Recently I was on Twins Daily’s Offseason Live with John Bonnes and Ted Schwerzler and discussed the Minnesota Twins payroll outlook for 2021. Most years it has been relatively easy to make an estimation on the team’s payroll but a year of COVID-19 has made it anything but easy.
While having payroll conversations, it became a quick reality that if the Twins need to at all cut payroll from a 2020 payroll just shy of 140 million, the dollars will be spent quickly. As that realization hit, I began to form my own list of priorities for the Twins this offseason and wanted to share those thoughts here.
Find a 4th/5th Starter
While the Twins farm system is better stocked with high level arms than in previous eras, it would seem foolish to go into 2021 assuming they would be ready to perform on a World Series contending team. With two starting rotation spots open next to Jose Berrios, Kenta Maeda, and Michael Pineda, the Twins need to sign another starter.
That would leave a spot still open to someone like Randy Dobnak to fill for the duration of the season. Everyone is going to clamor for Trevor Bauer. While that would be great he will almost definitely cost too much for the Twins this offseason. If the Twins can bring in a starter somewhere in the $8-12 million range that would help raise the talent level of that group which will be important moving into 2021. A trade is also very possible here!
Utility player with the ability to play shortstop
I recently wrote in more detail about this move over at Twins Daily. With both Marwin Gonzalez and Ehire Adrianza hitting free agency, this will be an important role to fill. Especially with the injury question marks surrounding both Jorge Polanco and Josh Donaldson.
I am on board with Adrianza returning to the Twins because of his ability to play shortstop. Other possibilities if they become available would be the likes of Kike Hernandez, Jurickson Profar, and Jose Iglesias. An even more drastic shuffling of the deck would be trying to supplant Polanco as the starting shortstop and move him into a utility role.
I really doubt that the Twins would move Polanco into a utility role unless Royce Lewis is ready to make the jump to the big leagues. Today I think the most likely scenario for the Twins would be to make Travis Blankenhorn one of the utility players and then either resign Adrianza or trade for a somewhat blocked player on another roster.
A trade scenario could be someone like Mason McCoy who finds himself somewhat blocked on the Baltimore Orioles organizational depth chart. He has made it to Triple-A but has two shortstop considered bigger prospects than him ahead of him in the organization. McCoy likely lacks the MLB experience the Twins may want if they bring someone in from outside the organization, but the situation fits the sort of player the Twins could pursue.
Bullpen arm, preferably with some power.
The Twins will be watching Trevor May, Tyler Clippard, and potentially Sergio Romo hit the free agent market. The Twins should try and bring in one more bullpen arm and preferably a power arm like May.
If the Twins tender Matt Wisler and Caleb Thielbar in theory they will have an arm like Romo’s. That in mind gives freedom to the Twins to let Romo walk and not pick up his option. Bringing May back may be the most ideal, but if he gets too expensive there will be other routes to bolster the pen.
Re-sign Nelson Cruz
To be clear, I really want Cruz back in a Twins uniform. As the money slips away from the payroll it simply becomes hard to commit to. The Twins are also in theory much better prepared to replace a DH bat with Alex Kirilloff and Brent Rooker getting the MLB experience they did this season then they are to replace a spot in the rotation.
Cruz was the steadying force in the lineup for much of the 2020 season. The reality is, even with Cruz, if the other Twins core players like Donaldson, Max Kepler, Byron Buxton, Polanco, etc don’t perform the team isn’t going to win the World Series anyways. This team will go as that core goes at the plate.
I don’t mention Eddie Rosario in my priorities, because I really think the approximately $10 million that will be owed to him in arbitration will cause him to be non-tendered. With Jake Cave and Lamonte Wade already on the bench, Rooker and Kirilloff ready to challenge them for a spot, and money being a prime asset it will be time to non-tender Rosario. He has been a fun and integral part of this team so it will be hard to say good-bye.
I will most definitely at a later date put together a more complete offseason blueprint, but that is the framework I will be working through. Would love to hear where you are ranking some of these moves as a priority for the Twins this offseason.
