Riverbrian

How does one sufficiently jump into the wall? https://encrypted-vtbn0.gstatic.com/video?q=tbn:ANd9GcT_NAN6CFf9ZuIAgRo9EyYPrtH8VZV4COvrtQ

What happens if Kepler and Gallo are not the Twins best outfielders? Based on the 2022 numbers. Gordon was better than both of them and it wasn't close.

I don't like the offensive loss. I'm not sure we can afford that. A replacement for Arraez at the top of the order hasn't identified himself yet. I'm not knocking Lopez but is he better than Ryan? Better than Ober? Better than Gray, Maeda, Mahle? Maybe but by how much if he is? Meanwhile the drop off from Arraez to who replaces him at the top of the order is potentially massive because that guy hasn't identified himself yet.

To be honest... I don't think we can get the starter that we need to get but I have no way of knowing... just an assumption from looking at rosters around the league. We have a lot of starting options on the 40 man right now. Lopez joins the existing pile, he doesn't elevate the pile. What we need is the elite guy like Alcantara and the Marlins are not going to give him up. I doubt any team is going to trade that type of guy at this point of the off-season and even if they would... it would take a hell of a lot more than Arraez. Losing what Arraez gives us offensively for a decent pitcher that just joins the pile would be a mistake in my opinion. You would have to trade pitching to replace him in my opinion.

I agree with your suggestion of perfect world balance. However, waiting until Paddack and Canterino can be placed on the 60 day will severely limit the talent/availably of any position player that you can acquire for one of those spots. Those Paddack and Canterino spots are usually given to players who were released from other teams 40 man roster until they can be given to the next wave (Martin or Lee guys) later on in the season. If we are trading away what Arraez provides offensively... in my opinion, we will need to replace it. This has a better chance of happening in the off-season. Our offense has too many "If's" to trade off one of the few guys who doesn't really have an "If". We know what he brings and we need what he brings. The other guys... we hope they bring what we need them to bring.

If you look at 40 man balance which I believe has to be looked at. Arraez for a starter is going to require additional moves. Currently 23 Pitchers and 17 Position Players make up the 40 man. Trade Arraez for that frontline starter and it's 24 pitchers and 16 position players. That may be a little out of balance. Out of those 24 pitchers... 16 are considered starters and 8 are considered bullpen. Make it 15/9 if that Alexy guy is moved to bullpen exclusive. That may also be a little out of balance. So... If you trade Arraez for a starter. We will have to turn around and trade some of our starters for a position player for roster balance and we will also be in the position of really really needing to replace Arraez's offensive production somehow and with 24 pitchers on the 40... pitching is what we would be able to trade. In a nutshell... We will immediately become what Miami is right now after such trade. Miami needs to trade pitching for offensive talent. Trade Arraez for pitching and we would need to trade for offensive talent to replace him and have to trade pitching for it. I offer this for everyone's consideration.

Giving every day playing time to players that are not producing every day playing time numbers is how your team ends up in the draft lottery. Not being able to find at-bats for a player who hit much better, making the minimum, under control for 5 more years because you are giving all of the at-bats to players who hit much worse, making a combined 19.5M, both with just one year left in a Twins uniform. That is how your team ends up in the draft lottery every year to follow. Unless of course... Gallo and Kepler start producing every day playing time numbers. Are we expecting them to do that? Are we expecting Gallo and Kepler to perform so well that we are willing to kill younger players because you can't live without them in the lineup.

I'll just use 150 as an arbitrary line. I think 150 is a significant amount of plate appearances. The Twins had 15 players with over 150 PA's last year. Does anyone want to bet me that we will have at least 13 players make over 150 trips to the plate in 2023. I'll take the bet. White Sox - 16 Marlins - 16 Cubs - 16 Cardinals - 15 Red Sox - 15 Rays - 15 Padres - 15 Giants - 15 Nationals - 14 Rockies - 14 Reds - 14 Pirates - 14 Mariners - 14 A's - 14 Astros - 13 Yankees - 13 Royals - 13 Tigers - 13 D-Backs - 13 Dodgers - 12 Phillies - 12 Guardians - 12 Rangers - 12 Angels - 12 Brewers - 12 Braves - 12 Blue Jays - 11 Mets - 11 Orioles - 11 Gordon will play.

