Ted Schwerzler

The 2017 Major League Baseball season has been one that's proven incredibly tough to read for the Minnesota Twins. After pacing the division for much of the first half, there's been multiple times in which the club looks to have lost all hope. As the summer draws to a close however, they've hung around, and it's been in large part to a handful of key pieces getting hot. Coming off a franchise worst 103 losses, there should have been a massive expectation that this Twins would rebound. While they weren't a team destined for the Postseason, 2015 and 16 highlighted the volatility of young players. After surpassing expectations two years ago, virtually the same group failed them mightily last year. Once again on the upswing, this group is probably much closer to a settling in point. The veterans in the lineup are doing their part to keep a good thing going. Chief among them, Brian Dozier, is once again experiencing his patented August surge. Recently written about at Twins Daily, Dozier has consistently turn in a strong month to round of the summer. Now through 12 games, he has six home runs and a .340/.375/.736 slash line. Dating back to July 14, the Twins second basemen has posted a .982 OPS, and is once again trending towards a strong finish. On a much smaller scale, Joe Mauer has always experience a slump and a streak in August. After starting slow, he turned series against the Brewers and Tigers into a .321/.387/.464 slash line that has brought his batting average back up to .279. While he's no longer going to contend for batting titles, he's remained an asset against right-handed pitching, and is contributing at the best time possible. Looking at youth, the continued emergence of Eddie Rosario has been a sight to behold. While you could consider him a bad ball hitter, the reality is more that he simply chases balls that he has no business swinging at. Arguably his greatest knock as a pro remains his plate discipline, and the amount of time he spends expanding the strike zone. As the months have gone on in 2017 however, he's continued to dial that reality back, and leads Minnesota in batting average because of it. Now experiencing career best chase rates and swinging strike marks over the past two months, Eddie Rosario owns a .333/.376/.581 line since July 1st, and has put forth a 1.143 OPS in the month of August. In dialing back his approach, he's become arguably the Twins best hitter, and one that hits for both power and contact. Despite the defensive dip this season, he's been incredible at the plate. On a lesser scale, Byron Buxton is again rounding into form. Since July 4th (and with a DL stint in between), Buxton owns a .371/.420/.500 line across 19 games. Dating way back to May 9, Buxton has played in 71 games for the Twins and has posted a .258/.322/.355 OPS, While that isn't going to do much offensively, combined with his Gold Glove ability in center, that makes him an incredible asset. Whether he continues to shape into a player reflective of the smaller or larger sample size remains to be seen, but the promise is still through the roof. Unfortunately, players like Miguel Sano and Max Kepler haven't yet hopped on the streaking bandwagon. While each has seen their struggles down the stretch, the hope would be that each has a nice burst left to finish the year. It's absolutely promising however, to see such an offensive contribution from so many different parts of the lineup. At the end of the day, the Twins probably still aren't a Postseason team in 2017. What the stretch run is showing us however, is that the expectation for 2018 should be a Postseason berth. Given the landscape of the division, and the emergence of this group, things are trending in the Twins favor. No matter what happens the rest of the way, Minnesota is on a better pace than the 2015 squad, and is going to play some really exciting baseball right up until the dust settles. For more from Off The Baggy, click here. Follow @tlschwerz

It’s August and the Minnesota Twins find themselves in the thick of the wild card hunt. While the deck is stacked against them making any real noise for a postseason run, there are plenty of fun narratives to watch down the stretch. As this team continues to mature and grow as a whole, the youth on the roster will continue to impress. In August though, the stage becomes Brian Dozier’s.To appreciate what may lie ahead, we must first look back at what was. In 2016, nothing went right for the Twins except for the power bat of Dozier. In launching 42 long balls on the year, he posted an incredible twenty-nine game August. With hits in all but three of those contests, he owned a .302/.358/.714 slash line with nine doubles, two triples and 13 home runs. By far, it was his best month of the season. Last year on July 31, Dozier owned a 34.7% hard hit rate, an 18.4% HR/FB mark, and was making contact 79% of the time. In August, those numbers swelled to a 47% hard hit rate and a 29.5% HR/FB ratio despite a contact dip to 76.7%. Having already put together solid numbers, Dozier took things to another level. In 2017, we may well be experiencing the same type of late summer surge. Coming into the month, Dozier owned a .767 OPS with 17 long balls. It has been a pretty standard Dozier year, and he has experienced the expected level of regression. The power hadn’t shown quite as much however, and his on base prowess could’ve used some work. Then the calendar turned. As of this writing, the Twins have played only eight games in the August. Across that small sample size, Dozier owns 11 hits in 33 at-bats and has posted a .333/.371/.8181 slash line. He’s gone deep five times already, and is using the right side of the field more than any other point in his career. In fact, Dozier has three opposite field home runs in 2017, despite just having four total since 2013. There are definitely some players who start slower than others and the warmth of late summer brings about (even) more juiced-baseball-like results. For Brian Dozier though, it seems like everything is amplified. Whether it is that he’s settled into a groove, or is giving the season his last bit of gusto, he’s coming off a 2016 August for the ages, and looking at repeating the performance this year. Last off-season the Twins tried to spin Dozier’s breakout year into a nice trade package, but couldn’t find any worthy takers. Now, it would stand to reason that Dozier makes sense as a piece for Minnesota’s next postseason run, and that should commence as soon as 2018. Rather than dive into what exactly may have been at play in the early months, it’s fun to just gaze at the greatness that is Dozier in August. When the dust settles on the summer’s final month, Twins fans will again hope that their second baseman will put numbers up in the Killebrew realm. With a few weeks left, he may just be getting started. Click here to view the article

