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Riverbrian

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Everything posted by Riverbrian

  1. Riverbrian
    Jackson was not the problem. The problem is that the front office provided the manager with someone that Manager wasn't going to allow to help. Caratini is going to ride his horrific slump onward. Jackson is going to sit behind him because Jackson wasn't capable of .500 OPS I guess so we keep the .461 guy making 7 million. Waste of roster spot is a natural by-product of full commitment to average or below average. You and I both have no idea how anything is going to work out. But the waste of roster spots and locking into average didn't work out.
  2. Riverbrian
    Next year... If we forget about potential unidentified additions to it for just a second. As the Roster Stands right now. We have the opportunity to roster Buxton, Keaschall, Jenkins, Erod and Roden or Wallner in the OF... Or even Larnach if you'd like. These are solid options with legimate depth. If any of them go Cal Raleigh on you... you have options, choices who can pick up the ball and run with it. If anyone gets hurt... I don't know... like Byron Buxton for example. You have options, choices who can pick up the ball and run with it. How can we **** this up? It will be incredibly easy to mess this up and also probable that it gets messed up. Here's how: Decide that the left handed hitters in the outfield room can't hit left handed pitching. That decision alone will kill the OF depth. That decision alone will remove talent from the roster and replace it with role players like Martin and Gonzalez. Your team is weaker and you have removed your insurance from injury or bad performance. Martin is the replacement for the injury when it occurs and it's going to occur. Martin is the guy you turn to when Erod or Jenkins has a .570 OPS in June. The infield has no such thing. Just Lewis, Clemens, Culpepper and Lee. Hope Lewis can shake off this 1,000 at bat below average hitting ability. Those 4 are 162 game necessary because the depth isn't there.
  3. Riverbrian
    If I had my way. No roster spots would be used on role players. None. Zip... Zero. A role player by almost everyone's definition is a role player because they are not what they need to be and therefore not capable of replacing someone who needs replacing and the only thing we know is that someone is going to need replacing. None... Zip... Zero.
  4. Riverbrian
    I will continue to contend until those cows come home. Everyday playing time is earned. We had two players earn every day playing time last year. Buxton and Jeffers. Buxton gets hurt from time to time and Jeffers plays a position where every day playing time is not possible. Keaschall was earning every day playing time in the back half of the year. The front half... he was not. Lewis earning every day playing time? Not even close going on. We are going on two years of nearly 1,000 AB's of below average play and there is nobody to challenge him. Nobody in the farm system that they are willing to even entertain as possible of hitting .690 OPS with opportunity. This is roster construction that completely ignored the possibility that Royce wouldn't hit or stay healthy. That Lee wouldn't grow or stay healthy, that Keaschall didn't pull a sophomore slump or couldn't field his position or stay healthy. I'm praying that this season the front office takes depth seriously and acquires a 1B that pushes Lewis to needing to earn his playing time. Makes him fight back with the skills that were promised to us. And a SS capable infielder that can step in should Culpepper get hurt or struggle badly. We need to legitimately push the incredible averageness of this team and quit settling for it and acting like they have to play every day. Otherwise... we can all sit back this year and watch them make the same mistake over and over.
  5. Riverbrian
    The number is bigger than the assumed number that I assume you are suggesting. Wasted roster spots is a problem. Fix that problem. treat each roster spot as gold, roster players that can compete, are allowed to compete and maybe you have a shot of not having to hang on for dear life to less than average outcomes.
  6. Riverbrian
    How about we ask him to earn his playing time in 2027. He isn't just handed it. How about we ask him to actually earn it in 2027. Instead of utilization that suggests he is irreplaceable. How about we don't put ourselves in the position of having nobody else this year, He was 2nd in AB's post all-star break with a .639 OPS and he gets to walk past the lineup card because he knows he's on it. He knows he's on it because there is nobody else. We could have moved Clemens back to 1B but then we have nobody to play 2b because Keaschall is now an OF. And Caratini at 1B with his post all star break .461 OPS was worse. So... everyday Royce. Nobody to challenge him. was much much worse. Our infield depth sucked last off-season and we attacked that depth problem with Kreidler, Gray and Arcia with huge question marks with Lewis, Lee and Keaschall. Our we going to do that again this off-season or will this be the year that the front office understands that Lee, Culpepper, Clemens and Lewis may not be the set and forget infield they think it is. Something could be a .639 OPS out of that bunch, someone could get hurt for significant time and we don't have the depth to compete with them. Lewis can compete for playing time with Brooks, Cody and whoever the 1B one year lower tier free agent we sign this year for 7 million dollars like we have done every year since Mauer retired. Ask him to earn it. Don't just give it.
