Riverbrian

I don't guarantee success with anything I'm saying but I've got some experience in the area and you target the biggest piece of the pie. I don't believe that the game has to be secondary to the commentary... I believe that it should work together with it. It's just entertainment... filling the spaces with entertainment. Are these 4 guys the correct choice? Most likely not... the odds of nailing the 4 guys right out of the box are low but they did a decent job as a test balloon. Like I said... there are improvements that need to be made.

We vote every day! We decide if we want Burger King by buying a whopper. If we don't... Burger King goes away. The numbers will win every time. If we don't like the bias of Fox or we don't like the bias of MSNBC... stop watching it and they will become what they need to survive. We want our news biased and we vote to keep it biased by supporting it. Baseball needs bigger numbers. Growing additional older white males won't help it in the future and it will be hard to do because they are already watching. It needs increases from the demographics where growth is possible and sustainable into the future. Younger viewers growth is possible, female viewers growth is possible, ethnic demographics... growth is possible. Baseball needs that growth where possible. Will this format provide the growth. I don't know but if it increases entertainment... you got a shot at it.

Yep Entertainment increased. Education increased. The more you understand something, the more you pay attention to it. Have fun! Handing 20 bucks was fun. Could have been done better but it was in the spirit of fun. Interact with the fans... can they eat a hot dog in one bite. Millions of ideas. Some good Some Bad but millions of ideas. You don't have to bean the viewer with a fastball if the viewer wants to have fun celebrating a home run.

It can be argued that the traditional baseball broadcast is also repetitive hence the need for change. Local radio morning shows are mostly gone now as well as radio has adjusted to the new world. Traditionalists are moaning over that loss as well. I wouldn't take the radio morning show example literally. It's a reference point on what could be done to increase the entertainment value of the broadcasts.

Like I said... the traditionalist isn't going to like it. You have the choice to not watch just like the younger generations can choose to not watch the traditional broadcast. But, if you have the opinion that younger generations have so many options that they won't miss it. That might be the case and if true... if baseball doesn't figure out how to compete for that viewership... baseball dies off with the traditionalist. Baseball has been making progress in attracting younger viewers. It needs to continue down this path. The demo's were pretty dire 5 6 years ago.

There are improvements to the format that need to be made. However, what Perkins, Morneau, Span and Plouffe are doing is where broadcasts have to go in the future. It will get resistance from the traditionalists but if they want to expand past the traditionalists and the sport needs to do exactly that. If they want younger demos, if they would like more women to watch... if they are to have any chance of getting a larger number of participants in demographics that advertisers will spend money for. They will require entertainment beyond the traditional throughout the broadcast. I've said it before. Think radio morning show. You have 3 hours to fill. Fill it with entertainment beyond it's a 2-1 count... beyond here's the pitch.... beyond just outside... beyond... it's 3 balls one strike. You can introduce player personalities to the broadcast with features that really get to know the player. You can add the pesonal drama of trying to make the team, stay on the team. This is how you market players by letting people actually get to know them. You can laugh and joke, you can talk about anything relateable... there are a million ideas... just tear the walls down. You can sound like you are having a good time instead of sounding like this is game 110 that sounded the exact same of game 109 in a 162 game schedule. This is how baseball grows a larger audience. The traditionalist isn't going to like it but this is what baseball needs. What I've seen the past two nights. It needs improvement but... they are on the right track and the traditionalist isn't going to like it.

Note: There was a roster composition adjustment with Buxton hitting the IL replaced by the left handed hitting Alan Roden. The Roster composition is now 6 RH 3 Switch 4 LH.