It’s August and the Minnesota Twins find themselves in the thick of the wild card hunt. While the deck is stacked against them making any real noise for a postseason run, there are plenty of fun narratives to watch down the stretch. As this team continues to mature and grow as a whole, the youth on the roster will continue to impress. In August though, the stage becomes Brian Dozier’s.To appreciate what may lie ahead, we must first look back at what was. In 2016, nothing went right for the Twins except for the power bat of Dozier. In launching 42 long balls on the year, he posted an incredible twenty-nine game August. With hits in all but three of those contests, he owned a .302/.358/.714 slash line with nine doubles, two triples and 13 home runs. By far, it was his best month of the season. Last year on July 31, Dozier owned a 34.7% hard hit rate, an 18.4% HR/FB mark, and was making contact 79% of the time. In August, those numbers swelled to a 47% hard hit rate and a 29.5% HR/FB ratio despite a contact dip to 76.7%. Having already put together solid numbers, Dozier took things to another level. In 2017, we may well be experiencing the same type of late summer surge. Coming into the month, Dozier owned a .767 OPS with 17 long balls. It has been a pretty standard Dozier year, and he has experienced the expected level of regression. The power hadn’t shown quite as much however, and his on base prowess could’ve used some work. Then the calendar turned. As of this writing, the Twins have played only eight games in the August. Across that small sample size, Dozier owns 11 hits in 33 at-bats and has posted a .333/.371/.8181 slash line. He’s gone deep five times already, and is using the right side of the field more than any other point in his career. In fact, Dozier has three opposite field home runs in 2017, despite just having four total since 2013. There are definitely some players who start slower than others and the warmth of late summer brings about (even) more juiced-baseball-like results. For Brian Dozier though, it seems like everything is amplified. Whether it is that he’s settled into a groove, or is giving the season his last bit of gusto, he’s coming off a 2016 August for the ages, and looking at repeating the performance this year. Last off-season the Twins tried to spin Dozier’s breakout year into a nice trade package, but couldn’t find any worthy takers. Now, it would stand to reason that Dozier makes sense as a piece for Minnesota’s next postseason run, and that should commence as soon as 2018. Rather than dive into what exactly may have been at play in the early months, it’s fun to just gaze at the greatness that is Dozier in August. When the dust settles on the summer’s final month, Twins fans will again hope that their second baseman will put numbers up in the Killebrew realm. With a few weeks left, he may just be getting started. Click here to view the article

The 2017 Minnesota Twins have been among the luckiest teams in baseball. No matter how you define luck, arguably the most indicative stat in the game is run differential. Despite being incredibly lopsided in that category, Minnesota finds themselves sitting at .500 on August 10. While it creates somewhat of a mirage for the current season, it highlights the excitement that 2018 should bring with it. Coming into 2017, Minnesota was looking to turn the page on a season that resulted in a franchise worst 103 losses. Despite not being indicative of their true talent level, the organization absolutely had to reverse course. As the development of young players has continued, they've achieved that result, and will begin 2018 with a whole new outlook. A year from now, we should be watching a team with a realistic Postseason opportunity, and there's a few reasons why. Maturation Of Youth It can't be overstated how volatile young players are at the highest level. Miguel Sano went from a rookie phenom, to a sophomore slump, to now settling in to a slugger that can play adequate defense. Max Kepler has struggled mightily against lefties, but has proven valuable, and Jorge Polanco has been forced to work through his first professional struggles. Throw in the emergence of Jose Berrios and the development of Byron Buxton, and the Twins have a nice set of building blocks. Next season, Minnesota can afford to add in pieces like Fernando Romero, Stephen Gonsalves, Mitch Garver and a host of bullpen arms with the notion that they'll be taken care of. The roster got younger and more talented at the same time, allowing the group to progress and grow together. There's little doubt that some of the next wave will take their lumps too, but the group as a whole will be better positioned for sustainability than in 2016. The Depth Of The Division We are starting to see this play out now, but to begin 2018, only the Twins and Indians will have a realistic shot at winning the AL Central. The Chicago White Sox have already gone into a full blown rebuild, and the Kansas City Royals are an offseason away from watching half of their roster walk out the door. In Detroit, the 25 man was held onto too long, has gotten old, and now will need to be pieced together. Looking at where each organization is presently, only Cleveland and Minnesota appear to have the pieces for sustained winning in the near future. Even before making offseason moves, the Twins find themselves in an enviable spot within their own division. Consider the fact that they'll play those teams most often, and the Twins could wind up with among the easiest schedules in baseball during 2018. The Front Office Makes Its Mark It's been mostly a feeling out period for Derek Falvey and Thad Levine this year, that will change over the winter. Front office personnel have already been shown the door, and the expectation should be that it will continue in the coming months. I'd be shocked if Paul Molitor is back, and there will be other coaching staff changes that likely follow. While a big league manager may not make an incredible amount of difference, over the course of 162 games, a better option can steal a few victories. Look for Falvey and Levine to bring in people ready to elevate the play of their young roster, and get the most out of them for years to come. Who is put in charge this offseason in key positions, has the potential to bear fruit well down the line. We could take a look at the opportunities outside of the organization as well, but even before that, it's apparent Minnesota has things going for them. During the winter, Minnesota will be in a position to spend and supplement internal talent for the first time in a while. They can realistically elevate their Postseason positioning by making key and timely acquisitions. Knowing that those moves can be paired with a formula already trending in the right direction; the Twins have to be looking ahead with a smile. Although the excitement of meaningful games late in the season is back during the 2017 season, it'll be a year from now that the Minnesota Twins should be discussing how their Postseason starting rotation looks. It will actually matter, because they'll have fall games to go and win. For more from Off The Baggy, click here. Follow @tlschwerz

They almost certainly should.

I'd agree that there's no reason for the current regime to promote park simply because the former one brought him in. That said, there's open 40 man spots, and you're committed to two more years of his deal. You know what you have in Vargas, and it isn't much. No reason not to see if the year at Triple-A has helped Park at all.

