MMMordabito

Moran will make us forget about Coulombe before the snow finishes melting here in the metro.

I'd put Zunino and Vasquez ahead of Grandal at this point, but that's why these lists are fun.

50 innings without giving up a dinger to start a career is pretty good. That will be something fun to follow this year.

81 wins for me. I think they are better, but the schedule is harder. The silver linings will be a boost to the farm system at the deadline and a year of growth for the up-and-coming nucleus. I'll look forward to being proven wrong.

I knew I couldn't be the only one who has World Series Game 7 daydream simulations where the entire team is made up of homegrown prospects who all still have 3+ years of control left.

These are all really good takes, but I think they show why Kepler has been such a polarizing player this off-season. The statistics available allow for infinite perspectives based on how each person values different skills.

I'm expecting to see Polanco sit and DH against lefties often at the start of the season. I know Buxton will get some of those DH slots, but, if he can go in center, you really only have to field one of Kepler, Gallo, Gordon or Kirilloff/Larnach against said lefties. I also hope the Twins are just being cautious, and Polanco has a healthy season as a key cog on the team. Hopefully, he can make that option look very attractive to Falvine when the season is over. All-Stars C4, Chulo and Buck leading this team from the middle of the field and top of the order sounds good to me.

Was Max Kepler still in a Twins uniform on October 1?

FWIW ... McKenzie isn't exactly an ace against the Twins. When they hit it, it goes. I Split W L W-L% ERA G GS GF CG SHO SV IP H R ER HR BB IBB SO HBP BK WP BF WHIP SO9 SO/W Minnesota Twins 2 5 .286 5.65 9 9 0 0 0 0 51.0 44 32 32 12 14 0 54 2 0 3 208 1.137 9.5 3.86 I Split G PA AB R H 2B 3B HR SB CS BB SO SO/W BA OBP SLG OPS TB GDP HBP SH SF IBB ROE BAbip tOPS+ Minnesota Twins 9 208 191 32 44 13 1 12 2 0 14 54 3.86 .230 .289 .497 .786 95 2 2 0 1 0 0 .254 143

Has Max Kepler been mentioned enough in trade scenarios to pass Brian Duensing as the default sweetener to any hypothetical our-side-wins deal from now on?

I don't see why they would trade for Farmer or Gordon, when Iglesias would only cost them money (and they have plenty of that).

Kirilloff and Polanco not so healthy?

Some of these top guys will be on display at US Bank for the Cambria Classic in a little over a week. Ole Miss, Vandy, Maryland and Nebraska are all participating and all have at least one top 50 player.

Dodgers and Red Sox put guys on the 60-Day IL, so it appears to be open season on those transactions.

It appears to be 60-Day IL day. I think we'll find out soon whether there is any traction on this Hand deal. https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2023/02/dodgers-buehler-treinen-feyereisen-60-day-injured-list.html https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2023/02/red-sox-sign-yu-chang-major-league-contract.html

Couldn't they just put Heinie on the backside?

They will already have burned an option on Julien, if he doesn't make the Opening Day roster. If he does make the Opening Day roster, then I'd think he would be next in line.

I'll be a homer and say sign the Chaska High School alum. I'd rather see Megill get optioned than Moran though. I'm high on Moran for '23. Don't let it turn into a Matt Belisle situation though. Can you imagine if the Twins won the World Series with Thielbar, Varland, Wallner and Hand all on the roster?

Who cares? That was a fun year.

Good objective list. It should be interesting to see who keeps their spot and who gets knocked out in 2023. Who would be your top 5 starters and top 3 relievers? Also, inb4 "How is Kepler on here?"

TNSTAAPP For me, it's a fool's game to say much more than that cliche acronym on Prielipp. Wait and see approach on this one. Kohl Stewart, ya fooled me once. Tyler Jay, ya fooled me twice. I won't be fooled again!

😕 Longest tenured Twin. Over 750 games well above league average OPS All Star Top 15 MVP Vote Finisher $25 Million Yeah, I'd say he's already made it, and he won't ever be broke (unless he is incredibly off-the-field stupid, which I doubt).

I can't help but think this ranking may have been influenced by some desire to feel better about the Arraez trade. I still think it was a solid trade, as much as I absolutely hated it, even if Salas is more of top 15 guy than a top 10 guy. I agree with the above comment that 2024 is a pretty aggressive ETA based on the current body of work. However, I probably would have said the same thing about Jarvis Brown in 1990, and that's the only path I see for Salas hitting the Bigs in 2024 at this point.

Just a few more weeks, and we can hopefully move from speculation to observation.