Welcome to Twinternationals! This is a space for Twins fans from different countries to read about their team in their native language. This section is run by Venezuelan Mariana Guzmán (@TwinsLatinos) and Brazilian Thiéres Rabelo (@TwinsBrasil).
Por Mariana Guzmán
¡Venezolana y fanática de los Twins!
Sí, esa es parte de mi historia. Nací y crecí en Venezuela y aunque cuando era una niña no tenia mucha noción del béisbol de Grandes Ligas, siempre supe que el béisbol era el amor de mi vida.
En mi país el béisbol es un estilo de vida pero muy pocas veces los Twins eran un tema de conversación. Los Yankees de Nueva York, Medias Blancas de Chicago, Medias Rojas de Boston, Rockies de Colorado e Indios de Cleveland fueron, quizás, los equipos mas populares durante mi niñez en Venezuela.
Todo comenzó en el 2003
La primera vez que escuche hablar de los Minnesota Twins fue en el 2003, cuando un joven venezolano de 23 años se perfilaba como una futura súper estrella del equipo de las Ciudades Gemelas. Para esa época, yo vivía enamorada de nuestro béisbol invernal y por mi cabeza pasaban los nombres de varios equipos de Grandes Ligas pero jamás el de los Twins, no hasta que Johan comenzó a brillar con ellos.
Transcurría la temporada 2003 y los diferentes medios de comunicación de mi país tenían muy presente a Johan, quien ese año fungía como relevista y en algunas ocasiones como abridor. Esa temporada, la tercera de Johan con los Twins, concluyó con record de ocho victorias y seis derrotas, y el buen sabor de boca de dejar una buena impresión con el equipo que le abrió las puertas vía Draft de Regla 5.
La temporada 2004 comenzaba y yo por primera vez escuchaba hablar de los Entrenamientos Primaverales, inmediatamente comprendí cuan importante era para Johan hacer un buen papel durante ese tiempo en Florida. Con la conclusión de los Campos Primaverales llegaba la noticia de que el nativo de Tovar, al Oeste de Venezuela, se convertiría en uno de los abridores de la rotación de Ron Gardenhire; y comenzaría así su transición de relevista a abridor. La emoción con esta noticia se regó como pólvora por toda Venezuela, el muchachito que sorprendió a muchos en el 2003, se convertiría en abridor de un equipo que podía claramente pelear por un puesto a la postemporada.
Con Johan como abridor, los dos canales de la televisión local que transmitían juegos de MLB una o dos veces por semana, hacían todo lo posible por siempre transmitir las aperturas del venezolano, y eso era para mi un alivio y disfrute. Sin embargo, mientras mas crecía mi amor por Johan y los Twins, más era la necesidad por conseguir información sobre el equipo, información en español; es ahí donde comenzaba mi sufrimiento. Si bien es cierto que Johan fue el detonante de mi fanatismo por Minnesota, también era cierto que en esos años también había un grupo de venezolanos y latinos sobresaliendo con los Twins; y eso, por supuesto, reforzó mi amor por este equipo. Y como es obvio, yo quería saber más sobre el grupo de jugadores y más sobre la historia del equipo que se estaba robado mi corazón.
Los venezolanos, Juan Rincón, Henry Blanco, Carlos Silva, Luis Rivas y Luis Rodríguez también eran parte de nuestro roster, a ellos se sumaban los talentosos Eddie Guardado, Christian Guzmán, JC Romero, por solo mencionar a algunos de los talentos latinos que vistieron la camiseta de los Twins entre el 2003-2005.
Ese año 2004 comencé a vivirme el béisbol de MLB con mucha pasión, solo hablaba de los Twins y de las maravillas que hacia Johan. Ese año, los Twins me “regalaron” un pase a la postemporada, nada mas y nada menos que ante los Yankees de Nueva York. Pasé el 2004 pegada a la TV, fue la primera vez en mi vida que no esperaba con tantas ansias el béisbol invernal.
Por primera vez en mi vida sentía la emoción y presión del béisbol de octubre. Con la clasificación de los Twins llegó la Serie Divisional ante los Yankees. Vivir esa serie estando en Venezuela, era básicamente vivirla sola, muy pocos ligaban a los muchachos de Gardenhire. Era yo contra el mundo; y sí, suena dramático pero así lo sentí en su momento.