As the Minnesota Twins are faced with another roster shuffle, it appears Kennys Vargas is in fact on his way back to the big leagues. After Adalberto Mejia went down, Paul Molitor was faced with an open roster spot. Needing another starter in the coming days, the Twins could turn to already rostered Dillon Gee. With an opportunity to bring up another bat, it's Vargas who gets his seventh transaction, and fourth recall, of the year. While there's plenty of reason to be excited about a player that looks like the shadow of David Ortiz, the reality is that the comparisons stop there. Now 27 years old, Vargas is hardly a prospect (and was never considered a top 100 entrant even when he had prospect status), and he's done little to separate himself at the highest level. Across parts of four big league seasons, Vargas owns a .738 OPS and a 228/55 K/BB ratio. With 32 homers to his credit, he hasn't exactly excelled at launching the long ball either. In 2017, things have gotten even worse for what Minnesota may have hoped Vargas could provide. As a switch hitter, he's generally been more dangerous from the right side. Unfortunately this season, Vargas owns a .170/.231/.277 line against left handed pitchers, and just one of his eight long balls have come from that side of the dish. In 47 at bats versus lefties, he's compiled just three extra base hits, and the .507 OPS leaves an incredible amount to be desired. Quite arguably a greater source of frustration is not necessarily Vargas' struggles, but how they could be avoided. In continuing to promote him, the Twins have passed by alternative options. Mitch Garver and ByungHo Park both represent a higher ceiling addition to the big league club, despite neither of them getting a chance. The Twins roster construction has begged for a right handed power bat virtually all season, and both of the aforementioned names also profiles better in the field. Through 82 games for Triple-A Rochester, Garver owns a .909 OPS and has been an asset behind the plate. As a catcher, it could be argued that he should've replaced veteran backup Chris Gimenez some time ago. Knowing he can play first base and some outfield as well, his not being added to the big league roster is confusing at best. Garver almost certainly make the 25 man next spring, and not jump-starting his debut seems a bit foolish. Although Park is not currently on the 40 man, that's hardly an issue for the Twins. Given the club has open spots, as well as an opportunity to trim if they need to, Park should've found his way back. After missing time to start the year, he's hit well at Rochester. Since June 17, Park owns a .309/.355/.495 slash line at Triple-A. The lack of power has been odd (he has just six homers), and the swing and miss tendencies have remained poor (63/11 K/BB). That said, he's 31 and coming up on the latter half of his current deal with the Twins. Between Garver and Park, Minnesota has two avenues they could choose to push the envelope with. The former appears ready to jump in and contribute at a high level, while the latter represents more of an alternative to Vargas that has some crash and burn potential. What's somewhat frustrating however, is that Vargas represents a move that really doesn't move the needle at all. Despite realistically being a long shot for the playoffs, Minnesota is still playing meaningful games. By making the move they did, it seems Minnesota chose the lowest common denominator. If everything breaks perfectly for Kennys Vargas, he's a serviceable bench bat. When a team has opportunity to aim higher and make a bigger impact, it would seem to reason that they should. Minnesota will probably welcome one or both of Garver and Park in September, but it'll represent at least a month of missed opportunity. For more from Off The Baggy, click here. Follow @tlschwerz

Rewind back a few years and the Minnesota Twins knew who would be getting the ball in the 9th inning. For a long time, the answer was Eddie Guardado. The man nicknamed "Every Day" passed the torch to Joe Nathan, and it was then turned over to Minnesota native Glen Perkins. In recent years though, Minnesota has needed to get more creative. As they have done so though, it seems they've consistently created closers out of thin air. In 2015, Kevin Jepsen was Minnesota's answer to Perkins breaking down. Acquired from the Tampa Bay Rays, he racked up 15 saves despite having just five across 315 appearances to that point. Then again, a year later, Brandon Kintzler emerged. The long time Brewers veteran picked up his first save since minor league ball, and he would go on to run off 44 more up until July 2017. Over the course of three years, Minnesota had consistently created closers out of thin air. Should this tell us anything, it's likely that the narrative be closers are overvalued, and underutilized. The save is a statistic that places more importance on the 9th inning of a ball game, despite their being no evidence that it actually is. Sure, the game comes to a close when a team is winning after the 9th, but the game likely was decided long before that. In having a pitcher designated to get the final three outs, one of your best relievers may have missed the opportunity to get a much more important trio of outs earlier in the contest. It really doesn't matter whether or not a big league team has a "Proven Closer," and holds even less importance for a team not destined for the Postseason. That being said, the Twins appear on a path to again create an asset and this time it's in the form of Matt Belisle. The question is, are the pieces there to make it work? Unlike Kintzler before him, Belisle is not a groundball machine, and he tends to miss some bats. The former throws harder than the latter however, and they both leave something to be desired in a high leverage situation. For Belisle though, there's a few things working in his favor. During 2017, Matt Belisle has racked up strikeouts at a 7.5 K/9 clip. That mark is his best total since 2013, and the third highest total of his career. While he does induce groundballs 43% of the time, Belisle uses a low 90's fastball to generate swings and misses over 10% of the time (for just the second season of his career). He's giving up contact at a career low 78% of the time, and balls are being hit hard a respectable 27% of the time. The beginning of the season didn't go well for the 37 year-old veteran. Through his first 17.2 IP, he owned an ugly 8.66 ERA and was allowing opposing hitters to post an .833 OPS. His last 27.0 IP however have been a different story. He's posted a 1.67 ERA and opposing batters have posted just a .598 OPS. Suggesting it's been a tale of two seasons is more than fair. Down the stretch, the Twins will be on the outside of the playoffs looking in. Having been sellers at the deadline, they realize the uphill battle doesn't seem in their favor. With such an ugly run differential, regression should be expected to hit hard. However, with 52 games remaining as of August 8, the club has exactly half of those contests against teams with sub .500 records. As the summer turns into fall, Matt Belisle should be expected to get most of the Twins save opportunities. He's absolutely the veteran candidate that manager Paul Molitor falls in love with. In closing out games, Belisle is hardly a worse option than either of the previous two created closers. Whether or not anything more than a handful of saves comes out of his work in the 9th remains to be seen, but for now the Twins have again created from within. For more from Off The Baggy, click here. Follow @tlschwerz

