Twins have yet to field a starting roster in ST

[Doctor Gast]

35 minutes ago, PseudoSABR said:

 

WOW, that's great news for AK! Why isn't it all over the Twins website?

[Richie the Rally Goat]

45 minutes ago, Brock Beauchamp said:

Nick mentioned Polanco has a wrap on his knee so I have some concern about him. It’s also not the end of the world if he’s not in the lineup on OD.

This. Second base is the position I am least worried about, in terms of depth.

[RickOShea]

4 hours ago, Hosken Bombo Disco said:

Yes, they are.

A couple of examples, please.

[h2oface]

I am having the same feelings. I have never seen a Spring Training with so little participation from the 26 man. I know, I know, the WBC and babies being born and slow ramp up from surgeries ..... but we are hardly seeing any pitchers and position players day after day, that will actually be on the roster come opening day playing in the major league ST games. I hope they are ready. 

[h2oface]

1 hour ago, Doctor Gast said:

WOW, that's great news for AK! Why isn't it all over the Twins website?

Probably for the same reasons that batting practice doesn't get a lot of coverage.

[h2oface]

2 hours ago, sweetmusicviola16 said:

On the other hand, look at what happened to Edwin Diaz. Out for what, the year? WBC fun. Pre season and exhibition have cost a lot of players lengthy  DL stays.

The thing is, Diaz was not hurt playing baseball, but celebrating. Why these guys like to make a pile (not referring to Diaz who was just jumping around on the mound) of bodies and throw gaterade and shaving cream all over everyone has never been a shining light of intelligence. Celebration is great, but slamming heads and arms (Bellinger has never been the same since that World Series arm slam and shoulder dislocation) and the pile ups are just stupid.

[stringer bell]

15 minutes ago, h2oface said:

I am having the same feelings. I have never seen a Spring Training with so little participation from the 26 man. I know, I know, the WBC and babies being born and slow ramp up from surgeries ..... but we are hardly seeing any pitchers and position players day after day, that will actually be on the roster come opening day playing in the major league ST games. I hope they are ready. 

There's also really not much competition. Larnach, Wallner and Kirilloff (who is coming back from surgery) for the last position player spot. Quite a number looking for the last two bullpen spots--Megill, Sands, Hoffman, Ortiz, Coulombe, Dobnak, Hoffman--but the starting rotation and probably 12 of 13 position player spots are spoken for. 

Add in the slow ramp up for Polanco and Buxton and, so far, refraining from using Miranda in the field and there aren't many regulars seeing playing time 

[chpettit19]

16 minutes ago, stringer bell said:

There's also really not much competition. Larnach, Wallner and Kirilloff (who is coming back from surgery) for the last position player spot. Quite a number looking for the last two bullpen spots--Megill, Sands, Hoffman, Ortiz, Coulombe, Dobnak, Hoffman--but the starting rotation and probably 12 of 13 position player spots are spoken for. 

Add in the slow ramp up for Polanco and Buxton and, so far, refraining from using Miranda in the field and there aren't many regulars seeing playing time 

I'd add that not only is there little competition for spots, but the spots are mostly filled by veterans. Correa, Farmer, Solano, Buxton, Polanco, Kepler, Gallo, etc. know what they need to do to be ready for the season. They're in constant contact with the coaching staff and tell them if they need more ABs or fewer or what. Same with the pitching staff. The possible regulars we are seeing a lot of are guys like Jeffers, Miranda, and Gordon. The young guys who don't know their bodies, swings, etc. as much and need a little more work to help ensure they're ready.

[cHawk]

Show me one example of a team fielding all of their starters in a single spring training game. You'll have a difficult time finding it.

[h2oface]

9 hours ago, Hosken Bombo Disco said:

Also, here was the Yankees lineup, March 16:

• 2B LeMahieu
• LF Judge
• 1B Rizzo
• DH Stanton
• 3B Donaldson
• CF Cabrera
• SS Peraza
• RF Ortega
• C Narvaez 

@tony&rodney @chpettit19

It certainly is a good share... six or maybe 7, eh? I think that was your point. An example of a team playing starters that are getting ready for opening day, on the field and in games. The Twins certainly are playing very few, and it is not what they have done in the past. I hope they are ready. I think that is the main point, too. I hope I didn't use a wrong word here to make my point.