El sueño de mi primer “October Baseball” se esfumó rápidamente. La única victoria que Minnesota conquisto en esa serie ante Nueva York lo hizo con Johan en la lomita en el primer juego. Santana lanzó siete solidas entradas en blanco, Juan Rincón y Joe Nathan se encargaron de preservar el triunfo. Una carrera impulsada por Jacques Jones en el tercer tramo y un jonrón solitario de Shannon Stewart, dieron el aporte ofensivo que necesitó Johan para ganar su primer y único juego en octubre. Pero aunque Minnesota sucumbió ante los Yankees, lo mejor para Johan estaba esperando por él durante el off-season del 2004.
11 de Noviembre de 2004
La fecha que le regalo una nueva hazaña al béisbol venezolano
Jamás voy a olvidar la tarde del jueves, 11 de noviembre de 2004. Había salido del colegio y me fui a un Cybercafe a esperar los resultados del Cy Young 2004. No se cuantas horas pasé sentada frente a la computadora esa tarde, no se cuantas llamadas recibí de mi mama pidiéndome que me fuera a casa. Era como que todo en mi se había paralizado y solo esperaba que las Grandes Ligas emitieran el resultado. Caía la tarde en Venezuela y con ella llegaba la noticia, “Johan Santana es el ganador unánime del Premio Cy Young 2004”.
El 2004 catapultó a Johan como una figura histórica del béisbol venezolano y me catapultó a mi como fanática de los Twins. Una histórica actuación de Johan ese año (record de 20-6 y 2.61 de EFE), lo hizo merecedor del Premio Cy Young al Mejor Lanzador de la Liga Americana, convirtiéndose así en el primer venezolano en recibir dicho galardón y en apenas el séptimo lanzador en ganar el premio de manera unánime.
Todos en Venezuela estábamos seguros de que Johan ganaría; pero cuando la noticia ya era oficial, la explosión de emociones se disparo por todo el país. Mientras la nación celebraba la histórica hazaña, yo, aún perpleja, lloraba de emoción y felicidad. Me tomo unos minutos calmarme y salir de ahí a celebrar como todos lo estaban haciendo. Esa tarde se escucharon las cornetas de los autos como medio de celebración, desde esa noche y por muchos otros días, nadie paraba de hablar de Johan Santana.
Ese día recibí llamadas y mensajes de texto de mis amigos, todos sabían cuanto admiraba a Johan y a los Twins, ese día hasta el menos experto en béisbol se enteró de la proeza del zurdo. Y con el reconocimiento individual de Santana, también, de alguna manera u otra, los Minnesota Twins comenzaban a ganar un poco de fama, ya no eran un equipo “fantasma” y eso me hacia muy feliz…
En una próxima entrega continuaré contándoles como se siguió alimentando mi amor por este equipo y como nació Twins Latinos. Y por supuesto, que además de mi historia, en este espacio también nos dedicaremos a realizar entrevistas y a contar la historia de cómo los Twins Latinos han conquistado el Territorio Twins.
During this year's trade deadline, a lot of Twins fans, myself included, thought it was necessary to add a clear No. 2 starting pitcher behind Jose Berrios to bolster our rotation for the playoffs and next year. Odorizzi since coming back from injury has fallen off of a cliff, Gibson and Perez have also had significant struggles, but Pineda has quietly been very good dating back to the beginning of May. While the concern that there's holes in the rotation stands, the Twins have a 1-2 punch that's rarely faltered.
Above you can see the 3 best starters of late that Twins have and 2 of the starters they were tied closely to at the deadline. Clearly Jose Berrios is the best of the bunch. Things get a little fuzzy when you look at Pineda vs Minor, but I like Pineda's control much more and his ability to hold hitters to a very low OPS, and when you add in that Minor hasn't had a quality start since June, whereas Pineda has had four in that time span, I'd gladly take Pineda. Even when it comes down to Gibby v Ray v Minor, Gibby has the best control and holds hitters to the lowest OPS of the bunch. Now I'm not saying I like Gibby in game 3 of the ALDS against Gerritt Cole, I do like Berrios in game 1 and Pineda in game 2, and well hopefully Odorizzi returns to form, but if not Gibby can hold his own for fiveish innings and then we turn it over to our upgraded bullpen.
