Through One-Third of the Season, the Minnesota Twins Have Shown Impressive Resilience

[LA Vikes Fan]

27 minutes ago, Jeff K said:

So many things are going well, but I believe the refreshing change in culture to one of accountability has contributed greatly.  Shelton sits players who are slumping, gives them a chance and if they still don't perform, he makes a change.  (Wallner/Lewis/SWR).  Outman would be gone if he could fill the role differently or if Emma hadn't been injured.  

Agreed. I think this is a great development and explains a lot of the improvement. Shelton and Zoll seem to be much more willing to remove/bench guys who are not performing and give opportunities to others. Under Rocco and Falvey it felt like a lot of guys were "on Scholarship", destined to start and keep their jobs regardless of performance.  Would Topa and Garcia be gone under the old regime, replaced by Adams and Morris? Would they have moved Lee off of SS to 3B and demoted Lewis? I don't think so. Frankly, the changes in the current regime are a bit of fresh air. More importantly, they are these are among the necessary things you have to do to be competitive short term and to create a competitive environment long term. It's just like any other business. 

[JD-TWINS]

Today’s PEN has 5 new faces since the season started in late March.

Banda - Orze - Rogers remain from the original 8. All 3 have had a bad spot or 4 but generally they have been pitching well in big spots.

Gomez - Adams - SWR - Morris - Rojas being added over the past 3-4 weeks has really upgraded the velocity and talent. As experience continues to build, I like their chances going forward!

This group combined has an ERA in low 2’s over the past 17 games……. that works!

IF Abel and/or Festa come back in July sometime, and Sands returns after getting to  100%………….. they have depth and even more potential upside.

The loss of Jeffers is a huge blow! Need to figure out a way to create 4 runs/game with this offense and they’ll win more than they lose.

[Patzky]

Being Jeffersless will make it harder tonight against Davis Martin, but we haven't blinked when going up against some of the top pitchers in baseball, Crochet, Valdez, Skubal,.. Yankees games are coming up 

[arby58]

The offensive/defensive contributions of Clemmens and the move of Lee to 3B have been important recent developments. I get the feeling moving Lee off the SS 'hot seat' has helped his ABs as well.

[Twins_Fan_in_NJ]

I thought this road trip was going to tell a lot about the Twins. +.500 trip against Boston, Chicago and Pittsburgh should be doable for a team that wants to at least remain in the hunt for the wild card and a weak AL Central. 4-1 so far isn't too shabby.

[Twins_Fan_in_NJ]

Shelton deserves a ton of credit - someone else deserves some props and I'm not sure if it is Tom P. or Zoll or someone else with the front office. Sending down Royce and Wallner. Sliding Lee over to 3B and paving the way for Culpepper at SS. Extended looks in the pen for Rojas, Morris, Adams. Seems to be a philosophical shift and one that could bode well long-term. Admittedly, there's a still some head scratching moves a la Outman being rostered but overall, I think the personnel decisions are better than what we've seen in the past.

[Patzky]

1 hour ago, JD-TWINS said:

Today’s PEN has 5 new faces since the season started in late March.

Banda - Orze - Rogers remain from the original 8. All 3 have had a bad spot or 4 but generally they have been pitching well in big spots.

Gomez - Adams - SWR - Morris - Rojas being added over the past 3-4 weeks has really upgraded the velocity and talent. As experience continues to build, I like their chances going forward!

This group combined has an ERA in low 2’s over the past 17 games……. that works!

IF Abel and/or Festa come back in July sometime, and Sands returns after getting to  100%………….. they have depth and even more potential upside.

The loss of Jeffers is a huge blow! Need to figure out a way to create 4 runs/game with this offense and they’ll win more than they lose.

A bullpen with Gomez-Adams might blow up trains but hopefully won't blow up innings.

 

[RpR]

1 hour ago, JD-TWINS said:

Today’s PEN has 5 new faces since the season started in late March.

Banda - Orze - Rogers remain from the original 8. All 3 have had a bad spot or 4 but generally they have been pitching well in big spots.

Gomez - Adams - SWR - Morris - Rojas being added over the past 3-4 weeks has really upgraded the velocity and talent. As experience continues to build, I like their chances going forward!

This group combined has an ERA in low 2’s over the past 17 games……. that works!

IF Abel and/or Festa come back in July sometime, and Sands returns after getting to  100%………….. they have depth and even more potential upside.

The loss of Jeffers is a huge blow! Need to figure out a way to create 4 runs/game with this offense and they’ll win more than they lose.

All the worry about one player is silly; LAA had Ohtani, Trout and Pujols and when gone the record has not changed in reality.

It is a team, not one man show; it was a team that beat the Red Sox, not a person.

[MMMordabito]

More resilience will be needed to weather the Jeffers storm.   

I'm in the camp of using this "opportunity" to really see what is there with Jackson.  Caratini isn't doing the main thing that separates him from Jackson right now: hit.  50/50 at a minimum would be a start.

Watching night after night of young starting pitchers perform has been one of the best parts of this season.  It's way more fun than seeing guys like Paddack, Archer, Bundy, Urena, Keuchel and Mahle being given those nods and knowing they represent zero future with the team.

 

[4twinsJA]

I like the urgency Shelton displays. Great to see manager nervous in dugout, like the game is important. FO did well not oversigning veterans so able to play young players. I like direction Twins are headed.

[Patzky]

3 hours ago, TheLeviathan said:

Great link.  This definitely feels like a team who has had "puck luck" to put it in another sport's framework.  I grant Nick's point that the team has been resilient and continued to come back to play the next day.  That's a great sign in a baseball team.  