Last Game Right Handed Starter July 8 - Slade Cecconi - Won - Runs Scored 6 Lineup Composition: 3 RH 3 Switch 3 LH Season Record vs RH Starters: 34-31 Season Average Runs Scored vs RH Starters: 5:05 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Season Accumulated Stats vs Left Handed Starters Season Record vs LH Starters: 12-16 Season Average Runs Scored vs LH Starters: 4.57

My favorite band of all time is Led Zeppelin. If I had to make a list of the best Rock bands of all time. Led Zeppelin would be #1 and my #2 would have to be the sixth best because Led Zeppelin gets the first 5 slots. The Twins Led Zeppelin would be the bullpen. If anyone understands what I meant by that. The follow up question would be... how did I manage to compare the brilliance of Led Zeppelin to our not as brilliant 2026 bullpen and do it correctly. We need bullpen! Arms... Plural

There is reason for optimism with the 2026 team. I am not afraid of youth. The White Sox have 20 players on their current 26 man roster that are Pre-Arb. The Tigers have 12. The Royals also have 12 Cleveland also has 20 Our Twins currently have 19. I also clearly recall the incredible come back the Tigers made in 2024. They sold nearly every vet they had at the deadline because they were out of contention. Keeping only Javier Baez who they couldn't trade because he was well paid, injured and struggling. With a team that was made up of entirely pre-arb players they went on a run and made the playoffs. I'm am however... always afraid of bad performance no matter the experience level. Our offense is doing great. It was perhaps my biggest concern entering the season. Right now they have the highest OPS and the most runs scored in the American League. 7th overall in MLB. The offense is doing fine but the depth on the infield has me a little concerned. On the mound... Our starting staff has been mid-pack... 8th overall in ERA in the American League. This is the definition of keeping you in ball games but not really winning any games. The Bullpen has been dead last. Teams need depth on the mound... we seem to have exhausted our starter depth fairly quickly and that is easy enough done in this time of pitching injuries. Going to need Ober back because the odds are low that all of the remaining 5 in the rotation is going to be available the entire season. So we are going to need a fast rising arm out of the minor leagues to raise up through the ranks quickly. Probably need to add a starter at the deadline. And then there is the bullpen... we will lose some to injuries from the bullpen arms we are currently utilizing and that will require the bullpen search for arms to more than just 1 or 2 arms. This search is going to be constant. Trades and waiver wire pickups to try and get from dead last to 20th ranked. The fortunate thing... All teams in the AL Central and Baseball for that matter are in the same boat. They all need depth and that depth will determine who wins this thing.

I would have traded Joe Ryan and Ryan Jeffers because of what I assumed to be peak value at the time. I would have been looking for young ready or near ready infielders in return because we have infield depth issues that were apparent in January and are still apparent today in July. Just imagine how bad the infield would look if Kriedler hadn't turned himself into something decent. Or if Kody Clemens was what everybody assumed he was. Even with the solid performance of Kriedler and Clemens. Culpepper isn't enough depth to get through 162 games. I did not believe that the trading of Joe Ryan and Ryan Jeffers meant the team was going to tank. I am not afraid of youth... there are plenty of young teams who are performing quite well in 2026 and the Twins have areas of strength to build around. They didn't cash in those chips in the off-season. They declared that they were going for it. The result of going for it... no matter how we individually feel about the current team... the result of going for it is a team that is currently in contention. If they sell at the trade deadline with the team in contention... AT A LOWER VALUE due to Ryan Jeffers going from a full year left to a 2 month rental and if they sell Joe Ryan going from two full years to one year and 2 months. I will be more actually more disappointed with our current leadership for being wishy washy than I was when they decided to keep Ryan and Jeffers and head down this particular path. Don't get me wrong... this team will need to make a sharp turn toward younger players at some point in the near future. It's inevitable. I expect this team to add bullpen arms and support this 2026 team. At what cost? Not sure but if we are looking for quality relievers with years left. I suppose we can look at what we got in return for Duran, Jax and Varland as a guide for what it will cost us. Rentals... there will be a few of those options and all 30 teams will be looking for them. Our bullpen is going to have injuries. We might think we can declare Gomez as locked in... but injuries happen all the time and it isn't out of line to believe that maybe 3 or 4 arms get hurt in our current bullpen. This team will need to be bullpen aggressive at the trade deadline. The bullpen isn't strong enough in my opinion.