It wasn't worth it to sell the farm on a guy that might be an improvement over what we already have as our number 3 starter, and certainly not when you hear what kind of packages these teams were hoping for in return. While it certainly would've been nice to add an arm for next year, there will be plenty of FA starters, and Berrios/Pineda/Gibby is just fine for now.
The first time I remember watching Minor League Baseball was when I was 11 years old on vacation to visit family living in Appleton, Wisconsin. At the time, the city was home to a Midwest League affiliate of the Seattle Mariners, the Appleton Foxes. That season, they had a player who went on to become one of the greatest and most hated baseball players the game has ever seen—a wiry shortstop by the name of Alex Rodriguez who would make his Major League debut at just 18 years old later that same year.
My experiences at those small stadiums, and later seeing those same guys play in the major leagues, sparked an immense interest for me in the prospects of my favorite game. When I got older, it was watching a kid younger than me being interviewed on ESPN after being drafted by the Minnesota Twins that sunk that hook in further and got me started blogging on the topic. Trevor Plouffe was his name, and since then I have always wished I had the level of skill required to get to where he was going. Instead, I settled for being a mediocre town ball player (but that was a lot of fun, too).
As a big fan of the minors, top prospects lists have always been must-read material for me during the Major League Baseball offseason. There are incredibly detailed lists everywhere, including some of the best you will find right here on this site. But because there are so many such lists, I like to take a different approach to my own and look at the prospects you might see make their Major League debut with the Twins during the upcoming season. Some of them are “top” prospects, but they’re not the only ones who can make an impact in the majors in the year ahead.
Players who made their MLB debut for the Minnesota Twins in 2017 included pitchers Justin Haley, Randy Rosario, Alan Busenitz, Aaron Slegers, Jason Wheeler, Trevor Hildenberger, Felix Jorge, John Curtiss, Nik Turley, Dietrich Enns, and Gabriel Moya. On the position player front they were joined by Mitch Garver, Niko Goodrum, and Zack Granite.
If you think that list of players seems long (especially on pitchers), you would be right. The Twins set a club record for the number of different pitchers they used in an MLB season during the 2017 campaign, and they relied on their farm system heavily in that regard.
Of that list Haley, Granite, Rosario, Hildenberger, and Goodrum were players I profiled in this column before the 2017 season started. It was a bit of an off year for me considering how long the actual list was and I only pegged those five (missing on the other nine), but in the prior year I did hit on every player that made their MLB debut with the Twins.
From that extended list of the 2017 season Garver, Hildenberger, and Moya are (currently) the locks for the 2018 opening day roster, with Granite being optioned in the final round of cuts in favor of #SireOfFortMyers Ryan LaMarre. Haley, Rosario, Wheeler, Turley, and Goodrum are no longer with the organization while Busenitz, Slegers, Jorge, Curtiss, and Enns provide a solid list of pitching depth now with major league experience ticketed for AAA.
The Minnesota Twins already have a strong young core of players in the majors, but as we saw last year a lot can happen during a 162-game season. So, who are the potential Next Minnesota Twins in 2018?
Tyler Kinley (27 years old) – RHP
The almost yearly Rule 5 draft pick, Kinley comes to Minnesota out of the Miami Marlins system. While many were perplexed that Kinley was selected when the Twins had already left several in-house prospects with similar profiles unprotected for the same draft, since then you may have heard a lot about what went into that process from the front office. There’s not much to really argue with, given the moves they’ve made and even if he’s the name you don’t know.
Kinley can hit triple-digits with his fastball, and throws a slider in the 90’s. That kind of stuff is hard to find and it impressed Twins scouts enough to select him during the Winter League season where he posted a 0.47 ERA and allowed just 5 hits in 19 innings. He also struck out 32, a rate of 15.2 K/9IP that many players would be envious of. That followed his MiLB season across the A+/AA levels where he struck out 12.2 per nine.
