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RaoulDuke

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Everything posted by RaoulDuke

  1. RaoulDuke
  2. RaoulDuke
    Chacin or Thorpe is probably best case scenario, either Chacin has found enough of his good years form or Thorpe claims a rotation spot. 6 pen spots are pretty locked, Wisler/ Romero/ Stashak/ Poppen/ Coloumbe/ Hardy/ Reed/ starters that don't make the back of the rotation all fight for the 7 and 8 spot. Wisler probably wins the first look with his contract and I think they carry a lefty other than Rodgers.
  3. RaoulDuke
    A healthy Buxton is top 3 fastest player/ top 3 most valuable defender, his glove and base running make him a massive asset in themselves. Gold glove centerfielder that is a pure weapon on base. Add to that he has shown progress hitting, there is a lot of power and some average/ obp to realize still. He just needs to stay healthy to put it together for a season+. Some of his stuff has been freak/ random injury but some of it has to come with the reckless abandon he does play with. Injury prone isn't probably fair because of any existing condition, but his recklessness with his play style does make him more likely to get injured. He might have to lose a bit of his razor edge to not make himself more prone to injury.
  4. RaoulDuke
    This team is now built much better for a real post season run. Berrios/ Hill/ Odorizzi/ Maeda in a perfect world scenario is competitive vs the big boys. They start game 1 and 2 with a disadvantage vs aces but the massive offense could overcome an ace. Game 3 and 4 they are throwing a solid top of the rotation starter and the same offense. This team wants the offense to carry it and they have solid 2-4 pitchers throughout. They lack a true ace and a dominate 2 but if the offense pulls its weight those issues can be overcome.
  5. RaoulDuke
    Twins fan in CA here, born in MN but moved when I was 13 or so. My Dad/ step family still lives there so I spent summers up North and caught a lot of Twins games at the Dome and 2 Wolves games in the KG days (one vs Shaq and the Magic one vs the Raptors whom I loved for the name). I still visit when possible so I have got 3 Target Field games and 1 KAT era game in, plus trips to Oak/ SF/ Anaheim to catch away games. I follow the Twins religiously, Twolves and Vikings somewhat less so because its a connection to where I come from and my family there. This has cursed me to a life a MN sports fandom while among the enemy lol. I also work in the bar/ restaurant industry located in the no mans land of CA fandom so I am forced to be privy to the constant CA team playoff runs and championships. There are 4 MLB teams, 4 NBA teams, 5 (soon 4) NFL teams here. There is always a CA team in the playoffs. I generally revel in their losses. GSW vs Raptors was great to witness in a packed bar of SF bandwagon fans, Niners loss this year has sent multiple people I work with into mourning states. I am 31 and there has been exactly 1 Minnesota championship in my lifetime, when I was 2 or 3. Should an MN team win one I do not know what I would do, it would be so sweet. I'm into the Twins for life, this year has me more excited than any of the previous 31.
  6. RaoulDuke
    I don't think this has any relevance to making the trade. Yes Graterol could be a big piece of the Dodgers pen but you don't pass on improving your teams weakness because the move might help a team that might win the NLCS. Maeda was also a major part of their playoff bullpen because of how dominate he is vs righties, so esentially Graterol fills his role in the playoffs assuming all goes well.
  7. RaoulDuke
    Maeda is death vs righties which they will face a lot of in the central and the playoffs. Berrios/ Odo/ Maeda is a decent top 3, no ace but they all could be number 2s and are capable of shutting a good lineup down. Berrios is the only one that really has a chance to go deep into a game, but they have solidified the pen to help with the 5 and 6 inning starts.
  8. RaoulDuke
    This makes me worried about Graterol's medicals. Boston knew injury history, knew the Twins had planned to keep him in the pen, and still balked once they saw the report. This is a weird situation I have no idea what the extra cost will be. Seems like it will probably be the Twins that have to pay it as Bos/LA could presumably find another 3rd team to take Maeda.