[Schmoeman5]

3 hours ago, h2oface said:

The thing is, Diaz was not hurt playing baseball, but celebrating. Why these guys like to make a pile (not referring to Diaz who was just jumping around on the mound) of bodies and throw gaterade and shaving cream all over everyone has never been a shining light of intelligence. Celebration is great, but slamming heads and arms (Bellinger has never been the same since that World Series arm slam and shoulder dislocation) and the pile ups are just stupid.

Well Altuve just went out after being hbp on his hand in the WBC. As much as I dislike the Astros I hope it's not serious. Injuries can happen any time.

[h2oface]

3 minutes ago, Schmoeman5 said:

Well Altuve just went out after being hbp on his hand in the WBC. As much as I dislike the Astros I hope it's not serious. Injuries can happen any time.

Yup. Couldn't have happened to a more..........   short guy. 

It sure would be nice if this USA team had more pitchers that stepped up. It is awful thin of American stud pitchers. Bard was totally out of control, and DeRosa just watched.

[Parfigliano]

3 hours ago, h2oface said:

I am having the same feelings. I have never seen a Spring Training with so little participation from the 26 man. I know, I know, the WBC and babies being born and slow ramp up from surgeries ..... but we are hardly seeing any pitchers and position players day after day, that will actually be on the roster come opening day playing in the major league ST games. I hope they are ready. 

Mahle pitched yesterday.  Sanchez today

[Schmoeman5]

1 hour ago, h2oface said:

Yup. Couldn't have happened to a more..........   short guy. 

It sure would be nice if this USA team had more pitchers that stepped up. It is awful thin of American stud pitchers. Bard was totally out of control, and DeRosa just watched.

Haha, yeah I agree. Could you imagine a Twins pitcher having an inning like Bard did, and Baldelli not making a move? Twins Daily would implode. 

[JD-TWINS]

Topic was supposed to be fielding Roster not a starting line-up - right?

Who are the guys??

Looks like Kiriloff has to be assumed OK if he’s in a game with 2 weeks to go……..assuming Polanco will be in as well. Buxton seems fine after his off-season.

26 man:

Kiriloff - Solano - Polanco - Farmer - CC - Miranda

(Solano has to be good in April to stick!)

(Larnach takes AK’s spot if he’s not ready)

Vazquez - Jeffers

Gallo - Gordon - Buxton - Kepler - Taylor

Starting 5

Pen’s last couple spots are up in the air

Odd men out……Larnach & Ober…..AGREED??

[FlyingFinn]

10 hours ago, h2oface said:

Bard was totally out of control, and DeRosa just watched.

Combine strict rules (on pitch counts and adhering to work rules/guidelines from teams) with a thin staff, and these managers kind of have their hands tied at times

[MABB1959]

Seeing the team and their stars playing is what gets us regular fans excited for the season!  Nothing so far to get excited for.  I would think this helps with ticket sales.  I know they are trying to protect their investment in Buxton but IMO, no spring training games, extra days off during the season and having him DH a couple days a week takes away from his value overall.   I think fans want to see a consistent lineup ON the field for the season.   Buxton is amazing to watch in the field!  So exciting to see him run when he get on base.  I don’t think he wants extra days off and wants to be on the field.  That’s the Buxton we love.   

[stringer bell]

6 minutes ago, MABB1959 said:

Seeing the team and their stars playing is what gets us regular fans excited for the season!  Nothing so far to get excited for.  I would think this helps with ticket sales.  I know they are trying to protect their investment in Buxton but IMO, no spring training games, extra days off during the season and having him DH a couple days a week takes away from his value overall.   I think fans want to see a consistent lineup ON the field for the season.   Buxton is amazing to watch in the field!  So exciting to see him run when he get on base.  I don’t think he wants extra days off and wants to be on the field.  That’s the Buxton we love.   

I agree with most of what you have said. I also think it is prudent to limit Buxton during spring training. What I do not necessarily agree with is that there will again be a plan to give Buck frequent days off and DH him often (more than anyone else). As you stated, it is great to watch him run in the outfield and on the bases, IMHO it remains to be seen how much time he'll have off and whether he is the DH as often as last year.

In 2022, the Twins tried to get Buxton through the season with a damaged knee that required surgery after his season was over. He has presumably healed from the surgery and it shouldn't be a significant impediment going forward. We all are aware of Buxton's long and varied injury history and that history dictates that the team should be careful with their most dynamic asset. I just don't think it guarantees that he'll only be in the outfield half the time.

