All-star WAR

[mikelink45]

I had to look at the WAR of our players - I know it is like punishing yourself to do so, but this 500 team with two "All-star big contract" players has to have some evaluation.  WAR from Baseball Reference:

Correa 1.1 (how much is fielding?)

Buxton 0.8 

Gallo 0.3

Michael Taylor 0.7 (fielding again)

Max Kepler 0.4

Polanco 0.6

Vasquez -0.2

Solano 1.5

Farmer 0.5

Jeffers 1.4

Kirilloff 0.2

Julien 0.6

Castro 1.7

Yes - Donovan Solano and WIlli Castro lead the team in WAR so far!  Can you really imagine a first place team with two players signed as bench and utility leading their lineup?

Sonny Gray 3.1

Pablo Lopez 1.7

Ryan 1.8

Ober 2.9

Maeda -0.1

Great to see that Ober is actually the number 2 and Maeda could continue to move up since his is a short season.

Duran 1.5 

Stewart 1.6

Jax 0.9

Pagan 0.3

Lopez 0.0

Moran -0.1

Sands 0.0

There have been a lot of ups and downs so this is the consistent group.  

Based on this - who gets better in the second half?  

And how do we rate our FO?  They constructed this team.  Fansided has them 12 in MLB.  Bleacher Report has them 13..

And our manager - Yardbarker has Baldelli at 16.  New Arena has him #24.

Does this fit your narrative or do have higher or lower expectations? 

[Hawkeye Bean Counter]

The bats are not good enough,  this has been a concern for the last couple of years.   I think some of it is approach,  some of it is players that have too big of holes in their swings.  I think Correa turns it around,  he already is, and ultimately ends at a 3+ WAR or higher player.  Buxton needs to start playing in the field period - I also think he hits better when fully in the game and playing.   If so he will improve just from the defensive side.  

If Buxton and and Correa improve that fixes a lot, but you need 1-2 more.  I will pick Julien and drum roll . . .  Miranda.   Miranda is know to go on streaks and slumps.  I am hoping he can just relax over this break and then the bat comes to life.  

Similar to the Braves of couple years ago,  all you need is the bats to get hot at the right time and I think you have enough quality bats they could.  As to relief pitching, I think you would need at least 1 more solid reliever to make a go of it.  

Beyond that what do I hope for?  I hope Gray continues his dominance and 1 of Maeda or Gallo start tearing it up.   I appreciate that the Twins and management have started to give us some decent baseball to great baseball to watch the last 3-4 years with a few putrid stretches.  They have done this starting with a poor farm system other than at the top (Sano and Buxton) and not much at the big league level.  However, you need elite players to make a go at the World Series and if Gray Maeda and Gallo take off the rest of the year,  you have Gray for sure that you could give a qualifying offer and he would turn down and get a very good contract.  You get Maeda or Gallo to do the same and someone gives them a good to great contract over 50 mil for 3 years, and the Twins could have 4 Picks in the first round (1st round pick, competitive balance, and 2 compensation picks).  You do have the risk of Maeda accepting.  Being a bit of a draft junky I am more than fine with continuing to increase assets and improve the long term success of the organization.     Overall I want to watch better baseball, and more hits.  Go Twins.  

 

[Twodogs]

https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/team_compare.cgi?request=1&year=2023&lg=MLB&stat=WAR

 

I think the WAR stat is cool in theory, but I feel like it's not calculated the best.  Something in the stat is wrong, I mean I know Aaron Judge had a tremendous season last year, but how does he have a higher WAR than a guy doing two people's jobs such as Ohtani?  

 

So if you look at the current team WAR on baseball reference the Twins are, according to WAR, the 5th best team in baseball?  Idk, there is some sort of flaw in the WAR stat.  How are the twins the 5th best team in baseball?  I know Atlanta is 2nd, but how are they not 1st?  I mean Tampa is great, but after their 29 - 7 start they've been 1 game under .500, so I have to think Atlanta is a better overall team, right?  But how the twins slide in at 5th and no one can hit is beyond me.