  9. RaoulDuke
    You don't want Maeda starting game 1 or 2 right now for sure, but he fits nicely into game 3 or 4 when Pineda was the best bet for that previously. He also only cost 1 prospect so if they need an ace there is still capital to go them at the deadline.
  10. RaoulDuke
    Ya Graterol hurts more than most because we got to see him a little and get attached. He seems very likeable, his love of Berrios, hes kinda goofy, big guy, passionate, and a unicorn type in the Twins history who never have guys that throw 100+. He does have question marks as a prospect and its why he isn't a top tier ranking guy. Big body with that velocity is a stamina concern, hasn't ever pitched many innings, already had TJ, slider shows promise but change has a way to go, they already tabbed him for the pen when they still had time to develop him. The more I think about it the more I am ok with them selling him while his ceiling still includes starter even if he looks like he is going to be one hell of a reliever. It also filled the 1-3 starter spot that needed to be filled while only costing 1 prospect instead of 2 or 3.
  11. RaoulDuke
    Random thoughts Maeda reminds me of Odorizzi when they acquired him. Established himself with a solid couple years but hasn't broken out, strikeout stuff without 97, some control + nibbling issues inflating pitch count/ limiting innings. Dodgers have used him in the pen some each year with success, maybe planned for him to just be there going forward. He wants to start and maybe gets a boost of confidence the Twins got him for just that as well as not changing roles in season. Nasty slider and change he threw 55% of the time last year, fits what the Twins have been targeting. I'm interested what Wes Johnson can do with him.
  12. RaoulDuke
    Wow I didn't see this one coming. Maeda is a good get, young(ish) arm with strikeout stuff to plug into the rotation for the next few years. Certainly a better get than Price or any of the lower hanging guys like Archer. Not sure he is ever going to be a guy you want throwing game 1 or 2 in the playoffs but solid. Graterol feels like a lot to give up, and he is, but it was always going to cost one of the prospect arms to get a good pitcher back. If they think Graterol's future is in the pen then I guess they would rather hold on to Balzovic. I'm very torn on this which is usually the sign of a fair trade.
  13. RaoulDuke
    I think Archer is an interesting buy low candidate. Yes hes struggled for the last couple years and yes he has always under preformed his peripherals, but he still has decent velocity and a major slider. He seems like the kind of guy that Wes Johnson could really help. He shouldn't demand a big return but that might mean Pit will want to wait till the all star break to hope he ups his value. I don't know Musgrove well but I don't think I would give up Lewis/ Kirilloff for his numbers, maybe Larnach.
  14. RaoulDuke
    Cruz deserves a ton of credit for coming in and being an offensive force at his age, he deserves more credit for how good a leader and teacher he is. Donaldson seems to be of a similar mindset. When Cruz retires the Twins now have that veteran leader to take over. Donaldson has gotten some flak, mostly earlier in his career, for his clubhouse chemistry because of his personality and willingness to call out what he sees. He has also gotten praise as a clubhouse leader. He seems to have added a lot to his bedside manner as he has aged. That desire to improve others from a vet with his knowledge/ approach/ experience/ current prowess will be a major boon to the Twins. Donaldson knows how to hit and knows how to talk about it, he is also absurdly competitive and driven to win now. He wasn't plan A, but he is a near perfect fit for so many of this Team's needs.
  15. RaoulDuke
    I doubt Eddy will be a Twin at the start of the next off season. There is too much traffic jam in the outfield with Kirillof/ Larnach/ Raley/ Cave/ Wade to pay him. The semi worrisome part of it is Cruz is most likely gone as well, and that is 2 of the clubhouse leaders.
  16. RaoulDuke
    I think Archer is the most likely candidate. Pit is in sell mode meaning they don't really need him and are probably looking for prospects. Also they could be more inclined to move a rotation piece this late into the off season. He is more a bounce back guy than star now so he shouldn't cost an absurd amount. For the Twins he represents a cheaper shot at a top of the rotation guy. He does appear to be the kind of guy Wes Johnson may be able to help. He still has strikeout stuff with good velocity and a monster slider. Seems Pits approach of having him throw sinkers and pound the bottom of the zone could be the thing holding him back. There was a pitcher with stuff but lacking results in Pittsburg very recently that blew up when an analytically savvy club acquired him. That seemed to work out pretty well...
