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Otaknam

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Everything posted by Otaknam

  1. Otaknam
    I have a different perspective from the post that “Relievers don't make the majors, except in the rarest of circumstances.” Everyone wants to start, of course, as all pitchers have done in their earlier careers. But analytics has changed the approach to pitching and offense, for better or worst (worst IMO). Since complete games are now as outdated as a Model T, many minor league pitchers are being groomed to pitch 2-3 innings following a starter. This helps them maintain maximum velocity that they lose when starting. Years ago, even in the minors, it was not unusual for starters to throw complete games. The approach in the minors now seems to be to limit starter innings by slowly building them up for six innings, minimizing overwork injuries. This stretches out the BP to allow more pitchers to get more innings. Then the organization can make more informed decisions about who has potential as a starter and who can be an effective reliever.
  2. Otaknam
    The three high profile starters they got in the carpet bombing trades, Abel, Rojas, and Bradley all have control issues. Hopefully one of these guys develops into a number three starter, but trying to correct command issues is difficult. Let’s hope the franchise has a pitching guru somewhere in the system.
  3. Otaknam
    As far as Wallner’s batting average, I agree with you. A batting average hovering just above .200 is unacceptable to me. Wallner has 20 homers and 35 RBIs, indicating that his RISP is pretty low, with 33% strikeout. But the MLB analytics has discarded some of those previously established ideas on performance, including batting average, focusing instead on OPS and how hard the ball is hit. Wallner’s OPS is near .800, which the analytics crowd loves. But he still has a lot of holes in his game. I do think Wallner can be a 30+ homer/ 90 RBI guy in the right lineup. Ext year is the time to show it.
  4. Otaknam
    Culpepper seems like the future at SS, but maybe not right away next season. So that means Lee starts at SS, I would keep Keaschall at second base, instead of moving him to first, as was suggested. I’d like to see them experiment with Wallner at first, because he is destined to be replaced in the outfield by better defensive players like EROD and Jenkins. I was disappointed they didn’t promote Fedko, who has a right handed bat and has had an excellent year, and has shown power and speed. Instead they play Outman and his .150 average and 40% K rate. Why not give Fedko a shot to see what he can do? Money probably has something to do with it.
  5. Otaknam
    Buxton still has elite speed and defense. So I doubt he will need to move anytime soon.
  6. Otaknam
    Anyone besides Buxton is a candidate to be traded. It’s hard to know how this plays out going forward in the offseason. But some team makes them an offer they can’t refuse for Ryan or Lopez, I think they will do it, especially Lopez to save money. I wonder about Larnach’s future with this team because he an Wallner are redundant players with the same offensive and defensive profiles, and Wallner’s power elevates him above Larnach, IMO. Clemens has shown some power and versatility, so hopefully they retain him. Martin gets the rest of the season to proves he belongs in the conversation.
  7. Otaknam
    Hope for the future! Rosario’s season in AA should land him on the 40 man roster, and should position him for a big league promotion. Morris adds depth as a potential mid rotation starter for 2026. Jimenez give them high potential depth at catcher, and it’s good to see him with a strong transition to a new team and league.
  8. Otaknam
    I don’t think the team will limit Keaschall’s games so he can chase a ROY award next year, unless doing so saved them money, which is unlikely. He has shown a lot so far, but it’s more important that Keaschall gets as much experience as possible this year.
  9. Otaknam
    Lewis’ concerns right now should focus on how to regain his hitting stroke, not contract extension and arbitration issues. Right now he is a shell of his former offensive self. His swing seems slow to my admittedly unprofessional eyes, and he helplessly flails away at sweepers and seems overmatched too often. It surprises me when he gets two hits in a game, much less hits with any real exit velocity. I don’t know what has happened to him. If he doesn’t become the hitter we all saw early in his career, any worries over arbitration and contract will be moot, at least from the Twins.
  10. Otaknam
    I am not a fan of trading Ryan and Lopez, which would destroy any fan optimism. But if the Pohlads want to cut salaries another $30 million, that will make it difficult to compete. If that happens the lineup will feature struggling young veterans like Lewis, Larnach, and Wallner, and lots of rookies trying to find their way, not a prescription for success. In that scenario it may be time to just blow it up and reset with young guys, especially with a possible lockout in 2027. I wonder how long Buxton would want to stay in a total rebuild.
  11. Otaknam
    Wallner has had a disappointing season. 20 homers and 34 RBIs means his RISP is very poor. And too many poor at bats and strikeouts. Slugging percentage is overrated in his case.
  12. Otaknam
    Fedko has earned a call up, given his fantastic season in AA and AAA. And the team can use a right hand outfield bat. Eeles is a great story, but I think they will opt to bring more pitchers.