On August 5 at Target Field, Baseball Prospectus embarked on the bowels of the stadium to have an in depth discussion with General Manager Thad Levine. Speaking on the course of the season as a whole, and the plans for what lies ahead, there were a few key indications as to what changes may be coming for the Minnesota franchise. Arguably chief among them is that the Twins will win as they fine tune their process. During the course of the conversation, Levine discussed the fact that both he and Derek Falvey didn't immediately ask to skyrocket the Twins payroll. While they are aware funds are available to them, they'll be making a conscious effort to spend wisely on the guts of the organization, to make the on field product improve. This transition began to rear its head recently, as the departures of Jack Goin (head of what amounts to analytics) and a handful of area scouts were moved on from. Levine noted that the Twins Analytics Department currently consisted of four full time employees, and that it could swell to nearly double in size a year from now. On the scouting front, he talked pregame Sunday that it was necessary to retain those let go through the draft and trade deadline, before transitioning to the future. It's in these internal areas that the Twins can carve out somewhat of a competitive advantage. Over the offseason, Minnesota will find themselves in a position to spend for the first time in nearly a decade. A team with an opportunity at a realistic playoff run, supplementing from outside makes a ton of sense. While they're almost certain to be out on big name fish like Yu Darvish, they'll land more middle ground options to help the club take the next step. In making sure those brought in both fit, and elevate the club, Minnesota will lean on those internal departments to help dissect decision making. Minnesota has already been able to employ different practices and strategies brought in by the new front office. It was noted that the Analytics Department played a very integral role in the recently completed MLB Draft. Figuring out the probability of players lasting past a certain round, to deciding what level of success a guy may have, baseball was being married from an eye test to what the numbers also suggested. It's in this strategy that Minnesota can begin to shape its future. Given the perceived volatility for players hovering in the middle ground, a more forward thinking process will hopefully give the club a higher ceiling for success. Levine and Falvey will look to employ an organization full of forward thinkers looking to squeeze out every bit of advantage the team can find. Although the dollars may not be spent on the big splash free agent, the hope would be that a commitment to spending from all angles will produce more fruit from each acquisition the club makes. Looking back at how the organization has been run for years, this is a pretty drastic deviation and something Twins fans will likely look upon with favor. There's no doubt the transition will come with some hiccups, but finding a competitive advantage for an organization that has made the middle ground home, is something you'd be hard pressed not to get behind. We've already seen some of the internal transition begin. I fully expect a new manager and a handful of other positions to experience turnover in the coming months. What will be worth monitoring, is where each player brought in can squeeze out that extra bit of success that the process will have dictated they are capable. This new regime is beginning to put their stamp on things, and in the years ahead, that should prove favorably for fans across Twins Territory. For more from Off The Baggy, click here. Follow @tlschwerz

As the summer has worn down, the Minnesota Twins have faded. What started out as a surprising season has leveled off some. While the decline has hit some players harder than others, likely no one has felt the dip more than shortstop Jorge Polanco. The question is, what’s wrong, and can he fix it?Signed as an international free agent, Polanco has been with the Twins organization through the entirety of his pro career. He cracked the top 100 prospect lists prior to 2016, and he owns a .757 minor league OPS. Although power isn’t his game, Polanco has always been a bat first player, and extra-base hits have been a byproduct of his quickness. Wondering whether his glove would stick at short became a real question going into 2017, but it’s been his bat that has failed to play. Starting out the season as a positive defensive asset, Polanco has regressed to career norms there. His arm isn’t ideal for shortstop, and it’s contributed to defensive miscues with his glove. In general, this was thought to be something worth overlooking should his bat play. With a .573 OPS on the season, Polanco has now begun to lose playing time. During his 52 game pro debut at the rookie ball level, Polanco owned just a .597 OPS. He was 16 at the time however, and the .573 mark in 79 games for the Twins this year is easily a career worst. What’s promising however is that the struggle doesn’t appear to be reflective of a complete breakdown. Aided by both speed and power, batting average on balls in play is one metric that has fallen off a cliff for Polanco. In 2017, he owns just a .240 BABIP despite posting a .328 mark a season ago. The power has actually taken a slight jump going to a 26% hard hit rate from 23.5% in 2016. While power will never be reflected in home runs for the Twins infielder, the goal will be moderately elevated line drives. That’s quite possibly the biggest explanation for the decline in BABIP, more power but fewer hits. Over his career, Polanco owns a 23.7% line drive rate, and posted a 30.3% mark a year ago. In 2017 however, that number has fallen all the way to 18.2%. In taking a dive in the line drive department, Polanco has added to his ground ball totals, or the least effective place to put the baseball. For a guy hitting the ball out of the park just 3% of the time it’s in the air, having a combined ground ball and fly ball rate of 81.8% is suboptimal. The good news is that Polanco has remained relatively consistent in other aspects of his approach. Pull rates haven’t increased significantly, and while he goes to the opposite field less often, it’s not an egregious change. He also continues to have good command of the strike zone. Polanco’s chase rate of 29.3% is actually down from 33.5% a year ago, while his 87.6% contact rate and 5.6% swinging strike rate are both career bests. (Baseball Savant) What this boils down to are two key differences between this year and last. First and foremost, the lack of positive results is easily attributed to lower success outcomes of batted balls. Polanco has watched his launch angle trend downwards in 2017, driving the ball into the ground more consistently. As evidenced in the charts from Baseball Savant, Polanco’s 2016 approach was conducive to line drives, while 2017 has been an opposite story. Second, and maybe more concerning of the two, is Polanco’s pitch recognition. In the radial charts from 2016 and 2017, we can see that this season has produced many fewer well-hit balls. Whether a result of being out on his front foot, or unable to identify what’s coming in, well-struck balls have been elusive. Given the logic that a squared up baseball is more likely to be productive, it’s in the quality of contact that the Twins shortstop has also been hampered. (Baseball Savant) Going forward, there are some takeaways to be had here. Despite being out of options, Polanco is just 24 years old. He has yet to play in a full season’s worth of big league games (157 in his career), and remains a work in progress. Going through his first true professional struggle, I’d like to see him take the bulk of the game reps the rest of the way in 2017. He isn’t going to work himself out of the issues on the bench, and he remains a very key piece of the future success the Twins should experience. For a guy who has shown an innate ability to avoid strikeouts and put the bat on the ball, his pitch recognition and eye have always been his calling card. It’s fair to question whether that may slip for an aging veteran, but it really shouldn’t be happening to a 24 year old. There’s no doubt Polanco is in a frustrating funk, but there’re very obvious areas to target for improvement. At some point down the line, a few month stretch in 2017 will likely be a blip on the radar. I’d imagine Jorge Polanco would like to make that thought a reality sooner rather than later. Click here to view the article

Thanks!