As you’ll often hear about with prospects of his ilk, the high K-rate does come with a high walk rate. This spring in 11IP he has struck out 12, but also issued 7 free passes. The hope would be he could be hidden at the back of the bullpen to not overexpose this flaw, and as the season goes on earn more trust with coaches. There’s also the possibility the Twins like him enough that they complete a trade with the Marlins to keep his rights and send him to the minors when any such roster move needs to be made.
LaMonte Wade (24) – OF (TD’s #14 Twins Prospect)
I have to admit, I love prospects like LaMonte Wade. He wasn’t drafted with much fanfare (9th round in 2015) and never gets talked about as having a standout tool, but just keeps getting the job done moving up the ladder. He does however happen to have one tool that isn’t part of the shed even though it’s the one that led the Moneyball revolution: plate discipline.
All Wade has ever done since he’s had a bat in his hand is get on base—not even his dad could get him out throwing pitches to him in the back yard at five years old.
Okay, that last part is made up but the first part is true and has been on display this Spring as he led the Major League team by drawing 8 free passes. Since being drafted Wade owns a career .404 on-base percentage in the minors, and he’s drawn more walks than he has struck out in each of his three professional seasons. It’s also an impressive rate at which he’s been able to coax these walks, sitting at 14.67% for his career. That’s elite territory and in a #FunWithNumbers comparison to Joe Mauer’s minor league career, you would think Mauer was a free-swinger.
For this year Wade reminds me a lot of what Zack Granite was looking at heading into last season. With Byron Buxton, Eddie Rosario, and Max Kepler’s “nothing falls but raindrops” outfield there’s not much room for him to crack the roster on his own. He also hits left-handed so platooning with Kepler wouldn’t be ideal despite his lack of platoon splits. But injuries and other things happen, and Wade will be on the MLB doorstep at AAA. I think the ceiling here is a Denard Span type hitter built through a strong on-base percentage, just as a corner outfielder instead of in center. That’s an intriguing 4th outfielder option to have in the Twins back pocket at a minimum.
Stephen Gonsalves (23) – LHP (TD’s #4 Twins Prospect)
Gonsalves has been fantastic at every level he has pitched since being signed for above slot in the 4th round of the 2013 draft. He doesn’t get as much press nationally because that success has been built around his secondary skills rather than his pure stuff, but discounting what he does bring has been a fool’s errand for MiLB hitters since turning pro.
He’ll sit in the low-90’s with his fastball and his best pitch is his changeup, but also throws a curveball, slider, and tinkers with a cutter to complete his repertoire. In 2017 he lowered his walk rate to a career best 2.5/9IP and gets above average marks from scouts for his control. He finished last year with four starts at AAA, three very good and one clunker that hampered his small-sample-size stats there and should be a big part of a stacked Rochester rotation to start the season. He’s probably not first in line for a call-up right away when a long-term need arises, but spot start duty is not out of the question as he was added to the 40-man roster this offseason.
Barring any flare-ups with shoulder issues that have been intermittent in his minor league career, I fully expect Gonsalves to pitch with Minnesota during the 2018 season. He should slot in the middle of the Twins rotation in the near future.
Fernando Romero (23) – RHP (TD’s #2 Twins Prospect)
If you’re looking for that potential “ace” in the Twins system, your best bet may be Romero. If you’ve also paid attention this Spring you probably saw plenty of that potential, as he was arguably the best Twins pitcher before being reassigned in the first round of cuts. In 8 innings across 4 appearances, Romero did not allow a hit, walked only one, and struck out 8. That performance came on the heels of a 2017 season spent entirely at AA where he posted a 3.53 ERA and struck out 120 over 125 innings. Late in the year he was shut down as he neared an innings limit and showed signs of wearing down, but that’s not atypical for a pitcher who has missed nearly two full seasons of action due to injury (Tommy John Surgery in 2014, knee surgery in 2015).
