Riverbrian

If MLB likes it... I'm ok with that. What needs to change is the claim order process. What teams get the jettisoned players? Last Year Cleveland was able to gain a potentially unfair advantage over the other teams in the playoff race because they happened to have a worse record than the others. That worse record could have been the difference of 1 single game. The Angels released enough talent last year to potentially single handedly provide one squad with difference making talent over everybody else. When a Jordan Luplow gets released... it barely moves the needle. The Angels released needle movers. The Angels changed the game and did so quickly when they dumped Giolito, Moore, Lopez and Renfroe plus others. 3 of them ended up in Cleveland. The Angels saved 5.7 million dollars dumping a significant portion of their roster and Cleveland spent 3.7 million dollars for the stretch run. I'm OK if MLB likes the releasing of difference makers... that's fine. They just can't end up on single one team. The Claim order process needs to be changed and it hasn't been to my knowledge. The Angels exposed a loop hole last year... that hole is still looped. In the end... it wasn't enough to push Cleveland into the playoffs... but it sure could have. What the Giants did is the same concept... save some money in a lost year although it isn't near the scale of what the Angels did. As I complain about this... I fully admit that if the Twins would have swept up all the players last year instead of Cleveland... I'd probably not be as concerned. 😉

Good Post and I agree with most of it. Not willing to replace Watkins for a couple of mistakes but I agree with the rest. I admit I didn't see or at least notice what Margot did on the play. However this base running mistake as described by others would be his mistake alone if Watkins didn't windmill him. The 3B coach needs to factor in a Margot mistake before waving his arms so I'm ok pinning it on Watkins. On the other hand. Context is important. Sale on the mound with the ability to strike out the side with a runner on third and nobody out should also be a factor in his decision making. Being out by a mile will take my other hand defense of the decision and make it worthless. On Kepler... No idea who screwed up and I could tell that Kepler and Watkins were having a heavy discussion about it so... I'll just assume someone screwed up and screwed up critically.

When the Angels did that last year... It was an unfair advantage granted to the team that just happened to be in the catbird seat at the time of the transaction. IE worst record out of playoff contenders. This should have been addressed after it happened last year. I won't dispute the claim that MLB Commissioners office is the worst. However... I have a sneaking suspicion that the MLBPA is the most powerful union of all the major sports and I think they can be a major roadblock to what I think is necessary change. The current language that allows Moore, Giolito and Lopez to be available for one team to significantly upgrade their roster is language that is crafted in negotiation with the MLBPA.

I get that it's a minor point but in my opinion it's a major point in my mind that I just have accepted because it always happens. I never look at error stats because the stat has no value when Margot doesn't get an error on that play. I would give out a lot of errors because I have higher expectations of a major league player. I think Martin should have gotten an error on the Ozuna double in extras the night before. Tough Catch I know but a catch that a major league CF should make. He got to that ball. But then again... I'd be tougher on the errors if I was the judge of them. That way the error stat could possibly be close to meaning something. I wouldn't be opposed to Julien getting an error for throwing the ball home with very little chance of getting the runner but I admit that would be pretty harsh in the opposite direction. .

I'm a big fan. The guy has as much stuff as any starter we've had in the rotation in quite some time. I've already got him in the rotation for next year and I have high hopes to go along with that spot in the rotation. I'm comfortable with him starting in the playoffs. I hope the team keeps producing the young pitching. I'll take a Festa, Zebby, SWR or whoever is next over a DeSclafini, Archer or Bundy innings eater type every single time. Keep em coming Twins... Keep em coming. The farm is starting to produce and it's exciting.

My best guess is that they are not willing to do that. If I understand the process... I may not understand it but I believe. The Giants are hoping someone will claim him and take the 12 million next year off their hands. If he goes unclaimed which is possible because of the 12 million. They will rescind and Rogers will remain a Giant for the rest of the season and quite possibly next year since the 12 million is going into Taylor's pocket and he is pitching decently.

It was the Angels that did it. IMO... MLB needs to close this loophole.

There are things that I'd like to see them do differently. Yet I am 100% behind them. Hope they get comfortable in the land of 10,000 Lakes. Ultimately I will judge the front office on development because that's the only way success can be sustained.

