Week in Review: Lewis Awakens, Deadline Decisions Loom

[Nick Nelson]

2 hours ago, TheLeviathan said:

This is the key.  How else do we change this roster if not trading?

Ownership tapped out two years ago.  That's not changing.  It's trade or get miracle development.  And how's that last one looked the last two years?

New ownership will likely be in place by the end of the season.

Larnach, Wallner and Lee improving and having better seasons next year would not be "miracle development" it would be standard baseball development. Lewis already seems to be coming out of it. 

I'm asking again: what kind of trades are we making to change and meaningfully improve the roster? Trading rental players isn't going to do it - you'll get mid-tier prospects and lotto tickets. Are we entrusting this front office to trade good players with multi-year control and get back worthy returns, at the expense of even trying to contend next year with Buxton and Correa? 

[Blyleven2011]

46 minutes ago, theBOMisthebomb said:

Did you play in high school, college, town ball, or the minor leagues? I find everyone's playing journey interesting. If you are located in or near Minnesota and want to continue playing the sport, there is an age 50+ baseball league and also a 60+ baseball league. They use wood bats and it's a great chance to get out there and compete. 

I played youth ball , school  ball , town ball and went to tryout camps for twins , Kansas city , Cincinnati  , red Sox  , I had talent but I was not a 5 tool player , I was from the farm , had muscles galore all hand made , I hit , hit for power,  had a good arm and glove was average at the time , but I had no speed running  ...

That is what every tryout said to me , good arm , hit and power , average glove , but the breaker was always I couldn't run ...

Thanks ...

[Mike Sixel]

2 minutes ago, Nick Nelson said:

New ownership will likely be in place by the end of the season.

Larnach, Wallner and Lee improving and having better seasons next year would not be "miracle development" it would be standard baseball development. Lewis already seems to be coming out of it. 

I'm asking again: what kind of trades are we making to change and meaningfully improve the roster? Trading rental players isn't going to do it - you'll get mid-tier prospects and lotto tickets. Are we entrusting this front office to trade good players with multi-year control and get back worthy returns, at the expense of even trying to contend next year with Buxton and Correa? 

How'd they get Ryan again?

You can get lucky....even getting one RP out of this dealing would help.

It also frees up playing time for Martin, maybe Eeelse (I really need to look up the spelling), and I'm DFAing France and letting Sabato show if he can play or not. Gather data, experiment, see what you have or don't have.

I agree that Lee and Wallner could improve, and I keep playing them (though Lee is bad since moving to 2B off of his natural left side, not sure what to do). 

I put Keaschell in left (unless they really believe he's the 2B of the future) or first (if he can't throw). 

There is no good reason not to see if any of these guys are part of the future or not. 

[Mike Sixel]

5 minutes ago, Nick Nelson said:

New ownership will likely be in place by the end of the season.

Larnach, Wallner and Lee improving and having better seasons next year would not be "miracle development" it would be standard baseball development. Lewis already seems to be coming out of it. 

I'm asking again: what kind of trades are we making to change and meaningfully improve the roster? Trading rental players isn't going to do it - you'll get mid-tier prospects and lotto tickets. Are we entrusting this front office to trade good players with multi-year control and get back worthy returns, at the expense of even trying to contend next year with Buxton and Correa? 

Milwaukee traded Burnes and is still good. Losing a RP isn't going to doom this team to be uncompetitive, and if it does, then the team isn't all that good anyway. But I'd prefer they not deal any long term assets until the off season, unless they get a ridiculous offer.

[Blyleven2011]

2 minutes ago, Nick Nelson said:

New ownership will likely be in place by the end of the season.

Larnach, Wallner and Lee improving and having better seasons next year would not be "miracle development" it would be standard baseball development. Lewis already seems to be coming out of it. 

I'm asking again: what kind of trades are we making to change and meaningfully improve the roster? Trading rental players isn't going to do it - you'll get mid-tier prospects and lotto tickets. Are we entrusting this front office to trade good players with multi-year control and get back worthy returns, at the expense of even trying to contend next year with Buxton and Correa? 

I agree we won't get a big haul on the expiring contracts , but will get depth pieces for areas of weakness  ...

Do we entrust our front office to trade good controllable players for a good return , we better because if they can't  , they should be shown the door and let it hit them on the way out ...

If they're trading good controllable players , they better be acute at bringing back players that are major league ready to better the teams weaknesses ...

[karcherd]

33 minutes ago, Mike Sixel said:

though Lee is bad since moving to 2B off of his natural left side, not sure what to do). 

