Tough Decision Time for the Twins

[Mike Sixel]

16 minutes ago, umterp23 said:

Mike I agree, just wondering when we talk about trade value assets and log jam of players, would we not think about those two? I don't have a strong position one way or the other. I like what both can bring to the table and the proverbial "sophomore slump" caught them both early in the season. 

Julien worked hard on defense at 2nd but does it stick.  Wallner if given a chance sooner than later I hope, could be the next one to man the OF for long time.  

Or do we move them and look at our younger assets that people say are better prospects, which on paper maybe but who knows.  We give FO a bunch of grief, but very tough job in my opinion to get them right every time.  

A lot to like in this post.

[Doctor Gast]

1 hour ago, whosafraidofluigirussolo said:

Both these guys are on the 60-day IL. DeSclafani is out all year and a free agent after the year, so no one is taking on his salary (split between the Twins and Mariners already.) Since he doesn't take up a roster spot, his being in the org has no impact on team construction other than the sunk salary cost.

Topa has team control left after this year. Guessing other teams won't consider him impactful enough to acquire when he's hurt, but when he's healthy enough to rehab and return to the majors, he's probably worth as much to the Twins going forward as to another team - unless clearing the remaining <$1M of this year's salary somehow allows them to acquire a better player at the deadline.

I agree with what you said, but the remark was related to Farmer, Margot & Santana, not to Topa & DeSclavani because their salary has already been sunk.

[mnfireman]

Another TD article where the author basically states it's time to DFA Farmer, nothing new here.

[RpR]

5 hours ago, Brandon said:

We should totally release Farmer at this point for slumping in April.  On April 26th he had a .285 OPS.  Since then he is at .796.  It is the middle of June so we should absolutely release a player for how they did 2 months ago no consideration whatsoever should be given for his play since the slump ended 2 months ago.   

Same for Julien.

[RpR]

1 hour ago, Greglw3 said:

Personally, I’d start Martin ahead of Margot and Miranda ahead of Larnach even vs righties. I think Miranda is a better hitter now than Larnach.

Nope - Martin stopped a home run yesterday and then gave them the run back.

Martin is not a good fielder; so far he looks like Jake Cave minus the Charlie Hustle moves.

[Brock Beauchamp]

9 hours ago, Major League Ready said:

Martin has actually been a little better against RHP at the ML level.  Where can Milb splits be found?

B-Ref has them, go to the player's MiLB page and in the toolbar, there is "minor league games & splits". No career MiLB data but you can look by year.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=martin004aus&type=bgl&year=2023

[Shaitan]

6 hours ago, Riverbrian said:

It's tough decision time? 

I seriously doubt that it's tough decision time. Decision time comes when there is an injury and who gets hurt will make that decision easier. Farmer and Margot are not going anywhere. The Roster will operate how the roster operates. 

 

Thank you. The drama in these headlines is too much sometimes.

Every day it's a new post that basically says "the next transaction is the most important in history [until tomorrow's]"

[Craig Arko]

11 minutes ago, Shaitan said:

Thank you. The drama in these headlines is too much sometimes.

Every day it's a new post that basically says "the next transaction is the most important in history [until tomorrow's]"

[Major League Ready]

39 minutes ago, Brock Beauchamp said:

B-Ref has them, go to the player's MiLB page and in the toolbar, there is "minor league games & splits". No career MiLB data but you can look by year.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=martin004aus&type=bgl&year=2023

Thanks.  I looked on B-Ref previously and missed it.  It's hard to form an opinion on if these guys are likely to hit same hand pitching without looking at their Milb numbers.

[Patzky]

The Kirilloff decision just got easier. To the IL not St Paul.. for now. Rocco ain't pleased. And AK ain't Joe Ryan.

[arby58]

10 hours ago, Whitey333 said:

Yes.  Farmer has run his course.  It's time to move on.  It's also nearing time for fi al decisions on players like Kiriloff Julien Wallner and others.  If you have no future plans for players like these that have been hyped to the max even overhyped, then trade them to another team.  This "process not results" philosophy surely isn't helping the team and definitely not the players.  Calling these prospects up and then only play them part time does no one any good.  

Both Julien and Wallner had excellent years last year - it wasn't just hype. Julien, in 339 ABs had a 2.6 WAR and .839 OPS; Wallner, in 213 ABs had a 2.2 WAR and an .877 OPS. Like lots of players, they didn't sustain it their sophomore year - at least to this point. It is worth remembering that Wallner only had 25 AB this year before being sent down. Suggesting it is time to make final decisions on those two is of the 'haste makes waste' variety of decisions.

[arby58]

9 hours ago, srlarson said:

how about Farmer to the Dodgers...for change....get him off the books and they need a body at SS.....

They'd have to actually want him. Hard to believe with his current peripherals.

[arby58]

10 hours ago, tarheeltwinsfan said:

Margo vs. Farmer? Until Julian gets back to the Twins, I submit that the Twins need Farmer to play occasionally at 2nd base. Castro and Martin are the 2 other second basemen on the Twins. Both of them are adequate in the OF. Since Wallner is strictly an outfielder, in order to promote Wallner to the Twins, another outfielder, Margo, needs to be traded for some very young, minor league, flame-throwing, low floor, high ceiling pitchers. The Twins can also pay some of Margo's salary, if necessary.

Whatever happens, it won't be a trade for either Margot or Farmer - the 'sell low' concept isn't going to net you anything close to 'minor league flame-throwing...pitchers.' Whoever goes will be DFA'd. 

[arby58]

9 hours ago, Doctor Gast said:

I'm in favor of bringing up Wallner. But what we have to focus on isn't how many HRs he hits in AAA but how many SOs will he accumulate in MLB?

The question doesn't only lie with Wallner but also Lee, Julien, Kiriloff & Keirsey (all LH hitters) who have the potential to be darn good players. far superior players to their predominate RH-hitting counterpart Farmer, Margot & Santana. Wasted money with DeSclavani, and Topa, we need to trade if we can or eat the rest of the money due & DFA them.

Kiriloff had difficulty hitting LHPs or RHPs which makes perfect sense to swap out with Martin who can hit either.

Including Santana in that group is unfair. He's currently second on the team in HRs, tied for 1st in RBIs, 3rd in total bases, has a 1.0 WAR and his OPS has been climbing, now at .741. He also is an excellent defensive first baseman. I'd say you are about a month or two behind in your assessment of his performance.

[Doctor Wu]

21 hours ago, chpettit19 said:

sending guys down, calling guys up, DFAing guys

Good point. That seemed to have turned those sorts of moves into an art form!

[dxpavelka]

21 hours ago, saviking said:

How bout we quit worrying about whether a batter is left-handed or right-handed and just worry about whether they are a good hitter or not. 

That's a nice sentiment.    Signed--The Easter Bunny

[dxpavelka]

21 hours ago, saviking said:

How bout we quit worrying about whether a batter is left-handed or right-handed and just worry about whether they are a good hitter or not. 

To be honest we worry less about whether a guy is left or right handed and more about what they do against right and left handers.

[C_frommn]

Wallner should be up and Farmer gone. We wouldn't miss him and if he is half smart he would go to Triple A and get his swing together and collect a check.