Jump to content
Twins Daily
  • Create Account

jkcarew

Verified Member
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Posts

    5,087

  • Joined

  • Last visited

  • Days Won

    5

 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

Forums

Blogs

Events

Store

Downloads

Gallery

Everything posted by jkcarew

  1. jkcarew
    Winning will always play a part in evaluating a players career in Baseball...and in Football....and in Basketball, etc., etc. Does it make for some 'unfortunate' outcomes? Yes. But it's better than the alternative where winning isn't considered at all. It's the object of their games, and what all are supposed to be playing for.
  2. jkcarew
    Overrated? That's something not often uttered about prospects ranked in the 60's, 70's, 80's or 90's within their own organization.
  3. jkcarew
    That's funny. But also, not inaccurate. Rose was not good at anything...didn't have a defensive position he was even average at. But he could put the ball in play and slap singles all over the place. Benefited from playing on turf almost his entire career and saw many ordinary ground balls shoot through the infield for singles, and many ordinary singles shoot through the gaps for doubles and triples. Incredibly over-rated in his day...but he what the media wanted a baseball player to look and act like...what with being the first player in history to 'hustle' and all. To be fair, he was a switch hitter and was a better-than-average base-runner...something I don't think we'd be able to say about Arraez.
  4. jkcarew
    I'd go with Trout "could" be looking for his 6th...not "should" be. When you go down that path, you'd need to re-calibrate the award for a whole bunch of seasons in the award's history. The award is named the most Valuable Player...and, historically, the value has been weighted to creating runs leading to wins in a meaningful season for the club. Never in it's history has the award been considered to be the equivalent of a 'Best player' or MoP award. Trout is not the first victim or even the best example (see Ted Williams, 1947...then look at Ted Williams 1941 or Ted Williams 1942). Although Trout might end up being the most frequent example before he's done. If the award was MoP, then we could debate using WAR exclusively to determine the best player
  5. jkcarew
    We tend to think that Hall of Famer's were destined from day one to attain that level. But, at their 21st birthday, there's very little difference between Louis Arraez and Carew. Both are/were left-handed hitting second-basemen with about 1000 PA in the minors; high BA, OBP, and low SLG. Actually, Arraez's numbers just a little bit better than Carew's...(other than speed/range, where Carew was good and Arraez appears to be a non-factor, unfortunately). Of course, the next year, Carew was the AL RoY. While I don't hold out quite those hopes for Arraez, it just goes to show that you never know.
  6. jkcarew
    Lewin Diaz not only makes...but starts...the all-star game? When I read this, I thought maybe I had missed something with regard to Diaz's season so far. But no. He's slashing 208/232/344...at first base, no less. It's a small league, so I'm guessing every other 1B 'qualifier' for the South had been promoted out of the league prior to the game, or injured. The FSL is a pitcher's league...but every TEAM in the league has managed a better OPS than Diaz's 576.
  7. jkcarew
    Thanks for the update. I'm not seeing 'so many' disappointments. On an unrelated note...we should probably add the 4th overall pick in the 2013 draft to the 'other 10 to know'. The story with his year so far is that he's reduced walks and increased strike-outs. Unfortunately, the reduced walks have resulted in more hits and slightly more runs. Remains a work in progress.
  8. jkcarew
    I get tired of the "Sano doesn't care, but Buxton cares" analysis...almost always totally unsubstantiated by anything real...and rationalized by pointing to Sano's weight as either symptomatic of his issues or the outright cause of his issues. Meanwhile is goes without saying that Buxton is doing everything asked of him because...he's fit?...speaks perfect English? We don't know. Besides...other than to inform the approach for the fix, the 'why' is irrelevant. For me, I actually hope they're BOTH more in the immature/stubborn/unprofessional category of 'able but not willing'. Much more recoverable than the 'willing buy not able'. (Note: I realize you are primarily simply sharing what you heard on the radio show.)
  9. jkcarew
    For context...Buxton 2018 OPS+ is 7 (I didn't forget a digit)...Sano's 84. But given Sano's expected role in the lineup, I agree that it's not apples to apples. Having said that, there is no defense at any position that makes an OPS+ of 50 (or 7!) anything other than an unmitigated, negative value, disaster. I think Buxton's road back from his toe should also include some type of extended 'reset' at some level of the minors...presumably a different flavor of reset...but reset just the same.
  10. jkcarew
    I'm sure the plan is to have him work for some period of time...probably an extended period of time...in Fort Myers. Then, if the response and results are as hoped, he'd do some time at Rochester before he comes back. That would be the 2018 scenario. If the response/results are not as hoped, then all bets are off. So Mauer is officially back?
  11. jkcarew
    I really don't have that strong of an option on whether...or how realistic it might be...that Belisle is in a position to help more than Duffey or Busenitz over the next month. Although, I think it more likely that Molitor is simply more likely to actually USE Belisle than he would the other two. So, I guess that would be the good part of this...if you want to call it that. Mostly though, it's a frustrating move to me simply because it takes a 40-man roster that already seemed absurd...and makes it seem...well, absurder. 24 spots consumed by pitchers...at least 10 of which are not being considered...or apparently even that close to being considered, for the active roster...and of course that doesn't count the pitchers on the 25-man that the manager doesn't want to use. Has to be some kind of a record.
  12. jkcarew
