Thread: Tom Powers: Here's the Twins Opening Day Roster

Tom Powers: Minnesota Twins' Opening Day roster? You read it here first, again - TwinCities.com

For the most part, I agree with him, though I think there is no way Butera doesn't make the roster.

Originally Posted by John Bonnes

Tom Powers: Minnesota Twins' Opening Day roster? You read it here first, again - TwinCities.com

For the most part, I agree with him, though I think there is no way Butera doesn't make the roster.

um, why? Because he is Gardys favorite, or is there something im missing by carry a 3rd catcher, especially 1 who is a career .183 hitter?

Probably both. But I dont' have any problem with Butera getting 150 of so AB like he did last year. It's sometimes nice to have a defensive specialist on the roster when the other two catchers are everyday guys (and suspect defensively.)

Also, I'd much rather Herrmann gets more AB in the minors.

I agree that Butera will make the roster over Herrmann for no logical reason at all.

it will be interesting to see if Hicks and Gibson make the roster. The Twins philosophy on this kind of sets the whole roster. Personally I think Hicks has a good chance to make it but I think Gibson stays behind in favor of Hendriks. However Pelfrey is another wild card coming back from TJ.

I don't understand why everyone is putting Swarzak on the team. he's given the Twins 250 bad innings and hasn't looked that good in AAA. Personally I see Swarzak/Burnett/Roenicke on the potential cut list. I also see Pressly making it and possibly Robertson.

Originally Posted by John Bonnes

But I dont' have any problem with Butera getting 150 of so AB like he did last year. It's sometimes nice to have a defensive specialist on the roster when the other two catchers are everyday guys (and suspect defensively.)

Sometimes it's nice to have major league players on the major league roster, especially if they're getting 150 ab's.

I think Gibson starts the season in the pen like Atlanta did with Medlin last year. Hendriks will get the 5th spot to start with.

I hate the Roeneke pick for the pen over upside guys like Wood or Pressly. That would have been like last year, if the Twins had only one open spot and they gave it to zero potential Jeff Gray instead of hard thrower with upside Jared Burton.

pretty much agree but no doubt Butera beats out Hermann but also think that Tyler Robertson will make the pen as Gardy needs a 3rd lefty as well as a 3rd C

TR was right to not spend anymore money how could he find any players on the market that could break into this roster?

Originally Posted by John Bonnes

Probably both. But I dont' have any problem with Butera getting 150 of so AB like he did last year. It's sometimes nice to have a defensive specialist on the roster when the other two catchers are everyday guys (and suspect defensively.)

Also, I'd much rather Herrmann gets more AB in the minors.

We know at least 12 pitchers and maybe 13 pitchers break camp with the twins, so you would rather have Drew sitting on the bench, instead of an extra o.f. or middle infielder? To me and im dumber then a box of rocks, there is no way Butrea over his career is way better then Joe over his career....last year Joe struggled some , but so did the other 2. With Joe wanting 125 games behind the plate ( im guessing 90/95)
there is no reason doum,it can not handle the rest, and if we do at some point have these 2 banged up some , then fine bring him up for a few weeks. But to waste a bench spot or even a 40 man roster spot for Drew is just bad management ...

Any way you look at it - what a bench: Escobar, Carroll, Mastroianni and Herrmann (or more likely Butera). Isn't that inspiring. Zero power threat off the bench. My only hope is that Escobar doesn't make the team and we bring in at least someone who might get a pinch hit once in a moon. Mastroianni is a nice pinch runner, good on defense and a decent bench player - no problems there. Carroll will get his share of starts putting Dozier or Plouffe on the bench occasionally. Escobar and Butera are flat out not hitters, so don't count on either of them to pinch hit, and since we all know Butera's not going anywhere unless he gets injured, that leaves only the Escobar slot. I'd rather give Luke Hughes another shot.

The only thing that could be worse is if they break camp with 13 pitchers and have a 3 man bench. Egad - Butera, Carroll and Mastroianni. On second thought maybe that wouldn't be so bad, it's basically the same bench.

I've long said that I support an amendment to the United States Constitution banning Tom Powers from ever speaking or writing about baseball again. I do not believe in limiting free speech in the USA, but this is the one case where it is clear that only benefit can be derived from so doing.

Originally Posted by nicksaviking

I hate the Roeneke pick for the pen over upside guys like Wood or Pressly. That would have been like last year, if the Twins had only one open spot and they gave it to zero potential Jeff Gray instead of hard thrower with upside Jared Burton.

Agreed. Wood will make it over Roeneke.

No way Gibson comes north with the team. He's coming off of Tommy John and has never pitched a significant amount of time at AAA. The last spot in the rotation will go to Hendriks or DeVries. It'll also be Butera over Hermann. Also, Pressly has the inside track on the last spot in the pen because of his Rule V status.

Eventhough they are mostly all terrible, spring training should be fun to watch with what seems like 28 pitchers competing for 17 spots. There are so many people where you say "Gardy wouldn't part with him," or "he has to make the 25 or he's gone," or well you get the picture. They kinda backed themselves into a corner with all these pitchers when the FO will have to eat some contracts by the end.

The twins are better off corralling as many of them as they can catch and placing them in a cardboard box on the street corner with a sign that says, "free to a good home."