When they did they move Lee to 2B.  He played there all three games against the Nationals.  But other then the end of May he has never started two games in a row there.  They have been moving him around every game.  While I am disappointed with his performance currently but what would happen if he actually got to play every day at the same position and got comfortable.  A spot start at SS is one thing but moving almost every game, reps do matter even in the big leagues.

[Nick Nelson]

35 minutes ago, Mike Sixel said:

How'd they get Ryan again?

You can get lucky....even getting one RP out of this dealing would help.

It also frees up playing time for Martin, maybe Eeelse (I really need to look up the spelling), and I'm DFAing France and letting Sabato show if he can play or not. Gather data, experiment, see what you have or don't have.

I agree that Lee and Wallner could improve, and I keep playing them (though Lee is bad since moving to 2B off of his natural left side, not sure what to do). 

I put Keaschell in left (unless they really believe he's the 2B of the future) or first (if he can't throw). 

There is no good reason not to see if any of these guys are part of the future or not. 

I don't think anyone is arguing against selling rental players at this point. The point from two weeks ago, which is now being relitigated for some reason, was: 1 - let's not draw conclusions right now, because there are many games to be played before decision time, and 2 - let's hold those guys if still reasonably in the fight (they're not anymore).

Fair point on Ryan. It would be nice to get lucky. I wish I could convince myself that guys like Bader or Castro are going to be THAT coveted.

[Mike Sixel]

2 minutes ago, karcherd said:

When they did they move Lee to 2B.  He played there all three games against the Nationals.  But other then the end of May he has never started two games in a row there.  They have been moving him around every game.  While I am disappointed with his performance currently but what would happen if he actually got to play every day at the same position and got comfortable.  A spot start at SS is one thing but moving almost every game, reps do matter even in the big leagues.

He's played mostly second since Lewis returned. All over, but more second. I'm not sure why he can't hit this year..... But it's concerning.

[Mike Sixel]

1 minute ago, Nick Nelson said:

I don't think anyone is arguing against selling rental players at this point. The point from two weeks ago, which is now being relitigated for some reason, was: 1 - let's not draw conclusions right now, because there are many games to be played before decision time, and 2 - let's hold those guys if still reasonably in the fight (they're not anymore).

Fair point on Ryan. It would be nice to get lucky. I wish I could convince myself that guys like Bader or Castro are going to be THAT coveted.

I'd be surprised if they got a good regular from any of these trades.....

[karcherd]

8 minutes ago, Mike Sixel said:

He's played mostly second since Lewis returned. All over, but more second. I'm not sure why he can't hit this year..... But it's concerning.

For the month of July since Lewis has been back, he has started 12 games, 7 at 2B.  Again give him some regular run and consistency and see what happens;  I don't disagree his hitting is concerning but what happens with some consistency and regular play.  June he played fairly well with regular playing time.  At some point they have to decide who has a potential with the team and find out if they can be a contributor.  The team is going nowhere and to keep playing the stopgap veterans is not leading to winning or to improving the team for the future.

[Mike Sixel]

Just now, karcherd said:

For the month of July since Lewis has been back, he has started 12 games, 7 at 2B.  Again give him some regular run and consistency and see what happens;  I don't disagree his hitting is concerning but what happens with some consistency and regular play.  June he played fairly well with regular playing time.  At some point they have to decide who has a potential with the team and find out if they can be a contributor.  The team is going nowhere and to keep playing the stopgap veterans is not leading to winning or to improving the team for the future.

We're in agreement. 

[TheLeviathan]

1 hour ago, Nick Nelson said:

New ownership will likely be in place by the end of the season.

Larnach, Wallner and Lee improving and having better seasons next year would not be "miracle development" it would be standard baseball development. Lewis already seems to be coming out of it. 

I'm asking again: what kind of trades are we making to change and meaningfully improve the roster? Trading rental players isn't going to do it - you'll get mid-tier prospects and lotto tickets. Are we entrusting this front office to trade good players with multi-year control and get back worthy returns, at the expense of even trying to contend next year with Buxton and Correa? 

I hope you are right about ownership.  I'm skeptical.  I definitely lack enough certainty to make bold choices at this deadline on that basis.

It absolutely would be miracle development because right now every single guy you want to count on has regressed.  It would be a complete 180 on what we've seen now for a considerable period of time.  And not just on those guys - Julien, Miranda, Martin, etc.  Could it happen?  Sure.  But you've got very little reason to be confident it can happen.