    Poor Robbie...taking the heat for Buxton's failure to perform and/or stay healthy, FO unwillingness to put (presumably) more talented prospects under the harsh glare of the major-league spotlight, and the manager's inability to consistently use him appropriately. Having said that...and to be fair, he's also under performed against his own utility-player standard. But when we're moaning about Robbie, who are we really frustrated with? I'll continue to pull for Robbie...from what little can be determined by watching games, he seems like a good teammate...and I'll continue to hope we see less of him in the future.
  13. jkcarew
    The judges would have accepted “Cave-man Discovers Fire”.
  14. jkcarew
    Aside from the SSS that is this year, Enns minor league numbers are significantly better than Bencomo’s...and he’s younger...and he’s left handed. It’s a moot point regardless, as the Twins literally just move Bencomo back to AA...so that pitchers they consider prospects (or in May’s case rehabbing) can get the ininnings available at Rochester.
  15. jkcarew
    Hard no on Gordon coming up and DH’ ing. He needs to play and continue to develop defensively. If they’re OK with him playing SS with the big club, they should have already brought him up; if they’re not, they need to move Dozier. Regarding Rooker, he apparently is not going to be an outfielder...other than of the emergency variety. After seeing him play the outfield for a bit last year, the Twins literally took a first-baseman (Zander Wiel) and made him an outfielder so that Rooker could play first base. He’s got 31 games at 1B, 21 DH, and 6 in LF. So, he better rake.
  16. jkcarew
    Yep. Rooker is a whole 1 1/2 years younger than Sano.
  17. jkcarew
    Fair amount of evidence to suggest the opposite. Also Bencomo’s a 29 year-old pitch to contact right handed that was just moved back down to AA after he DID take Enn’s turn in Rochester. Guys at Rochester ahead of him: May, Slegers, Gonsalves, Mejia, Littell....and probably also Jaye, maybe Baxendale...and then there’s Enns.
  18. jkcarew
    Buxton's 2017 2nd half narrative was 'real'...but it has been overstated/overplayed. Last year Buxton had nearly 7% of his total bases for the season in ONE GAME. Probably a record for qualified batters. His swing has always been problematic and his WAR has always been inflated by defensive metrics...we know he's great in center, but the metrics inflate the value of that greatness. I agree with the last part...he doesn't have to hit a ton to have value...a lot of the value in on the bases, if/when he ever gets on base. His career OPS is now 672...as bad as that sounds, you could live with that (well, 700 would be more livable). What you can't live with is months upon months of 500, and then one month of 1000.
  19. jkcarew
    For perspective...playing together and batting consecutively in the order for Cedar Rapids... Baddoo - 788 OPS, 39/62 BB/K, 12/3 SB/CS, center-fielder, age 19 Lewis - 750, 13/30, 15/1, short-stop, 19 (just turned) Kirilloff - 978, 20/40, 1/1, right-field, 20 Lewis has not exactly dominated offensively by any means. But more than held is own and while playing SS and being one of the very youngest players in the Midwest league. Baddoo's walk rate is absurd, and his K rate is high...but he's had the highest OBP all year long, and has nearly as many x-base hits as Lewis, with way fewer balls in play. Kirilloff needs to be promoted yesterday...I don't feel the other two are necessarily screaming to be promoted at this time. I'm sure Lewis would be next in line while Baddoo works on the K rate.
  20. jkcarew
    If we assume Gordon is a 2B in the major leagues (not a SS...I’d be happy to be wrong), then you’d want to keep (either sign, or ‘not trade’) 2 of the 3 players, those players being Escobar, Dozier, and Gordon. And the ‘other’ 1, you should part with. I keep Escobar and Gordon...second choice would be keep/sign Escobar and Dozier, but only if that means I included Gordon in a trade for a MLB piece (presumably a catcher). Either way, I’m trying to keep Escobar. Add to that, if Mauer is done, without Escobar you have a big hole at 3B. So, Escobar, Escobar, Escobar. And Gibson.
  21. jkcarew
    Trading Gordon would require signing Dozier...or you’re filling one major league hole by creating another...I guess deadline buying dictates that you worry about next year, next year. Realmuto is worth real prospects in my opinion...to be considered now or during the off-season. Remember when we were all 100% sure Castro was going to be an upgrade from Suzuki? Or was it just me? I wish we had John Ryan Murphy backing up Suzuki right now. Sigh.
  22. jkcarew
    There have been 40 center-fielders with at least 1000 plate appearances since Buxton came into the league in 2015. Buxton ranks 39th in both wRC+ and OBP. Yet, he's the top priority for two of the panelists. I guess if you really, really, really believe he's going to hit and stay healthy...(not one, but two, things he's never done for any extended period of time)...then this would be the ultimate buy low moment. But if you're Buxton's camp, would you sell this low? As a local radio personality would say...'you're either on something...or onto something'.
  23. jkcarew
    I would have expected Seth Halvorsen (Heritage Christian Academy) to have gone by now. Maybe the word's out that he isn't interested signing at/near the slot. Missouri, I think.
  24. jkcarew
    Mack was the 25th pick overall in a mock draft the Bleacher Report (noted baseball experts ) put together one year ago. Have no idea...maybe had a bad showcase summer season last year? Signability? Hopefully, the Twins have a good idea/information on the signability part of it.
  25. jkcarew
    I wonder what the answer would have been if the question had been "would Royce Lewis have been your top HIGH SCHOOL position player in this draft?". I would be surprised if KLAW had one of this year's HS players ahead of Lewis. But either way, there's no shame in that...it's just interesting. Lewis's downside seems to remain the possibility that he ends up a center fielder without much power. But it doesn't seem to be necessarily trending in that direction yet.
×
×
  • Create New...