Jump to content
Twins Game Thread is up — Phillies at Target Field, click here to join the chat! ×
Twins Daily
  • Create Account

RaoulDuke

Verified Member
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Posts

    482

  • Joined

  • Last visited

 Content Type 

Profiles

News

Minnesota Twins Videos

2026 Minnesota Twins Top Prospects Ranking

2022 Minnesota Twins Draft Picks

Minnesota Twins Free Agent & Trade Rumors, Notes, & Tidbits

Guides & Resources

2023 Minnesota Twins Draft Picks

The Minnesota Twins Players Project

2024 Minnesota Twins Draft Picks

2025 Minnesota Twins Draft Pick Tracker

2026 Minnesota Twins Draft Tracker: Picks & Bonuses

Forums

Blogs

Events

Store

Downloads

Gallery

Everything posted by RaoulDuke

  1. RaoulDuke
    I think you summed it up well. Pineda wants to be here and they need the vet arm. Overpay would get him but why sell the consistency and veteran presence if its not an overpay.
  2. RaoulDuke
    Nelly is one of my favorite Twins of all time even if it was only 2 1/2 years. Monster bat and the best clubhouse leader I have ever seen. You will be missed Mr. Cruz but go mash in Tampa and get that franchise a ring! That being said it was the right move, 12 something years of controllable pitching for 1/2 a year of boomstick in a wasted season is a major win.
  3. RaoulDuke
    This particular trade I am not in favor of, give me a pitching prospect that isn't coming off thoracic outlet surgery or tommy john and I am all for it. I think they move multiple players but I doubt Donaldson is one of them. Its hard to get much value for an overpaid vet that looks over the hill, and he could just slide into DH next year when Cruz is presumably gone.
  4. RaoulDuke
    I find it interesting that Polanco/ Kepler/ Sano were the 3 to sign extensions early while Berrios and Buxton declined extension to get to free agency. The 3 guys that signed after big years have struggled since, and the 2 guys to not sign have only helped their chances at a large contract. I wonder if those early contracts are really worth it unless you are locking up a top prospect really early. Next core is just starting to get its feet wet, Kiriloff and Larnach look like they will be big middle of the order bats. Lewis will get here at some point, Duran looks legit, Donaldson/ Cruz money has to go somewhere which will be Buxton/ Berrios/ or free agency.
  5. RaoulDuke
    Rosario is hitting .203 with 3 hrs for Cleveland, it was absolutely the right move to let him go. Kirilloff and Larnach are ready and need that spot.
  6. RaoulDuke
    Berrios is a good pitcher but he is not an "ace" or even a "1". On a roster with real world series chances he is a "2" at most, and ideally a "3". Think of matching up Verlander/ DeGrom/ Cole/ Kershaw/ Scherzer/ Beiber vs Berrios, then think of matching Bauer/ Snell/ Buehler/ Darvish/ Strasburg vs him. Berrios to me is more in the Stroman/ Wheeler category. Big market teams can make the Berrios/ Stroman/ Wheeler types 20 mil offers to be the 2/3, the Twins can't. It hurts but I am ok with trading him, preferably for the best pitching prospect you can get. The system lacks big upside arms, if you can turn over paying Berrios into a chance at a real top of the rotation arm its a win.
  7. RaoulDuke
    I bet Tony La Russa had his batting practice guy throw at Mercedes in warm ups.
  8. RaoulDuke
    Its quite nice here in coastal wine country!
  9. RaoulDuke
    Game on! 1.5 games for the price of one haha.
  10. RaoulDuke
    Anyone know how ticket policy works for this? I have tickets for the original night game in Oak on Tuesday. Do I just get 7 innings for those tickets now? Is it the night or day game? Is there a package for both games? Already spent a decent chunk of change to buy the 2 required tickets for my solo self... Plus a hotel and a 3 hour drive...
  11. RaoulDuke
    Jeffers is the future he will get his opportunity. The priority right now to get Garver going and figure out what you have in him. If he hits like 2019 its complicated, if he just returns to a good hitter he has re established trade value, if he continues to struggle Jeffers becomes the priority.
  12. RaoulDuke
    Very interesting piece, release distance is something I hadn't really considered but it makes sense with this roster. They have certainly targeted guys with big breaking balls with an emphasis on throwing them for strikes. Guys with that profile could benefit from less extension so the ball travels/ breaks farther. It would be interesting to see if that profile fits some of the Indians mold of development. With the emphasis on 2 fastballs I wonder how much extension distinguishes them, does Berrios suffer from tipping his 2 seamer some by releasing farther back than his 4 seam?
  13. RaoulDuke
    I think they will only keep 3 bench guys, so its a choice between Cave or Rooker to pair with Arraez. Rooker is the obvious platoon bat while Cave is the proven guy. Barring anything unforseen Kiriloff takes is over as soon as service time allows and its his to run with. I think Larnach will be the trade piece they are most trying to move in any deal. Great looking prospect but expendable with Kiriloff and Kepler in the corners long term.
  14. RaoulDuke