  7. Riverbrian
    The less than average outcomes are indeed the problem. The additional problem and bigger problem and fixable problem is when a team treats average or less than average outcomes as irreplaceable. Jackson wasn't going to change that. He was simply a waste of a roster spot... evidenced by his multiple removals from the 40 man and CLEARING. Not having players that can challenge the less than average or even average outcomes was a problem. I agree with you. The Twins did not swim with interest. People should be interested in swimming to avoid drowning.
  8. Riverbrian
    Injuries are never an excuse because injuries occur every single season for all 30 teams. There is simply no excuse for not having sufficient competitive depth in place to prepare for something that is going to happen. We all know that injuries are going to change context multiple times throughout the season. We all know that some players will go Vlad Jr or Cal Raleigh on you. Treat each 26 man spot as gold.
  9. Riverbrian
    And that's what needs to be fixed. If prospects are sitting at the end of a bench. They are not prospects. On the other side of the coin. Average performance being treated as irreplaceable keeping prospects on the bench, choosing lesser talent on purpose just so you don't have lineup playing time pressure is poor planning but it's a god send for the tragically average? 26 man roster waste is just plain impossible to defend.
  10. Riverbrian
    FINAL ENTRY September 26 - Right Handed Starter - Nate Eovaldi - Loss - 2 Runs Scored Lineup Composition: 3 RH 3 Switch 3 LH Season Wins vs RH Starters: 55-57 (Final) Season Average Runs Scored vs RH Starters: 4.65 (Final) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- September 27 - Left Hander Starter - MacKenzie Gore - Won - 6 Runs Scored Lineup Composition: 5 RH 2 Switch 2 LH Season Record vs LH Starters: 22-28 (Final) Season Average Runs Scored vs LH Starters: 4.36 (Final) Some day in the near future. I will break these stats down further into specific lineup composition sub sets. I will also take the information generously provided by @MN Brian and break that down.
  11. Riverbrian
    Find young 100 mph arms that need coaching and hire the very best coach that money can buy. The best guy to teach mechanics and then teach. Keep the audition process going. I'd strongly consider signing Helsley.
  12. Riverbrian
    @Nick Nelson. This was fair, measured, reasoned and extremely well written article. Personally, I think they exceeded and did not exceed my expectations. To be fair... to be honest. My expectations in the off-season is what I'll measure against and I will do my best to not use any hindsight revisions. In regards to the offense. They exceeded my expectation. I didn't have great expectations opening day. I thought the offense would have a dickens of a time producing runs. I felt good about the OF, the infield had me all kinds of nervous. I was wrong... even with the collapse of Wallner (and Wallner I was counting on)... the Twins either sequencing or just the sure will of collective averageness... the offense was able to exceed my expectation. In regards to Lewis. If he could have been the Lewis that was promised to us on his birth as the first pick overall. Lewis could have raised my expectations by himself. I have been in a consistent state of "He's going to have to prove he figured something out"... he will need to earn my faith. My lowered expectations for the team... was fueled by my lowered expectations with Royce Lewis. The Starting pitching did not meet my expectations. We had depth... if we had any chance of the playoffs this year... I figured the starting pitching would be the reason. I was concerned the bullpen would possibly undo the starting pitching at times but I felt good. I was wrong despite solid performances from Ryan and Bradley. The bullpen... I thought it was about the worst bullpen I have ever seen assembled. I was hopeful that they would cycle through auditions quickly to find some arms and they did that... they found some and stabilized the unit a little... But in the end... The bullpen was not good at that's what I expected so met expectation. Bring it all together... in total. They ended with a record that I felt they were going to be at in the off-season. I mistakenly nailed it.
