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Game Thread: Twins (Keuchel) v Rays (Bradley), 9/13/23 @ 12:10 CT


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Posted
16 minutes ago, Cap'n Piranha said:

No brainer, Kep at $10M will be back.  It will be interesting to see if Falvine tries to extend him (say tack on 2 more years and a club option for a third, turning it into, in essence, a 3 year $40M contract with a $16M option and $4M buyout).

I'm sure Kepler will be back, but I really hope they don't extend him. Only 2.5 of his eight seasons have been good offensively. The guy will be 31, odds are he'll revert back to his career norms next year, I don't want to do this dance for multiple years.

Posted
13 minutes ago, GusGus11 said:

100% fair point. But this is a situation to find out. Hes never been awful vs them in the minors.

And someone like Kepler has been awful for 10 years against lefties. But this second half has gotten hot and hit them well. Even though 10 years of data says he should be the platoon.

So letting AK hit there with out lead and only the 5th inning is something we should let the kid try. If it was the 8th? 100% go Donny.

But this is why teams uses lefties vs us early on. We are predictable and they know we will sub and they will gain the late inning edge with righties. 

Kepler really improved his hitting against lefties last season and kept it rolling through this year, but it did take him a big portion of his career to do it.

I don't think it's as much as the Twins being predictable as it was a prime situation for Tampa.  2 run lead in the 5th with 2 lefties coming up.  If Diekleman gets Max, I have no doubt in my mind that AK is hitting in the 6th no matter who is pitching.  Using Solano, who is much better at hitting lefties there gives you a better shot at the lead.  Not to mention Solano doesn't have near as much trouble hitting RHP as AK does hitting LHP, so having him hit against a righty later isn't as big of a deal.

If this game is in May, I also think AK gets the AB.  With the division title in reach, Rocco choosing to go for the lead earlier in the game seems warranted.  

Posted
2 minutes ago, GusGus11 said:

I think Kepler and Polanco both come back

 

Too good of price on both. If Lee gets up here early and all young guys are hitting and/or Kepler/Polanco go back to being mid. Then we have them as trade bait for back end starter depth or forsure bullpen help that im sure we will need again next year.

Bring them both back for good prices and they help us win or become trade pieces.

I think they let Polanco go.  His injuries are adding up and they have players in waiting for 2B that are younger and could very possibly be more productive.  Save the cash and go after upgrades elsewhere.

I think 2B is one of those positions that they could go younger with and not have much drop off.  Not many positions that can be said of, but I do think that is one of them.

Posted
4 minutes ago, Hawkeye Bean Counter said:

Yep we should have traded for David Robertson.  

Robertson seemed to be the only Twins-kind of reliever available, and I wasn't enthused about any of them, but what he's done in Miami has next to no bearing on what he hypothetically would have done in Minnesota. It's not like he'd be throwing the same pitches in the same order to the same batters against the same opponents.

Posted
Just now, GusGus11 said:

I love his patience and plate discipline

 

But man Julien has to start swinging the bat. Cant always look at 3-0 and 3-1 cookies. 

And get fooled on 3-2 balls down the middle too.

Yup. He's overthinking things. 

Posted
1 minute ago, Twins_Fan_in_NJ said:

Yup. He's overthinking things. 

Yeah. With better umps/robo umps his eye will get even more walks.

But sometimes you gotta swing.

He gets so many dead red 3-0 pitches. He could have like 8 more extra base hits if he swung at them sometimes. Patience isnt always about drawing walks or deep counts. Its about getting a hittable pitch. Which he gets almost every time on 3-0/3-1.

A lot of our other players have the reverse problem where they swing 1st pitch at a ball or borderline pitch instead of taking and waiting for better. We need guys to combine approaches.

Posted
10 minutes ago, nicksaviking said:

Robertson seemed to be the only Twins-kind of reliever available, and I wasn't enthused about any of them, but what he's done in Miami has next to no bearing on what he hypothetically would have done in Minnesota. It's not like he'd be throwing the same pitches in the same order to the same batters against the same opponents.

Robertson control is off in the 2nd half.  Up to 4.8 BB/9.  You can't translate fully from team to team.  but a pitcher regularly throwing balls, it is more on the pitcher and would occur likely where ever he goes even in a SSS situation.  You have to be able to make pitches.  

Posted
10 minutes ago, wsnydes said:

I think they let Polanco go.  His injuries are adding up and they have players in waiting for 2B that are younger and could very possibly be more productive.  Save the cash and go after upgrades elsewhere.

I think 2B is one of those positions that they could go younger with and not have much drop off.  Not many positions that can be said of, but I do think that is one of them.

I just don't see how a competing team let's a player of Polanco's caliber walk when he has a decent option to be picked up.  He's too valuable when healthy to let go IMO.

Posted
Just now, SwainZag said:

I just don't see how a competing team let's a player of Polanco's caliber walk when he has a decent option to be picked up.  He's too valuable when healthy to let go IMO.

Twins' front office has pulled off a few surprises the last couple of off-seasons so you can never say never. But, I would be surprised if Polanco and Kepler weren't on the roster next year.

Twins Daily Contributor
Posted
Just now, mrtwinsfan said:

Like to know if rocco put on a hit and run with Julien ?? would tell us alot more if ??

There were 2 strikes. Not a hit and run.

Starting the runner trying to avoid GIDP.

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