I've personally stated that I'm looking for position players in AA and AAA.  A ball offers can take a hike.  Every single rental player will at least give you some lottery tickets and lottery tickets will often fail, but they could become Duran or Joe Ryan.  I'll take that over guaranteed nothing.  As for Duran/Jax/Ryan/Stewart/whomever.....I'm not shopping for mid-tier lotto tickets.  I'm shopping for real help for this core in the next two years.  I'm looking for dudes to join the timeline of Culpepper and Jenkins.  Because here's the thing - we won't (with absolute certainty)  - have all 5 of Duran, Jax, Ryan, Ober, and Lopez in the fold when Jenkins and Culpepper are here in 2028.  Some (dare I say most?) will be gone. Rolling out their availability now to see how to bolster those years seems like wise planning to me.  

But what's the alternative Nick?  Last time I asked you, your answer was literally "do nothing". You admit no money and help is coming by free agency.  We tried "do nothing" from November to March.  How's that working out?   We did nothing, we took no chances, we purgatory'd.  How do we make this core better without the willingness to take chances?  It may excite you to pretend the team is a contender in June when they aren't, but I want an actual, real playoff threat to root for.  I'm done with mediocrity.  I'm done pretending if everything goes right we might win 87 games and get unceremoniously booted a couple games in.  I want a good team.

For me....that starts by hoping my team doesn't act with wishful thinking but is willing to take bold, sometimes risky, steps to try and be a real contender.  And the need to do that, for this team, has been obvious for months.  I won't sit here and bash them years later for taking failed swings.  I'd rather have that then the droning complacency we've been treated with.

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

1 hour ago, Mike Sixel said:

I put Keaschell in left

and put Larnach at second base?

How many games has Keaschall played in left field in the minors? go ahead, take a guess 😉

[Mike Sixel]

5 minutes ago, Hosken Bombo Disco said:

and put Larnach at second base?

How many games has Keaschall played in left field in the minors? go ahead, take a guess 😉

Really? I could have sworn someone here said he'd been doing that! If not, I take it back. Bader is playing more than Larnach, and I'm assuming Bader is traded, but if Luke hasn't really played there, then I take it back. 

[Blyleven2011]

5 hours ago, Vanimal46 said:

We’re on pace to miss the playoffs 4 out of 5 seasons. Giving up on 2026 is continuing doing the same thing. Relying on 3 injury prone players to carry the offense and filling the gaps with cheap, replacement level veterans. 

Paddack and yes dobnak traded to Detroit  , minor leaguer in return is all I know for now ...

How's that for be creative and wait and see , why did they wait so long  ...

[RpR]

1 minute ago, Blyleven2011 said:

Paddack and yes dobnak traded to Detroit  , minor leaguer in return is all I know for now ...

How's that for be creative and wait and see , why did they wait so long  ...

Maybe they traded for Baddoo.

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

9 minutes ago, Mike Sixel said:

Really? I could have sworn someone here said he'd been doing that! If not, I take it back. Bader is playing more than Larnach, and I'm assuming Bader is traded, but if Luke hasn't really played there, then I take it back. 

Now we know where the front office is getting its ideas from—Twins Daily readers! 

[USAFChief]

18 minutes ago, Hosken Bombo Disco said:

and put Larnach at second base?

How many games has Keaschall played in left field in the minors? go ahead, take a guess 😉

"Hey, anybody can play anywhere."

-R Baldelli 

 

[Mike Sixel]

28 minutes ago, Hosken Bombo Disco said:

Now we know where the front office is getting its ideas from—Twins Daily readers! 

He does have a whopping 20 in CF! But, ya, I was led to believe it was a different split. 2nd or first if he can't throw. 

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

30 minutes ago, USAFChief said:

"Hey, anybody can play anywhere."

-R Baldelli 

 

“Be ready at any moment!”

- repeated every day for six months

[stringer bell]

3 hours ago, karcherd said:

For the month of July since Lewis has been back, he has started 12 games, 7 at 2B.  Again give him some regular run and consistency and see what happens;  I don't disagree his hitting is concerning but what happens with some consistency and regular play.  June he played fairly well with regular playing time.  At some point they have to decide who has a potential with the team and find out if they can be a contributor.  The team is going nowhere and to keep playing the stopgap veterans is not leading to winning or to improving the team for the future.

Lee quit hitting and found the bench for a team that was ostensibly trying to make it to postseason. He's still sixth in plate appearances on the team. Even though he hasn't started regularly lately he is on course to reach almost 500 plate appearances--that is considered full-time.  A month ago I thought that he had shown enough to be a near-regular rotating between the three infield positions, but his slump has dimmed my hopes for him.