I can't imagine any of those three being removed going into 2018. Vielma may not be needed, but Palka is potentially a better bench bat than Vargas, and Rosario has trended upwards for quite some time this year.

Personally, no. But with as highly regarded as he is among some prospect lists, I'm not certain a team wouldn't take a flier as a big bench bat.

Forgot he was outrighted. I would imagine they'd just try and resign him and go with two 40 man catchers.

With the 2017 Major League Baseball trade deadline now behind us, and the end of the season not that far off in the distance, it seems a good time to take a look at the Minnesota Twins 40 man roster. While it's the 25 man collection that draws the most focus, it's the 40 man that represents where answers will come from in any given season. As the club looks to revitalize the 40 man, Derek Falvey and Thad Levine will soon be faced with some tough decisions. Recently at Twins Daily, prospect guru Seth Stohs wrote up a comprehensive piece looking at who needs to be added to the 40 man roster in November. He outlined the stipulations for 40 man additions, and broke down the situations regarding more than a handful of key names. Looking at his work, the question now becomes, who makes the cut. Despite being a few months early, here's a stab at where I see Minnesota needing to allocate roster openings to: Stephen Gonsalves- This is a no-brainer, and he should probably be added before the end of 2017, with the idea that he makes a September big league debut. He's been dominant at Double-A, and should factor into the Twins rotation next season. Jake Reed- Another guy that should have a very real shot at an August or September debut, Reed profiles well out of the Twins pen. He is a hard thrower, and the hope would be that he continue to blossom into a high leverage option for Minnesota. Zack Littell- Recently acquired from the New York Yankees in exchange for Jaime Garcia, Rob Antony all but suggested Littell was a lock in a recent interview with Darren Wolfson. Antony noted Littell was the name Minnesota targeted from New York, and sees him as an impact starter for them as early as next year. John Curtiss- Like Gonsalves and Reed before him, Curtiss is another guy that should be up with Minnesota before the end of 2017. He's been dominant as a closer this year for both Double-A Chattanooga and Triple-A Rochester. With the Twins needing a pen overhaul, it'll be some internal options that are likely called upon first. Lewin Diaz- I haven't been nearly as high on him as other outlets, failing to rank him among the top 15 Twins prospects. Diaz is just 20 though, and has continued to show power (10 HR) at Cedar Rapids this year, after a .928 OPS in the Appy League a year ago. There's too much upside to let him go unprotected, though I think it'd be a massive ask for a team to roster him at the MLB level all year in 2018. Kohl Stewart- The former 4th overall pick in 2013 hasn't fared nearly as well as the Twins would've hoped. He continues to post low ERA's, but really hasn't struck anyone out. That being said, he's been good at Double-A Chattanooga since coming back from the DL this year, and I don't think there's any way he'd go unclaimed. Lewis Thorpe- Having missed essentially two years due to Tommy John surgery and his recovery, Thorpe is still at High-A Fort Myers. He's looked good there though, and is probably more advanced than his current level would suggest. I'd imagine he'd be a stash option for a team, and the Twins will want to protect him. By my count, the Twins have seven names they'll need to figure out how to protect. I could see Aaron Slegers being added to the 40 man in 2017 for a debut, but am not sure he would need to stick. Recently acquired reliever (from the John Ryan Murphy trade) Gabriel Moya is an intriguing name, and Luke Bard is another guy that appears to be knocking on the big league door. Given that he passed through waivers unclaimed this year, I can't see the Twins making Mason Melotakis a priority, and Nick Burdi shouldn't be an option as he'll be recovering from Tommy John surgery. As things stand right now, Minnesota has 37 players on their 40 man roster. Glen Perkins will need a spot coming off the 60 day DL if he does pitch this season, but I'm not sure what's left there. Going into 2018, Minnesota will be hoping Phil Hughes can be useful as well, though that seems uncertain as well. If you're having to create room, here's a few guys that could be battling for their spots: Matt Belisle- Signed a one year deal, and while he's been better after a dismal start, I can't imagine the Twins will bring him back for a second tour. Buddy Boshers- Boshers has been solid, but isn't posting the per nines he tallied a season ago, and his FIP is ugly. This is a spot you can upgrade with a much higher ceiling player. Bartolo Colon- A fun story the rest of the way, Colon may retire at season's end. Even if he doesn't, the rotation shouldn't have him in it, and likely won't. Dillon Gee- This seems somewhat of a tossup, and I've been harsh in regards to Gee. He has never been anything above average, but if the Twins have room to keep him, you could do a whole lot worse as a spot starter. Kyle Gibson- Far from a certainty, but the Twins will need to offer Gibson an arbitration deal this winter, and they could definitely choose not to. I'd imagine that's unlikely, but the possibility exists. Nik Turley- Having had a few turns in the rotation, Turley doesn't look like a big league starter. I think his stuff can play out of the pen in shorter bursts, but if he's not given an opportunity they, you can move on. Chris Gimenez- On a one-year deal with the Twins, Mitch Garver should have taken over his position by now. Regardless, there's not much need to bring Giemenz back in 2018 when the goal will be moreso finding a lower tier depth option. Ehire Adrianza- This should sort itself out in the coming months, but the reality is that there isn't room on the 25 man for Eduardo Escobar, Ehire Adrianza, and Jorge Polanco. The former two are utility men with somewhat competing skillsets, while Polanco should be the starter of the bunch but has struggled. Adrianza seems the easiest to squeeze out in hopes of better utilizing a bench position. For more from Off The Baggy, click here. Follow @tlschwerz

I'm not of the opinion that continuing to run Bartolo Colon out there, or going with Dillon Gee, presents a better opportunity to win now or in the future than your other options. Polanco isn't going to turn it around, and get back to his career norms, by sitting on the bench. To a certain extent, selling off rental pieces suggested the Twins were aware they didn't have what it will take to compete with CLE/KC. If you want to try and push the envelope, why not go with the high upside play that benefits you down the road?