  13. Otaknam
    Because that would be management malfeasance to hold a top young prospect back who could help the team now, just to reduce his service time and hold out for another draft pick the next year. That’s why MLB has the new program, to incentivize promotion to the big leagues instead stashing minor leaguers to delay free agency. And it’s not like the NFL OR NBA, where draft choices are easier to scout and project than in baseball, where deciding who to draft can be a bit of a crapshoot.
  14. Otaknam
    I am sooooo tired of Baldelli’s almost total reliance on analytics, especially with the pitching staff. A good manager is able to use psychology to motivate players and show confidence in them. And now it takes a coach to plant the seed that maybe they should try something else, like old school stealing a base or being aggressive on the base paths, maybe even a hit and run, to kickstart Rocco’s inept offensive approach. Any real Twins fan knew this already.
  15. Otaknam
    The team really needs Abel or Bradley to establish themselves as solid starters to salvage something from the carpet bombing of the roster. Abel especially because of what they gave up to get him. Tait is too far from the ML to factor into a discussion of next year, though he could be an excellent player if he sustains his success.
  16. Otaknam
    It’s hard to get excited about Roden, given his struggles with both Toronto and MN. Not sure why the writer came to the opposite conclusion.
  17. Otaknam
    Trading free agent Coulombe for Horn looks like a good trade. While Horn has issued too many walks with Cedar Rapids, his command with his previous organization was excellent, with lots of strikeouts and few walks. The Twins need to hit the jackpot on a least three of these trades of Rojas, Abel, Bradley and Horn. Maybe some others will emerge too.
  18. Otaknam
    The already made a decision on Rocco for 2026, extending his contract tract for one more year. The Pohlads won’t fire him because they would have to pay him, AND a new manager too.
  19. Otaknam
    It’s too early to give up on Lewis, as bad as he has been in the last 162 games. Let’s hope Lewis can regain his stroke and show the upside we saw earlier in his career. Lee has some power and is on track to hit 15-18 homers. But his OPS isn’t very good, and he looks like an average defender without much high end speed. I wouldn’t move Lee to third and give up on Lewis, unless Lewis struggles again in 2026. Also, while Culpepper looks like a great prospect, so did Lee. Hopefully Culpepper earns his way as the starting shortstop by next year, Lewis rebounds, Keaschall continues to rake at second, and Lee becomes expendable. Also, an outfield of Jenkins, Buxton, and EROD would be excellent! But they all need to be healthy and injury free for a change.
  20. Otaknam
    I would like to see Zebby, Abel and Bradley get long looks as starters this season. Use a six man rotation with OBER, Ryan and Lopez, who will be on a pitch count anyway. Right now the rotation for 2026 looks to be solid, which is the one positive going forward. But that could easily change if either Ryan or Lopez or both get traded, likely Lopez, given his contract. It will be interesting to see which three players get called up to end the year. My choices, but I don’t think any of them are on the 40 man roster. Still, they have earned in IMO: Fedko, since he must be the leading candidate for Twins minor league POY. And they could use an outfielder who bats right handed, who has speed and has shown power this years. Outfielder Gabe Gonzales, who they got in the Polanco trade, has also excelled this year, has hit every year, and gets on base at a high percentage. Finally, I would love to see IF Payton Eeles get a shot because it’s a great story and he has earned it. But the team would have to DFA three guys on the 40 man, so this isn’t likely to happen.
  21. Otaknam
    I think they will give Outman the rest of the season to show something, whether he is producing or not. Otherwise, they would have to admit acquiring him was a mistake, on top of all the other mistakes this front office has made.
  22. Otaknam
    Fedko is a good candidate for the team’s minor league offensive player of the year. I hope they give him a shot when the rosters expand. He deserves it, especially as a right handed hitter w some power and speed in an outfield that has plodding lefty hitters Larnach and Wallner, neither of whom provide ML defense. They already made a mistake on Rooker, so I hope they don’t make another one on Fedko without giving him a legit shot.
  23. Otaknam
    Wallner or Larnach trying first makes sense, given the glut of lefty hitting outfielders in the system and their lackluster season offensively. But the fact that neither one has yet played first in this lost season, where the team has no apparent first base option, tells me the team has no plans to try it.
  24. Otaknam
    Cutting payroll to $100 million would be a slap in the face to every fan, especially after we paid for Target Field, which was supposed to provide the revenue to be competitive long term with the other teams. Imagine the meager attendance if they actually made such a bad business decision, as fans would be very upset. Why would anyone go to a team that is shell of its former self? I like baseball, but not THAT much!
  25. Otaknam
    The Varland trade was a big head scratcher. I hope Kendry Rojas improves his command. I’m not a big fan of acquiring pitchers who have great stuff but can’t throw it for strikes. I guess the Twins brass figures they can fix it. Hope so, or they lost a valuable potential closer under team control in Varland for no good reason.
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