Week in Review: Expectations Gone, Energy Unlocked

29 minutes ago, Nick Nelson said:

It's not "now" disgraceful. It was disgraceful when it happened, it is now, it will be a year from now. Carlos Correa was not blocking any worthwhile young players from getting opportunities. Trading him accomplished nothing other than clearing up the books for billionaire owners. This kind of excuse-making on their behalf will never cease to mystify me.

Counter point: No it wasn't. It was a very solid baseball decision to rid yourself of an aging star on a bad contract. Paying a third of the contract and getting nothing in return were the expectations before the trade deadline, and the Twins are lucky that they found a suitor. 

We get that you liked Carlos Correa, but this is also a player that had multiple contracts negated due to massive health concerns, who is increasingly less athletic, and now in his 30s, and who himself thinks is no longer suited for the SS position. 

It was a good trade, no matter how big of a disgrace you try to portray it to be. 

I'm consistently baffled by the people who run down Wallner and act like he's not a quality bat. I get that aesthetically the K's might not be pleasing to people, but the dude murders RHP and his power production in the heart of the lineup makes this a much more dangerous team. Even in a down season he's posting a 121 OPS+ and he has a career OPS+ of 133. That's really really good. 

I don't mind Gasper being on the squad right now; let's find out definitively if he can play or if he's a Quad A guy. I suspect he's a Quad A guy, but with Vazquez out if he can be ok behind the plate and hit a little he might actually have a role here if he can hit. Maybe he can't, but give him some consistent run and let's find out. (also? Hope the recovery goes well for Vazquez. an infection spreading is kind of scary stuff. Seems like a good dude too who will immediately step into a coaching role if he wants it)

Remarkable start from Keaschall. Just amazing. Eventually he's going to slow down and have some 0-fers, but this is a fun ride, and he's looked fine at 2B. The arm is a little wobbly so far; he's gotten it done but he's had some easy throws be off target, hasn't shown a lot of arm strength, etc. Hopefully that irons out with reps and as he builds up strength after the injuries and long layoff. But his range looks pretty good so far and the glove looks plenty good enough.

Brooks Lee is a key question going down the stretch. Right now, he's the only qualified SS on the roster (with all due respect to Fitz) and expecting Culpepper to be ready to take over in 2026 is a high-risk proposition. Culpepper might actually be ready at that point, it's certainly possible with how well he's shown out in his first full professional season...but no one should be shocked if he ends up needing more development time. If Lee can show better offense and solid defense at SS down the stretch it puts the team in a much better position to bring up Culpepper on his schedule rather than out of desperation, even if Lee is ultimately better suited to being a utility player.

All but predictable,  we have another article that is lamenting the trade of Correa that was a replacement player for the Twins in 2025.  Look I wish they had kept to let him rebound some more and then to trade him to either pay less or get a better prospect,  even still Correa has had 1 good week in Houston, and honestly it doesn't matter.  The Twins traded 10 players from their team . . . and guess what, they are still winning.  

This team needed a reset.  That was clear,  we also needed more speed and athleticism.  The Martin experiment . . .  is not dull.  The contact skills look solid . . . base running and outfielding are definitely rough.   You can tell he is trying to find himself,  and I think emotionally is feeling out of his depth,  the thing is really he is not that far off from being a perfect 4th outfielder.  Solid contact hitter for a pinch hitter,  good speed for a pinch runner,  and should be better defense than some of the corner outfielders.   Roden at times looks like can make pretty good contact.  I thought he was coming around then proceeded to have 2 tough games.  Clemens continues to tighten his grip on 1st base for the future.  I laughed when the royals intentional walked him yesterday because they know he can bunt lol.   

I think it looks like Vasquez season is done.   Surgery plus the rehab is likely at 6 weeks minimum.  I would rather have taken a look at Pereda yesterday than Gasper.  I really do not see anything that shows me that Gasper is a MLB player.  

Its funny to me that we state Larnach is not a good hitter,  yet he was one of the 4-5 players that carried us last week.  Brooks Lee's defense has been really good at short.  The offense since the trade deadline has been hit and miss.  He has improved over last year but we need to see continued improvement.  