[Mike Sixel]

13 minutes ago, stringer bell said:

Lee quit hitting and found the bench for a team that was ostensibly trying to make it to postseason. He's still sixth in plate appearances on the team. Even though he hasn't started regularly lately he is on course to reach almost 500 plate appearances--that is considered full-time.  A month ago I thought that he had shown enough to be a near-regular rotating between the three infield positions, but his slump has dimmed my hopes for him.

Ya. Same. 

[Vanimal46]

5 hours ago, Nick Nelson said:

New ownership will likely be in place by the end of the season.

This is really the only news that matters. I hope you’re right. I can’t take another offseason under Pohlad ownership 

[Major League Ready]

7 hours ago, Hosken Bombo Disco said:

and put Larnach at second base?

How many games has Keaschall played in left field in the minors? go ahead, take a guess 😉

Keaschall has not played a lot of games at any position because he has played several positions including CH.  If he can handle CF, he can handle LF.  

[stringer bell]

1 hour ago, Major League Ready said:

Keaschall has not played a lot of games at any position because he has played several positions including CH.  If he can handle CF, he can handle LF.  

I don't see Keaschall playing anywhere on the field but second base in 2025. There is a fair chance that he will be tried at more positions next year, particularly if he continues to hit well. He hadn’t totally recovered arm strength prior to the broken bone and he could not continue his rehab plan while waiting for the bone to heal. 

[TheLeviathan]

Well, I hope tonight's game winner is a step towards righting the ship for Lee.

I still think he can have a future on this team, it'd be nice to see him put it together these last two months.

[stringer bell]

The consensus seems to be a major reshuffle for the Twins. I can’t say that I blame the diehard fan base for feeling that way. I hope the Twins get lucky in selling off expiring contracts and acquire some guy who helps them soon, but it is truly a lottery ticket.

Selling a controllable asset is a bit bigger deal. I wouldn’t be opposed to one guy who is under team control sent out for good to elite talent in return. 

[Major League Ready]

6 hours ago, stringer bell said:

I don't see Keaschall playing anywhere on the field but second base in 2025. There is a fair chance that he will be tried at more positions next year, particularly if he continues to hit well. He hadn’t totally recovered arm strength prior to the broken bone and he could not continue his rehab plan while waiting for the bone to heal. 

I would be interested to hear why you believe 2B is so much more likely.  I have only seen him in the OF a handful of times but he looked better that Larnach and Wallner.  Where does Lee play because Lewis has improved significantly at 3B to the point where to me he looks like a better 3B defender than Lee.  Clemmens has been good at 2B.  It's Martin's best position and Julien has been raking in AAA.  He is in the mix too. 

That's a lot of guys that can play 2B.  With Bader gone, they have one good defense OFer on the current roster.  Two if you count Clemmens.   I think Larnach is a prime trade candidate this winter.  In short, they need Keaschall in the OF more than they do 2B.  If Larnach is gone, I see them as six deep in the OF.  Buxton / Wallner / Rodriguez / Keaschall / Clemmens and Martin.  However, within that group, Wallner is the weakest defensively and he ends up DHing a lot.

[old nurse]

On 7/28/2025 at 6:54 AM, NYCTK said:

And as we all know the Twins are the only team to ever experience injuries. Depth has never been discussed because injuries never happen and it's never needed. 

Have the Twins been one of the healthier teams the last couple seasons? Sure. But there were some injuries and no team can ever overcome that. 

The Twins have not been amongst the healthier teams the last two years.  The are in the middle. 

Injuries do have an effect on team performance. Atlanta losing their starting rotation is probably the best example. The Dodgers are not the best team i baseball with so man of their starters out. The Yankees are a wild card team with Cole being out.  No team is so deep that having the frontline players injured does not affect them. 

[NYCTK]

16 minutes ago, old nurse said:

The Twins have not been amongst the healthier teams the last two years.  The are in the middle. 

Injuries do have an effect on team performance. Atlanta losing their starting rotation is probably the best example. The Dodgers are not the best team i baseball with so man of their starters out. The Yankees are a wild card team with Cole being out.  No team is so deep that having the frontline players injured does not affect them. 

Totally fair, I'm being a bit hyperbolic by saying that because they aren't in the worst half of teams in terms of health they're therefore one of the healthiest. 

This season more so than last, with only one significant injury if we're being honest. Keaschall is a rookie and so while unfortunate I have a hard time declaring that injury as significant.