Week in Review: Expectations Gone, Energy Unlocked

C4 was at replacement value and we lost winnable games. He is gone and we are winning winnable games. Win win for everyone. We will find a SS in the offseason….

Nick, let Carlos go. I was extremely appreciative of Correa's consistent play in the field and never cared a lick for how much he was paid.  Lee hasn't looked good. Is he pressing? Hard to know. Part of me says that the Twins should play Fitzgerald every day if Brooks can't hustle and make the plays. He missed two today. But I think it is best to be patient unless the jogging on grounders and fly balls b.s. continues. I wish Correa well with Houston and am aware the Twins will keep that savings. Still, time to let Correa go.

I'm hoping that Clemens can hit well because he is showing some fire. Hopefully the entire team picks up on Keaschall's relentless hustle. That dive into second base to beat a force out may have been the play of the week. Also, did anyone else find it ironic to hear Justin Morneau discussing the difficulty of Keaschall's home run to right center? Remember when Target Field opened and Morneau was upset that it was impossible to hit the ball out in right center? Bert Blyleven would chuckle and say, "Relax boys, The concrete needs to dry." It's dry apparently.

The trip to New York City should be interesting for this group. The starters better pitch 6-7 innings and the bats will need to bang out some hits because those damn Yankees aren't very friendly like the Midwest team from Kansas City.

Help me out all.  Name a hitter that has developed into a good, consistent mlb hitter during the Falvey regime.  Brooks Lee joins the list of hitters who just aren't that good.  Falvey is supposed to be some kind of pitching guru, but that's been pretty meh as well.

1 minute ago, stringer bell said:

Between the front office and the field staff, the Twins have been pretty unimpressive in developing position players. The jury is out for some (like Lee and Lewis) but it is safe to say that Larnach hasn't developed into even a full-time player, Kirilloff failed (mostly due to injury), Miranda and Julien flashed (Miranda in two different seasons) and faded. All except for Julien were high draft choices. Depending on how one looks at his production, Wallner has developed and Ryan Jeffers is a good offensive player for a catcher. It is a checkered record at best and IMHO is the most compelling reason to change managers and field staff.

We are thinking alike.  Wallner is what he is....tons of power, low average, no speed, canon arm.  Jeffers....he is one.  I think they tried to turn him into more of a three-true-outcomes power hitter and that just isn't him.  For a catcher, I'll take this offensive profile.

 "There are no worthwhile shortstops hitting free agency in the offseason and Kaelen Culpepper will need more time in the minors. "

@Nick NelsonPlease compare Keaschall and Culpepper.

By April of next year, Culpepper will be 23 years old. Keaschall turns 23 this week.

AA stats - Keaschall first and then Culpepper

Keaschall was called up to the Twins in April with 58 plate appearance's total in St. Paul (if my addition is correct). He went 12 for 46 with 1 2B and 1 HR. 

Why do you say Culpepper has to have more time in the minors when he is at least equal to Keaschall in very similar comparisons? Let Culpepper finish the year in the minors at AA and then AAA. But give him a legit shot to play SS for the Twins in April 2026. He's better defensively than Keaschall. 

Many other teams, even teams planning on going to the playoffs, do this. 

12 minutes ago, Nick Nelson said:

So we're just treating Luke Keaschall, who at this point is looking like one of the Twins' most successful (among the few) position-player development stories of this generation, as the baseline expectation. Got it. He doesn't play SS by the way.

I understand that Culpepper is off to a hot start in Double-A and it's easy to dream on that but folks we gotta settle down. The rate of even very good prospects turning into starting-caliber MLB shortstops is extremely low. 

Brian Dozier, Jorge Polanco, Royce Lewis, Brooks Lee, just to name a few. Seems to be a major problem for the Twins especially. Unfortunately spending $200 million for one didn't work either. I'd take a Greg Gagne type anyday if they could surround him with guys that can hit like Hrbie, G-man, Puck, Bruno, Gladden and ....... well,,,,,, you know..... those guys.

30 minutes ago, Nick Nelson said:

So we're just treating Luke Keaschall, who at this point is looking like one of the Twins' most successful (among the few) position-player development stories of this generation, as the baseline expectation. Got it.

My point is that on April 15th of this year, if you were the GM of the Twins, you wouldn't have given Keaschall a shot on the Twins because he was average with the Saints in a hitters league up to that point and his arm wasn't 100% yet.

What's the risk next April? If he needs to work on things, we can send him back to AAA. This is what other teams do. I understand it's SS but I think the organization has to quit being so conservative. Compare Lee to Culpepper. Lee has to be much better with the bat because Culpepper is faster and has better range on D. Lee's lack of speed really hurts him. You said yourself he's been a "sub-replacement level player."

1 hour ago, stringer bell said:

I don't think Culpepper should be ruled out from being the Twins regular shortstop in 2026, but it is a foolish plan to bank on it IMHO. 

Culpepper as the plan at this time is not a solid plan. The plan at this moment is clearly Brooks Lee, a former high draft choice. The solid plan is to allow for a strong showing in both Spring Training and April. See if Culpepper is ready. Perhaps Brooks Lee takes the job in these next 7 weeks and improves over the winter as well and comes out strong in March and April. So I support your statement.

There is time to let things unfold. Right now Culpepper is pushing with a very strong season, although I half expect him to slow down in the last month of his first full season in professional baseball.

The disgraceful trade of Carlos Correa ...

So now it's disgraceful?! Sure, it was a glorified salary dump, but I still think the Twins are better off now. Hey, Carlos was a solid player (when not injured), maybe even a good influence on our younger players, but it's time we gave those younger players a shot and let Carlos be Carlos elsewhere ... and playing third base as he's now doing. 

