Arbitrary Thoughts: Justin Topa

[USAFChief]

17 hours ago, bunsen82 said:

I agree a lot has to go right, but if it did, it would fill a big hole. 

Canterino hasn't thrown a pitch in a game since 2022. 85 IP total in his minor league career. Surgery again in 2025.

Zero chance. Even IF miracles coalesce and he somehow manages to defy all odds and throw a pitch from a mound in 2026, He'd be nowhere near ready to pitch in the show.

 

[Chembry]

20 hours ago, DocBauer said:

I appreciate your sentiment. I really do. Canterino suddenly waking up one day after all the injury nightmares he's had and suddenly being Right is a personal Twins fantasy of mine. And you're correct that his career path is similar to Stewart's. 

And I think we'd all just love to see him surprise himself, and all of us, and be a Cinderella story for the Twins. Similar to Stewart, but also "somewhat" to the Cinderella story Thielbar was as well.

I've just given up on the fantasy at this point. But I'd LOVE to be proven wrong!

Off topic here, but I bought a few Twins jersey grab bags at a couple of the games I went this past year.  The jersey grab bags are team issued, game used, or autographed jersey of any current or former Twin.  I bought them because I like the unknown aspect.  My favorite one was a team issued Matt Canterino jersey.  I am excited to wear it to games next year.  I also got an autographed Carlos Correa and team issued Trevor Richards jersey.  Pretty sure I am the only person, besides Trevor Richards, who has a Trevor Richards jersey. 

Seriously though, I think we all wish Canterino the best.  He has talent in spades, but he hasn't thrown a "competitive pitch" since 2022 and that was in AA.  I know he has pitched some in spring training in 2024.  Cam Booser can be used as a case study.  I think most of us are familiar with his story, but injuries derailed his career and he was out of professional baseball from 2017-2021.  He signed a minor league deal with the Red Sox and worked from AA up to MLB, but took him 4 years to reach MLB.  Obviously everyone is different and Canterino has pitched in ST, but he would need time to acclimate again.  If he is healthy come ST, I hope he gets a look.  However, the probability of him making it to MLB next year is low.  In all likelihood, he would start at AA again and build up from there.     

[IndianaTwin]

4 hours ago, Chembry said:

...  Pretty sure I am the only person, besides Trevor Richards, who has a Trevor Richards jersey.... 

 

I was once going through the rack of game-used jerseys at the team store, lamenting that they cost too much for my budget. Then there was one that had my surname, thanks to the roster presence of a middle reliever with that name. I bought it and wore it to Puckett's HOF induction ceremony, where a guy said, "You must be related to (said reliever), because nobody but a family member has one of his jerseys."

It's not an uncommon name, so I'm guessing I could wear it to a game these days and hardly a person there would know it's an actual player.