Crackedfungo

Between Jeffers, Kiriloff, Lewis, Duran, Balazovic and a few others, I think the next 12-18 months are going to bring new enthusiasm to the team, and hopefully, ambivalence towards the playoff history. That said, the remaining vets and Baldelli need to figure out a new approach in the playoffs, and find a new hitting coach, whatever they did last year and this year in advance of the playoffs specifically also needs to be flushed (along with Gonzalez, Romo, Avila, Tortuga, etc).

The KID looks pretty damn good on the field and at bat.

This is idiocy. You don't just cut loose your best hitter for a slight power drought month in this strange year. I love the prospects in the pipeline, but other than Rooker, neither AK or TL has 'earned their way' out of AA (and even AAA). I would bring them up for an injury. I might event bring them up to replace a Kepler or Rosario (if one were traded). What I would NOT do, is not re-sign Nelson, thinking we need to find room from all three of these players next year.

The past hoped for nucleus brought it tonight. Buck, Rosario, and Sano. Anyone who doesn't think Rosario is a CORE piece of the team is 'fishing with no bait.' His .310+ BA with RISP is EXACTLY what you have to have to win. Is it a surprise that he is leading the team in RBIs? I love Buck's potential - he just HAS to stay healthy. Lastly, the BEAST known as Sano is just one of those guys - feast or famine. He can certainly launch a ball like few I have ever seen and completely change a game after some feeble at-bats. OTOH: Kepler and Donaldson need to step up, and it may be time that our rookie catcher is the permanent starter. He is just TOO GOOD offensively, defensively, and calling a game to be on the bench anymore other than needed rest. He will push Garver to be primary C as soon as he comes back (and next year).

I agree. Alcala was one I wanted to see before this year - elite stuff. Same is true with Duran. If you have elite stuff and some command/control, you can succeed as a rookie in MLB. We trot out guys like Smeltzer and Thorpe in relief, and guys like Dobnak, Hill and Bailey that simply don't have elite stuff. MLB hitters will adjust and tee-off. I would rather throw someone with elite stuff out there. Graterol last year is an example. They can be a weapon in playoffs if eased in and handled correctly.

Anyone Smell Zer. The guy just doesn't have the right stuff or pitch savvy to get away with his subpar stuff. The opponents figured him out after last year. Why not Colina, Chalmers, or even Duran? We have seen enough of DS. He has 'undrafted' velocity

The one I am very intrigued by not mentioned much here is Alcala. He has the stuff, and is developing the control and confidence. That trade looks much better as he develops. I like his focus and fire too - necessary as a closer. Could he produce in a big game against the Yankees? Time will tell, but he has the stuff. I think we lose May after this year. I think Rogers rebounds, and Alcala becomes a RH force if he maintains command/control. I do want to see Colina and Chalmers (if he improves control soon). Colina has high-end gas, and Chalmers has an almost unhittable couple of pitches IF he has control. His BBs are well-known, but his BAA is just sick at times. Future is not dim if we lose a few of our mainstays.

I do agree with you on Garver, and did not mean to knock him for what was an all-timer year at C to try to follow. What I meant was that he is the type of player that will be challenged to come close to repeating an absolutely exceptional year. Given his age, and wear/tear at C, I feel that he has to sustain really good versus last years exceptional performance before the wear/tear catches up to him. I do think he will do it, but he was due for a material regression to the mean. I don't have a problem with the Avilla signing at all. It was shrewd (and cheap as you referenced). But, like with Astudillo, I do feel that we need to avoid blocking our really talented young players with stop-gaps. For a few reasons; we will have some roster spots to make up our mind on in the next few years, and I do feel like we need to move up the obvious ones in a hurry to reserve space for the ones that may take a few extra years like Garver to maximize value. All the Avilla's and Astudillo's clog the system for doing so. While I know Astudillo can play many positions and has an active bat, I would rather the Twins clear the space for others. To that end, I want to see Rooker, Kiriloff, Larnach and Lewis early - even in utility roles this year - as there are no games in the minors. I have the same feeling about the Cave's, Vargas', Wade - and perhaps even the Adrianza's and Gonzalez's. I think that getting the young players some experience like Jeffers will pay great dividends down the road with these assets (either to keep or trade). I just don't feel that we need too many role players in this unique year. Just my opinion.

Great analysis. I do not want to pat myself on the back, and I certainly didn't announce it publicly, but I did expect this would happen (his fielding). Why, you might ask? Because I played 3b and C and was moved to 1b for a few weeks. The wicked hops you get at 3b and the short hops you have to dig as a C gives you the requisite tools and reaction time to scoop a great deal of errant throws at 1b. The stretch - not a net result of time at either 3b or C. So, because Sano had pretty solid reaction time in taking 'hot shots' at 3b, I expected him to do well with scoops. For the same reason, I did also believe that Mauer would adapt very well from C to 1b. I cannot explain the stretches, but he is a very good athlete for his size. He does get lackadaisical at pop-ups, as he was at 3b. His arm was always crazy strong, so it is nice to have on the rare plays that a 1b needs it. His improved work ethic I attribute to Nelson Cruz, who is just an AMAZING influence on any young ballplayer willing to listen to his thoughtful and prepared approach to the game. Cruz is one of my favorite Twins in only 1.5 years. A revelation at 40. I was also surprised and happy to see Sano re-sign without a whole bunch of arrogance or drama. I also attribute that to wanting to play with Cruz and the team he matriculated with. Great for the Twins long-term.

