Riverbrian

"No Wise Man has the Power... To Reason Away".

Options to choose from and utilize is a terrific problem to have. Back when I was programming rock radio stations. Radio Stations all over the country were using test scores to determine playlists. Listen to the Music by the Doobie Brothers tested at a 75 so I could play it without a consultant crawling up my... China Grove tested at a 74 so I couldn't play it or the consultant would crawl up my... 75 was the line. The end result: Listen to the Music was the only Doobie Brothers song that played in a playlist of 200 songs spanning the 60's, 70's and 80's and China Grove is gone to fade into oblivion. That's a small difference and a hard line that produces a needless tight play list and eventually Listen to the Music stops working for ya. Urshela and Kepler are Listen to the Music Arraez and Larnach are China Grove ?

Who are the best 9 is the question that no one knows the answer to and how big of a difference is there between number 4 and number 13 is also an important question to be asked? The answer to that question can only be determined on the field. Sing for your supper... let the best man win.

I don't believe in a bench. Buxton, Correa and Polanco should be in the lineup close to every day. Everybody else on the roster needs to compete for the most playing time at the available positions.

The gain is always significant in my eyes. The gain is the roster spot. The gain is MLB evaluation of players that might or might not have something of future use. I honestly admit... I don't know where I would have pulled the plug on Shoemaker... I'm guessing that I would have started plug pulling on Shoemaker and others right about the same time that I started looking at 2022 instead of 2021 which was probably sooner than the front office was ready to. Yeah... Barnes and Jax were slight improvements (if that) and I agree that they certainly didn't significantly move the needle for 2021 but I wasn't too interested in 2021 anymore. That roster spot provided to them should have been helpful for the upcoming 2022 decisions that were just around the corner. Barnes was evaluated and he isn't here now. I'm lot more comfortable with the decision on Barnes than I was with the decision on Nick Anderson because Nick wasn't given the chance to strike out two batters an inning for us at the major league level. Now, the argument that is typically used against my thinking is that the front office knows who to give that opportunity to, They do... better than I... but they haven't perfected it or Nick Anderson would have gotten that roster spot over Matt Belisle and Anderson is probably on our DL right now. I agree that 2020 put a huge crimp in the development arc that limited the 2021 options. 2022 looks like a different can of beans. This year... we got some young arms on the 40 man that are crowding the gate. Winder is 25... Archer was 23 back in his glory days... So... while I'm willing to give Bundy and Archer a chance to show that they can help us, if they go Shoemaker on us... I'd like less rope. ? These types of signings always make me nervous. It's the rope... It's the rope.

I was aware of that. The June 4th start in Kansas City where he achieved one solitary out while giving up 8 Earned Runs was his final start (rightfully so) and his ERA ballooned from 5.90 to 7.28 over the course of that one third of an inning and then off to the bullpen for further elevation of the ERA. Actually... if he could have just avoided starts against Kansas City his ERA would have only been 6.04. 16 earned over 3.2 innings is bound to hurt a little. ? Shoemaker wasn't the sole life sucker of our miserable season. We have a bunch of 1 year deals that I could of included in what would be my overall point. I'm singling out Shoemaker to make a briefer example. I'd rather it be easier to escape from out and under the bad free agent. Younger players with options would have been sent down in May... even with better numbers. The fact that 5.90 isn't "an automatic cut". is my point. These vets get more rope and that rope can hang us. I get why they get the rope but I'd rather go young for roster movement ease and future development.

You are probably correct that injuries played a role in the length of Shoemaker's leash... our injury situation got ridiculous, however it still doesn't hold water. Shoemaker's ERA was 8.08 when he was finally designated for assignment on July 1st. However, no matter the injury situation. Finding someone better than 8.08 should never be a problem for any organization. Select Charlie Barnes earlier... sign Wade LeBlanc off the scrap heap if you just can't give Charlie Barnes a chance. Wasting a 26 and 40 man roster spot on a vet pitcher on a 1 year deal with an 8.08 ERA is how the life gets sucked out of an organization. You literally try anybody else. I'm ok rolling the dice with Archer and Bundy... but if the dice roll is snake eyes, they can't be allowed to kill us all the way into July like Shoemaker... like Logan Morrison was placed in the lineup over and over again. They can't be absolutely terrible and block youth from auditioning. No more Logan Morrison's... No more Matt Shoemaker free agent mistake double downs. Vets have always gotten the longer leash and it should be the other way around. I say this as a supporter of the front office.