  13. Riverbrian
    Maybe. I'd have no idea what is possible. I just assume that Ober would bring more than Kremer. And I've seen average starting pitching... even below average starting pitching get moved for some value. Add to it if you have to but Ober would have more value in my opinion.
  14. Riverbrian
    I think Ober has a higher trade value. This team could probably move one of the 4 expiring contracts for help on the infield or bullpen help. Personally, I'd see if you can get a decent young infielder for him. SS capable. And that is nothing to suggest I wouldn't like Ober on the team. He's one of us. He would just make the most sense to move for help elsewhere.
  15. Riverbrian
    I will always contend that the DH spot should be a vehicle to get more position players into the lineup more often. Unless you got a Nelson Cruz type King Kong DH that really moves the needle. However... You are right. If they don't sign Bell. Someone else could have added to the depth and we would have been better equipped to deal with the crash and burn of Lewis and Wallner. And since this a discussion on defense. Bell and Caratini didn't improve the defense one bit other than catcher and Caratini's utilization would have been less than Jeffers so the possible defensive improvement would have been minimal when Jeffers is healthy. We rolled into the season with Lewis at 3B, Lee at SS, Keaschall at 2B and Clemens/Caratini combo at 1B. If defense was a concern. We certainly didn't address it. Not even close to trying a single bit. Disclaimer: I appreciate the need for defense but I am less trusting of the range ratings that accumulate the data so I am not as defensive minded as some of the posters on this site. But even with my diminished concern for the defensive side of the ball. Not having a good defense in 2026 in comparison with the other 29 teams was rather predictable with that lineup. That's why I said over and over again in the off-season. We need infield competition for all 4. What happened. Lewis to 1B, Lee to 3B, Clemens to 2B and Keaschall to the OF. Kriedler and Gray who no one was concerned about because they were not suppose to play at all anyway at SS. Depth... GO GET IT this off-season.
  16. Riverbrian
    I can't account for Falvey's comments or what his plan was. But between Falvey and the transition to Zoll and Shelton making out the lineup. It was Clemens and Caratini primarily. Bell would draw a start at 1B when Jeffers played DH to give him a rest from squatting.
  17. Riverbrian
    Based on early season utilization. I believe Bell was signed to be the DH. Also based on early season utilization. I believe that Caratini was signed to be the 2nd catcher and a platoon 1B with Clemens. I recognize that Bell had a decent year for us but still believe both signing were a waste of limited resources and if we have a defensive problem. Well... that's what we spent 14 million dollars on. No attempt to increase team speed... no attempt to improve a bullpen (Yeah I know Rogers) that needed to go from zero to sixty. No attempt to plan for the possibility of Lewis not working out or getting hurt, no attempt to plan for the need to move Lee from SS to 3B. No attempt to plan for the possibility that Keaschall would have to moved to the outfield. Bell only played 20 games at 1B. Ranked 4th on the team behind Lewis, Clemens and Caratini. Bell was the DH for 120 games and he performed slightly above average. Taking an average player and making him nearly unreplaceable in utilization as a DH took away the option of using the DH position to develop depth. Making both signings a mistake in my opinion. Last year... My Doctor says I should get more exercise and I should eat better... healthier. I didn't and I was surprised when my Doctor said the same thing this year. This off-season we still need that same infield depth. It was a desperate need last year and that is unchanged. If Shelton doesn't like his defense. Well... what did we do about it. We signed Caratini and Bell and declared that we are going for it. It would be irresponsible to say Lee, Culpepper, Clemens and Lewis and say we are good.
  18. Riverbrian
    Perfect This mindset would allow the Twins to focus limited financial resources elsewhere. And we all need to realize that no matter what Tom Pohlad says. Our financial resources are limited and have always been limited... even if we increase payroll 70 million next season. I will continue to contend the same as last year that Bell and Caratini was a mistake. And I say that fully acknowledging that Bell did a decent enough job.