Last Game Left Handed Starter July 7 - Joey Cantillo - Won - 3 Runs Scored Lineup Composition - 5 RH 3 Switch 1 LH Season Record vs LH Starters: 12-16 Season Average Runs Scored vs LH Starters: 4.57 --------------------------------------------------------------------- Season Accumulated Stats vs Right Handed Starters Season Record vs RH Starters: 33-31 Season Average Runs Scored vs RH Starters: 5.03

If Keaschall is now an OF and not a 2B. We are painfully low on infielder depth. There isn't much beyond Gray and not many are happy with Gray. So... we all need to recognize the need for Luke to play some future 2B for us and I'm Ok with that because flexibility is important when the context of the team is everchanging making it impossible to predict those future needs. We just slammed Royce Lewis into 1B in a hot minute because the context changed and I'm ok with that as well because life happens. If Clemens is going to face left handers and I'm also OK with that. And Clemens will probably have to face left handers because we don't have infield depth especially with Keaschall now in the OF. This takes away an available short side job for Roden or Fedko because only Larnach is the left handed hitter that they are going to take out. Gray is the other left handed hitter on the roster and he is struggling to stay afloat versus right handers. And I'm OK with this because... I absolutely hate short siding a player who has service time available and a potential future. Lee, Kreidler, Clemens and Lewis are our infield. Bell is the DH occasional 1B I assume with Gray plugging in occasionally. We have two Catchers and I assume that we won't have three catchers when Jeffers returns. That's 8 players leaving 5 OF spots. Buxton, Larnach, Keaschall, Martin and ??? It's up to Shelton to keep his 13 players unrusted. The lack of infield options, use of the DH and platoon setups are going to be in his way. I can see Roden getting called up and facing the 72% Right Handed Starters and Roden will probably get the call if Buxton is out. Roden/Fedko platoon in CF and Larnach/Martin in LF. I won't like it but it's probably coming.

Yeah... I'm fine with the Tigers struggling. Outman isn't the Tigers biggest problem. Vierling, McKinstry and Jahmai Jones are the bigger problems. They have been performing at an Outman level all season and the Tigers are going to give Outman a run. Injuries to Baez, Meadows and Perez isn't helping but it's not like those three players were gold standard either. Here's the thing about the 26 man roster. If you get placed on the 26 man roster. You are an injury away from being counted on and injuries are coming... they are always coming. You can't keep them in the dark because they won't get used to the light and the limelight is just an injury away. Picking a starting 9 only works if everyone stays healthy and performs to the expectation expected of them. This never happens. The Twins have been for the most part healthy compared to most teams. The Twins roster has been pretty static this year but fluid is coming. Bet on it. Are you throwing Fedko in cold to replace Buxton? Are we going to stick Martin in CF every day with his Low OPS. Are you throwing Roden on to the 26 man and into the lineup to replace Buxton? Will we be patient with Roden if he doesn't hit the ground running? We all talk about the jump from AAA to the majors being a difficult transition. Will Roden be allowed to transition? Outman wasn't and perhaps rightfully so. Fedko isn't and perhaps rightfully so. It's July and these two players are just wasted months of prep time for someone who can help us now and in the future.

And with all of that said... I personally believe that Shelton has done a great job with the utilization of the majority of his entire roster. At least in comparison to what Rocco was doing in previous years.

Actually... Outman is currently the starting CF in Detroit. He has started the past 10 games. Including 1 game against a Left Handed Pitcher. Somebody by the name of Malgeri appears to playing that role for the Tigers. Outman is still not hitting the ball but playing every day. Outman's tool gives him multiple chances to become what everyone seems to think he can become. The Dodgers didn't take him off the 40 man, The Twins traded for him. The Tigers scooped him up. He didn't clear waivers. Multiple front offices see value in Outman despite no performance. With Roden... I'm ok with calling him up as long as he gets some playing time. He can have Fedko's roster spot.

