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tony&rodney

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Everything posted by tony&rodney

  1. tony&rodney
    Not the same at all, but Paul Molitor had a host of injuries from youth through college and into the first half of his career. He spent at least a half dozen times on the DL (now (IL), sometimes for extended periods of time. Buxton just needs to play baseball and not worry about injuries. Yes, he has had more than his share of time off, but there isn't any reason to believe that he cannot play through a season. I did not like Buxton playing with reduced capacity last season. I felt he changed his swing to a slighter more extreme upper cut and was trying to go yard too much. If he is injured, put him on the IL. There will be plenty of options for Byron to DH too. Hopefully he doubles his starts in centerfield this year, Would be good to see him out there in the first inning for 108 games.
  2. tony&rodney
    I would echo most of what MLR has posted above. My optimism is much higher this year than it was a year ago. There has been more than enough discussion about health. I would say simply suggest that players like Kirilloff, Polanco, Correa, and Buxton have the talent needed to carry this team, and there are sufficient numbers of others to supplement the lineup. Houston has Yordan Alvarez and New York has Aaron Judge. Each are superstars. When individuals suggest adding a significant bat the player often mentioned was Mitch Hanniger, who is not exactly a superstar. Trading for Trouts and the sort just doesn't happen. Do we wait and sign Machado? I don't think so. I was not so hot on guys like Gray and Mahle, but they were good additions. It was tough to see Petty get traded but I don't believe the Twins lost much in the other trades. Pablo Lopez makes the rotation much better. The Twins are in a pretty good position right now, about as good as could be expected. Sano never became that superstar that we all hoped he would become, so we hope that the next group of guys deliver on their promise. 85 wins AL Central.
  3. tony&rodney
    The Phillies are talking to Nola about an extension. They are a big market. The Twins would have a shot at Burnes in July if Milwaukee decides to listen, but the cost may be too dear. It never hurts to keep a dialogue open and gage what the Brewers seek as a return and if there are possibilities for a match.
  4. tony&rodney
    The Twins are not trading Emmanuel Rodriguez. Corbin Burnes is a true ace. Milwaukee is looking to win this year and will not trade him unless they are out of it by late July. The return for Burnes would need to be 2-3 starting pitchers with control and a couple of projectable position players. Ryan, Ober, Woods Richardson, Raya, or Prielipp qualify for the former. Kirilloff, Larnach, Salas, Lewis, Miranda, Mercedes, Miller, Martin, or Lee work for the latter. The only way the Twins work a trade for Bunes would be with both an extension completed and the emergence of a host of their young players. Say that all of the above have great starts to their season. In that event, the Twins may feel there is room to trade four guys for Burnes and still be safely covered by the retention of the other guys.
  5. tony&rodney
    Perhaps a positive side effect of being around a baseball coach since birth will be that Brooks will be uber savvy in the field, at the plate, and on the bases. One major way for the Twins to win more games is to be improved in simple baseball fundamentals. Lee has been lauded for his baseball knowledge. Knowing what to do with the ball on every play before the pitch, recognizing when advancing a runner is all that is needed (Gene Larkin), or being capable of taking a base on any occasion available - these are critical fundamentals that affects the outcome of games. We will see within two years how Brooks Lee fits into the talent demands of MLB. He sure seems like a lock to be a solid regular for a winning team.
  6. tony&rodney
    Good for Matt Moore because he deserves that contract. i hope the angels make the playoffs. But .... I'm a Twins fan and we are fine right now. Falvey and crew will be evaluating everyone in training and into the first couple of months. No worries now.
  7. tony&rodney
    Umm, there is a video on this article that you can see. He planted awkwardly and thus the damage. It was talked about on tv when the play happened and Lewis also discussed his footwork the next day basically stating that he was unfamiliar with where the wall was at the time. You can see he is a little twisted (not direct) in his route to the ball. He did collide with the wall after the injury and catch but it was not pertinent to why he was hurt. Lewis would be an excellent outfielder but he clearly needs repetitions and is surely raw at this time. I don't think he is more likely to get injured playing on the grass. In fact, the stresses are shorter and quicker on the dirt.
  8. tony&rodney
    I will take the over on everyone but Gallo. He could obliterate the ball this season. I just wouldn't bet on Gallo.
  9. tony&rodney
    Injuries happen. Royce Lewis could go injury free for the next dozen years. It is worth noting that Lewis was not injured while running into the center field wall, but rather in his planting move while running. Lewis, himself, has stated a desire to play in the dirt while simultaneously quipping that he will play wherever the team puts him; he just wants to play baseball. The prospect rankings/posts are among the most anticipated lists in baseball today. TwinsDaily has done a great job. Lewis, as a #1-1 draft pick, is closely watched and we all look forward to him playing for the Twins. Lee is also a great choice as a top prospect. I would choose Emmanuel Rodriguez because he is that relatively untested or unknown prospect that we have only followed via print and a few random video clips that could seemingly become the next Julio Rodriguez or Juan Soto. Every one of the prospects will get an opportunity to show their skills and talent. The mental strength to maintain a positive mind on a daily basis, focus on individual growth, and adjust to failure is very difficult in an industry where success is measured by statistics which must seem overwhelming to guys who dominated so completely growing up.
