rv78

A few positives, PLopez pitched great. Larnach got a couple hits and an RBI. Buck didn't get hurt running the bases even though he hopped around 2nd and slide hard into 3rd. I think everyone watching expected him to come up lame. Rocco made 2 good substitutions pinch-hitting for Gordon and Gallo which produced another run. The negatives, Kepler as leadoff hitter. 21 LOB - 3 times with the bases loaded. No attempt to manufacture runs by stealing, sacrifices or hit and run. 2 runs against a weak KC team is hardly much to brag about. Would list using 5 pitchers as a negative also but with an off day tomorrow I can live with it. It will however, be a recipe for an over-worked bullpen if it is "The Plan" for the entire season. Lopez at 85 pitches, (and all of the other starters as well), is enough this early in the season until he/they get stretched out completely. I suspect Mahle and especially Maeda will have a shorter leash. 1 Game, 1 Win. Let's see how they do against teams with better lineups and better pitchers..

For me, this season is all about the players proving they have what it takes. I'm not buying into the hype, or drinking the kool-aid until I see actual results. All of the fancy new uniforms, a new scoreboard and added depth won't mean a thing if this team can't come together and stay healthy. The one new change that probably would have made the most difference is the manager and that didn't happen. Rocco hasn't proven to me that he has what it takes to manage a game as it unfolds before him. The Bomba Squad and juiced ball is long gone and the short covid season were his successes. He didn't have much control over either one. Otherwise he has produced 2 losing seasons. The FO has added depth on the offensive side of the ball but none of them are really worthy of starting roles on any team and will Rocco use them correctly or just shuffle them everywhere so he can fill his fantasy of using a different lineup on a daily basis? They have added another starting pitcher in PLopez but lost their best hitter. I will intently watch to see who can get on base and fill those empty shoes of Arraez. MY biggest fear is that with Gallo and Kepler there are still 2 empty holes in the lineup, probably on a regular basis. Gallo is the new Sano so nothing was gained there. Vazquez is an improvement over GSanchez and hope is Jeffers turns it up a notch. The only other new bat that must hit is Larnach and he reminds me of being too much like Kepler..... Strictly a pull hitter. Will Rocco use his starters effectively or over-work the bullpen and let his spreadsheet manage games for him as usual? A lot of things have changed but the core remains pretty much the same, so I don't see the results changing much either.

Sometimes I wonder why they play spring-training games. For the Twins it surely isn't to earn a spot on the roster. If it was Coulombe would be there. I'm not a big fan of him but it seems no matter how good some guys play, they don't make it and no matter how bad some guys play, they do. Evidently age, how the player is going to be used, and spin rate are more concerning factors, verses performance with this FO, and that my friends is why guys like Pagan, Sands, and Megill who haven't shown much success, and one could argue... if any at all, get spots they haven't earned. I suspect that Pagan will be this years Tyler Duffey getting cut midseason and Ober, Winder and SWR will get more innings combined than Maeda or Mahle.

Reason#1, WHY Kepler hasn't been replaced is because the Twins didn't make it a priority. There were plenty of options in Free Agency to sign a BETTER outfielder. Instead they chose to acquire one than is an even worse hitter than Kepler, Joey Gallo. Together they are costing the Twins $19.5M in 2023. That's a lot of money for 2 guys that strike out a ton and hit weak grounders to 2nd base. I would think for $19.5M they could have found 1 outfielder that could be better than both of them combined, (And then use Wallner, Garlick as backups). Reason#2, Kepler would have to be traded and there probably weren't any takers, which is the real proof of what he is worth, (less than his $8.5M), or released which means the Twins would get no return at all and they are not in the habit of eating their bigger contracts for nothing in return.

I find it ironic that the Twins have decided they can't let him play in CF becasue they don't want to lose his offense. Yet they keep and allow Kepler to play mainly for his defense, (because he has become really bad offensively), and they go out and get one of the worst hitters from 2022, Joey Gallo to add to their outfield, which means again they only acquired him for his defense, and they got Taylor who is right-handed, same as Buxton, so a platoon with him doesn't make sense, and again a defense-first type player. But Buxton, who is probably the premier defensive player in all of baseball is not going to be used for defensive purposes, even though he too has become in your own words, "an all or nothing hitter." Based on his past performance I would say the only value that Buxton provides over other outfielders that can hit for decent average and some power is his defense, but the Twins have chosen to throw that value down the toilet in the hopes he doesn't get plunked by a pitch or hurt a knee running the bases. (His last 2 injuries were not from playing defense).

Very possible that he's toast. Done. Won't ever regain his former self or worth as a pitcher. Who's next? Mahle?

79-83 This team will struggle to score runs without Arraez. I seriously think they will miss him more than anyone has anticipated.

My thoughts exactly. How about a Dobnak or Pagan instead?

No need to worry. All of the eternal optimists here believe the roster will be just fine come opening day. On the other hand there's some of us who believe this team won't amount to much due to the way it is built around injury riddle players who can't even make it through spring training playing part-time, poor offense and a Manager who thinks he can win games by looking at a piece of paper. If the pitching doesn't hold the opposing teams to 3 runs or less this team won't come close to finishing .500.

