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Otaknam

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Everything posted by Otaknam

  1. Otaknam
    I’m not as negative as others about the Polanco trade. We have to remember that Polanco struggled with injuries and defense when he was traded. He made $10.5 million, and they thought Lee could play second, though he seems to be an average big leaguer with a little home run pop. Also, Gonzalez raked in 2025 and has a chance to save this trade, which we will find out this year.
  2. Otaknam
    I doubt Ober is a trade candidate. He was injured during the latter part of the season, which will makes other teams hesitant.. And he wasn’t as effective and lost some velocity, likely because of his injuries. He wouldn’t bring much in a trade because of this, and he is still under team control. So, it is unlikely that Ober gets traded.
  3. Otaknam
    “cromulent”! Screams writer’s thesaurus! As for Topa, what choice do they have with this bullpen that performed so poorly after the carpet bombing trades? If Hatch and Genesis Cabrera are in the 2026 bullpen, then the only conclusion is they are indifferent about winning.
  4. Otaknam
    Yawn!
  5. Otaknam
    “When his playing career ended, he moved into coaching, then managing in the minor leagues.” Managing in the minors IS managing, and excellent training for a big league managing position.
  6. Otaknam
    Well done! Rocco was slavishly devoted to analytics, directed by the front office. No manager intuition required. The most obvious example of misusing analytics is the team spending four months playing Earl Weaver ball, waiting for a three run homer and seldom utilizing speed. Once the roster was blown up by trades, all of a sudden Rocco decided that stealing bases and doing some aggressive running was ok. Also, what starter wants to pitch for a guy who doesn’t trust him to pitch to the lineup a third time? I think that’s a major reason why Sonny Gray left, and the team has been in decline ever since.
  7. Otaknam
    The failed 2025 season wasn’t about bench or marginal players like Kiersey, Julien, Alcala or Adams. The blame is clearly about the underperformance of Wallner, Larnach, Lewis and Correa and the lack of improvement by others.
  8. Otaknam
    Not excited about Tonkin, Genesis Cabrera, Hatch, or many other scrap heap bullpen arm.
  9. Otaknam
    The team’s focus on analytics under this regime, especially with starting pitching, has always been aggravating to me. And It took the carpet bombing of the roster at the trade deadline for Rocco to learn that the team needed to run more, steal some bases, hit and run, etc., which is an indictment on him. RISP was very poor, and yet they spent most of the season doing little to get the offense going. So glad Baldelli and his slavish devotion to analytics is gone! Too bad Falvey is still here, because he’s the one responsible for this underperforming roster.
  10. Otaknam
    Sadly, your summary is likely to come to fruition. If Buxton, Ryan, or Lopez are traded this offseason that signifies a total rebuild. At that point they might as well complete the dismantling and acquire as many high level prospects as possible. The good news is their minor league system is highly rated, and they have young starting pitching depth. But you can’t compete unless the young starters can become at least number 2 starters. Even then you better develop a number two, like Lopez and Ryan, or you have no chance.
  11. Otaknam
    The problem with that scenario is the Twins won’t be able to complete for the next two years, given the poor offensive performance with so many underperforming position players. I doubt they will hold onto Lopez and his salary, since they are in rebuild mode.
  12. Otaknam
    Agree on the lineup, but I disagree on trading excellent starters to acquire offense. A good team starts with starting pitchers. Without solid starters and depth you have no chance to compete.
  13. Otaknam
    Analytics does have its place, but I hope the next manager isn’t welded to making every decision based on analytics, which Rocco seemed to do. Showing some confidence in your players and going with your intuition still has a place. But Falvey is a devout follower of analytics, so the next manager will have to be a devotee too.
  14. Otaknam
    Larnach and Wallner are redundant players with similar profiles. Larnach will cost more than Wallner because he is eligible for the arbitration process. Since outfield is a minor league position of depth, it wouldn’t surprise me if he is released or traded if a trade can’t be managed. The Pohlad fire sale will likely continue.
  15. Otaknam
    An intriguing choice. Catchers have a unique perspective on the game management, especially on the pitchers and defense. Hopefully the next manager isn’t mandated to use analytics on every decision, like Falvey seemed to require of Rocco. Let the manager use his instincts when he chooses.
  16. Otaknam
    I hope that the new pitch is a game changer for SWR. Until he is more consistent, though, his ceiling is still as a solid number five starter. I hope that Abel, Bradley, Matthews, and Rojas develop quickly.