It's one thing to bet on Kepler like you are doing... and I will be standing in line behind you at the same window placing the same bet... but its a totally different thing to place that bet with no parachute after the parachute didn't open last time. I love mixing metaphors. You state you agree that he shouldn't be blocking anyone and that means we both agree that a backup parachute or three will be necessary in preparation for this next jump. And... BTW... I believe it is nearly impossible to sell a .211 BA short. ?

Gonna have to wait a year for that kind of help "As part of the agreement, the league has gained the power to implement rule changes for the 2023 season, including a pitch clock; restrictions on defensive positioning; and the installation of larger bases for health and safety purposes". "the defensive shift will be illegal in Double-A, High-A and Low-A this season".

I'm suggesting that Kepler actually earns the crown of everyday RF that he has been seemingly handed. I'm suggesting that he didn't even come close to earning it last year and that his performance was a huge issue and it created instability in the process of intending to create stability. Kiriloff, Larnach, Rooker, Arreaz, Gordon, Miranda, Martin, Lewis, Celestino, Fisher, and Garlick should not be held back when it comes to playing time considerations in LF, RF, DH and or elsewhere if Kepler doesn't vastly improve over last year. If none of those guys can out perform the .211... Yeah... we better be looking to make a deal because our system has a major issue in that case. We can't say RF is set after what Kepler did last year. What Kiriloff did either, Nor What Larnach or Rooker did last year. We need to be hopeful that at least some of them can be better and reach the potential we expect of them but it'll be a lot harder for Kiriloff, Larnach and Rooker to become what we'd like them to be if Kepler gets his name in the lineup card every day while hitting .211. I'm saying let the player playing the best get the bulk of the playing time not the player they (or we) think SHOULD BE the best. I firmly believe that rewarding bad performance with playing time over and over again hoping they will get better is what places your team in last place. And I firmly believe that rewarding bad performance over and over again also prevents you from finding someone better. I'm OK with Kepler starting in RF on opening day. I'm OK with seeing if Kepler can make some adjustments and become the player most of us think he should be. I'm ok giving Kepler the chance to show that he is not what he was last year. I'll give Kepler the same chance the Giants gave Lamonte Wade in San Francisco last year but until Kepler actually earns the right to block others... he shouldn't.

I have a friend who races on the dirt track in town every Friday night. I like asking him how he did every Monday and then making fun of him when he says 4th. I like joking about it but, I understand the reality on the dirt track. If you draw the 6th position, it is going to be near impossible to finish 1st. All the cars are fast, built the same, the drivers are experienced and the space and time to maneuver is tight. It matters where you start on the dirt track, it matters on Baseball depth charts where you start and where you start matters in regular life as we head down our paths toward becoming a CEO or a meth addiction. Max Kepler drew the pole position and hit .211 over 490 AB's. I love ya String but the Twins better not be set in RF with Kepler.

I agree with you. This is likely a 1 year deal and it will leave the Twins with a nice piggy bank to reinvest next year. But... Yeah... Massive Injury is the nightmare scenario.

I'm hopeful that someone will correct me if I'm wrong but I believe that free agent compensation (the qualifying offer system) is tied to the international draft which is yet to be worked out. So any changes are yet to be changed.

I don't know... This is exactly how the Beatles lost their drummer.

I hate to be that guy... But a massive problem with this signing just occured to me. Again I hate to be that guy... But... Nick Gordon wears #1

True But... A draft choice will go to Houston. And a Donaldson will go to New York.

I'm glad you brought this to light. My second thought after the Correa news this morning was that the Chi Chi news was going to get buried.

I'm thinking it's possible that the addition of the Donaldson money probably knocked the Yankees out of a possible 1 year high AAV for Correa. Might have knocked them out of Freeman as well. Who knows... but the Yankees have a budget that they try to adhere to just like everybody else. ?

The #3 pick that year was Zunino... Let's go get him!!!

Prior to the lockout... Donaldson was still on the books. After the lockout... We need those internal options to become something... so if they feel those options are better than the Pinedas of the world... You and I should both be happy. We really really really really need those guys to develop and start taking that step up.

I have no idea obviously but... 3 years wouldn't have been on the table under any reasonable circumstance would be my guess. Correa wanted the 10 year deal like Seager got at a higher AAV or a 1 year deal so he can try again next year for the 10 year deal. A 3 year deal would get Correa back to FA at a much older age and less value because the older you get... the harder it is to get a 10 year deal.

Puppies will also chew up shoes and crap on the floor. ? And there is lead in the drinking water.

I'm going back to bed. My Doctor says that sleep is important and this getting up early for no reason is starting to cause hallucinations.

Well... Looks like I missed this one by a mile.