Keaschall has been a stud.  

So far we have found 2 additional pieces to add to our core in Clemens and Keaschall.  The jury is still out on the remainder of the position players.  As to the bullpen,  they have performed admirably well.  Really the performance isn't much worse than if we would have kept everyone.   

All in all,  I understand the frustration with the trade deadline,  but we have a better winning % post deadline (small sample size) than the rest of the season.  I also found these games to be much more enjoyable for whatever reason.   

There was an article that said the Pohlads are selling hope.  Yes I am drinking the Kool-aid of hope on the Twins moving forward and that there will be a new ownership group for 2026.  

11 hours ago, chpettit19 said:

Why does Kaelen Culpepper specifically need more time in the minors? Just because? Or is there something specific you've seen, or at least heard from Twins personnel, about his game that leads you to that conclusion?

Jackson Chourio, Jackson Merrill, Nolan Shanuel, Zach Neto, Michael Harris, the already mentioned Mr Keaschall. I'm pretty sure I'm missing some just from the last few years. Sure, people need to settle down and Culpepper doesn't need to be called up just to be called up, but we also need to stop acting like there's some set number of minor league games guys need to play and its crazy to suggest guys can be called up and succeed quickly while completely or essentially skipping AAA. 

Spot on. Sometimes it seems keeping players that are deserving a call to the big league are intentionally held down to control the players arbitration years. I personally hate this part of the union contact. I wonder how many players are broken by being intentionally manipulated by being held back 2,3 4 years sometimes even longer just to mess with team control. If a player is producing in the minors and there are underperformers on the major league team,  holding the minor league player back is half ass backwards. As fun as the last week was, this lineup is not competing next year. Gasper, Roden, Fitzgerald, Julien, are not helping next year.

The entire BP, pretty much, will need a rebuild.. Zero chance most could produce consistently over a 162 game season. Larnach/Wallner manning the outfield corner positions is not a winning tandem. Brooks Lee doesn't look like a major league SS, and looked worse at 2nd and 3rd. Lewis looks lost. 

I don't know exactly what we have in the minors, but holding players back that could help next year and are producing in the minors should be called up. There are so many holes to fill that holding guys back that could be part of the future should happen at some point this season.

On a different rant, why are we using BP games with Bradley and Abel  playing at AAA. While it's been fun the last week or so watching players that want to play, we are closer to a AAA team than a mid level major league team.

7 minutes ago, Nick Nelson said:

"Aging star" he's 30 years old. Are yall living on a different planet?

This has nothing to do with me liking Carlos Correa. I've been as vocally critical of anyone for him this year but that doesn't mean I lose sight of reality. There is no grounds for calling this a solid baseball decision,. It was a loser-minded salary dump that made the team worse this year and beyond. 

3 years after getting two massive contracts ripped up for being a terrible medical risk. Twins giving him that contract was a massive mistake in the first place. 

But no, everyone that thinks it was a solid baseball decision, they're just wrong? Or maybe you, one of many individuals who's been wrong about the actual talent on the Twins for the last year, might understand that you might just be wrong again? 

It's very possible the Carlos Correa bounces back and becomes a 5 WAR player at 3B in Houston again. But he just might be a 2 WAR player the rest of his contract and not really a player worth building around. I know which I view as significantly more likely. 

14 minutes ago, Nick Nelson said:

Aging star, losing athleticism, massive health concerns 

vs.

Young building block, huge potential, starter for the next 10 years

Feel like you're fighting a straw man here. Brooks Lee's future success, or lack thereof, isn't really a factor on if the Correa exodus turns out to be a good or bad idea. 

If we were debating who was best suited for SS right now, sure, you win that argument which literally no one is having. 

3 minutes ago, LA VIkes Fan said:

I agree that we should be giving younger guys more opportunities, particularly starting pitchers. I don't really understand why we don't have Bradley and Abel taking regular turns in the rotation for the rest of this year when there are chances available. It also wouldn't slow down the development of long relief - those two aren't gong to go more than 5 innings most games, maybe 6. Start Abel and Bradley (or SWR, for that matter), with Adam and Ohl ready to come in the 6th inning and give us 2-4 innings.  Much better way to see what we have for next year. 

