Riverbrian

This... Exactly This. Set and forget it is following the lemmings off the cliff. Teams need to be prepared to adjust to whatever the season is about to bring them. Injuries are going to change the equation. Crappy play is going to change the equation. The front office can't predict injuries and they can't predict crappy play. If they could... we'd have nothing to complain about.

I enjoy this series of Articles. Kansas City is certainly a top ten ballpark on my list of all that I have visited (26 of them). I'd subjectively rank it 7th. It's hot so I do recommend going to the game naked.

I don't think Vazquez is the sole problem. There was plenty of blame to throw around and honestly... I'm not looking to throw blame anyway. It's baseball. Vazquez is just a problem amongst the good and the bad that dot every 26 man roster on all 30 teams. If he and Jeffers remain healthy... He plays 50% of the games at most. 50% at full health doesn't kill the team. Spending 30 million on catching that plays 50% of games... is what kills the team. If we are justifying his presence on the roster for his defensive ability. Surely there is a minor league catcher who can't hit that can frame with good pop times and blocking ability. All those minor league catchers on all 30 teams... all those coaches working on all those catchers, working on framing, game calling, nabbing base runners, blocking baseballs in the dirt. We can't produce a defensive catcher at the minimum who also can't hit just like Vazquez can't hit? Vazquez is not the sole problem... However, thinking that he is the key to survival... that could kill the team.

If Vazquez and his .575 OPS are the key to survival. The season is already over.

I don't care much for the term AAAA but Yeah... You are right. The Twins have demonstrated the willingness to keep running Christian Vazquez out there while players like Camargo are held back leaving us to label him AAAA. Sometimes people just list names regardless of production and health and say "Surplus". All teams should strive for surplus. When they reach surplus level which they haven't reached. No worries about the distribution of playing time, because whoever is put in the lineup will be just dandy because of the surplus of options. .

Don't forget Kirilloff. You sell your point short. Don't forget about Gordon. Include the pending arrival Emma and Jenkins. Include them all. Still... Barely a position of strength. Apart from two months in 2023 never to be seen again. Max Kepler had nearly 900 Below Average AB's. What an amazing log Max Kepler was.

If I remember correctly... Someone help me out. Last off season.. we couldn't seem to figure out what to do with Polanco and Julien on the same team. Plus Farmer... Castro... Martin... Brooks Lee coming on strong. (some may get the Golden Earring connection) It's a log jam cried the TD faithful. Never have I seen one but the cries have rung through the valley for generations.

Son: Dad... I spilled Grape Juice on the couch. Dad: Don't touch it... If we wait long enough... it will set.

Son: Dad, I'd like to juggle. Dad: You can't juggle!!! Put those damn oranges down!!! Go get your sister... Never Juggle without her! She will handle one of the oranges at all times.

I am not exaggerating... I am not making a joke... What I'm about to say... The statement below... can't be argued. In terms of development... The Minnesota Twins are at the very bottom when it comes to developing left handed hitters against left handed pitching. It's not close. As an organization... they are quite some distance from the #29 team. Despite our top hitting prospects recently being left handed hitters. Kirilloff, Larnach, Wallner, Julien, They have failed to produce ONE that can hit left handed hitting or allowed to hit left handed hitting. This is development failure taking place with an organization that can't afford to pay for players developed by other organizations.

The Twins have never had a surplus of anything. They have never had a log jam. They have barely had a position of strength.

When I was younger... I had an idea to mass produce 30 grit toilet paper. In hindsight... that was a really bad idea. This article is an even worse idea. Matthew Lenz... Umm... George Constanza... Do the opposite... your instincts are wrong. Have the Chicken Salad on Rye.

He has one year left. He's gone after this season. If he doesn't revert back to pre- Twins contract form. I'll be calling for his release around June. Catching space will need to be cleared for anyone... don't care who... anyone that will be in a Twins uniform next year because we will need catching next season because he's gone... AND I DO NOT WANT TO SIGN THE NEXT VAZQUEZ at 3/30. Develop or Die

My Amish Buffet has to happen in PA. There is a Grand Rapids restaurant that I miss and will be dining at but we could certainly hit the donut place or even Wrigley if you are inclined. It would be a pleasure to meet you.

Looks Good I could certainly hit a north end location.