In any given year, there's some sort of an expectation as to how things should go before it gets off the ground. Despite coming off a franchise worst 103 losses in 2016, the 2017 Minnesota Twins were representative of a better team. They weren't expected to make the playoffs, but competing on a nightly basis was a fair ask. As the season wears on, your conclusion is often presented months in advance. At some point, it's wise to adjust how you finish. With the trade deadline in the rear view mirror, the Twins became sellers. Now, that term carries negative feelings, but Minnesota shipped away just two expiring assets. They dealt no one that would help them in the future, and the club got real assets in return. There's no other way to dissect it besides saying it was executed properly. Now into August though, the balance of the season takes on another form of importance. I recently opined on Twitter that if a non-playoff team isn't using August and September to set up the next season, they're doing it wrong. Your goal should always be to stay ahead of the competition. Right now, there's a handful of teams that are in the mix for the Postseason and ultimately the World Series. With Minnesota not being one of those, they should be setting forth plans for the year ahead. Given the opportunity to expand big league rosters in September, there's often the caveat that baseball becomes watered down in the final month. Teams are playing lesser players and giving their regulars time off. Entering 2018, Minnesota should be no worse than the second best team in the AL Central, and having an idea of who they can count on ahead of time sounds like a pretty good thing to bank on. With Jaime Garcia being shipped out at the deadline, Minnesota needed to replace a starting pitcher. Instead of going with a high ceiling prospect like Stephen Gonsalves or Fernando Romero, the organization will call upon veteran retread Dillon Gee. There's nothing wrong with Gee pitching in big league games, he's a capable arm. What he doesn't do however, is tell you anything you don't know about the year ahead. Both Aaron Slegers and David Hurlbut at Triple-A will feel the 40 man roster crunch over the offseason, even they could provide more insight as to future positioning than Gee. For a club that's thrown nearly 15 different starting pitchers, and is on pace to set a new club record in terms of pitcher's used, it'd sure be great for them to go with guys that could have long term value. In 2018, hurlers like Colon and Gee will still exist, and can be had with the same expectations as they are presently capable of. Having to call on a top prospect, or even a lower tier guy, early on or out of spring training without seeing them at the highest level seems suboptimal. This same principal carries over to the other aspects of the game as well. There's no denying that Jorge Polanco has taken a significant step backwards in 2017. Despite being a bat first player his whole career, he's started solid defensively, and now how dipped well below average both with his glove and at the plate. That being said, he does no good to anyone sitting on the bench. Unless the Twins are in a position right now that they believe Eduardo Escobar or Ehire Adrianza is their surefire answer at shortstop, Polanco should be getting those reps every single day. Being on the bench does no good for answers, growth, or future expectations when it comes to Polanco or the Twins. At the end of the day, the idea should be that you're always building towards something. If you aren't building towards a World Series this year, you should be putting your ducks in a row to jumpstart the season ahead. While it's still just the early stages of August, each day that passes counts as a missed opportunity for the Twins. There's a lot of question marks and possible solutions down on the farm, but the longer you wait to figure out who falls into what category, the worse off your find yourself. Going into the winter, Minnesota will have a strong core that should be supplemented with a few impact pieces to put them over the hump. If they miss out on internal options because they didn't act aggressively, that will hurt far more than whatever the final month's win/loss record sits at. Derek Falvey and Thad Levine traversed the trade landscape admirably in their first year thus far, now it's time for them to make something of what the season has left to offer. For more from Off The Baggy, click here. Follow @tlschwerz

Over the offseason, the Minnesota Twins hired a new front office duo in the form of Derek Falvey and Thad Levine. They were thrust into a situation where the roster was in flux, and the manager was appointed to them. On top of all that, they were faced with making a critical decision regarding a second basemen coming off one of the best seasons in franchise history. Fast forward to today, and trades have been the highlight that define the new tandem's baseball acumen. Prior to the 2017 season getting underway, Falvey and Levine had extensive discussions with the Los Angeles Dodgers in regards to Brian Dozier. It was a match made in heaven from a needs perspective, and LA had the assets to part with. However, as the process drew on, it was apparent the Dodgers were stuck on giving up a sole player in return, and the Twins brass held their ground. Despite putting up Harmon Killebrew like numbers a season ago, Dozier was primed for regression. He had averaged 23 homers a season from 2013-2015, and the 42 long ball output in 2016 wasn't going to cloud that. Regardless, he was still more valuable to the Twins than a one-for-one return. Jose De Leon is a nice enough prospect, but as they all are, a lottery ticket nonetheless. He had shoulder and arm issues in the past, and flipping a high level big leaguer for that level of uncertainty never made sense. In the end, Falvey and Levine did their best to have Cody Bellinger or Walker Buehler brought into the conversation. While never a possibility, you can't fault them for aiming high. When players like Brock Stewart and Willie Calhoun weren't going to be thrown in either, they smartly walked away. At the end of the day, even with his faults, Dozier would be more valuable to the Twins than a straight up return of solely De Leon. Fast forward to the 2017 Major League Baseball trade deadline and the duo was at it again. Despite no numbers suggesting Minnesota could hang with the red-hot, and frankly more talented, Cleveland Indians and Kansas City Royals, the front office took a calculated shot. Giving up next to nothing in Huascar Ynoa, Jaime Garcia was brought in to bolster a depleted rotation. In a matter of a week, the expected played itself out, and Minnesota' front office flipped the pitcher in a deal that essentially boiled down to buying two better prospects from the Yankees for roughly $5 million. Caught in the middle ground between buying and selling, the Twins dipped their toe in, allowed the scenario to play itself out, and then ended up in a better position anyways. Once they established themselves as sellers, the strong decision making continued. With no realistic place for him in the organization, the Twins getting any return for John Ryan Murphy was a win. Sure, the former regime screwed the pooch in dealing away Aaron Hicks for nothing, but Gabriel Moya is dominating Double-A and is one heck of a dart throw in exchange for a guy you can't use. While the Twins bullpen has been a mess in 2017, it always stood to reason that Brandon Kintzler had no place in it once Minnesota deemed it wasn't going anywhere. A free agent at the end of the year, he's still free to resign, and getting something back for him is a huge win. Falvey and Levine turned a guy the Twins signed on a minor league deal, and paid next to nothing in 2017 for, into a high floor/low ceiling minor league arm from the Nationals. Continuing to add to pitching depth, Minnesota did right by Kintzler and themselves. It's been less than a year thus far, but what we've seen from the front office in terms of acquisitions should be heartwarming. The Twins have a young core, and are positioned to win soon, and for an extended period of time. With savvy decision making thus far, an offseason in which it makes sense to spend and supplement is something that lies ahead of both Falvey and Levine. The rest of the way in 2017, it would be nice to see a glut of prospects make their debuts at Target Field. Starting the audition process now would go a long ways into shaping the 25 man coming out of spring training a year from now. There is the caveat that Paul Molitor may not be around a year from now, and that could influence roster decisions presently. That being said, it seems that when shaping this organization, Derek Falvey and That Levine have a plan. So far, they've shown an ability to know when to hold em, and maybe more importantly, when to fold em. For more from Off The Baggy, click here. Follow @tlschwerz

