Kepler

[Linus]

1 hour ago, cmoss84 said:

If the trade market wasn't great for Max, I wonder if he will get decent money in FA. If not, does he take a 1 year prove it deal with us?

I don’t think there is anything to prove. Max is a good outfielder and an average to slightly below average hitter. If that works for a team go for it. 

[RpR]

3 hours ago, cmoss84 said:

If the trade market wasn't great for Max, I wonder if he will get decent money in FA. If not, does he take a 1 year prove it deal with us?

He is not going any where.

[Linus]

1 hour ago, RpR said:

He is not going any where.

You are going to be disappointed. 

[tony&rodney]

5 hours ago, cmoss84 said:

If the trade market wasn't great for Max, I wonder if he will get decent money in FA. If not, does he take a 1 year prove it deal with us?

Max will get a good contract. He won't be back with the Twins. I would like to see him back, but he will move on.

[Parfigliano]

12 hours ago, RpR said:

He is not going any where.

He better be.  An alleged small market team cant afford to throw limited resources at the Kepler's of the MLB world.

[Twins_Fan_in_NJ]

Not sure what the market will be for Max, but I'd be shocked if the Twins bring him back. I wouldn't mind him back on a 1-2 year deal, but I think the Twins are comfortable turning it over to Wallner and Larnach and saving some $$$ in the process.

[SwainZag]

Max's value to the Twins was more than likely higher than what they could get on the trade market.  At his best he's an above average bat while playing a very high level defense.  But he is prone to those prolonged cold streaks.  

The 2nd half Max of last season gets the qualifying offer, I can't see it happening now.

[RpR]

2 hours ago, Parfigliano said:

He better be.  An alleged small market team cant afford to throw limited resources at the Kepler's of the MLB world.

Twins want to win and all the supposed replacements are mediocre at best.

Twins fans prefer a continual veteran team, not here today , gone tomorrow , disappointing newbies.

[USAFChief]

I'd put the chances Kepler is a Twin in 2025 at roughly 1 in a million.

[tony&rodney]

The reality is that Max Kepler leaving after 2024 has nothing to do with out wishes or thoughts. His contract ends and he will be a free agent, making him free to go wherever he chooses. My guess is West Coast for 3/$36M.

My hope is that he tears apart MLB pitching for the next two plus months and gets 3/$60M from whatever team he wants to play for in the next few years. Good luck, Max.

[August J Gloop]

22 hours ago, RpR said:

Twins want to win and all the supposed replacements are mediocre at best.

Twins fans prefer a continual veteran team, not here today , gone tomorrow , disappointing newbies.

Both Larnach and Wallner have been considerably better than Max at hitting this year. They're not as good defensively, but that's barely important. 

Kepler and Polo before him are what's both great and terrible about baseball. We as fans build one sided relationships with the athletes, and surf the waves of success and failure. It causes some of us to like them more than their talent and others to dislike them more than their failings. Moving on from a relationship like this is hard. Max will not be back, let's just hope that his last game with the Twins is a win in late October. 

[RpR]

3 hours ago, August J Gloop said:

Both Larnach and Wallner have been considerably better than Max at hitting this year. They're not as good defensively, but that's barely important. 

 

BS.

[sampleSizeOfOne]

On 8/1/2024 at 3:14 PM, Craig Arko said:

I only accept the Pinky and The Brain trust.

"Are you pondering what i'm pondering?"

[sampleSizeOfOne]

On 8/5/2024 at 4:27 PM, USAFChief said:

I'd put the chances Kepler is a Twin in 2025 at roughly 1 in a million.

I don't know... how surprised would you be if he finishes strong, Twins make QO, and he accepts it?

[USAFChief]

3 minutes ago, sampleSizeOfOne said:

I don't know... how surprised would you be if he finishes strong, Twins make QO, and he accepts it?

Not happening. 

[Mike Sixel]

2 hours ago, sampleSizeOfOne said:

I don't know... how surprised would you be if he finishes strong, Twins make QO, and he accepts it?

They just cut payroll. They aren't signing Kepler for a big raise. Zero chance.... No chance. 

[DJL44]

On 8/5/2024 at 11:42 AM, RpR said:

Twins fans prefer a continual veteran team

No club can field an all-veteran team for $120M. You'd better get used to rooting for new players.

[sampleSizeOfOne]

9 hours ago, USAFChief said:

9 hours ago, sampleSizeOfOne said:

I don't know... how surprised would you be if he finishes strong, Twins make QO, and he accepts it?

Not happening. 

Oh, i'm pretty confident at least the "I don't know" part of my hypothetical *is* happening!

[August J Gloop]

On 8/6/2024 at 1:37 PM, RpR said:

BS.

Elevated outfield defense benefits you maybe once or twice a month, requiring several uncontrollable factors  before the better fielder can even impact the play. Batters come up 3.4 times a game. Better hitting impacts every single game. Obviously, you'll take better hitting & elevated defense. But Max's defense does not routinely make up for his hitting. Larnach and Wallner's hitting has made up for their less good fielding. Wallner and Larnach aren't Delmon Young or Miguel Sano out there. They're able to convert most outs into outs. 

[RpR]

On 8/8/2024 at 9:18 PM, DJL44 said:

No club can field an all-veteran team for $120M. You'd better get used to rooting for new players.

Been done before can be done again.

[RpR]

On 8/10/2024 at 12:15 AM, August J Gloop said:

Elevated outfield defense benefits you maybe once or twice a month, requiring several uncontrollable factors  before the better fielder can even impact the play. Batters come up 3.4 times a game. Better hitting impacts every single game. Obviously, you'll take better hitting & elevated defense. But Max's defense does not routinely make up for his hitting. Larnach and Wallner's hitting has made up for their less good fielding. Wallner and Larnach aren't Delmon Young or Miguel Sano out there. They're able to convert most outs into outs. 