You have bought into the hype the FO is feeding the fans. New uniforms don't make a winning team. Performance does. Will we see improved hitting? Manufacturing runs? Better base running? Throwing to the correct base? Better managerial decisions? Longer starts by pitchers in the rotation? A long relief pitcher or two to take the pressure off the bullpen? Improved health? The roster is full of players with health issues and Rocco hasn't proven to me that he's learned anything from his past mistakes. I don't drink their Kool-Aid. I want to actually see it happen first.

Sounds like you are on the HOPE bandwagon with Buxton. How has it worked so far. Maybe trying something different should be.... trading him for a durable player that can play everyday. Then having 4 different options to "back him up" when he gets hurt wouldn't be a priority and the FO could concentrate on making the entire roster better. Gallo and Taylor were definitely brought in to be options in CF for him. Neither one brings much of anything offensively as I already pointed out. With the additions of those 2 players Gordon, who was the best hitting outfielder the Twins had last year, will get even fewer at bats. "if guys stay healthy, we’ll score plenty of runs" How?? Losing Arraez puts the offense in an even deeper hole. Where are the hits going to come from? An outfield of Gallo, Buck/Taylor, and Kepler who can't keep their batting averages above a combined .225? Most of these guys can't put the ball in play much less get a hit. Yes. they'll hit a few HR, mostly solo shots. Rocco doesn't know how to manufacture runs so you can rule that option out. Scoring a few runs won't be "plenty" and most of the time it also won't be enough.

Hope springs eternal for some. The rest of us can see the writing on the wall that has been there for quite some time now. Buxton is a part-time player. Always has been and always will be. Even if he is healthy the plan now is to only let him play defense part-time. Settling for less is not a recipe for success. I hate scheduled rest for any player. There are off days. There is the voice of the player that can let his Manager know if he needs a day off. Is the communication between players and Manager that bad that they can't come to an agreement about this on a daily basis? There is no proof that days off prevent injury. So the Twins have the best defensive outfield in all of baseball. I will believe defense wins championships when it happens. Pitching and clutch hitting wins Championships. If you can't score, saving a run or two per game won't matter. Adding Gallo and Taylor who hit for a combined .210 clip last year does nothing to improve the offense, which was a huge sore spot due to the Twins inability to get a hit when they needed it. So far, in spring training the Twins are leading all of baseball in strikeouts. Doesn't appear they have solved anything offensively by adding the outfielders that they did.

And a lot can be said for taking at bats in this scenario verses real game action against an opponent who is trying to get you out, including being ON THE FIELD for defensive purposes. I've seen the Twins baby their injury prone players for an entire season and it didn't go well. Now they are even doing it in spring training. Let's hope they don't stub their toe entering the stadium on opening day.

It's one thing to bring players along slowly to avoid further set-backs but it is also not good if those players are not ramped up and ready to contribute due to insufficient at bats in spring training. All of which may cost the team potential wins in April. Being ready to play in games that count should take precedent over being cautious. You can be the most cautious person in the world and still have something bad happen. It is better to find out in spring training if they are ready to play than waiting until the first week or two of the season and then have it blow up in your face costing you games on top of it. Quit playing the AAA squad and get the main roster ready for Game 1.

This is laughable no matter how you look at it. The FO tells us the bullpen is not a priority yet a couple games into spring training they sign two pitchers that fit their usual criteria, big arms with no control and poor success except for brief stints in their careers. Most of us know that there are issues with the bullpen, mainly Pagan and Megill and they continue to show that the bullpen really isn't a priority by signing has-beens.

You are only partially correct. Analytics says the starters can only go 5 innings tops so Rocco is going with a 4 man rotation since they will only throw about 70-80 pitches per outing. That means one less starter than anyone figured. 12 pitchers and 14 position players. Afterall, when you run out a different lineup everyday you have to have enough position players to move around and keep them uncomfortable playing multiple positions. 2 Catchers (Vazquez, Jeffers) 6 infielders (Kirilloff, Polanco, Correa, Miranda, Farmer, Solano) and 6 outfielders (Gallo, Kepler, Buxton, Larnach, Taylor, Gordon). Add in that Gallo can play 1B. Kirilloff can play OF. Miranda can go 1B. Farmer can play 2B, SS, 3B plus emergency Catcher. Gordon can go 2B, OF, emergency SS. Solano can play 2B, 3B, SS. Yep, Rocco will be living the dream in 2023 as he runs out a different lineup everyday. Ok, seriously 1 of the position players will be odd man out if someone isn;t traded. My guess is Larnach or Kirilloff, depending on who is hitting if they are both healthy.

His last 2 injuries were from sliding into 2nd base and getting hit on the hand with a pitch. Playing DH would have not prevented either one.

A trip down the same path of Tyler Duffey would be fine with me. Over-rated, and yes, over-paid cup of coffee who's ship has sailed. Move on please. 5 years at $9.25M isn't much in todays world of over-paid atheletes but in this case it's still like pouring money down a rat hole.