With Matt Wallner going 0-2 vs. the left handed Sale last night (Including a rocket to the 1B). His OPS vs LHP has fallen to .792 Using 100 AB's as a qualifier - His current OPS overall (vs. both arms) is 1.011 which is tied for third in Baseball with Juan Soto. He is top 3 in baseball despite starting the season 2 for 25 before being sent down back in April. He has been 36 for 113 (.318) since his return. 23 of those 36 hits for extra bases. 9 of the 23 extra base hits were home runs. I remain of the opinion that Matt Wallner should play every single day. I'm starting to think that Wallner and Lewis belong in the same conversation.

It will be interesting to see what the club does when Lee returns. Someone will have to report to AAA... could that person be Lee?

Real time... The Pirates are transitioning Oneil Cruz to OF and doing it cold and it's happening right now. Bottom Line... If Royce Lewis isn't a consideration at 2B. We are one Correa or Buxton injury away from Farmer playing 2B in the playoffs while one of Santana, Miranda, Larnach, Wallner or Kepler watches from the bench. Yeah we could call up Lee and throw him into the playoffs or Martin or Julien to play 2B instead of Farmer while one of Santana, Miranda, Larnach, Wallner of Kepler watches from the bench. This is why I'm not concerned about positional changes. This is why I insist that there was room for Polanco and Julien on the same roster in the off-season. It's why I laugh at the talk of log jams. It's also why Margot and Buxton on the roster are potential time bombs that have needed solutions for awhile now. It's also why Buying at the deadline matters. The offense has been great this year but adding a hitter takes Margot or Farmer off the board and then maybe we don't need to move Lewis to 2B. It's also why... starving our young left handed hitters from left handed pitchers during the regular season is not a good idea because come playoff time... we will not know what we need. We might need Wallner to lineup against Rodon due to the lack of options. I'd hate to wait until the playoffs for Rocco to say... OK Matt go get em for the first time.

Great list... not comprehensive though but a real nice list. Gets a big thumps up from me. There is more beyond your list. This positional change fear that exists amongst us is unwarranted because precedence has been set and continues to this day and will continue into tomorrow. Since we are talking degrees of defensive talent at certain positions. This conversation can move closer to home. Let's add Jorge Polanco to your list. He played SS for us in 2019. I understand that he wasn't the best SS in comparison to other SS's around the league. I understand that Polanco is probably ideally better suited for 2B. However... Polanco played SS on a team that won 101 games. The team was better with Polanco at SS, Schoop at 2B and Sano at 3B... instead of Adrianaza at SS. 2019 the year/101 Wins was the 2nd highest season total in franchise history! Only 102 in 1965 beat it. This year was also the year that Luis Arraez played 49 games at 2B, 21 games at LF, 17 games at 3B and 8 games at SS and 5 at DH. We got Arraez 366 plate appearances that way for a 124 OPS+. In the end... what is this discussion about. Lewis playing 2B? Is that really a concern? Only if he sucks at it. I'm willing to bet he won't be terrible but let's find out before the playoffs start.

In the standings no... But I'll accept it as a consolation. Nice job pointing that out. I feel better.

Utility guys are dubbed utility guys because they are players 10 through 13 on the roster. They HAVE TO play multiple positions because you can't staff your team with a back up at all 9 spots so the last three on the roster have to become utility to cover. If an everyday player plays multiple positions adequately. It would be insane for a club to pay them less because they are capable at multiple positions. In regards to this particular discussion. If you want Lewis, Miranda, Santana, Wallner, Larnach and Kepler in the lineup against right handed pitchers. That's 6 players for 5 spots. 3B, 1B DH, LF and RF. Correa if healthy is the SS, Buxton if healthy is the CF and the Catcher position is a catcher. That leaves 2B as a possible spot to upgrade. Out of Lewis, Miranda, Santana, Wallner, Larnach and Kepler. Who would you put at 2B? Being inflexible positionally. Takes one of these 6 out of the lineup and puts your utility guy Castro at 2B. If Correa or Buxton is hurt come playoff time. Castro goes to SS or CF. This puts Farmer or Julien at 2B against right handers while one of the above 6 are on the bench because... because we can't ask Lewis to help us make the team better with a positional adjustment.