Trip 11 for me. Already planned. Two week road trip to finish off all of the stadiums on my list. Here are the stops each night. St. Louis Owensboro, KY Cincinnati New York City New York City Augusta Maine Rochester New York Middletown Delaware Lewisburg, West Virginia Philadelphia Pittsburgh Milwaukee What I will visit: Busch Stadium, Great American Ball Park, Yankee Stadium, Coney Island, Ellis Island, Statue of Liberty, 9/11 Memorial, Ghostbusters Building, Empire State Building, Herald Square Macy's, Easternmost Point Maine, Ben and Jerry's, The Big Pink, Woodstock Location, Asbury Park, Cape May, The Capitol, Smithsonian, Nationals Park, New River Gorge Bridge, Gettysburg, Citizens Bank Park, Happy Valley, That Stupid Groundhog, PNC Park, Grand Rapids (see some old friends), Wrigley Field. Things I will eat: St. Louis Ribs, Toasted Ravioli, Gooey Cake, Burgoo, Cincinnati Chili, Quaker Steak and Lube Wings, Nathans Famous Hot Dog, Slice of New York Pizza, Lobster Bisque Soup Nazi Kitchen, Chicken Salad on Rye at Tom's Diner. Lobster Roll, Woopie Pie, Garbage Plate (Driving to Rochester just to have the Garbage Plate), Scrapple, Half Smoke, Pepperoni Roll, Amish Buffet, Philly Cheese Steak, Primanti Bros, I'll have a couple of salads when I get home.

At this point... based on consistent history. We have to assume that Buxton will spend some time on the I.L. Maybe multiple times... possibly more than the minimum stay. Does Emma get platooned?

Use 13 players... Pick them and show their typical utilization assume health for everybody for the entire season. That way I can clearly see what you are suggesting. I still see a math problem based on how the Twins do things.

I have no reason to think that they won't be looking for the next Margot. Keirsay will really really really get buried down deep in the process waiting for specific players (left handers) to get hurt. And... And... My guess is that Emma will be the first left handed call up if Wallner or Larnach get hurt so Keirsay would drop to number two on the list. The roster decisions that the Twins are tasked with making have two leg irons attached to them. Financial constraints and this self imposed over protection of left handed hitters that requires 6 roster spaces to execute. 4 spots if Julien doesn't make the opening day roster and back to 6 if he is called up. Adherence to this philosophy to the degree they execute requires/DEMANDS the utilization of 6 roster spaces. Your plan for CF with Keirsay would place Buxton on the short side of the CF platoon. I can't see that happening that would give Keirsay 75% of the playing time to Buxton at 25%. I believe that Castro and Martin will slide over to CF unless that RH OF they are looking for very little money can play some CF. While Castro and Martin slide around the diamond. Larnach will get OF work and not be just a DH. Once you cross the three left handed hitter threshold. Wallner for example will have to SUDDENLY start facing left handers. And they have kept him away from left handers for TWO YEARS. OK... Matt... Need you now sorry you didn't get any warm up. Adherence to the philosophy caps the number of left handed hitters you can keep on the 26 man roster. Keirsay is dead in the water unless this extreme philosophy that requires a Margot to execute is simply stopped. If they simply stop... What a waste the past two years have been for young developing Wallner, Larnach and Julien.

Keirsay is a roster math problem. The act of simply placing Keirsay on the 26 man roster will require organizational philosophical adjustment. Don't get me wrong... I'm all for it... But it won't happen unless they do a 180 philosophically. Keirsay will most likely have to wait for an injury to specific players. Wallner and Larnach Meanwhile they search for a right handed hitting outfielder.

Myself... I'd rather they just stop kicking the can down the road with these cheap one year vet deals. If they hit like Solano did... I'm ok with that because at least we are getting present day production. However, when they don't hit like Solano and they end up spending the entire year with the club they are sub par present day production and absolutely no help toward tomorrow. So I'd rather they just stop fishing in those waters and develop. And I know for sure that I don't want anyone signed to one year deal with the intention of short side platooning. So... In consideration of the options you list. I'll take Miranda, Julien, Casper instead.

Because they are just rankings made by one guy. The rankings look reasonable but in the end they are just rankings made by one guy.

He played in 73 games at 1B, 47 at 3B, 47 in the OF, 16 at 2B in 2023. He played in 102 games in the OF, 63 at 1B, 7 at 2B, 1 at SS in 2024. He was closer to a primary position in 2024 and his stats went down. He moved around more in 2023 and his stats were better.

It was a weak attempt at a joke. Playing on WAR with... you know actual war between the countries of Moreno and Jefquez. I'll try again with something else down the road. Can't guarantee it will be better.

I'm trying eBay. The people I've spoken with seem insistent on it being able to blend. So now... I'm trying to sell it as a flower pot.