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jkcarew

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Everything posted by jkcarew

  1. jkcarew
    If you inserted Sano into yesterday's lineup, he'd have the 2nd-highest career OBP in the batting order (slightly behind Cruz). And he can occasionally hit home runs, as well. Perception is impacted by expectations, no?
  2. jkcarew
    How 'bout me... The Twins will play the Royals and Tigers a total of 38 times this year. That's nearly a quarter of the schedule! I don't think there's anything nicer that could possibly be said.
  3. jkcarew
    Have to try to give Astudillo more at-bats at this point and see how he progresses. FWIW, he's younger than Garver. Someone smarter than me would need to calculate the hit defensively vs the likely win offensively if you went the Garver/Astudillo. Something tells me the pitchers wouldn't be thrilled with that. Astudillo's got 101 PA...there probably isn't a pitcher in the league that has saw him a second time yet...or a team that has game-planned him. So, we'll see. But if he hits, he hits...and then it might be time to think about getting in shape so he can take the grind and his club might realize his (potential) defensive flexibility at positions other than catcher. It's funny how being 40 lbs past your ideal body weight is endearing when it's an over-achieving career minor-leaguer, but a lack of dedication and professionalism when it's a struggling big bonus-signing top prospect.
  4. jkcarew
    No it isn't...and that's the point. It makes some sense that a team that has won a lot recently (but run into a wall in the post-season) would look at "going for it" in 2019 differently than an organization that has done basically nothing for a decade. The spot they find themselves in currently may be the same...but it doesn't mean the perspective of what that spot means/represents is the same to both. It probably isn't.
  5. jkcarew
    CF – Jimmy Kerrigan / Tanner English 2B – Luis Arraez OF – Jaylin Davis (Alex Kirilloff) 1B – Taylor Grzelakowski DH – Mitchell Kranson OF – Ernie De La Trinidad / Jaylin Davis 3B – Drew Maggi / Brian Schales SS – Jordan Gore C – Brian Navarreto Are you suggesting that Alex Kirilloff will serve as the 3rd corner outfielder behind Jaylin Davis and Ernie De La Trinidad? I suppose it WOULD represent and new and creative approach to player development...something the previous regime wouldn't have thought of.
  6. jkcarew
    Someone had the nerve to say that the staff wouldn't finish the season leading the league in strikeouts and demolish the all-time single-season record? Ban them!
  7. jkcarew
    Carlos Gonzalez, as well, will be an improvement...even such that he is at this point in his career. That is an awful lineup right now...and then Ramirez wasn’t swinging it...might have rushed him back.
  8. jkcarew
    Next time the Twins see Cleveland will be a long time from now and Cleveland will no longer be playing their B lineup. Still, encouraged that Buxton and Pineda can move the needle some this year...two guys that didn’t help the club at all last year (obviously).
  9. jkcarew
    Not to mention the 3 walks.
  10. jkcarew
    Harper: wanted to get his money’s worth in the major league debut.
  11. jkcarew
    Well, yes. It does. Pitch number 4 had about a 50% chance of being called ball four in that game...and it was, for all practical purposes, unhittable. At the time, it was hugely lucky that Rosario didn’t get a piece of it and roll into a double-play. Again, with a 3-0 count, runners on first and second, nobody out in a 1-1 game in the bottom of the seventh...it was a horrible decision to swing at that pitch.
  12. jkcarew
    Early indications (to nobody's surprise) are that Rocco isn't exactly one for small-ball...or even "playing the percentages". Let Rosario swing away in the 7th inning of a 1-1 game with a 3-0 count and runners on first and second, and nobody out. Let Kepler swing away in 9th, facing a lefty, with Buxton on second, no outs...down by one. (Go for the tie at home?) Both moves back-fired. To be fair, this lineup probably doesn't have the skill/flexibility to play the small game even in the scenarios where it is justified. Just need to wait for the weather to warm up, so fly balls start landing on the other side of the fence, I guess.
  13. jkcarew
    I agree...a bunt is not always and automatically a bad play. Based on how Max has swung it today, and based on the lefty-lefty matchup and game situation, bunt would have been a good play (with the disclaimer that my memory fails me in trying to remember if Max is one of the 'modern' guys that have never bunted, never practiced it, and don't know how). Tough game for Rocco overall, IMO. He's going to be learning on the job some, obviously.