  17. RaoulDuke
    I still want to see him as a starter at some point but then I think of Romero and Meyer. This is probably for the best for this year, and the pen was lacking a velocity arm. Rodgers Romo Clippard Duffey May Graterol Littel Open competition spot
  18. RaoulDuke
    I think he can be a solid middle reliever now, he has decent stuff but no real ++ thing to make him back of the pen.
  19. RaoulDuke
    Ive been through a million lineups in my head since the signing. Polanco/ Donaldson 1/2 is ridiculous. There is no easy ab in the lineup, Six 30 hr guys, one that is the fastest in the league, one that hit .340 as a rookie, and Polanco. Polanco/ Donaldson/ Kepler/ Cruz/ Sano/ Rosario/ Garver/ Arraez/ Buxton You can arrange it for 2 middle of the lineups Arraez/ Polanco/ Donaldson/ Cruz/ Kepler/ Garver/ Sano/ Rosario/ Buxton You can obliterate lefties Garver/ Donaldson/ Kepler/ Cruz/ Polanco/ Sano/ Rosario/ Buxton/ Arraez Buxton breakout unicorn mode Buxton/ Donaldson/ Kepler/ Cruz/ Sano/ Polanco/ Garver/ Arraez/ Rosario Marwin Gonzalez backs up 4 positions with a starter quality bat. Adrianza is adequate with glove and stick. Cave has a mlb bat. Avila is a fine backup catcher. Nuke mode Donaldson/ Kepler/ Cruz/ Sano/ Polanco/ Garver/ Rosario/ Arraez/ Buxton
  20. RaoulDuke
    This is the steroid crisis of the analytical era. Camera's on everything means there is no hiding and video of every second. First it was a breakthrough that let savvy teams exploit the advantage and now it has evolved, as things usually do, to also offer a new way to cheat. It seems early on it was a kinda a caveman approach to utilizing the cheat. Dude in the hallway says off speed, bang on a trash can or whistle, effective but pretty traceable if noticed. If wearable tech is true that is the next evolution and I don't know how it could be proved or noticed.
  21. RaoulDuke
    Ya i guess I am banking on him still being very early on in his mlb career. 5 years of control on him holds value. Ramos for Capps maybe? Although I think Ramos had just had a little bit of exposure at the time.
  22. RaoulDuke
    He can get his chance from an injury or from outplaying Rosario. Rooker is probably the guy most hurt by this development.
  23. RaoulDuke
    If they don't add a starter this team will feel like the Os/ Jays of Chris Davis and Jose Bautista's prime. Major offense/ major power, still not going anywhere vs the top couple teams. The Twins are even with NY and Hou now on offense, but there is still no answer for Cole/ Verlander.
  24. RaoulDuke
    Sale still probably takes a real haul in pitching prospects and he has a no trade clause, he has an opt out in 2 years so he won't be a longer term piece. Price is intriguing maybe they can get him for just prospects? Is Larnach enough to just take on the contract? Can you just give them lesser prospects to eat half the cost?
  25. RaoulDuke
    Idk Detroit/ KC/ Chi have some major weaknesses to their pitching staffs. White Sox rotation additions were both soft tossing lefties that are going to have to face the Twins that can now trot out the lineup of death vs left handers. Donaldson remembered his times vs the AL Central fondly because there is always pitching to feast on. The Twins certainly stocked the buffet but they were hardly the only caterer. Cleveland has a good rotation of young guys, Detroit has Boyd,,, KC has prospects, White Sox have Giolito and some good prospects. Josh will get to face the likes of Gio Gonzalez/ Dallas Keuchel/ Daniel Norris/ Mike Montgomery from the left side and a good percentage of inexperienced/ un- established/ mediocre from the right. AKA he is still going to get plenty of AL Central meat to eat in hitter friendly ball parks. It obviously won't be the onslaugh he put on the Twins in a smaller sample size, but he will still get to face a lot of AL Central pitching.
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