Missing Pieces? Lost Minor League Players

Wow we lost a lot of guys. For me Randy Rosario hurts the most

Cleaning house.

Fans attach themselves to draft picks and have a hard time separating their dreams from their dreams. That's why you have an Executive Baseball Cadre who can make crucial decisions.

Over time, leadership gets a track record of success, or like in the Twins' recent past, failure.

Don't see how any of those ex-Twins' guys get us to the playoffs and beyond, but,  I wish to heap good luck on the lot of them. 

Compared to whom the Twins have added? No one. I was surprised to se Shaggy DFA'd, but, meh. The lineup is full, the Bull Pen is full, the staff is starting to round out (can ypu imagine a Lynn signing too?!). The 25 Man and the 40 Man are better today than they were at the end of the 2017 season. The prospect depth is also better than before the 2017 draft (in addition to the trades for Enns, Littell, Pearson, etc.)

I hope Tyler Kinley is the real deal and they don't end up sending him back to Miami. Otherwise the decision to waive all these pitchers looks bad.

This list isn't really bothering me.  It could be sour grapes, but I'm a lot happier with what has been added.

The relievers did have some promise, but they couldn't stay healthy.  

The Twins should have a strong bullpen now. Reed and Jay are still in the picture. Lujan and Hackimer could be available quicker than we think as well.  

Also, supplementing the bullpen via free agency, trades and waivers seems to work better anyway. Look at the Astros.

Goes to show the worth of minor league relievers' trade value.  Yes, some of these guys were injury prone, but got as close to the bigs as it gets.  Tough to see a hard baller like Chargois go.  He probably has the highest ceiling out of them all and did pitch in a Futures Game.  Best of luck to the lot!!!

Would love to see good things happen for Adam Brett Walker as well.  He had a tough go of it since we released him.

Correct me if I'm wrong (and I know somebody will) but if Burdi or Bard had been added before the Rule V, they couldn't be dropped during this time frame, right?  So in a way, the Twins traded Kinley for one of those guys, say Burdi, which gave them more flexibility during the free agency period as far as who they had available to drop.  Basically, they traded one iffy minor leaguer for another, but one they could get off the roster if needed.

I know we've been conditioned to think that dumping Kinley won't happen until a double digit ERA has been maintained for at least three months, but I'd like to think this version of the Twins will be a little more cutthroat then that.

 At this point, if they'd have protected Bard and Burdi, who would be on this list instead?

Burdi and Chargois. 

As the 40 man stands now there's no reason Chargois had to go, and Burdi wouldn't have even needed to be added back until the end of May. 

Cody, appreciate the post and idea. And it is probably relevant to the new FO and moves made. But in a way, it's also a bit of a tired subject. Almost like the Ortiz situation 2 decades later. (I stretch a little). Every team in baseball can claim a number of guys picked for little or nothing than turned out to be anywhere from good, quality pkayers to stars. Santana was a rule t player traded to the Twins. Believe he was traded for a pitcher, once a top draft choice, named White but can't remember for certain. Nor can I remember all the teams involved at this time. Shane Mack was a big success with the Twins, but a talented player who never found a home before. Brian Harper was a "who" before the Twins.

I know that's a short list, and somewhat dated, but there have been others who have been quality players for the Twins, just as there have been others for other teams. Even some rather well known players who previously played for the Twins and found success elsewhere are out there. Portugal is one I always remember and laugh a bit about. He had a solid, OK career. But he also bounced somewhat before finding his footing. But somehow the Twins are to blame for letting him go?

The new regime has come in, looked around, and decided to let some talented players leave believing that other options are more important, and more viable, long term. Some of the RP are a perfect example. I still believe that guys like Burdi or Chargois may get healthy one of these days, and make some kind of mark. And that will be a small thorn, to be sure. But despite stuff and potential, there also comes a time when you have to look at injury and real time on the mound and just decide you can't hold on to "maybe".

Yeah, plenty of good arms lost in the past year, but as others have noted, the health issues were the deciding factor. Can't lose any sleep over it, these things are so unpredictable. Thinking about Mark Portugal also reminded me of another pitcher who seemed to thrive after he left Minnesota: LaTroy Hawkins. Of course, he was mostly a starter during his days with the Twins, but did much better after he was used in relief.

Randy Rosario hurts the most.  I expect him to contribute this year with the Cubs.  Lefties like him aren't readily available.

The Question I have is not whether we should have dropped these players, but whether there was anything that should have been done before this to either maximize their talent - a reflection on coaching, or if there was some way to minimize their injuries.  That is a lot of injured talent and we need a medical staff that does more than react after the fact.  Maybe none of this could have been changed, but we have an awful lot invested in our players at all levels and the FO has made major changes in the coaching.  Have they done anything with the medical staff and trainers?

I'm not sure if he qualifies as a "lost minor leaguer" , but it will be interesting if Buddy Boshers can stick with and contribute to the Astros this season.  I know the new additions to the pen made him expendable, but he could find himself in a real nice new situation with the defending World Champs.

I would say Burdi and Chargois.  Such promise that got derailed by injuries.  Most of these guys have one thing in common...at age 26ish, players should be entering their prime, not still fighting for a 40-man spot.  We'll probably hear some of these names in the future...and we'll say "THAT's where _________ is now?"

I'd rather still have any of Burdi, Chargois, Bard, and possibly Rosario over Tyler Kinley at this point, so I think they miscalculated on that move in particular.

Agree 100%.  But my knowledge of MLB pitching is not up to par with Falvey, so I guess we have to trust him and Lavine.

Any chance they could trade Vargas for Chargois, Burdi or Rosario?!...lol

I would say Burdi. When not injured, he had a relievers arm and a relievers mentality, it seemed. I realize "when not injured" is a pretty large caveat, but he seemed worth the patience. This still isn't an outfit overloaded with dominant arms.

FWIW Chargois isn't hurt. When the Twins placed him on waivers the prevailing sentiment was "can't pitch from the trainer's table, the guy is always hurt...." It's true, he has dealt with injuries for a good chunk of the past few seasons, but right now isn't one of those times. MN tried to sneak him through and they got caught. IMO that's a mistake. There are others on the 40 man who are infinitely more expendable.

In the last 15 years the only drafted player the Twins ever let go with little or no major league experience to have much of a career was Evan Meek.    The best of luck to these guys, but somehow the odds seem pretty long. Bard could r be the next Bud Norris  More of a chance he could be back in Rochester

Chargois going is a disappointment. Otherwise it is probably good for these players to go elsewhere and actually get a chance. I do really want to see Vielma in the big leagues, so I hope he can get his bat to work. 

Who will I miss and blame most on organizational incompetence?

Anyone on the list who succeeds.

I'm a fan and that's what fans do. 

For a while the Twins seemed to think throwing a baseball really fast meant that a guy was destined to be a pitcher. Apparently it takes a little more than that. 

Why can't the Twins manage their drafts and minor leaguer pitchers like the Rays?