  17. Otaknam
    Pohlad: “I am overwhelmingly confident about Twins baseball. I’m confident because we have got all the right [pieces] … And we have the resources that we’re ready to invest when needed.” I’m not sure what Pohlad is drinking, but the team is heading in the opposite direction. If the “right pieces” means the current roster, that is complete nonsense. Aside from Buxton, Keaschall, Jeffers, and a couple of other bench players, the majority of the roster has underperformed, starting with Larnach, Wallner, and Lewis. The defense is terrible, as is the base running. If they don’t trade Ryan’s and Lopez, the starting pitching should be solid IF Ober bounces back and a couple of young staters show significant improvement. But my guess is they trade either Ryan or Lopez or both, if not this offseason, then at the trade deadline. The bullpen is a disaster after the fire sale. That can be rebuilt quickly if you only need a couple of pieces, but they need 4-5 new arms, so that will be an issue in 2026. What resources are they ready to invest, something they rarely do? The only thing that gives me a morsel of optimism is their minor league system is highly rated. Essentially they are in an almost total rebuild mode.
  18. Otaknam
    I was pretty cool on Baldelli as a game manager. He slavishly adhered to analytics at the expense of using his intuition in some situations that called for it, especially with pitchers. And his total abandonment of the run game was baffling, with a team that hit so poorly with RISP. But Falvey is more culpable because he put this roster together, made questionable trades, and had too many top draft choices struggle. A mid market team needs to hit on HOF draft picks. And then the Pohlads cut the payroll, making it even more difficult to win and making Rocco the scapegoat. I’m happy Rocco is gone, but Falvey should be gone too.
  19. Otaknam
    Despite the negatives on Mendez that some have posted here ( lack of speed, ground ball rate), success at AA is an important step, as that’s where a lot of prospects wash out. It’s not a guarantee of future success, but it shows potential. I do appreciate prospects who hit for high averages, have low strikeout rates, and high OPS. Mendez is 6’3” so he has the size to add more power and maybe add first base to his skill set.
  20. Otaknam
    Straight and to the point on this fiasco ownership. I won’t be surprised if they complete the implosion of the roster by trading Buxton, Ryan, and Lopez. Buxton would be smart to ask for a trade this offseason so he can compete for a long playoff run, which isn’t happening here anytime soon. His value is pretty high, given his excellent season and contract status. They might have to wait on trading Lopez and his contract until next season so he can demonstrate that he is healthy. Ryan is likely gone this offseason if they get the package they want, which should include a couple high end major league ready prospects if the FO can do a competent trade, not a given.
  21. Otaknam
  22. Otaknam
    Unfortunately, any manager under consideration would have to totally buy into analytics. Analytics has its place but shouldn’t preclude the manager deviating and using his intuitive ability to make decisions, especially those that impact the starters. Shelton should get some consideration, as he seems highly respected, but was dealt a losing hand in Pittsburgh. Tori Hunter would bring some energy to the club, but he doesn’t have any managerial experience. Still, he would be an exciting hire.
  23. Otaknam
    Baldelli was too enamored with analytics, which is likely why he was hired by Falvey. I hope the new manager will use analytics, but not make almost all decisions based in just that. How about using some manager intuition, such as leaving a young starter in the game when he is very effective. Rocco dogmatically would remove a young starter so he doesn’t have to face a lineup for a third time, as dictated by a computer algorithm. Show some confidence in your starters to work deeper into games, instead of overworking the bullpen. I think that was one reason Sonny Gray left, lack of respect for letting him pitch deep into games.
  24. Otaknam
    “Kendry Rojas offers intriguing upside. The Twins have talked very highly of him since he was acquired.” Of course the FO would talk very highly of him. What else could they do after the trade but talk him up? Also, by trading for Abel they must have thought he could at least be a mid rotation starter. if Abel is nothing more than a back of the rotation starter or bullpen guy, that trade is a bust, even if Tait becomes a starter in two years. They need starters for 2026, and Abel needs to be that guy.
  25. Otaknam
    Falvey put this team together, not Rocco, so why isn’t he gone too? Rocco’s dogmatic adherence to analytics, especially with starting pitchers who had their innings limited even if pitching well, was always a head scratcher. Also, the team seldom utilized the running game, until half the roster was traded. All of a sudden Rocco discovered that a team that hit poorly with RISP might have success stealing bases. And so they stole a lot of bases after the trades.
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