Trading Jamey Carroll

Jamey Carroll had
537 plate appearances
is 137 games last
year, but just over
200 PA this season.

The Twins did themselves and Jamey Carroll a favor Sunday by sending him to Kansas City in a waiver-wire deal.

Carroll benefits by landing on a team that has legitimate playoff hopes. I don't think the Royals are going to make the playoffs, but they're in the running. Miguel Tejada, who rather surprisingly has emerged as the second baseman in K.C., just went on the disabled list, and the Royals obviously didn't care for the second basemen they were using before they got Tejada. So Carroll is likely to get some serious playing time for a couple of weeks at least.

The Twins are to get a player to be named or cash. If it's a player, it's likely to be a nonprospect. The benefit isn't so much who the Twins get as opening a roster spot, and a bit of playing time, for somebody already in the organization.

Carroll is 39, and he hasn't played a significant role on the field for the Twins. He wasn't likely to be back in 2014 regardless of where he finishes this season. The Twins will merely move into their no-Carroll future a few weeks early.

And maybe a few days before they were truly ready.

It's unclear how the Twins will use the vacated roster space. They could bring back Eduardo Escobar and replace a utility infielder with a utility infielder, although they might do well to get a legitimate outfielder on the roster.

With Josh Willingham limited to DH duties by his post-surgical knee (not that he was a gazelle in the field before the injury), the Twins have just two true outfielders, Clete Thomas and Oswaldo Arcia, and Arcia isn't a defensive whiz either. Chris Collabello, a first baseman, has been getting considerable time in right field, which is not a plus for the pitching staff. The other outfield alternative, Chris Herrmann, is supposed to be primarily a catcher, although he's said to be a good defensive corner outfielder. (His bat plays better at a premium defensive position.)

At some point — and that point may not be here yet — some guys are going to start coming off the disabled list. Ryan Doumit, on the concussion DL, is to be examined today; the thought appears to be that he might be cleared to come off the disabled list when his seven day minimum stay is up Thursday. Darin Mastroianni, on the shelf since early April, is on a rehab assignment. So is Wilkin Ramirez.

The Twins used Doumit's spot to bring back Willingham. They can't — yet — use Carroll's to bring back Doumit; he can't return until Thursday. I'm not sure Mastroianni or Ramirez are ready yet.