Your article is about waiting to make "the" move. Mahle and Lopez were acquired to help the Twins win in 2022. The fact that both of them had 2023 seasons under contract was a bonus. The MAIN reason you make trades at the deadline if you are in contention is to win THAT year. Both of those moves were "the" moves they made to win in 2022. That is the same thing you are expecting from them in 2023. Yet your point of view says that when they make "the" move in 2023 that we should expect it to help them in 2024. If it is next year then why is that "the" move? As for Rocco, if you want to give him credit for winning in a season with a juiced ball and a shortened covid season where they didn't play many of the tougher teams then you also have to blame him when it comes to losing, especially when you manage poorly. Bad fundamentals, failure to even try to manufacture runs, pulling pitchers that are pitching well just because it is 3rd time through the order, over using a bullpen, or using a bad reliever over and over again in high leverage situations points criticism directly at you if you are the Manager. The FO has a low bar to exceed compared to the previous regime. That doesn't make them geniuses if they outperform them. Their true measure of success is playoff wins and Championships and the lack of either speaks volumes. Evidently you didn't witness the Andy McPhail regime and the success he brought to the organization.

Waiting isn't the problem. Having the FO trade away good prospects for broken down pitchers or 1 year wonders is. After-all, isn't that what the Twins did last year? How did trading for a broken Mahle help this team in 2022. How did trading for a 1/2 year wonder in Jorge Lopez help the Twins in 2022? How is signing a .190 hitter in Gallo to an $11M contract good when a Wallner, Cave, Larnach, Celestino, Gordon, Garlick can all hit for a higher average for pennies on the dollar compared to his contract? How many at bats will he and Kepler, who should have been traded due to his own ineptness at the plate, take away from the guys who can actually hit? I don't trust Rocco to be smart enough to use the guys that can hit on an everyday basis when Gallo and Kepler are the veterans getting paid the big bucks. They'll play way more than they should. You have more confidence in this FO making "the" move than a lot of us do. They haven't shown the ability yet to do "the" move that actually helps! Up to this point, I'm more afraid of what move they'll make.

For 2024 and beyond? = Lee, Lewis, Julien, Salas, Martin, Correa, Polanco, Miranda, all tied to 3 infield positions. Let's face it, that's too many players to get quality at bats for on a regular basis. I see Martin moving to the outfield if he continues to develop. Still leaves 7 players for 3 infield spots. My guess is Polanco will be traded at the deadline in 2023 unless he is raking it and the Twins are leading the division. If they aren't in contention they'll get a better haul for him if he is raking it. Otherwise I don't see the Twins picking up his option for 2024 and 2025. Salas would be a stretch for making it to the show in 2024 so he can probably be scratched from the list but needs to be figured long term. If Kirilloff and Larnach become legit players which is a high probablility that I, and a lot of others are hoping for, then 1B and a CO spot are tied up as well. If Buxton can stay healthy that only leaves 1 OF spot to fill. Wouldn't it be great if Wallner, Lewis or Martin can fill it? Then again Emmanuel Rodriguez may only be a couple years away as well. Who's the odd man out? Salas? Julien? Miranda? What about Gordon? Still too many players for positions available. Good problem to have but eventually it means someone or two or more will probably be traded.

Everyone is raving about his defense and this article is no different. If defense was the only thing it took to make a winning team this 2023 version of the Twins will be tough to beat. Unfortunately if you want to win you also have to score runs, not just prevent them. Outside of Vazquez taking some at bats away from Jeffers I don't see where the Twins improved their offense much. Especially if guys like Gallo and Kepler, who can't hit, take the majority of at bats away from Gordon, Larnach and even Farmer. Maybe Kirilloff will be all that he is hyped up to be. Maybe Polanco will have a bounce-back season. Maybe Buxton will remain healthy and produce like he is capable of. Maybe Correa will put together a full season of producing runs instead of his 1/3 season we saw last year. Let's hope that maybe Miranda can be as good as last year. IF all of the "maybes" pan out they'll score enough runs to win, but I am not counting on Gallo to be a significant offensive contributor and IMO, I don't think the FO expects him too either. They got Gallo for 2 things only, defense and to hit an occasional HR. Anything else will be gravy.

Is this the same Derek Falvey that built the bullpen in 2022? You are only as successful as what your record indicates and how far you go in the playoffs. Isn't this year 7 of his regime with really nothing to show for it? It stands to reason that so far, it doesn't look like he knows a lot about what he is doing.

The Twins FO is banking on a lot of "IF's". Good health has to be the biggest "IF" of all, from Buxton, Larnach, Kirilloff, Polanco, and even Correa to Mahle, Maeda, Ober, Gray, Lopez, and half a dozen others that could popup out of the blue ay any time. Not that other clubs couldn't have that happen as well but the FO hasn't done a very good job of staying away from the injured easily type of players. Then there's the "IF" of can this team score runs? Or if the bullpen can hold a lead until they get to Duran? If Rocco will manage a game by sight, feel and logic instead of by a spreadsheet? A lot of things can go right for this team, but it won't take a lot of things to go wrong to wreck it.

No doubt defense is the cue here. The bigger question that carries a lot of doubt in the opposite direction is, can any of them hit? Great defense doesn't win games alone if you can't score.