The most out boys,  play for  teams who do not get into the Postseason.

[August J Gloop]

On 8/11/2024 at 7:19 PM, RpR said:

The most out boys,  play for  teams who do not get into the Postseason.

Yes, Like Aaron Judge and Juan Soto. Anthony Santander, Teoscar Hernandez, Fernando Tatis Jr. 

[RpR]

Just now, August J Gloop said:

Yes, Like Aaron Judge and Juan Soto. Anthony Santander, Teoscar Hernandez, Fernando Tatis Jr. 

False analogy, but matters zero.

[nicksaviking]

On 8/5/2024 at 11:42 AM, RpR said:

Twins want to win and all the supposed replacements are mediocre at best.

Twins fans prefer a continual veteran team, not here today , gone tomorrow , disappointing newbies.

You're speaking for all fans now? I missed the vote.

Long time vets are a nice comforting blanket to stoke nostalgia and sentimentality. At this point, I'm sentimental for championships, not the players though. Once we get a championship here, then I'll be nostalgic for the players, like I am with Tom Brunanski, Greg Gagne and Chili Davis. Until then, Kepler has had plenty of chances to carry this team through the post season but hasn't, try someone else.

[August J Gloop]

39 minutes ago, RpR said:

False analogy, but matters zero.

Wait, what? You just said that guys who are just OK in the field never play in the playoffs. Those guys are very valuable players because they hit. Their ceiling in the field is just OK. They're in some cases actively bad at fielding. It just doesn't really move the needle in player value like it does on the infield. It's because most high run value batted ball events to the outfield are completely indefensible and most low run value events are just so easy that pretty much anybody gets to most of them. The marginal outs that Max and Bux convert are useful, and often memorable. They might even save a game. But if a hitter is 27 outs worse than average, they've thrown a shut out against their own team,

[RpR]

26 minutes ago, nicksaviking said:

You're speaking for all fans now? I missed the vote.

Long time vets are a nice comforting blanket to stoke nostalgia and sentimentality. At this point, I'm sentimental for championships, not the players though. Once we get a championship here, then I'll be nostalgic for the players, like I am with Tom Brunanski, Greg Gagne and Chili Davis. Until then, Kepler has had plenty of chances to carry this team through the post season but hasn't, try someone else.

The ones who buy tickets, as attendance has shown , often.

[nicksaviking]

50 minutes ago, RpR said:

The ones who buy tickets, as attendance has shown , often.

People decide to go to games based on whether or not Max Kepler is playing? Unless his family is in town, I doubt there's ever been a fan who's done that.

And if the impetus is putting fans in the stands, not winning a championship, they might as well sign Tony Oliva, Kent Hrbek and Rod Carew because they actually would sell some tickets. At the expense of winning games.

 

[LA Vikes Fan]

On 8/5/2024 at 2:46 PM, tony&rodney said:

The reality is that Max Kepler leaving after 2024 has nothing to do with out wishes or thoughts. His contract ends and he will be a free agent, making him free to go wherever he chooses. My guess is West Coast for 3/$36M.

My hope is that he tears apart MLB pitching for the next two plus months and gets 3/$60M from whatever team he wants to play for in the next few years. Good luck, Max.

Max Kepler is in his age 31 season hitting .266/.341/.400 (.716) with 7 HRs. Very unlikely that he gets 3 years/$60m no matter who well he hits the last 2 months of the season. It also seems very unlikely he gets 3 years at this age. Teams just aren't willing to give that kind of years for ages 32 – 34 anymore, nor frankly should they unless the player is an Aaron Judge type. I think that $12 million a year is probably a little high and I don't see a team on the West Coast that needs Max's profile. The Dodgers, Padres, and Mariners don't need a corner outfielder, particularly one who is pretty average at the plate without much power. I see Max kind of going the Eddie Rosario way unless he stays with the Twins; a series of one-year deals, may be preceded by one 2-year deal, at somewhere between $8 and $12 million a year. 

I actually wouldn't mind if the Twins gave him one more year since I'm not sold on Wallner or Larnach as everyday players. I actually think Max is worth more to the Twins then he is to another team. I wouldn't be surprised if he stayed in Minnesota on a two year, $20-$24 million kind of deal. But given the other payroll raises that are coming up, I think it's more likely he either retires or winds up playing on a series of one-year deals for various non-elite teams.

 

[RpR]

2 hours ago, nicksaviking said:

People decide to go to games based on whether or not Max Kepler is playing? Unless his family is in town, I doubt there's ever been a fan who's done that.

And if the impetus is putting fans in the stands, not winning a championship, they might as well sign Tony Oliva, Kent Hrbek and Rod Carew because they actually would sell some tickets. At the expense of winning games.

 

Baseball is a team sport; they go to see players on the team they like, not here today gone tomorrow wannabes on a losing team

The only above average players the team has now are Buxton, Kepler, Correa and to a degree Santana.  The outfield is meh without Kepler and Buxton on its best day.  They have no replacements.

People here whine when they favorite boys are not playing; fan whine with their pocket book.

[nicksaviking]

1 hour ago, RpR said:

Baseball is a team sport; they go to see players on the team they like, not here today gone tomorrow wannabes on a losing team

The only above average players the team has now are Buxton, Kepler, Correa and to a degree Santana.  The outfield is meh without Kepler and Buxton on its best day.  They have no replacements.

People here whine when they favorite boys are not playing; fan whine with their pocket book.

Sure. Lewis, Wallner, Miranda, Larnach and Castro are all worse than Kepler. 

Cut the cord on the sentimentality, it leads to treading water, not progress. Longevity does not equal superiority.