Riverbrian

Yes he could. And lets think about that. When Martin was burning it up... actually earning playing time. Predetermination didn't give him that playing time. Predetermination gave primary PA's to Wallner who was not earning it. By the time Wallner is removed from the equation and Martin is given his playing time. Martin has cooled off. Not only did predetermination force us to absorb every ounce of a failing Wallner... it also minimized a succeeding Martin. Predetermination has no sense of timing. Its timing couldn't be worse. I'd like Managers to be more responsive to hot and cold streaks and feed accordingly. Yes Martin needs competition. Buxton doesn't. Jeffers doesn't. End of list.

I think the approach is perfectly sensible. Just wish we had batter arms to take this approach with. This bullpen needs some power arms... some arms that Derek can deploy when the scouting reports say that hitters 3, 4 and 5 struggle with 99 MPH heat. I like having a pre-plan for your bullpen usage. Our bullpen is too crafty. We are trying to locate our opponents to death.

I apologize but I can't help it. I'm going to use these events to repeat something I talk about a lot. It happens every year... players the organization thought were going to lead us to glory... some just don't. It happens every year... they get some of the players wrong. All 30 organizations. This is why pre-determination is a bad idea. You have to get out of the way and let the players sort it out... you staff your entire roster... you staff it for competition. 26 players who can play on your roster and you have to let them compete for playing time. We gave 254 PA's of primary playing time to the players they thought would be better. They produced 37 hits. That's pre-determination at work. Austin Martin had to wait due to predetermination. He has produced as many hits as both of them combined. That's predetermination... that's self inflicting wounds because it might feel better later. Gray, Kreidler and Arcia are in Minneapolis. Wallner and Lewis are in St. Paul. This is why I constantly ask for 26 players who can play and competition for playing time.

We could... however... if he is indeed decent... he resuscitates his value and therefore costs more to retain. And if he doesn't restore value enough to attract interest from others then you have to question if he should be taking up roster space at all. I realize Carlos Santana was significantly more value because Carlos is a really really good guitar player... that aside he's an example of the problem with the expiring contract. I'm the sure the Twins would have loved to brought Carlos Santana back but he went and priced himself out of Minnesota. Yes I know... the odds are small to nil that Arcia can get in that kind of conversation. But... Even if he is decent enough to make just one more team take a long look at Arcia. Once you got to compete for his signature... even if just a little bit... then you have to ask yourself... Is this the player that you WANT to bid for? Is this the player that you want to invest your limited resources in. There doesn't seem to be a middle ground in these cases. Either way... I'd be shocked if Arcia is back in 2027... he either has value to others or he doesn't... anything he learns here... if his bat comes back... he will take what he learned elsewhere.

This is the way it should work. There is only so much down performance that teams can absorb. Arcia doesn't excite me because he most likely won't be back next year but if Arcia is being given an opportunity to earn playing time and he earns it. That will be better than giving exclusive opportunity to someone who is not earning it.

Both Byron Buxton and Matt Wallner have been out of the starting lineup for the past 5 games. Buxton with an injury and Wallner sent to St. Paul. I'm not making any statements about Buxton or Wallner. I'm not even making a statement about James Outman. I am saying that James Outman has started 5 straight games with Buxton out. Two in CF and 3 in LF. Kreidler is the chosen CF option when both are in the lineup and they have been in the lineup together for 3 games out of the 5. I am saying that the very end of the bench will be called upon. The Twins are 2-3 over this stretch. Outman is 5 for 15 during these 5 games and Ryan Kreidler is 4 for 10. Turns out... they haven't hurt us.

Last Game Right Handed Starter May 18 - Tatsuyi Imai - Won - 6 Runs Scored Lineup Composition - 3 RH - 2 Switch - 4 LH Season Record vs RH Starters: 15-15 Season Average Runs Scored vs RH Starters: 4.63 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Season Accumulated Stats vs LH Starters Season Record vs LH Starters: 7-11 Season Average Runs Scored vs LH Starters: 4.72

We spent 14 million on Bell and Caratini to handle the DH, 1B spots and it's the minimum making Clemens winning the 1B position battle. These are typically slugging positions: Bell cost us 7 million and his slugging is currently .315 Caratini cost 7 million and his slugging is currently .231 I will not understand this off-season.