It’s this fact that makes me a bit more lukewarm on his potential with the Twins this season than most, despite his enticing stuff that includes a mid-to-high 90’s fastball. If I was making a prediction, I’d say he doesn’t start a game for them. He’s barely thrown even 300 innings in his MiLB career and his 125 from a season ago is where a starting prospect signed at his age should hope to be at already before reaching AA. What I do see happening is a return to AA to start the year due to the depth in front of him, a midseason or earlier bump to AAA, and provided he continues performing, a bump to the Minnesota bullpen as he nears an innings limit in what hopefully is a playoff push. The St. Louis Cardinals are known to have had some good success with this approach and Romero is a prime prospect for the Twins new regime to adopt this type of plan for during the 2018 season.
Nick Gordon (22) – IF (TD’s #3 Twins Prospect)
Gordon, along with the next player in this list, I am a lot more bullish on than a lot of people. That’s not just because he’s the first of two consecutive 1st round picks on this list I wrote the draft profile for on our favorite website since I began helping with our unparalleled MiLB reports (follow all our writers!!!).
While it’s well known how he struggled in the 2nd half of last season at AA, batting just .221/.304/.305 after appearing in the Future’s Game midsummer, it amazes me how quickly his first half seems to be thrown away. That’s when he hit .315/.376/.504 and was the unquestioned MVP of his team, and perhaps the Southern League. Even with that swoon he ended the year top 5 in the circuit in runs scored (3rd – 80), hits (3rd – 140), doubles (tied for 5th – 29), and triples (tied for 1st – 9). In big league camp for most of Spring Training, Gordon was also a standout performer among their prospects as he hit .417/.440/.625 with a double and two triples in 24 at-bats.
While questions remain about his long-term ability to play shortstop in the majors, I often find myself laughing at any takes that say he can’t or won’t play there for the Twins. That’s not because I think they’re incredibly right or wrong, but because this is the Minnesota Twins we’re talking about. In the past 13 seasons, 11 different players have opened the season at the position, and off the top of my head I’d argue Jorge Polanco’s 2017 may have been the best of those. There is an incredibly low bar here for a player to clear, both offensively and defensively. But don’t take that as a knock on Gordon skills, either.
I think he will hit wherever he plays, with slugging numbers that sneak up on you as he racks up doubles and triples in the place of home runs with his also sneaky speed. At just 22 years old he’s also going to keep getting stronger. As for that defense that gets questioned, if you want a comparison I think your best fit is the player you hoped would be the starter on opening day before his unfortunate suspension. Gordon won’t be any different than Polanco has been, and that’s decidedly average or slightly worse, with the remaining potential for more than that in the future.
With no other infielders on the 40-man roster besides those on the opening day roster, Gordon is suddenly very high on the organization’s depth chart. With another strong start to a season at AAA, he will likely get the call when the need arises.
Tyler Jay (23) – LHP (TD’s #19 Twins Prospect)
The second of those 1st round draft picks I wrote the draft preview for was the left-handed relief pitcher they selected in 2015, Tyler Jay.
If you peruse that link, you likely know by now that the ship has sailed on Jay’s potential as a starting pitcher, but that shouldn’t discourage you about what potential remains. I think the comparison I made to Glen Perkins is still very much valid, though perhaps now the ceiling instead of the floor as a prospect.
Transferred to a bullpen role for good before the start of last year, Jay had his season derailed in Spring Training by an injury that many initially thought would lead to thoracic outlet surgery (the same procedure Phil Hughes has yet to overcome). He would appear in two games in May with Chattanooga, then not again until August on a rehab tour at the CenturyLink Sports Complex with the MiLB season nearly over. With no surgery determined to be needed, Jay made up as much time as he could in the Arizona Fall League. Though that time was a mixed bag of results, it did provide some confidence on his health heading into the 2018 season.
Jay is likely back with Chattanooga for the start of the MiLB season, but the plan for 2018 isn’t much different than it was a year ago. If he’s performing he should be a quick mover, with the Twins bullpen very much in sight before September.
Zack Littell (22) – RHP (TD’s #11 Twins Prospect)
Littell was plucked from the Yankees with the surprising double-deal of Jaime Garcia at the trade deadline last year and could prove to be a shrewd move on the new front office’s part. Not highly regarded, Littell put himself on the prospect radar with a 2017 performance that earned him the Fan’s Choice MiLBY award for Top Starting Pitcher. That was due to his nearly unblemished 19-1 record and 2.12 ERA on the season.