My theory would be that it comes from being left with no place to put the disappointment and powerless to do anything about it.

I'm not knocking the importance of Buxton and Correa but in my opinion... the success of this team probably depends more on the bad performance at the bottom than the great performance at the top. If Gallo and Kepler are the same as the past two years and still get plenty of playing time... we will struggle no matter what Correa and Buxton do. Buxton and Correa can't carry this team just like Trout, Ohtani and Rendon couldn't carry the Angels.

I don't get it either but there sure is a lot of it hanging like a cloud over every sports team across the fruited plain. In my opinion, it isn't unique to the Twins or Minnesota. Conditions are attached to fandom and loyalty in all major sports. I don't get it... the level of perfection demanded by some fans or the expectation that those in charge do exactly what they think or they are obviously idiots is probably not something they demand of themselves in equal measure or from the people they are responsible for. If they demand the same of those around them in equal measure, there would be massive amounts of children in the streets, tossed out of the house (Fired) for getting a B or C in Algebra. 😀

Although, perhaps too much weight was placed on the meaning of the Carlos Correa signing. This article stills gets a 10 from me.

Will one playoff win do the trick? Will winning just one series get you interested? Do they have to win meaningful games in October every year? Whatever the answer... we will see you later I guess.

Sorting out the OF is pretty easy. A fair open competition for playing time. Let the players decide with actual performance on the field. Don't double down on Gallo (or Kepler) if they are the same player they have been the last two years. They can't be allowed to block potentially better play by getting their name in the lineup everyday despite consistent bad play. The nightmare scenario isn't paying Gallo 11M. The nightmare scenario is paying Gallo 11M to play poorly and not letting someone else have the job. Signing Logan Morrison wasn't the mistake. Those types of mistakes happen. Playing Logan Morrison every day when he wasn't good. was the mistake... not giving anybody else the chance to be better was the mistake.

I assume that Correa would have taken that over what he signed for. So No They did not.

So you've found a contingency with my post. My post is still real.

If this rumor is true it surely does tell us a lot. If McCutcheon would have signed with the Twins. There would have to be a next move and there isn't really a comfortable player to move off the current 40 man. 40 man balance would suggest that we would be a little over stocked with OF. It's got me getting prepped for trade in the future.

Buyers buy and Sellers Sell at the deadline. We were sellers that year. The front office did it right.

I think your memory was mostly correct. I think he was trying to play through an injury when being pressed into duty to do something he hadn't been asked to do and couldn't so he was eventually shut down. Constructive Criticism #2 from me. Waited too long to call up Wallner.