[stringer bell]

19 hours ago, sweetmusicviola16 said:

On the other hand, look at what happened to Edwin Diaz. Out for what, the year? WBC fun. Pre season and exhibition have cost a lot of players lengthy  DL stays.

I haven't heard official word, but there's a possibility that Altuve will miss time with an injury after wildman Daniel Bard hit him on the hand.

[Bodie]

20 hours ago, stringer bell said:

Exciting to hear that AK is playing in a game. 

Move over March Madness, Twins (spring training) baseball is on!!!

[Mike Sixel]

22 hours ago, wsnydes said:

Sure is a lot of angst around here.  It's only March, lots of baseball left!  Pace yourselves!

Mostly from a handful of people in every thread. I'm actually impressed with the positivity this year on the board.

I can't imagine thinking it's important for Buxton to stand around for three innings and get two at bats. 

[Mike Sixel]

2 hours ago, stringer bell said:

I haven't heard official word, but there's a possibility that Altuve will miss time with an injury after wildman Daniel Bard hit him on the hand.

Broken finger. He needs surgery.

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

15 hours ago, h2oface said:

It certainly is a good share... six or maybe 7, eh? I think that was your point. An example of a team playing starters that are getting ready for opening day, on the field and in games. The Twins certainly are playing very few, and it is not what they have done in the past. I hope they are ready. I think that is the main point, too. I hope I didn't use a wrong word here to make my point.

Thanks. It's pretty unfortunate. A poster raises a question about the Twins not playing their regular starters, and it becomes reframed as "no team is playing their exact starting lineup" which is also basically wrong, as I showed by posting the Yankees lineup. As if teams do not change their lineups throughout the season or rotate their 7 and 8 guys as platoons or utility players. Or maybe they were denying that those first six Yankees were regulars? I'm not going to try to understand it. 

In any case, they are wrong about Twins not playing their regulars, too, because if you look at the Twins lineup today it looks pretty close to what the Twins will be fielding on opening day anyway-- except for Buxton, who we all hope starts in Center. This is really all about Buxton, anyway.

Anyway, today's Twins lineup, looks like regulars (except Buxton and Miranda) to me: 

• Solano DH
• Correa SS
• Farmer 3B
• Kepler RF
• Taylor CF
• Garlick LF
• Gallo 1B
• Jeffers C
• Gordon 2B

Also, welcome back Nick Gordon. We were originally told it was a high mild to medium high sprain. If anyone else should be working out on back fields, it's Nick Gordon, in my opinion. 

[D.C Twins]

I love me a little overreaction from time to time, but this level of consternation about spring training playing time even makes me blush a little....

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

1 minute ago, D.C Twins said:

I love me a little overreaction from time to time, but this level of consternation about spring training playing time even makes me blush a little....

Some of us like talking baseball - thanks for posting anyway! 🤣

[theBOMisthebomb]

1 hour ago, D.C Twins said:

I love me a little overreaction from time to time, but this level of consternation about spring training playing time even makes me blush a little....

How does this work for you as far as good reasons for hand-wringing?

https://www.mlb.com/news/jorge-polanco-knee-injury-update

"FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Jorge Polanco might not be ready to start the regular season on time, Twins president of baseball operations Derek Falvey announced Sunday."

[wsnydes]

4 hours ago, Hosken Bombo Disco said:

Some of us like talking baseball - thanks for posting anyway! 🤣

We're already out of talking points?  That makes our job effectively impossible!  The season hasn't even started yet!!! 🤣

[h2oface]

23 hours ago, Parfigliano said:

Mahle pitched yesterday.  Sanchez today

Yes. Mahle can't break Buxton's hand again because they are on the same team, now.  Tough day, again, for Mahle. At least he is trying. 6 hits, 3 homers in 18 batters. Not looking very ready. Maybe that is the main point. It would do them good to be more ready.

And do you call what Sanchez has been doing as pitching? I hope he doesn't make the roster out of ST.

Maeda gave up 2 homers and 5 earned in 4 innings today.

And those "starters" getting ready came up with 2 hits in the game today. No wait. One hit was Garlick, who better not make the team again, and LaMarre was the other. Starters had no hits. Being ready is a good thing.

It is just ST. No problems.