However, right now it's a team that is basically 14th or so in every measure.  That's not bad and probably a team that can see itself to a .500 record if maintained.  It also helps that they've committed to better defense at SS to help keep this narrow win path open.  But this is also a pretty soft part of the schedule and there has been a small sample of decent bullpen work.  I'm going to need to see that continue along with developing an offensive plan beyond "hope Buxton carries us to this win" to find it sustainable.

Success breeds success.

[arby58]

1 hour ago, Twins_Fan_in_NJ said:

Shelton deserves a ton of credit - someone else deserves some props and I'm not sure if it is Tom P. or Zoll or someone else with the front office. Sending down Royce and Wallner. Sliding Lee over to 3B and paving the way for Culpepper at SS. Extended looks in the pen for Rojas, Morris, Adams. Seems to be a philosophical shift and one that could bode well long-term. Admittedly, there's a still some head scratching moves a la Outman being rostered but overall, I think the personnel decisions are better than what we've seen in the past.

I agree with you on everything but Outman. There really isn't another experienced CF on the roster. If Emma were healthy, my guess is he would have been playing for the Twins a week or two ago.

[KirbyDome89]

3 AL teams entered today with a winning record. 3....

This club is competitive insofar as the rising tide, i.e. the mediocrity of the AL, has raised all ships. I mean Baltimore is 2 games out of a WC spot with 4th worst run differential in baseball....

[Sjoski]

I'm slow to jump on the bandwagon. 

My brains won't adapt to:

"at least we aren't buried in the basement" mentality.

But agreed, they are much playing better than expected. 

 

[RpR]

42 minutes ago, arby58 said:

I agree with you on everything but Outman. There really isn't another experienced CF on the roster. If Emma were healthy, my guess is he would have been playing for the Twins a week or two ago.

Outman is here for his glove work; Rodriguez glove is at the level of Cave.  He would not be up yet.

The do not need a meh glove or want to see him destroyed by Major League pitching , yet.

[Mike Sixel]

2 hours ago, 4twinsJA said:

I like the urgency Shelton displays. Great to see manager nervous in dugout, like the game is important. FO did well not oversigning veterans so able to play young players. I like direction Twins are headed.

What young position players are playing? It's all older players. Keaschell is the only young player..

[Mike Sixel]

1 hour ago, arby58 said:

I agree with you on everything but Outman. There really isn't another experienced CF on the roster. If Emma were healthy, my guess is he would have been playing for the Twins a week or two ago.

How many outs does he catch in the OF martin wouldn't? Because he's going to make four or five as a hitter. Is one catch every three games worth zero hits?

[Mike Sixel]

I'm pleasantly surprised at the run production, but also a bit skeptical it continues. But at least they are playing games that might matter. 

I'm fascinated at the anti falvey posts, when every player actually contributing but one was acquired by him, or earlier. He built this SP staff. 

[RpR]

54 minutes ago, Mike Sixel said:

How many outs does he catch in the OF martin wouldn't? Because he's going to make four or five as a hitter. Is one catch every three games worth zero hits?

A play missed in Center Field means at least a double and any one on base scoring.

[RpR]

56 minutes ago, Mike Sixel said:

What young position players are playing? It's all older players. Keaschell is the only young player..

Keaschall is the only rookie.

[Trov]

I am not surprised the FA signings have failed, they were never going to be great.  Bell is streaky and when he can get hot he can be great.  Similar to Clemons they can get hot and carry a team, but their slumps can be just as bad the opposite way. 

The starting pitching has been amazing, outside of SWR, even the call ups.  The pen has been up and down, as most pens are.  We have got some surprises on offense by Lee, Larnach, and Martin, but the bad way for Wallner and Lewis.

What I am happy about is that the FO is willing to make moves, that old FO may not have.  Specifically, the DFA of Topa, demotion of Wallner and Lewis.  I would expect if Bell does not step up and get hot soon, he will be next on the DFA. 

[arby58]

2 hours ago, Mike Sixel said:

How many outs does he catch in the OF martin wouldn't? Because he's going to make four or five as a hitter. Is one catch every three games worth zero hits?

Martin looked pretty lost on one of the balls off the wall against Boston, which was for extra bases. Minnesota's other regular outfielders are not exactly gold glove material either. 

The fact that Outman (it is a deliciously ironic name for him) is still here tells me the Twins have answered your question. The other issue that wasn't raised is a fourth outfielder is going to play how often? Sure, if Buxton is going to become a semi-permanent DH, it provides more regular playing opportunity, but it is worth recalling that Mendez started the year in AA ball. He's 22 and can use regular playing time.

It will be interesting to see how the Twins deal with their glut of OFers IF Jenkins and Rodriguez can stay healthy, not to mention Roden - and you also have Gonzalez and now Mendez. At least one of these guys has got to be in the thought process for 1B, right?

[mikelink45]

Just imagine - this team playing far above expectations has had the following players in its lineup:

BA, OPS+, BWAR, AB

James Outman 167, 43, -0.3, 60

Victor Caratini 179, 47, -0.3, 123

Josh Bell 216, 73, -0.6 190 

Royce Lewis 163, 52, -0.3 104

Matt Wallner 167 55 -1.3 120 

Never mind that Gray, Clemens, and Keaschall are all under 250

The five I listed have had 597 ABs - they have accumulated -2.8 WAR 

And still, we are near 500 - amazing.  That is a full 1/3 of our ABs so far this season.