Couple things here: Promotions before September need to happen. With September baseball being watered down, it's silly to only give guys a look then. Let them compete when games still matter to teams. We'll never know how much Falvine is interjecting right now, but my thought would be that they'd allowed Molitor to run the ship and sink or swim. He's sank, and they'll have the ammunition to say thanks and bye.

Now into the final third of the 2017 Major League Baseball season, the Minnesota Twins have somewhat mapped out their destiny. Selling off short term assets, they will be positioning themselves to make a playoff run in 2018. In the first year under Derek Falvey and Thad Levine, the club was in somewhat of a feeling out period. Over the offseason, the biggest change could come in who heads up the dugout. Paul Molitor was given a one-year grace period by owner Jim Pohlad. Despite mixed results his first two seasons, Molitor was saved as Pohlad mandated that whoever take over for Terry Ryan, keep the current manager in place. Now in the last of a three-year deal, Molitor has nothing to fall back on, and management could go a different direction. When hired, Molitor was up against a group that included names such as Doug Mientkiewicz and Torey Lovullo. The other names in consideration were significantly younger than he was, and had a bit more going for them in terms of managerial experience. Molitor was a guy I backed, and thought made sense, but as we've seen, it's been a bumpy road. It's hard to go backwards and consider what could've been at this point, but the past three years lay a blueprint for Minnesota to avoid. Chief among the issues that plague Molitor are in game decision making, and his relatability to younger players, which is currently the lifeblood of the Twins future. Regarding in game decisions, Minnesota's skipper has done everything from pinch running in odd situations, to making head scratching bullpen moves. In relief, Molitor has latched onto a few guys each year, and ridden them into the ground. For 2017, that name has definitely been Taylor Rogers. Despite running an overflowing bullpen for the bulk of 2017, the same select arms have been used. There's been select games that one could point to in illustrating bad in game managing or bullpen usage, and there's also been a concerning trend of the same mistakes being made. For Molitor, it seems to boil down to a lack of experience, or an inability to best position the Twins for success. Being paired with help like Jeff Pickler this year, it's probably not something that has gone unnoticed by the men in charge. Outside of the in game decision making, there's been a confusing inability to develop youth. While not in the clubhouse or involved in any conversations, it appears from the outside that Molitor struggles with relating to the backbone of Minnesota's core. Whether it be Jorge Polanco, Miguel Sano, Byron Buxton, or some other name, Molitor has dropped the ball at times over the past three seasons. Young players have either gone underutilized or put in odd situations at times, and knowing they represent the organization's future, that's more than a little concerning. In reality, managers in baseball come in somewhere along the middle of the spectrum as far as coaches go. They maybe don't make as many impactful decisions as coaches of other sports do, but the few opportunities they get each night, can have a big influence. Employing an average or mediocre manager may not matter in the standings, but an above average or good choice can absolutely steal you a game or two. Conversely, someone below average as I would argue Molitor has been, can cost a few games over the course of a season. That hasn't mattered in recent memory for Minnesota, but a team with playoff aspirations as soon as next year should want more. As things stand right now, I'm not sure where Derek Falvey and Thad Levine may turn. I do believe they'll go elsewhere to manage the 2018 Twins, and I don't think they can be faulted for that practice. Molitor is finishing out his contract, and I can't see a scenario in which Minnesota or another organization is lined up to give him more run. Paul Molitor the player was a great one, but as a manager, the Twins will need something more a year from now. For more from Off The Baggy, click here. Follow @tlschwerz

