For teams that have been noncompetitive for most of the regular season, the offseason (also known as the ‘hot stove’ season, due to the frequency players change places) is the most exciting part of the year. It lets fans get an early look at how their team intends to address their shortcomings from the previous year.
Each offseason typically begins the same; teams evaluate their roster and cut loose the players they feel they can move on without. Teams will then scan the players cut from other teams, attempt to claim someone they like and then reevaluate their roster. The process repeats until the team feels they’ve churned out all of the old and have sufficiently replaced with new talent. Teams then add minor leaguers who they want to protect from the Rule 5 draft and then move on to the free agency period.
The Twins began the first phase of this process on Wednesday by announcing the removal of four players; Cole DeVries, Clete Thomas, Shairon Martis and Josh Roenicke, from the 40 man roster. Thomas, DeVries and Martis are eligible to be claimed by any team. If they are not claimed, they will be reassigned to the AAA Rochester roster. Due to his service time, Roenicke and decline the assignment and elect free agency. That would mean he was free to sign with any team of his choice.
There’s little in the way of surprises from this first batch. Cole DeVries was far too inconsistent to warrant a 40 man spot, and he’ll likely be given a minor league spring training invite and have a chance to work his way back on to the 40 man if he can perform more reliably next season (assuming, of course, he goes unclaimed).
Martis was simple filler, someone the Twins wanted to give an extended look to as the season drew to a close. He didn’t little to impress and the Twins are stocked full of arms just like Martis. He’ll be good minor league depth if he clears waivers.
Clete Thomas was rendered useless by the acquisition of Alex Presley. Presley plays the same positions as Thomas, is younger and looks to be able to hit for better average than Thomas ever could. I’d look for Thomas to be claimed by a team needing a 4th outfielder or one simply interested in a bit more outfield depth.
Roenicke caught some fans by surprise (I was not one of them) simply because at first glance his numbers seem decent. He finished the season with a 4.35 ERA (after keeping his ERA at or around 3.00-3.50 for most of the season) and his WHIP ballooned to 1.597 after a rough September. Roenicke was always an average to below average reliever – he didn’t particularly excel in any one area and once teams started to figure out his pitches, he lost what little value he provided to the ‘pen. With the plethora of bullpen arms in the Twins’ farm system, plus the usual fare of released players, the Twins will replace Roenicke (who I believe will opt for free agency) with ease.
These moves drop the Twins 40 man roster to 36 names. Of which, I think there are still 4 to 6 that will be let go (Eric Fryer, Doug Bernier, BJ Hermsen, Wilkin Ramirez and possibly Andrew Albers, Liam Hendriks). The Twins will also likely add some names from other teams’ discarded players (they’ve done well in this regard lately, adding Jared Burton, Darin Mastroianni and Clete Thomas through this method) so the 40 man will continue to take shape for the foreseeable future.
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