jkcarew

A guy that can only play 1B/DH in this era of 13-man bullpens...and is sitting on about 97-98 wRC+ for the 2nd time in 4 years...without much upside from here. Sigh.

I know, nobody knows, Where it comes and where it goes. I know, it's everybody's sin You got to lose to know how to win. - Steven Tyler (Boston prospect of the very early 70's; went on to a HOF career) Little know fact: the original lyric included the phrase "development is not linear"...but he couldn't get that lyric to work with the riff. I'd say Lewis's arrival will depend, in part, on how his development as SS goes...as it's possible his bat is ready before his glove is, in which case the CF/OF situation comes into play. Nevertheless, my guess is June 2020.

FWIW, I'm still not ready to put Stewart in the same category with Jay. I also think the Stewart pick was more 'consensus' than was the Jay pick. Real time, more analysts openly questioned the Jay pick than the Stewart pick (aside from those worried that Stewart would choose football). Stewart's last start at Rochester, he threw 5 consecutive clean innings, then was charged with 4 ER in his sixth inning of work. His BB% is down this year and his K% is up this year (although not so much since the promotion to Rochester). But his over-all numbers at Rochester are not horrible. Stewart is a 23-year old starter at the AAA level that also represents significant theoretical potential as a RP who can max-effort and eliminate his fringe pitches. Meanwhile, Jay struggles to match Stewart's numbers, despite being a year older, serving as a RP, and pitching at a lower level.

I hope.

But, here's what you learn in your first year on the job (at least for the last 10 years)... "Must accept roster with no chance of realistically competing for a pennant."

Pretty much this. With everything...context. It's also a good reminder that 'quantity over quality' approach to prospects (say at a given position, etc.) is not always the stupidest idea in the world. Simply because we know the gauge used to measure quality can never be perfectly calibrated.

To be fair, it’s hard to tell at this point if Wiel is any more of an outfielder than Austin. At 6-3 235, Wiel was pretty much exclusively a first-baseman until he got put on a team with Brent Rooker. Haven’t seen either actually play the OF though...so, maybe. Agree that Wiel has been steady offensively.

Not as high on Mejia as you, but agree Twins should give him a long look in Aug/Sept. Really hope Twins give Stewart a chance as a RP before they trade or leave him unprotected. Agree with being responsible regarding minor league options with the top guys. And, yes...I probably like our guys better than (most) the FA options.

Defense and plate discipline might be the two last criteria I would use to rate Rooker ahead of Kirilloff as a prospect. I’d be way more concerned by Rooker’s (very much) higher K rate than Kirilloff’s marginally lower B.B. rate. Kirilloff will have more defensive flexibility, not less. And it’s strange how they keep putting a guy with such a weak arm in RF rather than LF. When considering that Rooker was a sophomore in college (3 years ago) when he was Kirilloff’s age, I think the first, last, and only reason to rank Rooker ahead of Kirilloff, would be Rooker’s power tool.

I’m shocked. Absolutely shocked that stories alleging chemistry issues would come out in a year where a bunch of guys...including veterans/leader...where operating on one-year, or the last year, of their contracts..underperforming (in almost all cases), while the team was failing. This never happens anywhere else. Doogie’s broken a big one here.

But the question is “greatest impact on the franchise”...not greatest player. Puckett is the only one even remotely in Killebrew’s category in that regard.

Really? I'm pretty positive that if that pitch is called a strike, the next pitch is 2-4 inches further outside. I think I've seen it about 173 times last year, and about 72 times so far this year.

Imagine a city, metropolitan area, state, entire region, that never experienced a major league sport. (Let's pretend that the NBA was not a major-league sport in the 50's....since it really wasn't.) Also, imagine a time when MLB and MLB stars were infinitely more prominent/important in the culture than the NFL or NBA. Then imagine being handed one of the best players in MLB, the player that would have more home runs in the franchise's first decade than anyone else...yes, more than Willie Mays, and more than Hank Aaron...and would lead the team to a WS and win an MVP in those formative years. I'll accept Kirby Puckett as the answer. But, I really don't think even he had more of an impact than Killebrew on the franchise.

The overriding question for 2019 will be the same as it was while the Twins were sinking out of contention in 2018...where will the offense come from? So, in that regard, everything dwarfs in comparison to Sano. If you have a 'good' Sano in the middle of the line-up, it moves the needle more than anything else will. Along those same line, if Garver can catch, the incremental offense out of the catchers spot in the lineup moves the needle. I think Kepler can have marginally better results...not needle-moving IMO. Meanwhile, it's crazy to plan on Buxton contribute whatsoever offensively going forward. It can be a happy surprise if it happens, but at this point, the FO would be negligent to assume that will happen when they construct the 2019-2020 roster.