If they're having those guys working on pitches right now it might make more sense to have them do it in AAA rather than MLB. Bradley is trying to find his change/split again, which he needs to be effective and consistent and might need more game reps with it. Abel seems to be working on deploying a sweeper. They might get beaten around if they try it in MLB and it's certainly easier to tell a guy (and the catcher calling the game) to keep throwing something whether it's working or not in the minors than the majors I would think?

Not sure it's a big deal.

5 minutes ago, Nick Nelson said:

It's not a straw man, it is a central storyline of this franchise right now. Who's playing SS next year? If it's not Brooks Lee then you're putting your entire faith in a good Double-A prospect who will be 23 years old. People really don't seem to comprehend how hard it is to find even an average MLB shortstop, which Correa was at his worst. It's a really important position! 

Yes, it is. But I don't expect Brooks Lee to be able to play it and I still think the trade was good. So, I really don't care how he's performed this year. 

This team was in way worse condition than you seem to think it was, as can be seen by the fact that you were against selling a week before the deadline. A reset was necessary, and getting rid of Carlos Correa and his terrible contract was one of the most important aspects of that reset. 

Will next year be rough at SS? Perhaps. But the Twins are now in a position where they can give young players proper run, see if Lee can't take a big step, still not 25 years old. And if not, and I'm about as optimistic of that as you are, still seeing if Culpepper can take a step forward. This is a way better condition for the organization than tying themselves to an old player that has been barely above replacement level this season with a contract so prohibitively expensive that there's almost no flexibility in the roster. 

The Carlos Correa Twins were a massive failure. One season with more than 82 wins, and one wildcard series win. It was time to turn the page. 

16 minutes ago, Nick Nelson said:

It's not a straw man, it is a central storyline of this franchise right now. Who's playing SS next year? If it's not Brooks Lee then you're putting your entire faith in a good Double-A prospect who will be 23 years old. People really don't seem to comprehend how hard it is to find even an average MLB shortstop, which Correa was at his worst. It's a really important position! 

It is a fair point: filling the SS position for more than a year or two has been a big issue for the Twins over the last 30 years. It's partly why the Twins keep drafting SS every year. Even if Brooks Lee is passable at SS we're still putting a lot of faith in Culpepper (which may be warranted) because Marek Houston may not hit enough, they're moving De Andrade off, and Winokur probably can't stick there which continue to show the challenges of finding a SS who can be at least average and hold down the position for more than 1-2 seasons.

I'm probably a little more hopeful than you about Brooks Lee being able to be an acceptable solution for the next 1-2 seasons beyond this, but it's a real issue. Having terrible shortstops sucks.

A few thoughts from the article and comments.

I do not get the complete teardown of Lewis by so many.  I know he finished last year in a horrible slump.  But he has been hitting better since coming off the recent IL trip.  Yes he had a rough week but every player does.  He looks better and more comfortable at 3B as well.  We need him to regain his mojo because we need core players and he can be one.  And yes he has to adjust to the outside pitch, which he has done in the past.

I like Clemens but I do not think he is an every day player.  You really want him to be the everyday first baseman, can we set the bar a little higher.  I want him back to play 3 or 4 days a week and to come off the bench.  He seems to have a knack for making the right play and you need bench players to do that. And in the right lineup he should be hitting in the bottom third but that is where we are right now.

If I remember correctly the Mets used the same medical reports from the same doctors as the Giants used for Correa.  So I am not sure he necessarily failed multiple medicals when the same one was used for two of the disqualifications.

There are players already in the major leagues from Culpepper's draft class.  If he is ready or his learning curve will be better utilized up here then get him up here next year and have patience.

There is no reason Bradley especially and Abel should not be up here.  We traded controllable players for them and we should be getting production from them now,

My final rant, get Mickey off this roster, it is almost becoming embarrassing.  We know what he can offer and that is drawing the infrequent walk.

