Riverbrian

1. Groundhog Practice? 2. Queen lyric inspiration? (I see a little silhouetto of a man)

You went thru security, took your belt off, your shoes, did that little pose thing. None of that was necessary just to get the answer to your question.

My wife says that I'm great at leaving my socks on the floor.

Yes some would... most definitely however... I tend to divert my focus from people who quote 22 AB samples.

I have never suggested adding another player at 30M.

I'm not assuming that. Actually I'm not assuming anything... what I am doing is questioning the value of Santana and Margot types in comparison to Polanco and a major league minimum player at the same dollar amount. Have I looked back at mid/small market teams to substantiate this opinion? Yes... and you should know that I have. We were discussing this on March 3. I bolded one of my replies to you below... where I acknowledge your research and added some considerations. The bottom line is that there are times when small market teams need to get ahead and move a Corbin Burnes for future considerations... It is a viable strategy.... but there are also times when those teams that you studied have not done what you say they do. Cleveland and Tampa by themselves have traded vets for prospects with each other. Joe Ryan was a young prospect that Tampa provided us for the rental of Nelson Cruz. It isn't one size fits all... Context matters. But to answer your question... Yes... I have looked at mid/small market teams... I've looked at the big market teams to... All 30 clubs to be exact. And you should know that I have. I'm guessing that the Brewers would be a good team to add to your list of 3 teams. The Brewers have spent a lot of time in contention and they have loudly at times moved players on expiring contracts for prospects and certainly revenue challenged, Trading value before they reach free agency is absolutely a viable strategy. Cleveland, Tampa and Oakland have done a great job of this as you point out. Now there are some considerations that come to my mind. 1. There are primarily 3 ways that teams acquire players for their team. Draft/IFA Development, Free Agency/Waivers and of course trades. If a team doesn't participate fully in one of those areas.... for example If they shop the waiver wires and bargain basement free agents... it would in theory produce a low percentage in that avenue of talent acquisition... therefore a natural by-product would be higher percentage in your model from the other two avenues. Development or Trades, You have 100% to account for. If Free Agency only accounts for 10%.... There is 90% to divide up between the other two. You'd have to compare contrast across all teams. I'd guess that any team that typically stays out of free agency is going to have a higher percentage of development or trades. 2. Of the 3 primary ways to acquire talent or WAR as you are using as a measurement. Only 1 avenue requires sending WAR Back and that is trades. Kyle Manzardo will probably be a shining star in your research for a while if you continue with it. But, the WAR that Aaron Civale who they traded for him has to be factored in. Right Now... I'm betting that Cleveland is sorry that they gave up a lot of future WAR by trading Junior Caminero. Nolan Jones looks like a big negative in that department. Will Benson with the Reds might be someone they would like back. 45% via trade does look impressive but I can't help wonder how much WAR went the other way. 3. Context has to be considered. You use the Rays as an example and rightly so. However, They are the team gave up Manzardo for Civale. They were the team that gave up Joe Ryan for Nelson Cruz. Context contending or not contending determines if they acquire prospects or if they acquire expiring contracts. I agree with you... the Twins should pay attention to what these teams are doing. They have done well. But... Context matters. I think the Twins are contenders... I think Polanco is one of the best hitters on the team. I would have kept him.

With Wallner out - 3 pure lefties are stacked at 1,2 and 4 in the lineup. I'll bet money right now that after Ross is pulled... either left hander Hudson or Milner is brought in to face the top of the order. With Ross it's possible it's a quick pull. At least we hope it's a quick pull. That will put Margot and Martin into the game early. Wallner is either dinged up or he is being saved for pinch hit duties in the 9th with Uribe and Payamps the right handed firemen. Milwaukee also has an off day tomorrow so I think the entire pen would be at Pat Murphy's availability.

I agree with you. My adjectives are a little lighter but it was a step back in my eyes.

You are correct.

