tony&rodney

Pitching.

Yes, I have looked him up too. This summer I watched a bunch of his at bats via milb.com. He looks pretty good and catchers are extremely valuable. I'm not sure what it would take to secure him from declaring himself a free agent. When I see what happens when a team loses their catchers, it makes me think the Twins need to get that done before the World Series ends.

LeClerc was savvy, walking both Abreu and Brantley to get to a less experienced hitter. Altuve looks different in this series thus far. We are not seeing his guided bat swings with two strikes that result in base hits and he has been fooled a number of times by breaking balls, sort of understandable though.

The Twins were really lucky to only use two catchers. Vazquez is still decent and signing Camargo for a Garlick-like contract should happen soon. The situation with Farmer depends on if the Twins trade away a significant infielder in a package for a starting pitcher. Maybe Miami is interested in Farmer. The contracts for Polanco and Kepler are too good to just give away for some random relief pitcher. If either or both are part of a big trade it might make sense, but it also makes sense to see who in the Twins system interests other teams. The strike outs are primarily a problem when situational hitting calls for bat on ball. A double play with no outs and the bases loaded scores a run at least. The K-BB ratio should be improved. Only Julien managed a 2-1 or better rate. Many Twins have 3-1 or worse K-BB rates. It should be an interesting offseason for the Twins.

Texas ambushed Framber and Eovaldi had the Astros off balance early. Houston had a big chance with the bases loaded and nobody out, but failed to score. Does that sound familiar? It happens to all teams but sure makes winning difficult. Texas is better at every position than the Twins. I believe the Twins have better pitching. Houston and the Twins have similar pitching strengths, but are better than the Twins at all positions save shortstop and catcher. This has been fun to watch for a baseball fan.

Experience is important in just about any area of life. Baldelli was raw and inexperienced almost by definition when he took the job as the Twins manager. He knows baseball through and through though and has been more comfortable every year in his job. He is a good manager. The job of manager is important but it has been a long time since we have seen the manager hit, pitch, or play in the field. Sometimes I'm taken aback at the comments attacking the managers. Of course, there is always going to be second guessing on many decisions no matter what the job entails. Still, we read condescending comments about high school coaches, Baldelli, and otherwise. I'm wondering if those who hold managers in low esteem also put engineers and surgeons on the same level. The title to the post is sort of odd/funny. Do people on Twins Daily really believe that they might know as much about baseball as a guy like Rocco? Or even many high school coaches? We have opinions, for sure. When the Toronto manager pulls Berrios, there is a general move to second guess the decision, yet we cannot positively know that this call was not part of some conversation prior to the game. This is almost, but not, similar to lifting Ryan after two innings. Baseball has a far different communication and decision model today than it did 25 years ago. There are 30 manages in baseball and I believed that Francona was the best of the bunch. I also believe that all of them are good at their jobs. They exist along the spectrum in comparison to each other. Baldelli is a good manager, is what I would say. I like Rocco. Then again, I'm also someone who thinks that Paul Molitor and his experience would have been an even better choice all along.

I agree that the Twins need Polanco due to his presence and ability to score runners. The offseason debates will often look to toss Polanco, Kepler, and Farmer with the goal of distributing the money elsewhere. I'm believe that experience and depth are important. Julien was a near average defensive player in September. By his own words he was hesitant and too cautious on every ball when he arrived to MLB. He still has a long way to go, defensively, in my opinion but one must acknowledge the improvement of his glove. Despite his horrendous start, even the metrics used improved dramatically month over month. There is a possibility that Polanco may be a part of a large trade for a starting pitcher. The Arraez-Lopez trade sure ignited a torrent of anger on Twins Daily. Anything can happen with pitchers and trading young established or very promising players is always going to cause some disagreement, especially when an acquired pitcher goes down with TJ or a shoulder injury. Still, I'm thinking there are a couple of possibilities where a fairly dramatic trade can happen. The players who cannot be discussed are: Royce Lewis and Walker Jenkins. Jenkins has a chance to be a star. Lewis is a draw and he has created interest to a degree that I don't see the Twins considering him in any transaction. There are a pile of other names I do not want to see sent away in a trade, but if the right pitcher is available Falvey needs to listen. One thing that seems clear is that the Twins have both infield depth and needs. Sonny Gray deserves a large contract, if only for the time he suffered in New York. I cannot see any chance he returns as a Twin, and so the Twins have their work cut out for them in finding ways to replace his production.

The only way i see the Twins covering Sonny Gray's loss is through a trade. The uncertainty of a good media deal is likely to restrict any looks at free agent pitchers, including Gray. Like a previous comment mentioned, perhaps the sum of Ryan, Ober, Paddack, Varland, Woods Richardson, and Festa does an adequate job of filling in for Sonny Gray. Falvey has his work cut out for him.