It depresses player value only if he can't play the position adequately. Which I think is a mistake to assume. When Royce Lewis hits free agency. Being able to Play 3B and 2B increases the number of serious suitors for his services. Because it isn't just the team looking for a 3B that are in play. Teams looking to fill either positions are going to pick up the phone. The more suitors... the higher the value. I'm not suggesting that Wallner should play SS. Everything is within reason of course. The Padres have moved Merrill to SS to CF, Xander to 2B from SS. Jurickson Profar is playing LF after playing multiple IF positions prior, That's just one team adjusting to put the best team on the floor. You can go through the remaining 29 teams and find examples of positional adjustment made by almost every organization in order to the put the best players in the lineup. From Joey Gallo to Jazz Chisholm.

The typical utility player is typically created by not having an every day position. IE Bench Player. Not countin the catcher spot. You only have 3 extra players on an MLB roster and to be an extra player you need to cover more than one position. Willi Castro became a utility player because he didn't earn an every day position with the Tigers. There is no reason that a player with an everyday position can't play other positions if the need arises just like the typically created utility player plays other positions.

I assume the body adjusts for a weakness... but again... I was sleeping in Med School.

I was sleeping in med school. But... I have that song in my head now.

100 AB's to qualify has been chosen by me not to cherry pick but in order to include Matt Wallner with 129 AB's. With players over 100 AB's Matt Wallner currently ranks third in OPS. Here is the company that he keeps: Aaron Judge - 1.167 Juan Soto - 1.027 Matt Wallner - 1.015 Bobby Witt - - 1.014 Shohei Ohtani - .993 That's pretty good company. I'm still willing to bet that a guy who produces over 1.000 against right handers would still produce a pretty good OPS against left handers while still probably less than. I don't believe a .700 OPS difference would remain in tact if he were allowed to face them. If it's still .300 points less vs LH... that isn't that bad. I understand that facing left handers would probably drop him out of the top 5. Maybe even the top 10. The only problem is that I will have no opportunity to confirm my suspicion unless he is allowed to confirm or not. I just don't believe that a player can be .700 points different facing one hand compared to the other.

Come playoff time. It's hard to know the team that you don't want to face. Brewer Fans were probably happy with that opening round draw against the D-Backs. Dodger Fans probably thought they were fortunate that they didn't have to face the Brewers pitching. Phillies fans were probably excited that they avoided the Dodgers. My hope is that the Twins are the team that everybody wants to face and mistakenly so. 😉

I was sleeping in med school so I admit my knowledge of body parts comes primarily from that song "The Skeleton Dance". However... Reportedly he failed his physical with the Giants and Mets due to surgery on his ankle in 2014 after a fractured fibula. The current injury is a stabbing pain in the bottom of his foot near his heel called Plantar Fasciitis. The issue is with his right foot this year and his left foot last year. Again... I was sleeping in med school but these sure seem like different parts of the body. The song does say that the foot bone is connected to the leg bone so OK but if you keep going the song will connect all the way to the neck bone.

I understand that it was just one game. And I realize that 17 really scattered AB's is a small undependable sample. However... Just for fun. I would like to point that Matt Wallner with his home run and single off a left hander last night. His OPS has risen to .879 against left handers.

A player changing positions is not musical chairs. Being rigid positionally results in better players on the bench and lesser players starting.

Last year in the playoffs. We had Farmer, Castro and Solano on the roster. We had an injured Lewis who could only DH. It was Polanco who started at 3B. Chosen over 3 other options. Necessity dictated that because Julien had become one of our best hitters at 2B so Julien was deemed necessary against Right handed hitters in the playoffs. Last year... Necessity required cover for Lewis. Fast forward to a year later. Miranda is the new Julien rising up the depth chart with good play during the season creating the necessity of Lewis covering for Julien at 2B. Necessity is the mother of invention.

Come on big red splotch on the radar. You can get to downtown Minneapolis. I know you can. At this point... I might be OK... if that big red splotch on the radar takes down the IDS building if it means the game gets called before 5 innings are complete.