In terms of runs scored against. For the first time in 2026. The Twins are now averaging more runs per game against a left handed starter. Scoring 14 in the last 2 games vs left handed starters and scoring 3 in the last 2 games vs right handed starters will adjust a smaller sample.

Last Game Left Handed Starter May 17 - Robert Gasser - Win - 5 Runs Scored Lineup Composition - 5 RH 2 Switch 2 LH Record vs Left Handed Starters: 7-11 Season Average Runs Scored vs LH Starters: 4.72 ------------------------------------------------------------------- May 16 - Right Handed Starter Logan Henderson - Loss - 1 run scored Lineup Composition: 3 RH 2 Switch 4 LH Record vs Left Handed Startes 14-15 Season Average Runs scored vs RH Starters: 4.59 May 15 - Right Handed Starter Coleman Crow - Loss - 2 Run Scored Lineup Composition 5 RH 2 Switch 2 LH Record vs RH Starters: 14-14 Season Average Runs Scored vs RH Starters: 471

Rocco used to contact me and ask if I would fill in for him. Fair's Fair.

I don't know how many are following along with this. But... I will be away from my spreadsheet this weekend. I'll do an update of the Brewers series on Monday.

We have our first roster composition change of the year. All Season long the Twins have had 5 Right Handers, 5 Left Handers and 3 switch hitters on the 26 man roster. With the Demotion of Wallner and the recall of Kriedler. We are now 6 RH Hitters and 4 LH Hitters and 3 switch. With the number of pure lefties down to 4. Shelton can now bench every left handed hitter when a left handed starter starts. It's quite possible that he would have done this against Garrett if Buxton was healthy. Outman had a couple of hits as the lone left handed representative in the starting lineup yesterday.

Last Game Left Handed Starter May 14 - Braxton Garrett - Won - Runs Scored 9 Lineup Composition: 5 RH 3 Switch 1 LH Season Record vs LH Starters 6-11 Season Average Runs Scored vs Left Handed Starters 4.71 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Season Accumulated Stats vs Right Handed Starters Season Record vs Right Handed Starters 14-13 Season Average Runs Scored vs Right Handed Starters 4.85

If I remember correctly Greene had some two way consideration but his fastball was over 100 in high school. In all sports... I like reading the opinions of others on players and I read them but I usually stop short when it comes to wishing my team will take a certain player so whoever they take... they take.

It really makes no sense to me. It's like he's jumping while swinging. It's like he has rotational issues. It clearly looks like a problem to me... However... this isn't a new development. His back foot was moving in 2022 and 2023 when we was looking like a monster.

Last Game Right Handed Starter May 13 - Max Mayer - Loss - Run Scored 5 Lineup Composition: 3 RH - 3 Switch - 3 LH Season Record vs Right Handed Starter 14-13 Season Average Runs Scored vs Right Handed Starters 4.85 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Season Accumulated Stats vs Left Handed Starters Season Record vs Left Handed Starters - 5-11 Season Average runs scored vs Left Handed Starters - 4.44

My memory could be faulty. I remember Lewis was a little bit of surprise. Little Bit. Hunter Greene was the name that year.

Your 2nd sentence is just a good overall point. They won't get better unless they don't need to get better. Fans and all front offices need to stop using the term "Bench" or "Role Player". If you are one of the very few organizations that are loaded with talent 1 through 9. OK... maybe you can think about bench or role player but when I say "very few"... I may be actually saying nobody because all teams have disappointing performers that were expected to perform better... or injuries to contend with. When fans and front offices find themselves thinking that the performance of certain players doesn't matter because they are labelled bench or because they play a certain role and therefore won't see the field that often. They have simply reduced their options in the face of the baseball gods of health and performance and the team will live and die with the hope that Royce Lewis will turn it around, with the hope that Matt Wallner will turn it around, with the hope that Victor Caratini will turn it around. If they don't... we simply absorb the loss unnecessarily and let's be clear... that loss will be self inflicted. Even if they turn it around will it be enough to make up for what you lost waiting for that to happen. Your hopes and dreams also live and die with the actual performers staying healthy because if Buxton gets hurt. Then Erod gets called up (If he is healthy) and you are back to living and dying with one player because Outman is just a guy you use for pinch running and a late game defensive replacement. The 2026 Twins have to overcome what I believe is and will be a hard to trust bullpen. They will need to score more runs to overcome that. Being ranked 9th in runs scored is nice but it isn't going to be good enough if the bullpen is giving up 1.5 more runs per 9 innings. The team needs to constantly search for ways to get better and not wait too long for chosen pre-determined players to simply become better. We are approaching 100 AB's for some of our slumpers. It isn't hard to do... it isn't complicated. You utilize all your roster spots... you foster competition and the players will tell you through performance who plays more and who plays less. If you want to roster bench players and hope you don't need them. You better be right about the starters and you better hope they stay healthy. I simply don't see organizations being correct about players enough to be locked into pre-determination to the degree that they are.