  19. Riverbrian
    Twins Daily is going to subjectively take the quote both directions. String, I am the complete opposite... Catcher should be the last priority. Put Jackson back on the 40 man and roll with Caratini and Jackson and get your minor league catchers major league prepared. Despite the presence of Jeffers (who should have been traded). Caratini was apparently a priority last season. So we out bid the other teams and spent 14 million for a player who ended up being the worst hitter on the team (With at least 200 AB's). Just stop pouring money into the money pit. If you want a defensive catcher. You can pick one up off the waiver wire. If you want a catcher who can also hit. Caratini is supposed to be that guy. We are already paying him more than other teams were willing to do.
  20. Riverbrian
    Does this mean we rebuild the roster to become more defensive minded or does it mean we hope the players already in place become more defensive minded?
  21. Riverbrian
    Last Game Right Handed Starter September 25 - Jacob deGrom - Won - 10 Runs Scored Lineup Composition: 4 RH 2 Switch 3 LH Season Record vs RH Starters: 55-56 Season Average Runs Scored vs RH Starters: 4.68 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Season Record vs LH Starters: 21-28 Season Average Runs Scored vs LH Starters: 4.33
  22. Riverbrian
    I liked your post overall. Just two disagreements. Buxton retires a Twin if it was my call. It's just up to us to put a better team around him. Contreras would be great. I'm just reluctant to spend our limited dollars on a catcher. Besides my personal disagreements on two points. Both of those are justifiable.
  23. Riverbrian
    I have my assumptions because Tom Pohlad basically told us that he was in charge when he walked in the door so I do assume that he is in charge and ultimately responsible. I also have different assumptions about Pohlad, Falvey, Shelton, Zoll based on a pretty clear 180 change of direction that occurred and that 180 is the reason for my assumptions but I can never be sure. I will continue to not only assume but vocalize my belief that last off-season at peak value is when you traded Joe Ryan. His value is probably gone to the point where it is almost better to keep him now. All I know is this. A wall is coming. We either slow down a little this year or run full speed into it the following year. But Yeah... We could have had Taj and Tolle leading the way if the rumors were accurate... this alone would have started the mitigation of the wall that's coming. Franklin Arias could have been that SS/IF dude I'm looking for in this discussion. If the Red Sox trade rumor isn't accurate... I will continue to believe that Joe Ryan would have fetched a pretty decent package. If he wouldn't have brought back an Eldridge straight up. Maybe a Lombard/LaGrange trade with the Yankees. Now... Maybe we get back Lagrange. I don't know but his value is just plain less. What would the Mets have paid then and what would they pay now? I do believe that whoever decided to GO FOR IT. We ran forward with a bullpen stripped to the bone and question marks in the field. Whoever made the decision... it was a very risky questionable decision.
  24. Riverbrian
    Unfortunately Royce Lewis doesn't belong in this conversation. Until he hits the ball... he doesn't belong in this conversation. Kody Clemens has earned playing time. Royce has not. I'm not giving up on Royce and honestly I'm not sure why I haven't given up. However... Next season... Royce needs to be placed at 1B, 2B, 3B and DH. He should play multiple positions and be made to compete. I won't use the word backup because I don't believe in backups. But it should be clear to Royce that there are players in front of him at each of those positions and he will have to earn his job back. I'm not sure if everyone is paying attention but at the 1B position across the league. EVERYBODY ELSE HAS ONE. Big slugging 1B. We have Royce who is closing in on 900 PA's in the past two seasons with OPS of .671 and .665. The Twins failure to develop a 1B when everybody else can is really getting concerning. This failure is going to reach a decade soon. Small sample defensive stats should not get in the way of finding a hitter to play 1B. Being that you tend to find bigger bats at the 1B position. Clemens should remain the primary 2B and a full scale search for a 1B (not a one year rental) should occur this off-season.
  25. Riverbrian
    I'm not willing to do that. I'm keeping Lackey and Houston. That sounds like robbing Peter to pay Paul. Why would another club trade a young player for young players. You really don't have a net gain when Peter and Paul are involved. Actually I'm not sure who Peter and Paul are. But if Mary had a hammer. She'd Hammer out an Ober or something. Strictly hypothetical conversation. But, my desire is the same as last year. I want a young infielder SS capable. I'm saying we are light on infielders. We are stronger in the outfield and starting pitching. We got a wall coming after the 2027 season concludes.
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