I can see into the future. I'm willing to bet that the sun will rise tomorrow and I'm willing to bet that the disabled list will be utilized again in 2023. Unfortunately... my prognostication ability has severe limitations. I'm not able to predict who specifically gets hurt, how many get hurt and for how long they will be hurt. In addition, I also don't have the prognostication ability to predict who is going to struggle or who will be a pleasant surprise. However... I am willing to predict right now... right here at this moment that whoever is on the 26 man roster will be called upon to perform due to injuries or poor performance from others. So... you might as well staff the team up and down and prep them for when they are needed because they will be needed. The injuries that occurred to Twins players in 2022 were off the charts. I don't assume that of any of the 30 front offices or 30 managers could have withstood that level of injury landslide. However... While I remain supportive of the front office... I have some constructive criticisms: Injuries also occur in August and September. At the trade deadline on July 31st. We had with the continued risk of future injuries to the healthy. Gordon: .712 OPS - No Complaints but not earth shattering. Buxton: According to Rocco Baldelli barely able to walk without pain. season long rest managed in order to keep him on the field on occasion. Kepler: .666 OPS - I have complaints Kirilloff: .651 OPS - Pain in his wrist since spring training, receiving cortisone shots, season ending surgery 7 days later. Celestino: .653 OPS - I have complaints Garlick: .822 OPS - Short Side specialist only useful 28 percent of the time. Contreras: .211 OPS Beckham - .500 OPS Larnach and Lewis on the disabled list. At the trade deadline... the OF was held together by band-aids. If you are not going to make an acquisition at the deadline... you are going to need a guy who hasn't hit right handers to hit right handers once Buxton and Kirilloff can't go any longer and you have done nothing to help him prepare for that moment. Fast forward to 2023... We have: Buxton - Always an injury concern Gallo and Kepler - Hoping for a rebound from a 2 year slump Gordon - We hope can do it again but sophomores often don't. Kirilloff, Larnach, Wallner, Celestino who have never hit as slightly above average as Gordon did last year. If you are going to place a RH short side specialist with that group of "Hopefully" players. You are just asking for a repeat of needing a guy to do something you don't allow him to do at some point of the season. Garlick has to go while Gallo and Kepler need to out perform Gordon, Kirilloff, Larnach and Wallner to keep their jobs while Gordon, Kirilloff, Larnach and Wallner need to be allowed to out perform Gallo and Kepler if those two are not. It has to be open competition between the 6 of them. Garlick will never be given the chance to compete. So Adios. It's the obvious move.

It is quite possible that you are right. It's a bunch of small sample sizes but after 4 years of not getting AB's against right handers... you will create that monster. But... Yet... Lo and Behold... Come September... during a pennant chase... Surprise... We needed him to all of sudden hit righties. That has always been my point with Garlick and it remains my point with Garlick. I understand the benefits of a platoon. Garlick is the obvious choice to remove from the 40 to make room for Correa.

You are correct. You are always well researched and I really appreciate that about your posts. His 80 PA's last year against right-handers is exactly one more than his total number of PA's (79) vs RH's in his 3 years in the majors prior to that. 72% of innings thrown are from Right Handers so anything close to 50-50 is going to suggest long stretches between appearances vs. Right Handers especially when you consider the sample sizes of 20-15-44-80 over those 4 years. When it comes to Garlick... I have these thoughts. 1. I'm not making a declarative statement that he would have hit RH pitching in the Majors if given the opportunity. I have no way of knowing that. I am saying I don't know and I don't believe the front offices know either. I am saying that he wasn't going to be given the opportunity and I am saying that I don't believe he will ever get the opportunity. 2. Turns out in 2023... Due to injuries... All of a sudden we needed him to hit right handed pitching during a pennant chase. I believe it is possible that injuries will also occur in 2024 and I'd rather not get stuck in that situation again. Needing a guy who you repeatedly demonstrate a lack of trust in. 3. I don't believe we had decent enough left handed equivalents last year for platoon justification.

The Giants offered 13/350 and backed away from that - This means that the Giants DID NOT offer 13/350 The Mets offered 12/315 and backed away from that - This means that the Mets DID NOT offer 12/315. It is quite possible that the "Circumstances" are this: When it comes to REAL offers. Carlos Correa signed with the Twins.

Choose your favorite: 1. I woke up disappointed because I used to Dream of Jeannie as a young man. 2. And I was sleeping in med school in that high school detention dream.

I was sleeping in med school so my opinion is also FWIW. Yes, it is a different position with more ground to cover... Speed is without a doubt important with OF play. However, I don't believe that you were more inclined to injury in the OF in comparison to the middle infield. Infield requires much harder work on the knees. Bends, quick stops, dives, twists, turns, hard leg plants, throws and changes of directions. I just don't believe that position had anything to do with the injury... It was just the position he was playing when the injury occurred.