Yep exactly And in most cases... that small window gets shut by his superiors while a player is half way in the window with a 26 man roster spot. I'd like the team to roster players that they believe in. If they don't believe in them. Don't roster them. BTW... Here's another small sample interesting point. Please take note that I said small sample before I typed interesting point. Fedko has made 4 starts. The Twins are 3-1 in those games. They got clobbered 12-3 by the Dodgers in the one loss so I'm not sure that his presence in a lineup has been detriment despite his 0-17 start to his scattered opportunity small sample career. I get it... The Twins are currently the top offense in the American League. In the past 30 days the Twins have had a full lineup of players who are doing quite well. Larnach, Bell and Buxton all have an OPS over 1,000 in the past 30 days. Caratini, Keaschall, Clemens, Lewis, Lee and... and Alex Jackson all have an OPS over .800 in the past 30 days. Kriedler has a decent .749 OPS in the past 30 days. That's 10 players who deserve to play with a lineup card that holds 9 over the past 30 days. Martin and Gray have not been performing and Fedko is not allowed to perform. If I was the manager... I'd be letting those hitting keep hitting. I get it. However, things are going to change and you gotta prepare for the change that is going to come. Buxton... is he hurt? WIll Larnach get hurt? Clemens? Do they all of sudden turn to Fedko with the Buxton injury? Hope those 17 AB's have prepared him for that? I also think it's quite possible that any of those 10 players go in the tank for a stretch because baseball is baseball and it roller coasters every single year. The next 30 days could be the Mariners current 30 days with a team OPS of .631... With Dominic Canzone the top dog on the team with a .961 OPS. BTW... The Twins are 3rd in Team OPS over the past 30 days with a team .830. As amazing as the Twins have been over the past 30 days. The Rockies and Marlins are #1 and #2. How many of Karros, Rumfield, McCarthy, Carrigg, Goodman, Sullivan, Moniak, Johnston and Sterlin Thompson are outliers? How many of Stowers, Lopez, Pauley, Mack, Hernandez, Esteury Ruiz (Who has been passed around from organization to organization), Caissie, Hicks and Sanoja are outliers? I don't know but all of the players listed are out playing Cal Raleigh and Julio Rodriguez over the past 30 days. But... somehow... we know who should get the window shut on them. I sure don't know. I will raise my hand and state... I don't know.

Alright... here we go again. I've gotten myself into a position where folks will get the impression that I'm a Fedko fan and I'm going to be forced to take a pro-Fedko position. LET ME BE CLEAR... I'm not heading down that rabbit hole again. Let me be clear... I'm not pro or anti-Fedko. I have no idea. And let me be clear. You don't either. There is a high probability that Fedko will be a below average player if given the opportunity to be a below average player but it sure appears that he won't be allowed to become even below average. The only thing that I will bet the house, wife and kids on is this: Kyler Fedko will not make it if he is just another pinch running, late inning defensive specialist and if that's the case... GET HIM OFF THE ROSTER NOW!!! It isn't necessary to draw hard lines on what could be very thin margins but these lines are drawn because a line has to be drawn somewhere. In this particular category... That's all we have are outliers. Every single Kody Clemens is an outlier. BTW... Can we add Kriedler to the outlier category? It's a miracle that there are outliers to be found at all. Let me ask you a question. These outliers that you speak of... this grouping of players. Who belongs in this outlier grouping? Is it a talent issue that grants you membership? Does Clemens get to be an outlier because he sucks? Are they outliers because AJ Hinch force fed the new big money free agent Javier Baez 590 PA's and the 30 year old vet Jonathan Schoop 510 PA's and the 28 year Jaimer Candelario 429 PA's and the former 1st pick overall Spencer Torkelson 404 PA's in 2022. BTW... Can we add Willi Castro to this outlier group along Kriedler and Clemens. Willi got 392 PA's on this 66-96 Detroit Tigers team and was DFA'd for his efforts. How do you get into this outlier category or grouping? Is it because... they sucked and suddenly started not sucking or is it possible that Rob Thomsen liked Bryce Harper better? Maybe Thomsen liked Schwarber, Bohm and Bryson Stott better? Never mind that Bryson Stott has never really hit the ball in his life but he got 571 plate appearances. Would Clemens be an outlier if he started with the Twins 1 for 10 in 2025? I doubt it. Some players get chance after chance. Most players have to perform immediately,,, like RIGHT NOW to get another chance. Clemens get to be an outlier because he went 8 for 18 after sitting for two weeks while the Twins auditioned Jonah Bride after half the team got hurt. Yeah he's an outlier. Of course he is. A miracle had to happen for him to be an outlier. But... Let me be clear... I'm not going to get painted into some Pro Fedko Corner. HarmonKO3 is making valid points.