The media money is huge for some teams and any cut in revenue for the Twins will have a ripple effect. I'm thinking a player payroll around $135 million is a fair guess for 2024. The crunch in payroll will come in a few years if the media money is a problem.

Twins fans need to live with whatever roster management puts on the field. It isn't always ideal. The Twins strike out a bunch and they also are an average to below average team defensively. The makeup of the roster leans to offense, so there should be more consistency and better production going forward. The current roster is chock full of guys who strike out quite a bit. The three rookies (Julien, Lewis, & Wallner) all K a ton. There may be some thought put forth on making contact with two strikes. We see other players rip until they get to two strikes and then manage the bat for contact. Altuve comes to mind. Easier said than done though. The positive part of the rookies is that they seem to be decent at working the count, especially Julien. Perhaps it just is that the players could be a little bit more aggressive on pitches in the zone with hitting swings as opposed to over-swinging. These are skills that players practice. The Ks may be a feature of the team again next year because of the players on the roster. Only Julien managed a reasonable K:BB ratio this past season. All of Correa, Kepler, and Polanco have done better in their careers. So there is plenty of room for improvement in the area of batters striking out. Let's hope the walks and hits go up and the Ks go down next season.

I admit that I usually fall into the optimism camp and see hope for Byron next season. I do believe there is more work to do than just his health. Although certainly his weak foundation may have been the primary cause of an obvious change in his swing, Buxton has a ton of practice needed before he returns to being an effective offensive player. Again, maybe he can just readjust his mechanics with full health but he needs to get back a baseball swing. The Twins almost need to build their roster without Buxton, although he is obviously going to be one of the 13 position players. I say this because it will be near April before anyone can be sure whether Buck is back for real. Hope springs eternal.

We won't know how Buxton has healed until Spring Training. He has a no trade contract. My guess is that all conversations about his position for next year are on hold knowing only that he gets a spot on the 40 person roster. When totally healthy, Byron has supreme talent. Unfortunately, Buck has been addled with injuries and his career a sad example of how injury affects a player. The talent teased and there were hopes that Buxton would become one of the top 2-3 centerfielders in Twins history. The hope has to be that somehow Buxton can return as a good baseball player but the odds seem against him.

The decisions on Farmer (especially) and Gordon are somewhat dependent on if the Twins plan to be aggressive in the trade market. Of course, there would need to be some conversations with teams in the next few weeks. The Twins have until November 17. Perhaps there are a few moves before that deadline.

Yes, i agree. Same result. The swings we saw as he was struggling don't make it in MLB. Hopefully, Byron will be fully healed and rediscover a flatter bat path. The math on his swings while hurt are not good.

Maki is observant and seems to have a good feel for when a pitcher needs a little break. His suggestions and work with this Twins pitching staff is to be lauded. Congratulations to Pete Maki on a fine year. After watching David Festa a dozen or more times this summer, I wondered if Maki might have some suggestions and modifications for the young hurler. Festa has overpowering stuff at times but lacks experience, perhaps confidence (no idea), and could use a few useful pounds of muscle on his frame. I'm excited to see how Varland and Festa develop next season.

This belief that just about anyone can be adequate as a first baseman has always confounded. I know others question this as well. The skills to play the other infield positions require more arm strength and lateral foot speed as well as the ability to understand the speed of the game, who is running and so forth. Each position is different and requires different skills. While a first baseman might not need to be as athletic as a middle infielder. they (like third baseman) should have quick hands and feet. One of the simple mistakes that less accomplished first basemen make is how they receive a throw and the positioning of their feet. By sliding their feet one way or another the fielder gains up to 18 inches to receive a throw. Not everyone rockets the ball shoulder high directly to the bag like Correa. Take a look on ordinary plays and you will see some pretty awkward foot work. Gallo is a big target and does a good job on turning to throw to second base. He is pretty pedestrian otherwise. Solano was less than ideal, to be polite, but no major complaints. Kirilloff seems to do some things well, such as using the width of the bag but had struggles in other areas. Alex may have been reticent to dive and hesitation is never an athlete's friend. He did not look smooth this year. A really good first baseman whose footwork, agility, quickness, and ability to dig out every low throw is a real bonus for any team. But, yes teams are more willing to get power and offense from 1B than other positions. Thus, fans often see substandard fielding from that position.

The history of baseball since divisional playoffs has shown there is room at the table for teams that win anywhere around 90 games in the regular season. I would add that 90 victories is an excellent year. The 1987 Twins were much bigger underdogs in the playoffs than the 2023 Twins. Atlanta, Los Angeles D, Baltimore, Tampa Bay, and Milwaukee all are done for the year. Toronto won more games than Minnesota. There are a host of challenges to going deep in the playoffs. I'm hoping the Twins make some changes via trades or add a player or two via free agency, but another trip to the playoffs would be wonderful. Who had Arizona beating the Dodgers? Until someone defeats the Astros in a series they remain the best team in baseball.

