2018 Twins 40-Man Roster Decisions

Again depends, I might try to trade a couple of the upper level players who would probably be lost for a couple of equal types who do not have to be protected.

Who I would add after the givins:

Arranz - he may be more ready than Gordon and could give us a year or two, sometime these guys work out.

Jay would depend on if he could recover his stuff, if not he is a lost cause or just a LOOGY. 

Anderson - too good a chance he will be taken

Davis and Lujan I do not know enough about or have a feel for if they would be taken.  Would not suprise me either way and the Twins should have enough open slots to add 5 - 6 players, but some may well be left vacant for free agent signings.

This is what will make this offseason so interesting.

Rooker will probably be better than Weil so would not add him.

Wade will be added, but hope he will be traded, how many outfielders do we need, and do not rate him likely to make the club next year.

Arraez is the only position player who stands any chance of being protected. I don't really think the Twins would worry that someone is going to take Zander Wiel and keep him on the big league roster all year.

I don't know enough about the pitchers to comment. Suffice it to say, if the Twins didn't think enough of the close ones to give them a look in September, it's really unlikely they'll be protected. Some of the bigger arms or ones that are just coming back from injury (like Jay) have a chance.

I always think that this type of article makes little sense without listing the current 40-man roster so that we can get an idea of how many spots there might be. For this particular year, though, I think there are going to be a lot of changes and new additions from outside the organization.

Off-topic: Is there anything you can do so that two spaces after a period doesn't show up as zero spaces? A lot of us learned to use two spaces after a sentence, and in no way is that going away because we're commenting here. :-)

Not an exciting group demanding to be added.  Kind of goes hand and hand with the strength of the organization in the lower levels from Fort Myers and down.

I wouldn't have Wade as a given, Seth.  Like Gordon, he sure didn't hit well at AAA.  Whereas, I would add Arraez who has been amongst the leaders (batting average) at every level.

I mentioned in another article the other day that there were a dozen pitchers on the 40-man who I considered marginal.  That didn't include Santana and Belisle, who I assume will both be gone in a few days.  Remain hopeful that at least half of that dozen are either released, outrighted to Rochester, or traded to open spots for the Rule 5 adds and a few free agent signings.  

I wonder if Tyler Jay would even be up for consideration if he hadn't have been a first  round draft pick a few years  back. Doesn't seem like he's earned his way onto the 40-man roster otherwise.

Did we resolve that Roster Resource is wrong and that Graterol and Alcala are not Rule 5 eligible.

Again depends, I might try to trade a couple of the upper level players who would probably be lost for a couple of equal types who do not have to be protected.

 

I'd go the opposite route.  I don't know how many open spots there are on the 40 man, but I seem to remember discussions that there could easily be around 8 or so.  I'd look at some other teams that have a 40 man bind, and relieve them of some of the guys on their bubble.  (Assuming I remembered correctly about the Twins having lots of spots once Belisle, Gimenez, etc are released).

Arraez can flat out hit, I believe he is average to average plus on defense.  Major leagues can always use players like that.  I would like to give him a chance.  

The Twins should have 5 roster spots. givens are Anderson and Reed and Gordon. I would also consider Arraez.

After that you add by subtraction. Is Wade better than Grossman as an example.

No one else stands out as being an exceptional add that probably won’t be passed by someone in the system that doesn’t need roster protection. The greater loss to the Twins could be in the minor league portion of the draft but again the two they might lose isn’t earth shattering.

The odd guy is Quezada. Could he be a Santana-like pick that could blossom as a backend keeper for a rebuilding team looking at a guy to contribute three years out?

The Twins gave to make decisions on the starting depth. And they will have names like Granite and Slegers and Dejong not to mention Duffey or Busenitz that could be removed for free agents or signing other “better” 40-man guys released by other teams.

The other question is who besides Bard and Baxendale will walk as free agents. Is Navaretto a minor league free agent? If so that may be the only reason to add him if you can’t resign him to a minor league contract.

Thanks for the timely article, Seth. As others have said, there's a logjam for the 40-man. The FO is going to need to make some good decisions, especially with pitchers. 

A question and a comment about position players:

OF - Assume Wade is protected. Field and Granite are the same age and both on the 40-man roster. Do the Twins drop one of them? I'd lean towards keeping Granite.

Wiel and Arraez. I'm not sure they would be taken in the Rule V, but I'd hate to lose either of them. Both players manage the K zone and hit the ball. Sometimes, it's easier to teach power than to unlearn a grooved swing (like Austin). I'd like to hear opinions from those who have seen these two play in the past year. 

PS - For Wiel, HR power. For Arraez, more extra base hits.

It looks like they currently sit at 39 on the 40-man.

Assuming Gordon and Wade are givens, and adding Reed and Anderson to that list, they'd need to clear up 3 spots.

Plenty of fat on the roster that could be trimmed:

- Decline options on Morrison and Erv

- DFA Field, Grossman, Slegers, and Duffey

That would put them at 37 - assuming the 4 are added.

Once other team's castoffs and FAs start rolling in, you've got Magill, Drake, and De Jong that aren't likely to be missed.

Also wouldn't be opposed to trading Reed and/or Odo if anyone came calling on them (but they probably won't).

The unfortunate reality is that guys like Busenitz, Duffey, Curtiss, Reed, Jay, Anderson, Bard, etc. are kind of a dime a dozen.  The hope has been for 2-3 or more of those relievers to develop into guys they couldn't afford to lose.  To my untrained eye, that hasn't happened.  The list used to include Chargois, who was with the Dodgers for a bit but really has never developed into that lock down reliever.

Not a lot of room to add the fringy bubble players when there's already several bubble players on the 40. Are any of these relievers better than Busenitz, Curtiss, and Duffey?

Reed is better than 2 of them.

Who gets protected is dependent upon who gets designated.  Hildenberger, May, Reed, Rogers are not going anywhere. Busenitz, Curtis, De Jong, Drake, Duffreyl, MaGill, Moya,  Vasquez versus Reed, Anderson or Jay.  Likewise they have Gonsalves, Jorge, Romero, Slegers, Stuart and Thorpe. A few are obvious still keepers, but how many do they protect ?  Would nay team really want to keep them?

Arraez and Rortvedt are interesting calls. Arraez is a throwback type 2b On base but one at a time.  Some team will think they can teach Rortvedt to hit well enough to be backup if his defense is good. He is barely 21.  It would seem unwise to leave him available given catching talent in the league. Does a tanking team take him for future value.

According to bbref, adding those 3 puts them at 41.

Bref lists Belisle as being on the 40 man. Most would and should assume gone as Belisle was signed to a one year contract without options.