the 40-man is easy right now, since Lewis can go to the 60-day IL.
9. So you look for a reasonable option to add to the mix. I don't know much about Solano, but he seems about as good as anything else that's out there, at what is probably a pretty cheap cost. 
10. And if you get lucky enough that no one is injured, then you can still either send Larnach down to St. Paul or do a cheap DFA of Solano, but the odds of any group of 11 not having an injury are pretty slim.

6 hours ago, Brad.dahlen said:

After thinking about it some this morning, I think it is more likely that Gordon would be the opening day DH, Larnach to AAA, and Solano as the 4th bench spot.

I think that's correct. Larnach is probably the odd man out.

$2M plus $250k in incentives. I see no issue with Solano signing. If ST ends up with him not making the team no harm.

 The New York Post’s Jon Heyman reports that Solano’s deal guarantees him $2MM, with up to $250K in additional incentives available.

The question is: Better than Garlick? If Larnach is NOT going to play everday, better to have Trevor at AAA playing everyday?

Both Solano and Farmer have some familiarity with NL pitchers that could be helpful in some situations. The same may apply to the ex-Reds pitchers that are now with the Twins, & Maeda too. Since there's more games with the NL this year then knowing a little more about the NL opponents can't hurt.

6 hours ago, lecroy24fan said:

$2M plus $250k in incentives. I see no issue with Solano signing. If ST ends up with him not making the team no harm.

I don't see them eating $2M after he spends a month with the team, the plan seems to be that he will be a bench bat.

Nice quote from Solano that several teams were interested and he chose the Twins on reputation. Hopefully that reputation continues to grow with higher level FAs as well!