I really hope he continues to play well. It would be wonderful for Brooks and his family and it would be not only wonderful for the Twins... It would be critical for the Twins because all eggs are in the Brooks Lee basket. His failure has the potential to set the franchise back. So Yeah... I'm cheering loudly for Brooks.

Just realized that I didn't post Sunday's game. Oops... I thought I had... I hadn't. So to catch up. May 10 - Gavin WIlliams (RH) - Win - 5 Runs Scored Lineup Composition: 4 RH - 3 Switch - 2 LH Season Record vs Right Handed Starters 13-12 Last game Right Handed Starter May 12 - Eury Perez - Win - 3 Runs Scored Lineup Composition: 5 RH - 2 Switch - 2 LH Season Record vs Right Handed Starters 14-12 Season Average Runs Scored vs Right Handed Starters 4.85 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Season Accumulated Stats vs Left Handed Starters Season Record vs Left Handed Starters - 5-11 Season Average runs scored vs Left Handed Starters - 4.44 Note: Last night was the third time that Shelton deployed every right handed hitter he has to take on a right handed pitcher. Just like the other two times... the pitcher (Eury Perez) has reverse splits suggesting he is tougher on left handed hitters. I will also note that the Twins have won all three of those games when all 5 right handed hitters were deployed against a right handed hitter. 3-0 with this lineup composition doesn't say or mean anything... it's 3 games and this configuration can easily lose the next 3 games. I will say that reverse splits present a choice for the manager. Do you follow the pitchers split or the batters split? Shelton seems to be choosing the pitcher's split but I would have to go back and check every starters splits and that would require additional research.

I don't worry about his public comments. I actually like players who speak honestly and transparently but the public tends to tear those statements apart and that's why we typically get watered down PR statements. In regards to the subject matter of his comments. He should be uncomfortable. He hasn't performed well enough to be comfortable. His 2025 numbers and 2026 numbers thus far are 504 At Bats of not being what we need him to be. That's 504 AB's out of his career 1109 AB's. How much down play should a team absorb? He isn't earning every day playing time but it's quite possible that the Twins front office failed to roster suitable competition and all eggs are in the Royce Lewis basket.

I agree. Will it work out? That remains to be seen but trading 60 to 80 innings a year for 150 to 200 inning a year is a move you make. You trade bullpen for starters when you get the chance. Quality of course being the key. Doesn't always work out but sometimes it does. The Twins acquired Abel, Tait, Mendez, Bradley, Rojas, Rodan and Outmann. It is now up to the Twins to turn these deals into winning deals. If the Twins fail to develop who they acquired... they will lose the deals in the end. We are nowhere near making that determination so this article is a little premature. I do disagree in regards to Stewart and Outman. I was OK with that deal at first but I'm now against it. If this is all Outman is going to be utilized for. This was basically giving Stewart away and I don't think of Stewart as a low value... just move him off the roster deal. You are correct about Stewart's injury history but with the state of our current bullpen. He should be on our injured list. If this is what we are doing with Outman... we should have traded Stewart for a 19 year old that is years from the 40 man. The Dodgers kept him through the off-season. The Dodgers like all teams have a ton of 40 man pressure. It's a tough 40 man to remain on. Stewart could have been booted off the 40 man roster this off-season but the Dodgers booted others off the 40 man instead including Banda. The Dodgers also could have booted Outman off the 40 man roster at any point during the time he was burning up his options. They also didn't... they kept Outman. If he has no value to other clubs... he would sail through the DFA process. I just don't think this was a deal of players that the teams didn't care about. I think both teams saw value and I think other teams saw value as well or they would have been DFA'd already. It's up to the Twins to make this trade a win and I don't believe they will.

I want to know what generation is generating all these fake AI videos that are infecting my social media feeds.

AI generated.