Agreed. We're not going to see Rortvedt on these lists much. And he doesn't get talked about a ton as we all assume he's still years away. But, he's having the type of year you would want a 20-year-old defense-first catcher to be having. OPS over 700 at CR, and since the promotion to Ft Myers, the OBP is actually up and K% down in early results.

I assume he sat in front.

They are marginally/arguably in a race to win a very bad division. It is open to much subjectivity to equate that with “being in a pennant race”. The Twins FO seems to interpret it the same way I would.

Don’t get the hand-wringing. Once this season had arrived, Dozier had decided he was going to see what the market would bear....a reasonable position. Meanwhile, the Twins decided they were not going to go the QO route...a reasonable position. At that point, you’re doing a professional disservice to your club AND to Dozier if you don’t simply trade him to a contender for whatever you can get and move on. This is the result when two parties both want to move on. The opportunity for a materially different outcome had long since past.

Than someone currently hitting 17 home runs at the AA level? Probably not...and definitely not if you are looking for players with a chance to help in the next 1-3 years. (Plus a second lottery pick was included.)

Good luck to Brian Dozier. I'd like to see him have a chance at a run in the playoffs, so in that regard, I now have a reason to pull for the Dodgers.

I think we probably disagree one the "I don't think the ability to play multi positions is a rare gift you are born with" premise. And, based on that, we'll arrive at different spots. I think the ability to play multiple positions at the major league level (as opposed to the minors or college, etc.) IS a rare gift. Dozier would be a great example of this. Despite the fact that he played SS pretty much his whole life, he was moved off SS at the major league level....after everyone saw him play it at the major league level. I would contend that that was not arbitrary...it was done because the Twins decision-makers didn't want the ball being hit to Dozier when he was playing SS. They moved him to a spot where average range, average arm, good hands, would produce acceptable major league results. So, it doesn't matter that Dozier "can" play multiple positions on the infield. Major league managers don't think he can. (And the trade market bears this out; if scouts thought his skill-set translated to 3B or SS, it would be reflected in his trade value.) Simply put, the standard by which a player needs to perform defensively notches up (significantly) at the major-league level. And there is not a big supply of people in the universe that can meet that standard...and at the same time hit major-league pitching. In fact, it goes the other way...there are many players...considered great athletes and high draft picks, that end up career minor leaguers because it's deemed that they can't play sufficient major-league defense at any position other than 1B or maybe LF...despite being among their organizations top hitters. 'Athletic' is a relative term that has a different meaning in the major leagues...at least up to now. So, I guess I would conclude, on this part of it, that what you are suggesting, while worth striving for, is not that easy or attainable until such time that the type of defense that Brian Dozier can deliver at SS or 3B...or that Rosario can deliver at 2B/3B...or Sano can deliver in the OF...or Miguel Cabrera delivered at 3B...or Brent Rooker can deliver in the OF, is considered desirable on a regular basis in the major leagues. The other part of your argument, I think I agree more with.... If you have a guy that is any every-day hitter and meets your defensive standard at multiple positions, (they exist), I don't know why you wouldn't be willing to move that player around day-to-day depending on the pitching match-ups, rest/health, whatever.

I would hope the org is OK with this. (And realize you’re not saying they shouldn’t be.) The concessions to development of putting Buxton in a AAA lineup...and as a lead off hitter no less...already having been made, Skinner decided to use Buxton’s fourth at-bat to try to win the game. If the organization doesn’t want even that type of move/decision to occur with Buxton, it would be much fairer to Rochester players and manager...and better for Buxton as well...if the Twins moved him to a level where his bat making solid contact with the ball is more than a random accident.

I think the point with Austin is that he can hit left-handed pitching, and for power. Look at the numbers against lefties, not the overall numbers. That...particularly if/when Dozier is gone and Sano has yet to find his way...makes him a potentially better fit than LoMo. Based on the scarcity of 25-man spots available to position players, Austin would have to improve at least some against righties to have a shot....but I’m sure that’s the thought in accepting him in the deal.

Opposing forces at play. First, defensive flexibility in the majors (emphasis on majors here) is determined primarily by inate skill and athleticism, not where you play your games in the minors (or college or HS, etc.) And players advance to the majors primarily based on hitting. The result is, the pool of players that find themselves in the majors because they can hit at that level is not optimized for defensive flexibility...no matter what their minor league managers tried to do with them in games that didn’t matter. Some teams might make it a priority to have truly ‘flexible’ guys...it certainly has value...but you’re not going to have a league full of them simply because, in general, the importance of the hit tool is the trump card. RB, I see two trends that are your friends in your dream. Fewer roster spots available to position players (i.e., more and more pitchers on active rosters)...may force the issue to a certain extent. And/or the bar lowering with regard to what is acceptable major-league defensive play at all positions (fewer balls in play, higher FO/GO, station-to-station base running, etc.). So, although I think it’s a cool thing to think about....I put this one in the “be careful what you wish for” category.

Dabbled in other religions such as Olympic Games. We should have been more wary of him!