Twins 6, Red Sox 0: Mick Abel Shines, Byron Buxton Mashes for Another Twins Victory

[laloesch]

5 hours ago, bunsen82 said:

On a value chart Painter would have cost Jax and Duran.  There was no way we were getting Painter for Duran.  Painter has more upside even now,  but I really like Abel and I stated it last summer on stats and performance I might actually take Abel over Painter heads up.  Alas thats not the discussion LOL.  

The case with Abel is he has always done better at his next level his second year.  He is still going to have issues with walks and control from time to time.  I think he got strikeouts on 4-5 different pitches.  4 seamer, change, slider, sweeper (aren't these the same Lol)  and curve.   He was throwing any of his pitches for strikes and if you got to 2 strikes last night you were in a difficult spot.  For someone who is 6'5"  throwing up to 97  (96.8 rounded up LOL) -  Plus 4 other legit pitches,  I think we are going to be very very happy.   

For Abel its all going to come down to control.  If the secondaries are not working then the fastball can get teed up. 

For the rest of the game,  some of our players that have struggled to start the season have gotten hot,  Buxton, Lee and Keaschall.   We have several solid hitters this year.   So far we are only sending 1 person to the box on a regular basis with no chance in Outman.   The overall depth of the team looks good.   With 3 strong SP in Ryan, Abel and Bradley, and 2 solid ones in Ober and SWR - it should set this team up to be competitive all year long.   I will still continue to pine for Varland LOL.    

This.  A guy that can throw up to 97 / 98 but has good change, slider, sweeper, curve and USES them often to get guys out AND can throw them for strikes too.  That's money, money, money.  That has long term starter and potential ace written all over it.  I'm honestly thrilled we have Abel and Taj.  Both those guys are gonna be good.

[jmlease1]

53 minutes ago, Doctor Gast said:

You think I have blind hatred for Falvey because I don't blindly believe the hype that floods social media? or make Falvey MLB administrator of the year because another team  offered Able. What talent is it on Falvey's part?  What credit should Falvey get when players fall in his lap? Rest assured, I don't have hatred for any man or woman. I was a big fan of Falvine but years of observing Falvey & with him taking more & more control, the worse Twins became. My speaking out against Falvey isn't based on any hatred for Falvey but out of my love for the Twins.

You literally said Falvey deserves no credit for acquiring Abel and that if he's actually this good it's all because of the coaches. 

You don't know how the trade went down, and the idea that it was all the Phillies just handing over prospects and being the only ones with agency in this is pretty ludicrous. But even if Philly came to Derek Falvey with the whole trade packaged up just as it went down...he still was the guy at the end of the day who said yes.

No one is seriously proposing Falvey as executive of the year, but reasonable people are willing to look back at the deadline deals and based on the performance so far say things like "hey, he might have made some really good moves for us." Claiming he deserves no credit if these deals work out is bizarre.

[laloesch]

16 minutes ago, jmlease1 said:

You literally said Falvey deserves no credit for acquiring Abel and that if he's actually this good it's all because of the coaches. 

You don't know how the trade went down, and the idea that it was all the Phillies just handing over prospects and being the only ones with agency in this is pretty ludicrous. But even if Philly came to Derek Falvey with the whole trade packaged up just as it went down...he still was the guy at the end of the day who said yes.

No one is seriously proposing Falvey as executive of the year, but reasonable people are willing to look back at the deadline deals and based on the performance so far say things like "hey, he might have made some really good moves for us." Claiming he deserves no credit if these deals work out is bizarre.

Yeah I don't agree with his statement either.  Abel and Bradley (different trade) certainly didn't fall into the Twins laps.  Falvey had to work for them.  I think a lot of the fans were so pissed off by that flurry of trades last year (and understandably so), but I think we need to be careful and not get so despondent about the situation and blind ourselves into thinking we got nothing in return to feel better about it all.  If both these pitchers fulfill their potential as 2/3 level starters (and I would argue both could potentially be top of the rotation starters in time if all goes well....knock on wood), both trades are win, win, there's no question about it.  I'm honestly stoked about having both.

[tarheeltwinsfan]

4 hours ago, terrydactyls said:

You should be sorry.  You responded to a post that didn't mention Wallner.

I am not worthy. I am not worthy.

[Major League Ready]

On 4/15/2026 at 12:40 PM, Doctor Gast said:

You think I have blind hatred for Falvey because I don't blindly believe the hype that floods social media? or make Falvey MLB administrator of the year because another team  offered Able. What talent is it on Falvey's part?  What credit should Falvey get when players fall in his lap? Rest assured, I don't have hatred for any man or woman. I was a big fan of Falvine but years of observing Falvey & with him taking more & more control, the worse Twins became. My speaking out against Falvey isn't based on any hatred for Falvey but out of my love for the Twins.

How could you possibly know what Philly offered or perhaps more importantly what other offers were out there and Falvey picked the Able / Tait offer.  It sure seems like blind hatred when any move that does not work out is Falvey's incompetence but any move that does work out must have fallen in his lap.