Last spring training game of 24

[Twodogs]

Sitting here at the last ST game of 24 and I like the fact that Buck is playing again even though he played CF yesterday.  Good sign he's feeling good and ready for the season.  Mostly the main starters are going today except probably Castro.  Their record stinks but hoping for the best today.  I know we were at the Baltimore game a couple of days ago and it got out of hand but it was tight for most of the game.  So hopefully Twins handle the Braves today before they move north.

[stringer bell]

I hope the team is ready for the regular season, that is what spring training is for. The results have been downright ugly, but all will be forgotten if they get off to a fast start in the regular season........Lets go!

[MABB1959]

How long do they let Kepler go, same with Wallner.

[mrtwinsfan]

Ill be happy if Varland can not serve up a H.R. Early,

[RpR]

NOT a good start for Kepler, his K rate is up the past ten days.

Maybe he is trying some thing new. 🙃

[Ryan Atkins]

What a dreadful spring. I hope this is one of those years where we look back and say "See! Spring Training records are entirely meaningless."

Last 10 year's World Series participants' Spring Training records. Two teams had losing records including last year's Rangers team. The 2016 Cubs (11-19) come closest to this year's Twins futility. 

2023 Texas Rangers: 13-15
2022 Houston Astros: 8-5
2021 Atlanta Braves: 15-13
2020 LA Dodgers: 13-7
2019 Washington Nationals: 17-12
2018 Boston Red Sox: 22-9
2017 Houston Astros: 15-15
2016 Chicago Cubs: 11-19
2015 KC Royals: 20-10
2014 SF Giants: 17-12

[ClosetFan]

Why did Buck exit after one AB?

 

[MMMordabito]

7 minutes ago, ClosetFan said:

Why did Buck exit after one AB?

 

Maybe he forgot to pack for the trip north.

[MMMordabito]

9 minutes ago, Ryan Atkins said:

What a dreadful spring. I hope this is one of those years where we look back and say "See! Spring Training records are entirely meaningless."

Last 10 year's World Series participants' Spring Training records. Two teams had losing records including last year's Rangers team. The 2016 Cubs (11-19) come closest to this year's Twins futility. 

2023 Texas Rangers: 13-15
2022 Houston Astros: 8-5
2021 Atlanta Braves: 15-13
2020 LA Dodgers: 13-7
2019 Washington Nationals: 17-12
2018 Boston Red Sox: 22-9
2017 Houston Astros: 15-15
2016 Chicago Cubs: 11-19
2015 KC Royals: 20-10
2014 SF Giants: 17-12

That's only half the participants.

[stringer bell]

Both teams pulling their starters early. Nobody get hurt and Louie goes 5 or 6 and Rocco will be happy.

[SteveLV]

Louie getting rocked by the Braves.  6 ER and 2 Dingers in less than 4 innings.

Quite concerned about this team.  

Very nice to see Wallner connect.

[weneedneshek]

Offense has looked solid which is a silver lining but the starters performance as well as bullpen injuries paint a bleak picture for our pitching. Injuries happen but the unfulfilled need for a proven #2/playoff starter to replace Gray becomes more apparent everyday. That was something everyone knew was a hole day 1 of the offseason and nothing was done to address it.

[MABB1959]

1 hour ago, RpR said:

NOT a good start for Kepler, his K rate is up the past ten days.

Maybe he is trying some thing new. 🙃

I doubt that and by this time he should be ready to go.  I guess we will see on Thursday

[FlyingFinn]

1 hour ago, MABB1959 said:

How long do they let Kepler go, same with Wallner.

Wallner with two homers in recent games. If can get in the groove now, that would be nice. Other than the corner outfielders and Farmer, the Twins hitters stats look good.

[CRF]

Louie's last two starts have been terrible. He better get straightened out once the season starts. I just hope that we don't regret not bringing another starter on board. I think we're gonna need one. 

[sweetmusicviola16]

Some of the hitters have looked great. Pitching overall has struggled however.

[RpR]

Rookies seem to have saved the day in the last Spring Training game.

[MMMordabito]

Blewett - Great name for a relief pitcher

[stringer bell]

Blewett didn’t blow it!