For those reading along. Please consider that the Baseball Savant Page copied and pasted is for 17 AB's at the MLB Level in 2026... 17 AB's that occurred over a stretch of 18 baseball games. Just out of curiosity. How did Kody Clemens look... in let's say 2024 at the age of 28?

Cleveland is going to have a lot to say in regards to weather we are buyers or sellers. They will play 7 games in July. Currently 3 games behind them. Come July 24 how far will be behind them? Or ahead of them?

Some are allowed to compete. Some are not.

IMO... What you are tracking provides perspective. The Marlins and Cards are doing pretty good with those zeroes. The Marlins currently have 13 position players who are all pre-arb and 10 pitchers who are pre-arb for 23 out of 26. The Cards are running 20 pre-arb players out of 26. The Dodgers indeed have 13 vet players that will be back and the cheapest of those 13 is Max Muncy at 10 Million. 13 players that they spent 337 million on in 2026. That's 26 million per. 61 million spent on the rest of the roster which we know is needed for at least 13 players to fill out a 26 man. So just using the other 13 roster spots for the math is 4.69 per. Of our 3 players. Only two Lopez and Buxton make more than Max Muncy and Lopez has been no benefit to us at all. Those three will combine for 43 million next year at 14.3 million per. With an estimated payroll of 107. 64 million to fill the other 23 spots at 2.78 per. The Dodgers are buying more free agents and spending more per free agent and they are spending more on per roster filler because they have less roster to fill. The Twins can spend more but they will never close the gap of the big spenders. They will never be able to keep up in free agency. Free agency to the Twins means leftovers. We can't rely on the free agent left overs to survive. The Twins must develop or die.

July 4 - Right Handed Starter - Brendan Beck - Won - 11 Runs Scored Lineup Composition: 5 RH 2 Switch 2 LH Record vs Right Handed Starters - 33-31 Season Average Runs Scored vs RH Starters: 5.03 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ July 5 - Left Handed Starter - Ryan Weathers - Won - 6 Runs Scored Lineup Composition: 5 RH - 3 Switch - 1 LH Record vs Left Handed Starters - 11-16 Season Average Runs Scored vs LH Starters: 4.63

As much as I harp on my pet topics and will continue to. Overall, I've actually been happy with how Shelton has been utilizing almost the entire roster and I agree with you... The offense has been strong. Shelton has been much better than Baldelli in my opinion. The sending down of Lewis and Wallner down, the shift to Martin and the shift away from Martin, along with the movement of Keaschall is showing me a little more management flexibility in regards to rewarding the players that are actually getting the job done. Kriedler has been a nice offensive surprise... much like Clemens was last year. You can find players that can do the job that nobody expected to do the job. You just let those who are actually hitting keep hitting. My only complaint is going to be the short side platooning of two individuals and that complaint is a result of my strong opposition to the strip mining of developing players like Martin and Fedko.

Last Game Right Handed Starter July 3 - Garrit Cole - Loss - 2 Runs Scored Lineup Composition: 3 RH 3 Switch 3 LH Season Record vs RH Starters: 32-31 Season Average Runs Scored vs RH Starters: 4.94 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Season Accumulated Stats vs Left Handed Starters Season Record vs LH Starters: 10-16 Season Average Runs Scored vs LH Starters: 4.58