Like Gonsalves, Littell gets by more on his pitchability than his pure stuff which limits his upside to a mid-rotation starter at this point, but over the past 2 seasons he has maintained a sub 3.00 ERA at each stop on his journey and his consistency start-to-start stands out. As one of the youngest starters in AA last season, his performance becomes even more impressive. Due to the depth in front of him he’s likely to spend at least a half-season back at AA but could be one of the first moves up when that depth is put to work.
Although he’s only been in the organization for less than a season’s worth of baseball, Brent Rooker is the prospect I’m most interested to follow this season. After winning the Triple Crown in the SEC with the Mississippi State Bulldogs and being drafted by the Twins with the 35th overall pick, Rooker got his pro career started with a bang—18 of them to be exact. Those 18 home runs in 62 games after being drafted was the most by a Twins prospect in his draft year since 1990 and it’s hard to ignore his approach, preparation, and dedication to the art of hitting.
Though his defensive position is undefined at this point he will get plenty of opportunity in the outfield, at first base, and as a designated hitter. As he puts it himself in a great Q & A courtesy of MLB.com’s Jonathan Mayo, “I'll play left field, first base, right field, I'll DH. Whatever gets me in the lineup and allows my bat to contribute as quickly as possible.” You also have to love the confidence.
I think Rooker is going to mash for the Twins for a long time. In terms of this article it’s just a matter of how quick his bat can get him there. With his experience in the SEC and the advanced plan and preparation he brings to the plate every at-bat, I think that could be late in 2018. That becomes even more likely if he starts the year with the Chattanooga Lookouts.
Other Names To Keep An Eye On:
Lewis Thorpe (22) – LHP (TD’s #12 Twins Prospect): Thorpe has missed a full two seasons of action, but returned in 2017 to log 77 innings with Fort Myers and also made one start with Chattanooga. Added to the 40-man roster in the offseason, Thorpe should start back in AA. If he looks anything like when I interviewed him with Cedar Rapids, he could be knocking on the MLB door late in the year.
Jake Reed (25) – RHP: Reed has made good impressions in Spring Training for a few years now, but his 2017 season was delayed by a shoulder injury that hampered his MLB debut plans. He allowed one run (on a HR) in 6 innings with 4 walks and 8 K’s this Spring in MLB camp. He’ll be a big part of Rochester’s bullpen to start the 2018 season, a phone call away.
Mason Melotakis (26) – LHP: A left-handed bullpen arm that will be in AAA to begin the year. Melotakis was a 40-man roster add last year, but as reports of a diminished velocity surfaced he was removed during the season and cleared waivers. Whether or not he can throw a mid-90’s fastball anymore won’t be a problem if he can continue to post numbers like he has at AA.
Kohl Stewart (23) – RHP: A lot has been made of Stewart’s lack of strikeouts since being drafted with the 4th overall pick in the 2013 draft. When you read scouting reports on him though, there’s still a lot to like. My favorite is the idea he doesn’t get hit hard, as evidenced by the fact he’s only allowed 17 home runs in 462 career innings (a rate of 0.33/9IP). If he finds a way to pile up some more K’s, Stewart could put himself back on the map as a prospect as he’s still just 23 years old. He should be in the Chattanooga rotation again to start his 2018 campaign looking to do just that.
Jake Cave (25) – OF: Acquired from the Yankees on March 17th, Cave is another option to serve as a 4th outfielder with the Twins during the season. He had a breakout year of sorts during 2017, batting .305/.351/.542 with 20 home runs at the AA and AAA levels. Unlike LaMonte Wade above, Cave is on the 40-man roster so it could be easier to add him to the MLB roster if a need arises.
Nick Anderson (27) – RHP: The Twins signed Anderson before the 2015 season after he had spent a few years in the independent leagues. Since then, he may be the most impressive reliever the Twins have had in the system as far as results go. In 2017 with Fort Myers and Chattanooga he posted a 1.00 ERA in 54 innings while notching 11 saves. He may not be considered a prospect due to his age (turns 28 in July) but numbers force the promotion issue sometimes, and that’s what Anderson has produced. He’s also #OneOfUs, as he went to high school in Brainerd, MN.
