stringer bell

I think it should be noted how much the bullpen changed throughout 2019. For goodness sakes, the closer into May was Blake Parker and two other guys (Morin and Magill) had pretty important roles at some point in the season. Hildenberger was a key setup guy early until he performed his way out of it. Rogers became the closer (often working more than an inning) and Duffey and May claimed key roles, they added Romo for the stretch run. That is a lot of change, almost all for the better. I doubt that each reliever that breaks with the club (if there is a season) will be successful, but with the number of options on the current staff, the bullpen should be pretty good.

I don't miss the excesses of needless injuries and having players' careers shortened. I think that turning the double play has changed a lot due to the rules changes. The second baseman can stand on top of the bag without fear of being taken into short left field.

Zoilo's defense was outstanding in '65. He demonstrated outstanding range and made plays that few, if any, shortstops could make frequently. There were a lot more errors made by infielders in those days, but Versalles made up for many of those by ranging outside of the normal zone. Oliva was a great hitter in a pitcher's era. I hope he gets added to the Hall sometime.

I listened to Gleeman and the Geek today and John seemed to think that suspensions would be enforced no matter how long the season was in 2020. That would mean that Pineda's suspension would be 39 games wther the season was 120 games or 40 games. Aaron wasn't as sure. Does anyone have definitive information about suspensions? On another contract note--incentive bonuses. Would any contracts incentive bonuses be prorated? Maeda's would be Exhibit A, but many pitchers get credit for innings or starts. Some hitters get money for plate appearances.

??????I hope an option was not used.

My understanding is that service time will be prorated. We don't know how many days or games the season will be, but if, for example, it is 100 games and 110 days and a player is on the major league roster for 55 days, he will get credit for half a season, which in other years would be 86 days or so. That is what I mean by being prorated. Pineda has about 25% of a full season to serve, so I presumed that if the season were 100 games, he might only have to serve 25. Further, again using 100 games as the ultimate length of the season, a player will get credit for a full season by being on the roster for the extent of the shortened season.

Technically Lewis, Kirilloff and Larnach were not optioned. They were non-roster players in the major league camp and were reassigned to minor league camp.

I'm certainly not sure if Pineda will have to serve all of the remaining games. Perhaps, he will be liable for all of his remaining suspension. I assumed that if service time was prorated, so to would be suspensions.

MLB and the MLBPA agreed yesterday to accommodations for a shortened 2020 major league schedule. Many things are to be determined, especially since there is no firm date for the season to begin. I choose to be optimistic that there will be baseball this summer, perhaps without crowds in the stands. One thing agreed to unofficially was an expanded roster. The number that has been published is 29. I am going with that information and will now name the 29 players I expect will be on the roster for Opening Day 2020 whenever that happens. Pitchers--(15) Berríos, Maeda, Odorizzi, Bailey, Chacín, Dobnak, Wisler, May, Clippard, Stashak, Duffey, Romo, Littell, Thielbar, Rogers Catchers--(3) Garver,Avila, Astudillo Infielders--(6) Sanó, Arraez, Polanco, Donaldson, Adrianza, Gonzalez Outfielders--(4) Rosario, Buxton, Kepler, Cave Designated Hitter--(1) Cruz This would take the current roster, subtract Rich Hill and add both Thielbar and Chacín. My reasoning for this roster includes that the schedule will probably have doubleheaders and perhaps will fill some off days with games, meaning that a larger pitching staff in today's environment would be essential. I have included both Dobnak and Chacín, who have been competing for a starting spot and assume that either the Twins will go with a six-man rotation or that one of Dobnak or Chacín will be a "long man" in the bullpen. I assumed that if the staff were expanded by three that the Twins would add a lefty, even though specialists will be minimized by the three-batter rule. Having an occasional different look could be helpful. The fight for the 13th position player is over--they both win. I had thought Astudillo's ability to make contact and play many positions would win out over Cave's general competency, but with an additional position player spot available, both make the team. As for the pitching staff, it is murkier. First of all, Rich Hill has stated he could be ready to pitch in June. Suddenly, he might miss only a couple weeks or perhaps no time at all. Michael Pineda has two-thirds of his sixty game suspension to serve. I would expect that his suspension is prorated, much as service time will be prorated. If the season is 100 games, his suspension would be 25 games. There is nothing official, but that is what I will go with. I am assuming that Hill won't quite be ready when the season starts and that Pineda will have at least three weeks of suspension to serve. I think the Twins have seen enough of Chacín to want to see a bit more. He may not survive the return of Pineda and debut of Hill, but I don't think the Twins want to give up on him quite yet. Dobnak has pitched the best in exhibition games of those competing for a spot and he was outstanding last year in his brief time with the Twins. Wisler and Stashak both make the bullpen and there still is room for a lefty. I picked Thielbar over the others--Barnes, Clay and Coulumbe all had some moments, but I think Thielbar has pitched better. Hardy just had TJ surgery so he is out for 2020. I think a 29-man roster demonstrates the depth that the Twins possess. In other years, all of the players mentioned would easily make the Opening Day roster and more would have a chance. I have not added Devin Smeltzer to the 29, but believe he could be an option to pitch several doubleheader games if that happens. I don't really see him as a reliever and he has an option to use, so if he were called on to pitch as a long man, he could be shuttled to Rochester this year.