[RpR]

[CRF]

Nice to win one for a change! 

[Twodogs]

4 hours ago, MABB1959 said:

How long do they let Kepler go, same with Wallner.

Dang Wallner hit that shot over the batters eye.  That thing was a shot!!

[Twodogs]

2 hours ago, CRF said:

Louie's last two starts have been terrible. He better get straightened out once the season starts. I just hope that we don't regret not bringing another starter on board. I think we're gonna need one. 

He looked good for the most part.  He went through the first 2 innings in about 12 pitches it seemed like.  He had a bad 4th inning, but looked good the 5th inning.  Can't give up 6 but hopefully he can go 6 - 7 innings per start.  

[laloesch]

On 3/26/2024 at 1:32 PM, Ryan Atkins said:

What a dreadful spring. I hope this is one of those years where we look back and say "See! Spring Training records are entirely meaningless."

Last 10 year's World Series participants' Spring Training records. Two teams had losing records including last year's Rangers team. The 2016 Cubs (11-19) come closest to this year's Twins futility. 

2023 Texas Rangers: 13-15
2022 Houston Astros: 8-5
2021 Atlanta Braves: 15-13
2020 LA Dodgers: 13-7
2019 Washington Nationals: 17-12
2018 Boston Red Sox: 22-9
2017 Houston Astros: 15-15
2016 Chicago Cubs: 11-19
2015 KC Royals: 20-10
2014 SF Giants: 17-12

Agreed.  Twins were HORRIBLE this spring, absolutely horrible.  Not at all a good sign heading into the regular season and pitching was the main deficiency, particularly the tail end of the starting rotation and most certainly the bullpen.  Are David Festa and SWR ready?  They better be.  Hopefully Matt Canterino can get healthy because I think they are gonna need him soon as well.

I really hope the Twins call up Brooks Lee on this year's squad.  He's just that good from what I've seen, service time be damned. 

On a side note the Tigers looked GOOD.  

 

[rv78]

This game against the Braves is more than a bit concerning. Varland got rocked 2nd outing in a row. Hitters scored 9 runs but 7 of them came against Braves minor league pitchers. Have not followed that closely but if the hitters looked good this spring maybe it is because they have been hitting other teams minor leaguers and not their MLB pitchers. Add that to the equation of a 9-19 record and it looks even worse. Meanwhile the bullpen is falling to pieces via injury and will need to be counted on heavily with the decision NOT to add another quality arm in the rotation. I see a disaster coming and it may not take long. 

[Squirrel]

On 3/26/2024 at 12:33 PM, ClosetFan said:

Why did Buck exit after one AB?

 

In the last game, it is very common that the regular exit early.

[stringer bell]

1 hour ago, rv78 said:

This game against the Braves is more than a bit concerning. Varland got rocked 2nd outing in a row. Hitters scored 9 runs but 7 of them came against Braves minor league pitchers. Have not followed that closely but if the hitters looked good this spring maybe it is because they have been hitting other teams minor leaguers and not their MLB pitchers. Add that to the equation of a 9-19 record and it looks even worse. Meanwhile the bullpen is falling to pieces via injury and will need to be counted on heavily with the decision NOT to add another quality arm in the rotation. I see a disaster coming and it may not take long. 

Varland got hit hard for the second game in a row, but at least he got some Ks. 

The bullpens strength when composed was depth. That depth is used up already, but everyone should be back by May 1 or thereabouts, none of the guys has an arm injury (except Weiss, who I never thought would make the team). I don't think bullpen injuries are the death knell for the Twins, but it probably will make the late innings in April pretty dicey.

On the negative side, all of the starters got knocked around quite a bit and they yielded a ton of homers.The top three are being counted on heavily and if any of them fall apart, the season could go south pretty quick. Several guys who made the club in the bullpen weren't overly impressive--Alcalá, Funderburk, Sands, and Staumont, if he doesn't go on the IL. 

The bad record in the spring and except for Carlos Santana, most of the acquisitions have struggled or been injured. Critics can continue to rip the Twins for trying to win on the cheap when the competitive window is open, I guess I'll withhold judgment until the month of April is over.