Notes, quotes and comment

The Twins announced Monday the signing of Addison Reed and the related designation for assignment of Buddy Boshers.

I think there's a pretty good chance that Boshers will pass though waivers and remain in the Twins system. He is, in my estimation, a good example of a replacement-level lefty reliever. Whether he stays or goes does not materially affect my estimation of the 2018 Twins.

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Boshers strikes me, however, as the last "easy" deletion from the 40-man roster. Let's say the Twins sign Yu Darvish, or any other free agent. Who do they drop to make room?

There are just 14 position players on the 40, and 26 pitchers; that's a ratio that suggests a pitcher. I doubt that they would ax Rule 5 pick Tyler Kinley before spring training, and there are good reasons to keep everybody else. (Although adding a hurler the caliber of Darvish is worth losing an unproven arm such as Aaron Slegers or Dietrich Enns.)

I suspect, however, that they would be able to offload Kyle Gibson and his arbitration contract fairly easily. Darvish -- or Lance Lynn, or Alex Cobb, or Jake Arrieta -- would probably make Gibson redundant, and there are certainly teams that would have room in their rotations for him. Gibson's a safer bet than some options the Twins have, but they have alternatives with higher ceilings as well.

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The Twins winter caravan hit Mankato Monday, with a handful of non-Minnesotan players getting a rough introduction to ice fishing on Madison Lake on a frigid day. Alan Buzenitz is a Georgia native, Robbie Grossman is from Houston, Jorge Polanco from the Dominican and Eduardo Escobar from Venezuela.

From the Free Press story: 

Busenitz and teammates Eduardo Escobar, Jorge Polanco and Robbie Grossman didn't know enough to dress warm. 

“It was pretty hilarious to watch those guys walking around in tennis shoes and no gloves,” said Scott Wojcik, a Miracle League board member, adding gratitude that they came out to support youth baseball.

Busenitz said he didn't realize ice fishing was on the day's itinerary and stuffed hand warmers into his tennis shoes to keep his toes from freezing off.

I find it hard to believe they were kept in the dark about the fishing expedition.