Two weeks ago my expectations were that the Twins would play heartless,  uninspired and fundamentally... well, I guess terrible is as strong as will be allowed.

Good riddance to such expectations!

10 hours ago, HerbieFan said:

We are thinking alike.  Wallner is what he is....tons of power, low average, no speed, canon arm.  Jeffers....he is one.  I think they tried to turn him into more of a three-true-outcomes power hitter and that just isn't him.  For a catcher, I'll take this offensive profile.

"Cannon" is a perfect descriptor for Wallner's arm.  Incredible power in it, but takes forever to reload. 

Elite arms are Howitzers.  Much faster load time making it an asset in action.

10 hours ago, stringer bell said:

Between the front office and the field staff, the Twins have been pretty unimpressive in developing position players. The jury is out for some (like Lee and Lewis) but it is safe to say that Larnach hasn't developed into even a full-time player, Kirilloff failed (mostly due to injury), Miranda and Julien flashed (Miranda in two different seasons) and faded. All except for Julien were high draft choices. Depending on how one looks at his production, Wallner has developed and Ryan Jeffers is a good offensive player for a catcher. It is a checkered record at best and IMHO is the most compelling reason to change managers and field staff.

The lack of attention on defense, baserunning & fundamentals & primary attention on hitting HRs, hitting HRs their way. Had tremendous negative effects on all aspects of our development. Plus, their warped idea of positioning players by their bat, not their glove & favoritism has greatly handicapped this club. There are many examples, but I'd like to focus on one area 2B. Baldelli is venomous about the importance of defense at 1B, willing to compromise promising, recovering Miranda & Kiriloff. But the keystone it doesn't matter; Arraez is the best hitter there is, but he was a liability at 2B, Julien has been a liability at 2B, yet Baldelli is determined to have him as our bedrock there. IMO, 2B is a premium position, where range, soft hands & able to turn a smooth DP is critical. There is a reason why they call DPs the pitchers' best friend. They are also very open to making 2B a revolving door. IMO, the most important relationship is the SS/ 2B behind the pitcher/ catcher. Continuity between the 2Bman & SS is very important, but how can that happen when it's a revolving door? SS/ 2B needs to be as stable as possible to maintain that continuity.

Martin's pro career has been one of teams trying to force him into something he's not. 1st, years of playing SS & trying to make him into an HR hitter. Finally, in '23, they gave up & left him alone at primarily 2B where he flourished. In '24, they thought to convert him to OF, so they could have a RH bat there. Martin is athletic & makes some nice plays there, but he's no OFer, especially at CF. Castro was very valuable at super utility, but he was over-extended at SS & CF, which affected his offensive performance. Martin is less adapted at CF than Castro, so he's even more overextended at CF & IMO, likewise, it affects his offensive performance. 

Keaschall is quite the natural hitter, but what I've seen, he's not exceptional at 2B. He has played 1B, so why not have him rotate from 1B to DH? So IMO, it suits the Twins better if they stop trying to make Martin into someone he's not & let him flourish into someone who he is, And IMO, Keaschall is better protected at 1B.

IMO, the Twins have been very flat, one reason may be because it seems that the FO isn't going out & trying to make this team into a contender. Therefore, the veterans were not motivated. The defense hasn't been great, but the infusion of new blood has helped to put together some chemistry & winning streaks. The rotation has been solid & the BP has been surprising. This week, the Twins have been in the games with Keaschall being the deciding factor if we won or lost them. I hope the Twins are up to sweeping the NYY, MIA & others have. That'd make me very happy.

10 hours ago, Mike Sixel said:

Roden had been a huge disappointment so far. Great trade.....

Glad we don't need to wait years or even consider the whole trade. 30 plate appearances from one of the players involved is good enough to call it obviously. 

I appreciate all of these players. They have battled in every game since the deadline. I appreciate the fight from the players like Fitzgerald, Gasper, McCusker, Clemens, Kriske and Hatch as they battled through years of the minor leagues or independent leagues for this opportunity. I appreciate Keaschall and Martin’s all out style of play. I appreciate the pitchers that stepped to fill a decimated bullpen. I appreciate the leadership I see from the core that remained after seeing 40% of the roster moved at the deadline. I appreciate Baldelli’s fight also. I don’t need to see wins. I need to see players and managers compete for every game.

16 minutes ago, jorgenswest said:

I don’t need to see wins. I need to see players and managers compete for every game.

I second the motion!

47 minutes ago, jorgenswest said:

I appreciate all of these players. They have battled in every game since the deadline. I appreciate the fight from the players like Fitzgerald, Gasper, McCusker, Clemens, Kriske and Hatch as they battled through years of the minor leagues or independent leagues for this opportunity. I appreciate Keaschall and Martin’s all out style of play. I appreciate the pitchers that stepped to fill a decimated bullpen. I appreciate the leadership I see from the core that remained after seeing 40% of the roster moved at the deadline. I appreciate Baldelli’s fight also. I don’t need to see wins. I need to see players and managers compete for every game.

If your basic (and honest effort is pretty basic) needs are met, you and I will likely get a surprising number of wins as a "bonus"!

With or without those bonus wins, it is already easier to truly root for "the kids" than it was...

No need to rush Culpepper but also no need to not get a little excited about his future. I’d say leave him in AA for the rest of 25. Maybe he plays in the fall league, maybe not. Give him an invite to spring training. Start 26 with the Saints and then he’s only a Green Line ride away from Target Field.