Evidently Correa was told the direction the team was going, asked for a trade (specifically to one team), and received/brokered the trade. He had already "checked out" of Minnesota, his first 10 days worth of stats in Houston show that. 

Maybe he had more input or a better rapport with Houston's FO, evidently he was rebuked when he suggested a few moves the Twins could/should make at past deadlines. He also stated he approached the Twins about a move to 3B, but that it "wasn't happening here."

For all the hype surrounding him, Correa is a player, not a leader. Houston has Altuve and Pena, Correa doesn't need to be the leader there.

This doesn't excuse the Twins for not having a MLB ready SS to take his place, but his time here was over.

18 minutes ago, karcherd said:

I do not get the complete teardown of Lewis by so many.  I know he finished last year in a horrible slump.  But he has been hitting better since coming off the recent IL trip.  Yes he had a rough week but every player does.  He looks better and more comfortable at 3B as well.  We need him to regain his mojo because we need core players and he can be one.  And yes he has to adjust to the outside pitch, which he has done in the past.

Perhaps I'm missing something but it seems like most people have Royce as a core member of the team now and going forward. Certainly there is abundant support from Falvey and Baldelli.

My thought is that if Lewis still has legitimate value to another team the Twins need to see if he can be traded, either alone or with another player to maximize a return. We clearly cannot know how other teams look at the Twins based on the recent deadline deals. I'm not a fan of BTV but noticed he has a 30 something number again after sinking below 14 in the early summer. So which teams will need a third baseman?

When we watch Lewis are we seeing 2023 Royce or the 2022 and 2024-2025 version? There is a marked difference. Lewis is a bit of an anomaly because he is supposedly healthy but he moves and runs like someone who has either an ongoing injury or limitations based on less than full health or complete recovery. That isn't a good way to play baseball.

Brooks Lee is getting a run at shortstop but he would be far better as a third baseman. Of course, Lee has his own issues with the bat and running. It will be a little difficult for the Twins until someone steps forward to claim positions. Who isn't clear at this time.

I guess the best mode is to keep an open mind and let the play on the field result in who plays where. To date Royce Lewis has been on a honeymoon with the Twins since his grand slams in 2023. How long does that last?

9 minutes ago, Mike Sixel said:

Fitzgerald is thirty. He's not part of the future. Lee was a highly regarded player, that's who you play and see if he can improve or not. 

Yes, Ryan Fitgerald is 31 and not a part of the future. Can he help the Twins get to that future player though by filling a gap now and/or playing in a fashion that could look like competitive baseball? He hustles and plays hard.

I fully agree that Brooks Lee should be the guy playing full time and we do need to be patient. However, if Lee cannot give full effort he may need a reset. Jogging and half-hearted plate appearances are not a good look. I get he can be totally overmatched at times but the optics in how he is playing right now need to turn around or the Twins need to turn to grandpa.

Lee's glove plays better at 3B or SS, but his bat and speed are a better fit at 2B. Let's see what regular playing time and maybe a set spot in the batting order does for him.

15 hours ago, FlyingFinn said:

 "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. 

I 100% agree.  I would get Kaelen to St. Paul straight away and give him every opportunity in Spring Training to win the job.  

3 minutes ago, chpettit19 said:

Lee can't field SS well enough to be a no bat SS either. Lee is running out of roles that he can fill on an MLB roster if he doesn't show significant improvement with the bat.

This is where I am with Brooks Lee. He also doesn't really project as a utility player because of his lack of speed. This was why I made numerous comment last winter proposing a trade of Lee for Jeferson Quero. Of course, Quero hasn't fully returned from his shoulder injury so there is that point.

1 hour ago, Nick Nelson said:

People really don't seem to comprehend how hard it is to find even an average MLB shortstop, which Correa was at his worst. It's a really important position! 

Some Nick. Some people, not all of us. 

My thoughts are the franchise wanted to get out of the contract, so save $20M off the payrolls for the next 3 years from one contract. I do not expect a penny to go back towards adding players. It was a money deal.

However, that deal is now done and I'm hopeful for some potential solution going forward. It has not been pretty watching our new shortstop thus far. 

The team needs to be sold. This could take a few years. So it goes.