Twins Spring Training Notes: 3/7/2018

Here are my latest Twins' Spring Training notes:

• It was pitchers and catchers reporting to the minor league camp for the first cuts of the spring:  Pitchers Dietrich Enns, Felix Jorge, Zack Littell, and Lewis Thorpe and catchers Brian Navarreto and Wynston Sawyer were re-assigned to the minor league camp.   
• Sawyer had 2 singles and a walk in 5 AB, and Navarreto was hitless in 6. Jorge pitched 3 innings allowing a run and striking out 3, Enns 3-2/3 innings allowing 4 runs and striking out 1, Thopre 2-1/3 innings allowing 3 runs with no strikeouts, and Littell was impressive pitching 5 innings striking out 8 and allowing one run.  
• All of the pitchers are on the 40-man roster, neither of the catchers is. All the cut pitchers should be stretched out as starters in the minor league camp.  This leaves 53 players competing for 25 jobs, most of which are spoken for.
• Speaking of starters Ervin Santana removed his cast and will be starting physical therapy and will be looking for a late April to early May return
• Eddie Rosario has tricep tendinitis and cannot throw.  There seem to be no concerns about him being ready for the season.
• From the pitchers on the Spring roster only Fernando Romero (5 IP) and Jake Odorizzi (2-2/3 IP) have not allowed a hit
• OF Ryan LaMarre (1.342 OPS, 16 AB), 1B Brock Stassi (1.111 , 9 ), 3B Taylor Featherston (1.000, 17), and OF LaMonte Wade (1.000, 16) are the only 4 hitters with OPS equal or higher than 1.000.  None is likely to make the team; however with Robbie Grossman (.190 OPS, 17 AB) and Zach Granite (.427 OPS, 20 AB) both struggling, the two OF might have outside chances.
• AP has an interesting article on Jeff Pickler and his "protegees"

I will be making more such notes in somewhat regular intervals few times a week and daily when I am at Fort Myers. To see all the notes and coverage of the 2018 Twins' Spring Training, including live reports from Fort Myers in the second half of March, please visit here.