MLB and the player's union agreed on adjustments to be made in the short season. It appears that when the season starts, all teams will have a roster of 29. Service time will be prorated so however long the season goes will be counted as a full year this year. The draft has been modified and pushed back. https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2020/03/mlb-mlbpa-reach-deal.html The Twins might get almost a full season out of Rich Hill, probably a better deal than they could have expected, and it would make sense that Michael Pineda's suspension will be prorated.

The reports are that all teams will go with 29 players for the first month of the season whenever it starts. From what I've read, the number of pitchers isn't capped. The current roster has 29 player (15 pitchers) including Rich Hill. If the season were to start June 1, I presume Hill would be on the injured list and a non-roster pitcher will be added (could be one of the lefties or it could be Chacín). Both Cave and Astudillo would make the roster to start the season.

From mlbtraderumors.com, the Twins have optioned Lamonte Wade Jr. and Sean Poppen, both of whom saw time last year with the Twins. The option of Wade tells me that the health of Buxton and Gonzalez is assured so that Wade had no chance to make the club. I expect Poppen will get more chances with the Twins at some point this year.

Absolutely. I would add that I take interest in any player who can wow us on defense, so I took special interest in Daal. Also, this article shows how tough it is to project young players when they are signing at 16. You can never be sure how they will develop.

Cruz has been a great addition. I expect he will do very well again during the (most likely) much shortened 2020 season. However, he'll be 40 this year and he will occupy the DH spot in the Twins lineup as long as he is on the roster. The Twins have a whole host of young players who can fill corner outfield/first base/DH in the very near future. Having guys with the flexibility to play in the field manning the DH is preferable IMHO. Unless they get a real bargain in signing him, I think the Twins should not commit to reupping Nelson during the season.

For almost totally the opposite reasons that I think Tony-O should be in the Hall of Fame, I think Kaat belongs there too. He won over 280 games and pitched in the majors for parts of 25 seasons. He reinvented himself after being traded to the White Sox and reinvented himself again as a relief pitcher. Of all color commentators I have listened to, Kitty is my all-time favorite. He holds a fistful of Twins all-time pitching records and won something like sixteen gold gloves.

I was eleven years old in '65. Zoilo Versales was the MVP and had a career year. Much credit for Zoilo's emergence was given to new coach Billy Martin. During the World Series, I was in sixth grade and was allowed to watch the games during lunch. Instant replay was in it's infancy. I remember watching Allison's great catch and then instants later seeing the replay--the old janitor (a German immigrant) yelled "he did it again!" My recollection is that the Twins '65 group was outstanding on both sides of the ball--Grant Perry, Kaat, Pascual and Boswell formed a really good rotation. Al Worthington and Johnny Klippstein anchored the bullpen. Bench players such as Don Mincher stepped up (Killebrew was injured). things didn't connect the last half of the decade despite having Harmon and Tony-O along with Carew starting in '67.

All good choices. I think of a couple of G-Men (Gaetti and Gagne) asunderrated although they won three championships combined for the Twins. Four of the five were position players. A couple more pitchers could get consideration. Jim Perry is one that comes to mind. Kevin Tapani is another that comes to mind.

Oliva and Mauer declined while members of the Twins. In Tony-O's case, there were several years in which he kept playing and was a shadow of his former self. Between '64 and '71 his lowest OPS+ was 129 and won three batting championships. Because his career was shortened and it was a pitching-friendly era, the counting stats aren't that impressive. I was still in school when he played, and was probably impressionable, but I think he belongs in the MLB Hall of Fame.

I was at the last game before the All-Star break in 2018. The Twins were playing the Rays, fell behind and rallied. There was tension and the dugouts emptied at one point. Dozier hit a walkoff grand slam in a game that took over four hours. I thought it might springboard the club into good things in the second half of the season, but they sold and the team floundered. Still a great memory.

I've returned from Fort Myers (actually Cape Coral) intact. My last full day in the area was spent indoors after I checked out the Twins' complex and found nothing but a softball tournament going on. Later I read that everyone was sent home. It is amazing to see how rapidly things have changed. By now, "shelter in place" is pretty much going on everywhere, either suggested or mandated. In taking two and a half days to drive home, it was remarkable to see how hotels were empty and highways were not crowded on normally busy rush hours during the week. I stayed in Atlanta, near the airport, and the hotel I found had approximately 20% occupancy, when usually close to full according to the desk clerk. Finding a place to eat in was impossible, so I used drive-thrus. Now I can shelter in place. My fiancée has stocked us well. Two plus days in and I'm already antsy. At least there's plenty of entertainment to binge on. Prepare yourself folks. It will probably be June before we see baseball.

I wonder if we don’t end up with a 30-team postseason. Two team get a bye, everyone else plays.

BTW, the most recent death from COVID-19 in Florida was a 77 y.o. from Lee County (Fort Myers).

I have decided for sure to leave ASAP. Medical professionals in my family think that even if I'm asymptomatic, that I've probably been exposed. They think I should get home right away and I concur. I have an automotive issue to take care of, hopefully tomorrow, and then I'll be on the freeways heading north and west.

I’m cutting my Spring Training stay early, I think. I’ve been to the beach and played golf, but the reason I came was baseball. All of the people I was supposed to meet have canceled. I drove to the Hammond and the training site to see if any players were still working out. Not a soul. It looked like the administration parking lot was full.

Lewis played only SS this spring. I don’t think that is the track for a super-utility player. While Jorge Polanco is an asset as a shortstop, because of his bat and contract, I believe Lewis could at some time force the move of Polanco off of SS or traded. Perhaps Polanco could become a regular second baseman.