The front office has a hard job to do so I really try to look at things from all angles. I don't always succeed but I try. I can concede the necessity of the trade based on getting something for an expiring contract. The acquisition of Gabriel Gonzalez alone probably made the Twins the winner when it comes to value. Only time will tell if they win the trade but at the time of the deal. Polanco is a free agent after this season so getting a top 100 prospect is a good get. However... I can't concede that this trade improved the 2024 club. Seattle acquired Polanco and gave up a prospect to improve the club in 2024 not 2025 or 2029. What the Mariners are doing acquiring a top line player is what the Twins should be doing. I can also concede the necessity of the trade based on budget restrictions. Every team has a budget. However... the money saved in the Polanco trade was spent acquiring Santana, Desclafini and Margot. That's 27 million worth of baseball players with 14 million of it paid by other clubs to not play for them. The Dodgers, Giants and Mariners are all paying money for Disco and Margot to not play for them. We took a big piece and turned him into multiple smaller pieces. We had plenty of smaller pieces to choose from... we needed more big pieces. Ultimately in my eyes... it's really hard to justify a team scratching for dollars under a reduced budget with a team that made the playoffs in 2023... to spend 14 million on short side platoons. Instead of spending 14 million on one player that could make a difference every single day.

The question to me is this: Would you rather have Wallner face a lefty in 7th or Margot face a righty in the 9th. Based on usage last year and so far this year... It's going to be Margot facing a righty in the 9th. I saw Wallner hit a ball over the batters eye in Fort Myers against a pretty good lefty in AJ Minter in spring training. I vote for Wallner facing a right handed closer in the 9th when you are down a run. Wallner is perhaps our biggest home run threat. But... It's going to be how it's going to be.

Correa, Buxton, Kepler, Santana and Castro are going to play close enough to every day. Our season will depend primarily on those 5 players or whoever replaces them with every day roles during times of injury due to roster size limitations. 13 positions players - 2 are a catcher rotation - 6 players are part of rigid platoon combos. That leaves 5 players who play nearly every day. Rocco was rigid with his execution last year and he has started 2024 with the same rigid sensibilities. Julien, Wallner and Kirilloff not only won't start against left handers but they will be yanked mid game when left handers like Milner hit the stage. Julien, Wallner and Kirilloff won't be around in the ninth to get a needed clutch hit against a right handed closer because they were lifted early. When the ninth comes it will be Margot in the box instead of Wallner to face Abner.

Royce Lewis is out for two months after two AB's and you still want to make this same point? Like Chief pointed out... Manuel Margot was our opening day DH and you still want to make this same point? Alex Kirilloff was in LF by game two and you still want to make this point? Julien still isn't in the lineup against left handers. Santana leads the team in plate appearances. Willie Castro is our everyday 3B and you still want to make this point? It's just game three. Your paper lineup doesn't have any staying power. You are standing in the middle of a lineup already in flux around you. But... Nevermind all of that. Polanco would not be a bench player.

Polanco would not have been a bench player!!! Polonco hit 2nd in the order for us during the playoffs last year. He is hitting third in the lineup for the Mariners thus far this year.

Castro and Farmer over Polanco? That is the exact opposite of what the Twins did in the playoffs.

In my opinion. The loss of DeSclafini doesn't matter. However... It took one day to demonstrate that the loss of Jorge Polanco does matter.

It is vital that the Twins develop pitching and keep developing it. The depth that this article refers to is always going to come from the farm and players with options. It should never come from players like DeSclafini or Bundy or Archer. At some point the depth players listed in this article are going into the rotation. It is up to the Twins to have them ready for the opportunity that is coming soon. It is critical. We all know that the Twins are not going to sign the big name free agent pitcher and if they are not going to sign the big name free agent pitcher. They must DEVELOP their own pitching. The loss of Desclafini is quite possibly helpful. It's up to the Twins pitching pipeline development. BTW... Another consideration in case creativity is needed. Bullpen games every 5th day are not out of the question.

Probably lost an hour there and a half hour back. The way there was painful. I figured out what the problem was. Left turns. Any car taking a left has to stop and wait and therefore everybody else has to wait and bottleneck. Single road 15 MPH. Left at 7AM got some breakfast arrived in Key West around 12:30. Walked Duval Street from South to North and back. Got back to my hotel around 8:30p

I heard him tell the guy to crank it to 95

Saw those… I think they are merely art.

