Falvey on the GM's on XM radio

[Twodogs]

I was listening to Falvey on the GM's show on XM radio yesterday, I live in Cali and I don't get to constantly hear Twins stuff like I do when I come home for the summer.  So any chance I get to hear Twins stuff I listen.  I needed gas, I was headed to the gas station but I drove around the block like 5 times while they interviewed Falvey.  He didn't say anything that you guys don't already know.  They asked him about the Cartaya pick up, they asked him about really doing nothing all off season to which Falvey said, don't necessarily expect our off season to be over once pitchers and catchers report.  They also asked him about the health of the club, Buxton, Correa, Lewis most notably.  He gave the normal answers Correa is working extremely hard to prepare, Buck for once didnt have any off season procedures, Lewis is expecting a bounce back since that was really the first time he played a full season.  Also he said Lewis is expected to play Third base, but that they have talked about experimenting with him at second base.  But the plan right now is 3rd.  They talked about the pitchers, Ryan is expected to be 100%, etc....  But I got to thinking, what if all of the stars aligned!  I mean I'm as discouraged with the Twins lack of involvement this off-season as anyone especially when I live in Dodger territory.  Man that is frustrating.  But I was just thinking, what if????  What kind of season could the Twins have, what kind of numbers could they put up if everyone remained relatively healthy this season?  What would a lineup look like, if Baldelli didn't mess with it constantly game after game?  

What if??

Lineup of

CF Buxton 145 games

SS Correa 145 games

3B Lewis 150 games

RF Wallner 150 games

1B/DH Miranda 140 games

LF Larnach 145 games

DH/Util Castro/Julien 100 games each

2B Lee 120 games

C Jeffers 100 games

That would leave 139 games to be started by backups minus the 38 extra games I have because I projected Castro and Julien at 100 each.  So 101 games to be started by a combination of Martin and all other bench guys.  What kind of projections could the Twins have in a situation like that?  

 

Then if the pitching staff could go

Lopez 32 starts

Ryan 30 starts

Ober 32 starts

SWR 28 starts

Paddack 20 starts

Festa 14 starts

Matthews 6 starts

 

Bullpen

Duran 30+ saves

Jax 70 innings

Stewart 50 innings

Alcala 60 innings

Sands/Varland/Etc.  50 innings each

 

If the perfect storm happened could the Twins go 90 - 72?  I mean they had injury after injury after injury last season and went 82 - 80?  So what if?  I mean I know it's a huge pipedream, but have to keep my hopes up?  Right? Especially after having to hear about the stupid Dodgers day after day.

[ashbury]

6 hours ago, Twodogs said:

I live in Cali

Tell us your neighbors don't think of you as a local, without saying the words "my neighbors don't think of me as a local."  😀

Kidding aside, you have identified both the promise and the problem with putting together a roster whose stars are high injury (or variability) risks to begin with.   If things come together just right, it could be a 100 win team.  I mean, compare it to the 2019 squad - it could happen, right?  CJ Cron is not a very high hurdle to clear.  And no team, no player, is without the risk of injury, so why can't it be our turn?  The problem is when you have accumulated enough against-the-odds players, missed playing time and minor league demotions start to be more of a foregone conclusion than merely bad luck.

I go back to a thing that I heard Terry Ryan say at a conference, not too long before he got fired. To paraphrase: "there are a lot of guys who would be Hall of Famers if pro baseball was played once a week instead of every day."  I recall he was taking a not too subtle jab at Delmon Young.  But I think about that observation often, in a variety of contexts.

[Brandon]

On 1/20/2025 at 1:50 PM, ashbury said:

Tell us your neighbors don't think of you as a local, without saying the words "my neighbors don't think of me as a local."  😀

Kidding aside, you have identified both the promise and the problem with putting together a roster whose stars are high injury (or variability) risks to begin with.   If things come together just right, it could be a 100 win team.  I mean, compare it to the 2019 squad - it could happen, right?  CJ Cron is not a very high hurdle to clear.  And no team, no player, is without the risk of injury, so why can't it be our turn?  The problem is when you have accumulated enough against-the-odds players, missed playing time and minor league demotions start to be more of a foregone conclusion than merely bad luck.

I go back to a thing that I heard Terry Ryan say at a conference, not too long before he got fired. To paraphrase: "there are a lot of guys who would be Hall of Famers if pro baseball was played once a week instead of every day."  I recall he was taking a not too subtle jab at Delmon Young.  But I think about that observation often, in a variety of contexts.

I just had to say this was a great response.  Like reading an article.

[ashbury]

9 hours ago, Brandon said:

Like reading an article.

Only without so many of those pesky words.  😀

But seriously, thanks.