    Rodgers/ Colome/ Duffey has potential to be a solid back end but it really lacks a flame thrower and all have question marks Alcala is the prospect/ wildcard Robles/ Thielbar/ Stashak are decent to good middle relief The pen is in a decent place but it is far from ideal for the playoffs. I doubt they add anything more so hopefully something pans out from the prospects + rehab guys.
  15. RaoulDuke
    I wouldn't want to give up Enlow for Price, they need the upside arms don't spend them if it isn't necessary. Price is a no go imo why spend prospects for someone in their late career twilight days when you could just sign an Odo/ Paxton or go cheaper for Arrietta. I would be very interested in trading for May, he has some truly nasty stuff. Royce/ Celestino/ Enlow? Maybe less than Enlow? Gonslin is pretty intriguing as well, great stuff albeit control issues. If he could be had for 2 postion players not named Kiriloff or Lewis + an arm I think I would do it.
  16. RaoulDuke
    Good depth move, they can stash him in the minors and tinker with his command a pitch mix.
  17. RaoulDuke
    I wouldn't mind to Clippard back he was solid last year. Another former friend I think would fit well is Brandon Kintzler, ground ball machine to feed the defense and should be in their price range.
  18. RaoulDuke
    Not sure Polanco could throw a ball all the way into the infield if he was in left.
  19. RaoulDuke
    Sign me up for this move! Simmons and Buxton are all world defenders at the 2 premium positions, Donaldson and Kepler are top level guys as well. Imagine Berrios or Maeda on the mound, the right side of the infield is insane.
  20. RaoulDuke
    I want the Twins to spend to bring the pen up to par with other playoff teams. Spin and milking veterans is great roster building but they need some guys that can dominate. Hendriks/ Hand/ Yates are all back end improvements that can be bought, get at least one. Rosenthal, Giles, Workman, Green are all potentially setup caliber guys. Closer/ ace Duffey Setup 2 Rodgers Alcala Stashak Thielbar
  21. RaoulDuke
    I think Eddy is gone after this year but I doubt they do much in terms of cutting his playing time until then. Maybe Rooker gets some days vs lefties and Rosario gets the Rocco rest days more. I like the fire he plays with but he just doesn't produce enough to warrant a long term contract, he is pretty much a cannon arm and and empty 20-30 hrs if he wasn't hitting 4th/5th. The patient thing this year is silly to me, he still has a terrible obp, still routinely swings wild at pitches way out of the zone, and still has poor awareness to whatever the situation is around him. I think they try and trade him, though he probably doesn't return much. If they just let him walk I wonder if he ends up in Cle to fill one of their outfield holes.
  22. RaoulDuke
    I am incredibly biased but the Twins have hands down the two best vets in the game. Nelson Cruz continues to be an absolute monster at 40, not only is he the clubhouse leader but he is producing at the Thome rate while playing full time. Sergio Romo continues to be obnoxiously intense and positive while still being a major late inning weapon throwing nothing but frisbees and an 85 mph fastball. If Rich Hill stays healthy and reaches anywhere near his potential this may be an all time veteran team. I haven't even brought up Josh Donaldson yet who signed here to be the still producing vet. It won't always work out well but damn this front office has hit on a market inefficiency of late career looking for a championship guys. Its awesome that Minnesota is seen as this destination now.
  23. RaoulDuke
    I think its more likely they trade for a lefty setup guy to bolster the pen. Come playoff time its Rodgers/ Duffey closing games based on rest and matchups with Romo/ May/ New lefty as the setup guys. I do think there will be a trade there is certainly a log jam going into next year in the outfield. 3 established guys, 2 fourth outfielders, 2 big time prospects close, and 2 solid prospects close.
  24. RaoulDuke
    If Berrios is ever to be a playoff caliber 1 or 2 he is going to have to master north/ south break. His 2 seam/ slurve are incredible horizontal break but minus a hitter having to worry about a high fastball or bottom dropping change/ traditional curve they can sit on one side of zone for their pitch and let Berrios nibble and waste pitches or throw something fat. Mastering his velocity with a 4 seam he can spot or his break with a 12 to 6 curve to make hitters chase are is key to his success. Berrios has nasty stuff but he is either too predictable or his pitches are too easily defined from one another. Add the true high 4 seam fastball and some version of a 12 to 6 curve or splitter and his horizontal break stuff becomes the weapon it should be.
  25. RaoulDuke
    I think talent wise I would rank it Rodgers Duffey May Romo Clippard That is a dominate closer, 2 up and coming setup guys, and 2 established setup vets that all come at you in vastly different ways Stashak is looking impressive Wisler has looked good Alcala has very intriguing stuff Littel is promising when back Thorpe has good stuff that hopefully doesn't belong in the pen long term Smeltzer can eat innings Chalmers is waiting in the wings I think come playoffs they need a setup level lefty but the whole pen is super stocked in everything else.
×
×
  • Create New...