At the end of spring training, major league baseball teams solidify their 25-man rosters. While there is always going to be discussion surrounding the choices in regard to those players, the reality is a team will always need a handful of extra contributors. For teams with strong farm systems, like the Minnesota Twins, looking down the prospect pipeline is fun. The hard part though is that front offices are always tasked with the delicate job of deciding when is exactly the right time to act.Stated hereby Seth Stohs, the Twins will be tested to “trust the system” down the stretch. Way back in November, I looked at a handful of prospects that Minnesota would be inclined to call up during the 2017 season. Of the eight names mentioned, two have been promoted, with three remaining as possible call ups. The two promoted, Trevor Hildenberger and Zack Granite, more than had to convince their way up, however. When it comes to trusting the system, players like Hildenberger, Granite and Alan Busenitz should serve as cases in point. While not all prospects see the same level of success before rising to the big leagues, each player in that trio saw a significant amount of success prior to promotion, and has continued to show value at the MLB level. In the bullpen, Hildenberger has pitched 15.1 innings to the tune of a 3.52 ERA. His delivery creates problems for big league hitters, and that’s equated to an 8.2 K/9 with just a 1.8 BB/9. He’s had a rough outing or two, but has already begun to rise in the confidence-shown-in-him department. Busenitz finds himself in a similar situation, having been sent down despite production suggesting he not be demoted. Now 9.2 IP into his 2017 MLB season, he owns a 1.86 ERA backed by a decent 2.8 BB/9. The 3.7 K/9 is a far cry from the 9.9 K/9 he owned at Triple-A, but should continue to trend upward. Both bullpen arms have shown well and Granite has followed suit in the outfield, a poor decision in Los Angeles notwithstanding. Granite now has 14 MLB games under his belt with a .327 OBP. After starting slow, he’s climbed back to a .255 average and owns an even 5/5 K/BB. He was never going to show power at the highest level, and his game has continued to be one of speed and defense. If the Twins continue down the path they are on, one of either standing pat or selling, trusting the system is something they should fully get behind. 2018 represents a realistic opportunity for the organization to compete at a playoff level, and finding out a bit more regarding internal options is hardly a bad decision. Mitch Garver is currently tearing up Triple-A Rochester. He owns a .926 OPS and has a very strong .387 OBP. Given his positional flexibility to help out not just behind the plate, he would seem an immediate upgrade over current backup Chris Gimenez. Triple-A arms like Aaron Slegers (3.35 ERA across 18 starts), Jake Reed (1.84 ERA in 14.2 IP), and Mason Melotakis (1.80 ERA in 10.0 IP) all have legitimate claims to a roster spot. Dipping down a level lower, both top pitching prospects Stephen Gonsalves and Fernando Romero could benefit from big league time this year. As the summer fades into fall, the Twins shouldn’t be packing it in, but rather competing, and doing so by figuring out who may be able to immediately help in 2018. While spring training is a nice launching pad, it’s hard to learn much against watered down competition. Playing some key players prior to September could yield strong results and help to lay the foundation for the winter acquisition season. There’s no doubt you don’t want to ruin prospects by exposing them too soon, but at the end of the day, the goal is to have them compete at the highest level. No number of stats accumulated on the farm mean anything in the long run, and there’s a group of prospects who have already shown they were ready well before their call this season. With the final third of the season fast approaching, Minnesota stands to benefit by trusting their system, and letting the development take its next step. Click here to view the article

We're well past the halfway point in the 2017 Major League Baseball season. With the Minnesota Twins now looking at both the Kansas City Royals and Cleveland Indians above them in the AL Central, growth is more the focus than the playoffs the rest of the way. Once again this season, pitching has been a problem for the Twins, and 2018 can be a tide turning moment. For the past handful of years, the Twins have found themselves in a circular state of rebuild. There's been bumps in the road however as management has made missteps in acquiring free agents, and development on the mound hasn't been what you'd have hoped. In 2018, the Twins will be looking at a division full of opportunity, and a lineup ready for a pitching staff to support. Through moves the rest of the way, and over the winter, they can blaze a new trail in the year ahead. By the end of the week, Paul Molitor's club will have run out 12 different starting pitchers in 2017. That's a high number for the season in total, and being it's only July, something the club will want to avoid a year from now. Looking for five guys to round out a playoff contender in 2018, here's who the Twins should be considering: Jose Berrios Start first and foremost with the internal options. Berrios has come into his own in 2017, and while he hasn't been consistently lights out, he's shown the ability in short bursts. Through 14 starts, Berrios has tallied a 3.76 ERA and an 8.4 K/9 to pair with a 2.7 BB/9. You'd still like to see a heightened level of command, but he's been much more good than bad. Adalberto Mejia Arguably one the greatest return in a trade for Minnesota in quite some time, Mejia has looked the part of a rotation fixture. He doesn't have a high ceiling, but at the back of the group, you could do a whole lote worse. Through 15 starts he owns a 4.10 ERA and has compiled a 7.6 K/9 to go with a 4.1 BB/9. Pitch economy is something he's struggled with this season, and he'll need to limit high counts and walks to take the next step forward. Still just 24, there's plenty of reason to believe he's capable. High-Level Free Agent For all of the hand-wringing the past few seasons in regards to not spending or acquiring talent, 2018 represents Minnesota's first true opportunity to be open for criticism. With a lineup ready to take the next step, and plenty of money coming off the books, there's zero reason not to spend and supplement from outside. Adding a big name hurler isn't going to come cheap, but there's a few sensible options out there. Thad Levine has familiarity going for him with Yu Darvish, and while 2017 hasn't been great for Jake Arrieta, the Cubs pitcher could be a good option as well. Mid-Level Free Agent If the Twins don't trade Ervin Santana, and I'd be in favor of them doing so barring a fair return, then they'll need another similar type of arm. Santana has flashed some really good stretches, and putting someone of similar ability in front of the Twins defense could produce consistent results as well. Names among this group probably include Jeremy Hellickson, Chris Tillman, Lance Lynn, Tyler Chatwood, or Alex Cobb A Fight For The Fifth Rounding out the group, Minnesota could call upon their depth. Trevor May is probably the most talented among the group, but remains a question mark in coming back from Tommy John surgery. Top prospects like Stephen Gonsalves and Fernado Romero will factor in here, and getting them exposure in 2017 seems like a good plan of action. A holdover like Kyle Gibson could make sense if the Twins bring him back as well. Entering the 2018 slate, it remains apparent that the biggest detriment to Minnesota taking the next step is on the mound. The core for a solid team is there, and the division presents opportunity. Adding from the outside and committing to go for it seems like the logical path to travel. Now let's hope something similar takes place. For more from Off The Baggy, click here. Follow @tlschwerz