One potential issue (there are several) is that generally first basemen do a fair amount of long stretches. BB has had problems with hamstrings as well as the knee injuries. We saw Buxton change his swing to alleviate the stress on his legs. The results don't play imho. First Buxton needs to get completely healthy and then he needs to rebuild his swing. I agree that all options will be considered: 1B, OF, and DH.

Every number is looked over by every organization. I did not reference the pitcher won-loss record. I referenced the record in those games where Sonny Gray was a starter. I also did not indicate this as a key focal point or even important in any way, but rather as among a pile of data points that are discussed. I can actually say that these conversations, among many, take place as thoughts are exchanged within the context of how to address roster decisions and improve the team. The chalk board, so to speak, is covered with a host of thoughts, ideas, and yes, data to open any avenue potentially related to change for the positive.

Baseball trade values is only good for ideas and guesses, which I would argue is better than nothing. Still, you can bet that a few front offices get a chuckle out of many of the evaluations. Teams will trade to fill positions of need and be willing to give up quite a bit if they think the guy they receive is worth it in the end. The Lopez-Arraez trade was a good example of a dynamic trade that benefitted both teams even while the initial responses were disbelief and anger. Each team was able to identify their needs and find a match. This can happen again.

The Twins are an organization that looks at numbers. While I believe Gray did his part in his starts and the Twins may too, that doesn't mean they will ignore the record in his starts when looking at what are the odds of replacing him to gain a plus margin in those 33 starts in the regular season. Like everything thrown out here on Twins Daily, this is just a personal thought. Related perhaps, the media contracts may take in substantially less money in 2024. I have no idea what is going on there. I am also guessing the Twins cut overall payroll by around $20 million. I don't believe that will restrict them from putting a better team on the field next year.

The Twins will have plenty of discussion about whether to sign Sonny Gray. Gray just had a spectacular year. One item (totally outside of Gray's control) to be at least considered is the record in games where Gray started, 14-19. The season long competitive innings pitched by Gray will need to be replaced, which will surely be a difficult task. I don't see how the Twins can offer Sonny Gray a fair contract compared to what several other teams will be prepared to offer.

The free agents won't be free, they will be quite expensive. The recent comment about Ohtani ... he will almost surely stay on the West Coast. He might be the one FA that will be worth the money because he can hit every year and possibly return as a pitcher next year. Ohtani is one of a kind and the Twins will not be in the picture, sadly. Royce Lewis is a third baseman now. My guess is that all discussions about moving him into the outfield are in the past. We'll see what happens but thinking it will help the team doesn't mean it is likely nor even a good plan. Most people think it helps alleviate the pile of infielders while strengthening the outfield, but my guess is that move will not happen. Byron Buxton will again be one of the main focal points of how the front office looks at the team for next season. DH or OF/DH, either one means less at bats for guys planning on being a DH. The Twins will have some long discussions about where they see the team heading and how a few minor league players fit. Management seems enthralled with Lewis but it is possible that any of Kirilloff, Julien, Lee, Wallner, or others may be on the table in possible trades. There are probably only a few untouchables: Jenkins, E. Rodriguez, and Lewis. What happens this offseason, the Twins will have some options to improve and they are pretty solid now.

There is a fair amount to unpack here. The Twins do not seem to have much of a focus towards changing their swings on two strikes. Jeffers often looks like he is swinging from his heels with two strikes. I'm in agreement that the Twins need a different approach with two strikes. MLB pitchers are so good that batters need to think zones and hope to eliminate some of a pitcher's repertoire. If a pitcher has multiple pitches working it is a miserable day for the hitters. So the batters are attempting to have an idea, which is often incorrect. Batters can shorten up to an extent and we see many players do exactly that. Cutting down on strike outs needs to be a focus for the 2024 Twins. Julien does not seem to possess much talent with making contact on pitches out of the strike zone. Now the sample size for Julien is small at this point but he has looked weak on swings at pitches out of the strike zone all season and furthermore he looked poor swinging at bad pitches while playing in the minor leagues. Julien has an incredible feel for the strike zone and I believe he is also aware that he sucks at making decent contact on balls. Thus he will not play very long if he expands his swing zone. I too would like Julien to be a little more aggressive with guys on base. However, he was a rookie and could improve. Julien also looks and sounds (interviews) like a player who adheres pretty closely to his plan in at bats, which often includes sitting on a specific pitch. A player needs to learn and know how they succeed and fail. Perhaps we will see Julien grow into a different sort of hitter as he gains experience but from watching him in prior years in the minor leagues and now this year it seems like he needs to keep his bat on his shoulder on pitches that are not strikes. That same argument does not apply ( in my opinion) to any other Twin player. A two strike approach needs refinement by the Twins in general.

I think I predicted the Twins to win the AL Central with 83 wins. I believe the team was more interesting in the second half of the season. The pitching was really good, the bats inconsistent. The 2023 season was a success for the Twins in my opinion, all things considered.