  14. jkcarew
    Then he hasn't watched much tape on Rosario.
  15. jkcarew
    Is the take sign too old school? Would have been the right call...including the right call before the pitch was thrown.
  16. jkcarew
    Rosario has no business swinging at that particular 3-0 pitch in that particular situation.
  17. jkcarew
    I know. Let's go with one of the guys on our roster that has a good career OBP. No...wait.
  18. jkcarew
    I see the 1987 Twins scenario come up a lot. But, it's completely different with the modern playoff format. The point is with the '87 Twins..they didn't have to play the 2nd or 3rd best to get to the WS. They had to get hot/lucky in one series. In practice and statistically, it's completely different with the modern playoff format to expect multiple playoff wins as underdogs (and to potentially throw in an additional WC 'play-in' game)...and even more so with the extreme top-heavy nature of the AL. Does it mean the Twins should not go for it? Of course not. The Twins need to get good, regardless, before they can get great. Cleveland? They became good and hit a wall. There might be a legitimate argument for them to hit pause...or at least it's a different call than what the Twins faced, IMO.
  19. jkcarew
    You (or I) don't have to like the argument for it to be valid. Having said that, I'm specifically saying it's NOT valid for the Twins...and most other clubs, for that matter. But I think for Cleveland, it's valid. They've seen the competition first hand in the post season. They are not currently in the same universe. Why would being better than the 2019 version of the Minnesota Twins be a priority for them? It seems reasonable that their goals are different at this point and their organization has earned the benefit of the doubt if they think their window is not 2019.
  20. jkcarew
    It's a good analogy...and probably accurate. But, for some words in defense of Cleveland's FO, I'll take the analogy further... Each is waving the other through to get demolished by one of the multiple oncoming locomotives (Yankees, Boston, Houston) coming fast on the railroad tracks. That's not an excuse for the Twins, who should be desperate to win...ANYTHING. But I do think it's a bit of an excuse for Cleveland. In recent years they've been bumped, rammed, finally demolished by the locomotive. They weren't going to turn their F-250 pickup into a locomotive in one off-season, so why care (much anyway) if someone else gets broadsided by the locomotive for a year or two. Meanwhile, the equation can be different for them...they think...in 2020 or 2021 (and it's not like they can't flip some/all of that pitching if they want to, or feel it's wise, to shoot for a deferred window). Division titles mean nothing to teams that have won them frequently and recently.
  21. jkcarew
    Twins on pace to draw 3.2M in attendance. (The 39,519 that showed up yesterday appeared to be actual human beings that walked through turnstiles.) On pace for 1.000 fielding percentage, and zero passed balls.
  22. jkcarew
    In terms of avoiding long streaks of outs...if Sano had been in the Twins lineup yesterday, his career OBP would have been the 2nd-highest in the order, barely behind Cruz. So, this lineup definitely figures to be challenged...even in the context of today's game...at finding ways to get on base...and needs to hit the ball over the fence. Of course, they have a few key guys that should still be on the upside of their development...that's where the hope is. I agree that they were being deliberately super-aggressive against Kluber.
  23. jkcarew
    No Lindor for them was helpful...but don't know that it would have mattered given the way Berrios (and Rogers) looked. Buxton's at-bats continued to look encouraging. On the flip-side, you can see how this offense is going to be either on..or OFF. The new power guys are not known for working counts...and it showed. If the ball isn't going over the fence, this lineup has the potential to makes lots of outs...fast. Kepler and Rosario are going to have to look a lot better against good RH pitching, but were bailed out by Berrios yesterday. It was packed...l know it was the opener, but was still surprised a bit by the size of the March 28 crowd, how early everyone showed, etc. Entire down-town area was packed by 1:00. Nice to see.
  24. jkcarew
    Tight game! We’re looking at a one-run game...once these clubs turn it over to their bullpens...maybe about 8-7?
  25. jkcarew
    Theoretically three of these position players are gone in May. Two pitchers are added and Sano returns. Of course that assumes no injuries in the interim, which seems seldom happens.
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