BTW... I'm currently in Miami Beach. I'll be at the Marlins Home Opener this afternoon. I'm heading to the beach this morning for the sunrise and some time in the ocean after that Little Havana. Tuesday night I walked around south beach had Ceviche and a 30 buck Mojito. I didn't know it was 30 bucks when I ordered it. Yesterday, I spent in Key West. The traffic was slow all the way there and back. You don't have to worry about speeding to get there... it's pretty much impossible at 15 MPH in 45 and 55 mph zones. Tomorrow I'm off to Tampa.

I don't think you have to confuse yourself. I was talking with the staff members in the blue shirts who handle security, stadium usher combo roles. I'd say "Hey what's back there" and they would reply "wanna go check it out". I just had to walk through a scanner and I checked it out. The Twins actually import the blue shirt staff from Minnesota and they bring the Minnesota nice with them. The blue shirt staff are part of the positive experience. I talked with a guy who comes down every spring training just to do this job and then goes back when it's done. If you have questions, they have answers. LIke you said... the key is away game days, Don't stay in the hotel on away games. Not every player travels to Bradenton or wherever for the game. Those that stay behind are working out right in front of you. On home game days... things are a little tighter but the access is still wonderful. Personal observance from my couple of days. Matt Wallner spends a lot of time in the cage. I saw quite a few players hit in the cage. Matt Wallner was in the cage 3 times as much as anybody else. And more personal note. On Tuesday I had seats behind the plate for the game. Matt Wallner cleared the batters eye in CF against AJ Minter who is a top shelf LEFT HANDED relief pitcher. The scoreboard said 451 feet. No way... it cleared the batters eye. 480 feet at least against a left hander. Yeah I know... small sample size.

It was certainly Wanderful. I went to Jetblue for the game on Saturday night. Didn't try to attend practices. I just can't imagine teams granting that kind of access so those snobby Red Sox don't surprise me. You are right... The games didn't mean much at all. It was the hanging around that makes it worthwhile. Wanderful... just wanderful.

I can only speak for the tail end. The Major and Minors seem to be pretty separated at this point. You have access to both but go hang by the stadium and Rick Stelmaszek Field for the major leaguers. Go deeper into the complex away from the stadium for access to the minor league players. Do both is my recommendation. By the way behind the academy on Bill Smith field. They have a pond with Gators in it. So keep your eye on the practice and the gators at the same time. I never have to do that in North Dakota.

Today is my last day in Fort Myers. After the game today, I'm off for Miami and Tampa before heading back home Easter morning. Attending spring training was something I've always wanted to do for decades. I had always heard that you could attend spring training and wonder around, however I had no idea what that meant. The access to the players and facilities granted to a fan who flew from North Dakota was beyond the expectation of someone that had no idea what to expect. The entire complex was there for me to observe. How close you get to the players is more than I could imagine, getting the chance to speak with the players was something I did not expect. Watching minor league arms throw bullpens up close was wonderful. Up close you see the movement on some impressive two-seamers and sliders. I spent some time talking with a young catcher out of California. Dillon Tatum was his name and I will be following him from here on out because he was such a nice guy and he is chasing a dream and I will be pulling for him to realize it. Watching Wallner and Lewis hit in the batting cage from maybe 10 yards away. Watching Jay Jackson throw to Ryan Jeffers in the pen was a treat. Meeting Johan Santana, my favorite Twins pitcher ever wasn't expected when I got on that plane but it is something that I will take back with me. Latroy Hawkins, Royce Lewis, Eduardo Julien, Matt Wallner, Pablo Lopez could not have been nicer. I have no idea how many teams grant this type of access. I can't imagine that many teams do. I imagine that it takes a little tolerance from some of the players. Some may like it, some may not but... I hope that the Twins never change because what the Twins organization allowed this fan to do was... special and in reality... special just isn't a strong enough word. To the fans... Don't ruin it. Don't be the reason they have to change. Maintain your respect for the players and the facilities... don't take for granted how incredible this is. To the players... Thank You! We were all geeky and clumsy interactions but each interaction is a big deal to the person you are interacting with. That's why they flew to Florida when they could be enjoying winter in Minnesota. To the Twins organization. Thank You! Decision makers come and go and someone may show up to a meeting one day with the idea to restrict access. When that day comes, I hope there are enough people in the room who understand how incredible it is for the average Joe.