Minor League Depth:
Willians Astudillo (26) – C, Zack Jones (27) – RHP, Andrew Vasquez (24) – LHP, D.J. Baxendale (27) – RHP, Ryan Eades (26) – RHP
These are the guys I think have the best chance to make their MLB debut in 2018, but as evidenced by last season’s roster turnover there’s likely a few I’ve missed. If you think I overlooked anyone, state your case in the comments! Hopefully when anybody does make their debut, they can emulate the results of Trevor Hildenberger last year!
. The Best Team Money Can Buy covers baseball’s most polarizing and entertaining team in recent years without newspaper reporting deadlines. “How does the [The Best Team Money Can Buy] compare to Moneyball?” The Duluth Public Librarian asked me after I checked out the new book by former ESPN reporter Molly Knight. I explained my excitement. “Basical, this book is about baseball, but you do not have to be a fan to understand it. From what I have read in some of the reviews, it's extremely behind the scenes of the Los Angeles Dodgers as they transition from a bankrupt owner in the midst of a divorce to a team with a 200 million dollar payroll and 2 billion dollar cable TV contract” http://sabrmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/imgres-1.jpg
Knight covered, then Dodger owner Frank McCourt divorce for ESPN and in the first chapter uncovers the nooks and crannies of the Dodger auction. For example, Frank McCourt’s chess moves, including filing for bankruptcy, selling the team within the “Country Club MLB owners” and to the current owners. The Guggenheim Group owns the team today and is faced by Los Angeles Laker Legend Magic Johnson and run by experienced Major League Baseball Executive Stan Kasten. Also, later in the book, Knight uses her sources on the transition from long-time General Manager Ned Colletti to Sabermetric friendly and long-time Tampa Ray’s General Manager Andrew Friedman. In the Best Team Money Can Buy, Molly Knight was not present for such closed door meetings, but she had the sources , as many writers today do, to get into them. She was also allowed extensive one-on-one interviews with Dodgers players. In Moneyball, Author Michael Lewis was present or recorded every meeting in and outside of the Oakland A’s front Office. In fact, this book reminds me of Moneyball in several Ways. Both Writers had experience from other industries that translated well into their current books. Prospective. Molly Knight’s main career objective was not to write this book. She was on the premed track at Stanford University before she realized it was not for her. She moved to the other side of the country to New York, where she bartended in the night and wrote during the day. Michael Lewis earned a degree in Art History from Princeton and worked with a New York Art dealer before completing his MA from the London School of Economics. With Lewis, I was able to visualize Oakland A’s General Manager Billy Beane pumping his fist in the air while another MLB team drafts an overvalued high school Pitcher. With Knight, I can see Zach Grienke standing up in a players only meeting and declaring “all players are not flushing after taking a 'number two' in the Men’s Locker Room”. Both Lewis and Knight explain how and why each person into each organization arrived and how they fit in the strategically into the marathon regular season and crapshoot postseason. Due to the smaller sample size of games, the baseball playoff's explains the regular season triumphs of the Oakland A's and LA Dodgers without a world series title. Lewis profiles Scott Hateberg as he transitions from washed up back up catcher with the Boston Red Sox to starting first basemen for the Oakland while batting .280/.374/.433. Knight shows how a struggling player, Zach Grienke, overcomes his social anxiety, finds his personality, and overcomes his whispers to win the American League Cy Young Award. While Reading this book, readers should feel the excitement as the Dodgers or Athletics win.
I would put The Best Team Money Can Buy up there with other baseball literature classics Moneyball, Luckiest Man: the Life and Death of Lou Gehrig, Lords of the Realm by Jon Helyar and Babe by Robert Creamer. All of these classics are available at your public library. But what most taxpayers are unaware is the public library can order new books for patrons. This helps with updating the collection and of course with circulation. The Duluth Library ordered the book for me and I will proudly return it for the next patron.