I'll bet Romo has some spiders or last weeks food in that beard. He might also be the guy in the clubhouse that is beyond odd. RPs topping out at 85 gotta have something, and he clearly has a lot of junk

Astudillo was an interesting sideshow one year. He no longer merits a roster spot IMHO. I want to see Jeffers behind Garver sooner than later. Garver has the potential to be a one-year wonder, and he was already old. Avila and Astudillo are only #1 and #2 catchers on a team devoid of what we have starting and coming up.

Who knows. I just don't think Rogers deserves another opportunity to lose a close one for awhile. Wisler is not intimidating to me, but at least he has produced this year.

Why Romo? I know we are depleted, but I have no faith in this guy with all the heavy hitters on Sox.

Yet, they were still playing Marwin WAY too much last year too. Its almost like that was placed in his contract - you will play almost everyday at multiple different positions. He has NEVER been that good. SMH. We really need to flush the turds down and quit acting like they add value to preserve service time for our young prospects.

Why to they feel the need to play MG everyday (as a sub for someone)? He is better off the bench, and really isn't an everyday player. Couple that with the Adrianza and Cave everyday opptys, and the Vargas and Avila occasional starts and our lineup is weakened substantially.

IT is time. At least one of AK and BR. Also, add JD as a SP and EC as a reliever. Time to energize this team along with the returning players. Also, time to clean out the chafe - they aren't cutting it on a team that has aspirations

I would consider trading Kepler this winter. It would free up the OF for prospects. I would rather keep Rosario. He has his warts, but has proven to be able to carry the team (and inspire them). Max just seems to have plateaued for me.

I think I would discuss 'retiring' Rich Hill. He is toast. Too much effort just to throw a grooved (and slow) strike. Its time.

Pineda starts next game. The following game start Jhoan Duran and push Berrios back a day. Why not, we need to disrupt the stagnation? I would also get Balazovic to camp in St. Paul. We might as well use our games wisely and win or lose with the future pitchers we are going to need. Bailey, Hill, and Odo are most likely gone next year (and should be). As should Romo, Smeltzer, Thielbar (stopgap) and Thorpe. Isn't May in need of a deal too? There is ROOM to explore Duran, Colina, Chalmers, and whomever else they want to throw at this mess of a staff. Just move on from the obvious pitchers that have no future with us. I could care less about service time - they don't utilize it correctly anyways. Rogers should not be the defacto closer for every game this year until he proves to be more effective. He just seems to be losing focus this year. Not sure why.

We agree. We have no reason to have confidence in Hill, or Odo this year, Pineda (yet), Berrios (in each start), nor in several of our relievers that double as spot starters. I would like to see some changes to pitching staff ASAP. What did we learn last year with Dobnak and Graterol? How about Alcala this year? Why not add 1-2 young guns that have great stuff and se what they can do?

When I say Bailey lacking - I mean not performing on IL. Pineda is not enough to account for Odo out, Bailey out, Hill and Berrios not performing, and the bullpen games - being a joke. Throw in Smeltzer, Thorpe, and Romo being bad or spotty, and I don't understand how you don't bring up some high level prospects.

Hard to watch Hill walking three batters to load the bases in the 4th, while only maxing at 89 MPH. With Bailey lacking too, we need Duran up to assess what he can do. NOW would be nice....

My feeling is just DO SOMETHING. Jettison the Gardy Sunday roster players (need I mention them)? Bring up Colina (DFA the least viable pitcher), bring up Duran (and write off Bailey, the Bullpen games, and ?), bring up at least Rooker or Kiriloff (whom will likely hit as well against LHP as most of our LH vets are now). Someone mentioned above the revelations that Arraez, Graterol, and Dobnak were late last year. Aside from Jeffers - we need to see more of the young players. No more waiver claims, and I am glad we did not make any trades.

It is curious. My eyes see a great deal of meat balls allowed to pierce the strike zone without a serious swing. They aren't swinging at more crap low and away. They are NOT SWINGING at pitches that are grooved (nor with any authority when they do). Seems like they are 'taking' too many pitches. The question is whether someone is telling them to do so......

Bring up any of the 3-4 (Kiriloff, Larnach, Rooker, or Lewis) that can offer more than Vargas, Cave and Wade. Like our pitching, wherein I think we give up on a Bailey return, and bypass Smeltzer, Thorpe, and Romo with a young pitcher (from Colina, Chalmers, and Duran - if you do not see him starting this year, you get him some long relief innings). I just don't see the point of adding more refuse to our roster via trade or waivers, nor do I see the point in continuing to allow several players to languish in St. Paul that either require an assessment, or require some 'live action' that will only benefit us in the future. I just don't see a future here for Smeltzer or Thorpe, nor do I see the point in trying to wring much more out of Romo (they simply don't have the eye popping 'stuff' we need postseason). They should not be pitching in the playoffs - AT ALL.