  10. tony&rodney
    Athletes have recovered from ACL inuries in the past, so I believe Lewis can step right into the lineup when he completes a refresher tour in St. Paul. I hope he is with the Twins by July 1. He doesn't hardly feel like a prospect still, yet he is. The return of Royce Lewis and the emergence of others should begin to clarify where each fits best in the field. The Twins could also be keeping an eye out for that elusive arm, aka Corbin Burnes. While I don't expect Milwaukee to part with Burnes this season or that the Twins will be comfortable trading some of their top prospects, it is something to keep way in the back of the mind. Many have pointed to Alex Kirilloff as a key factor for the Twins, both at first base and in the middle of the lineup. It has also been noted that health across the board is needed. Position players are less apt to miss time with injuries than pitchers, so I expect we shall see better results in games available. A return to excellence by Jorge Polanco can be a huge addition to the Twins for this season and going forward. The production that we have seen from Polanco when he is whole can not be expected from our younger players and his toughness is needed too. Thus, Jorge in the fold for three years further brightens the Twins outlook and increases Falvey's options going forward. I'm more optimistic about this team than I have been for years. The return of Royce Lewis is just one of the reasons.
  11. tony&rodney
    Megill is a great example of a guy who benefits from the relatively recent practice of teams carrying large bullpens. MLB had to limit the size to 13 last year because teams were overloaded with pitchers. Thus, with more opportunities an unfinished raw pitcher who has good velocity can get chances that did not exist even a decade ago. With some minor refinements and a good spring, Megill will get his innings and he could be an important factor in the pen. Every year we see an arm emerge who can effectively pitch an inning in middle inning relief. Megill is a guy to watch early.
  12. tony&rodney
    Me too. I want to see him pitch 70 innings this year for the Twins and zero in the minors.
  13. tony&rodney
    Fulmer, Chafin, others are signing and Hand, Moore, Will Smith, and Zach Britton are still available. They seem like fair rolls of the die, but then one must slide a player off the 40 person roster and the guys named cannot be sent down. The Twins have some arms they want to see and the next month will tell if Falvey and the eyes on the pitching staff seek to add a player. A trade seems more likely.
  14. tony&rodney
    Mea culpa. I too liked Chase Petty and follow him. That was a steep cost. I was only thinking about the trades last July.
  15. tony&rodney
    You have been a huge fan of Arraez, as have many across Twins land. The missing bat of Luis will need to be picked up by a combination of other guys. The loss of Arraez will be overcome by much better health. All of the Twins returning position bats can be expected to have better years in 2023. 2022 saw a raft of injuries that severely depleted their lineup, especially later in the season. I wanted all of the players who stepped in to succeed but players like Cave, Contreras, Celestino, Garlick, Beckam, Leon, Sano, Palacios, and Sanchez on the position side were put in tough spots. The depth and talent are favorable to better baseball all around: runs scored, defense, running, and situational play. A lightning rod for many is Joey Gallo. I hate the three true outcomes style of baseball as much as anyone, but he just replaces Sano, and we can expect he will be better than the Miguel of last season.
  16. tony&rodney
    The Twins are not listening to any offers for any player with Emmanuel going the other way; don't worry. Also, the only player of any note that has been traded was Cade Povich, which was a fair deal. Steer, CES, and others may have major league careers but they were buried behind much better players in the Twins system. Falvey has been pretty cautious in trades thus far.
  17. tony&rodney
    The off the charts walk rate, a big improvement in his K rate, and his powerful quick swing put Emmanuel on the fast track. He, like all, must show those skills at the next levels now. The very best rise through the minor leagues quickly. E. Rodriguez will have everyone's attention this summer, especially opposing pitchers. I was curious whether the A, A+, and AA leagues had any plans to use the automated strike zone.
  18. tony&rodney
    Health is the key for this team and there is a better than even chance that the team will be much better this summer simply because their best players are available more often. A few of the younger players should display the skills that have made their names familiar. I'm expecting the Twins to be improved at eight lineup spots and the depth is also better. The starting rotation and the bullpen should be better this summer as well. Finally, the front office has shown a willingness to improve the roster through trades, which may also be a possibility in July. Even if it is 85 wins, the team will be more interesting this season.
  19. tony&rodney
    Thank you Seth.
  20. tony&rodney
    I agree, Steer and CES are nice players but where do they fit in this pile: Kirilloff, Julien, Polanco, Martin, Salas, Miranda, Lewis, Lee, Correa, Gordon? We know that Correa and Polanco are fixtures or not younger players at least. So Steer and CES, both talented, were reasonable guys to trade for a good pitcher. I'm wondering how the Twins package two position guys and two pitchers to pry Burnes away from Milwaukee. There is a fine balance between using your system to make the main squad better and stripping down the farm. Mahle was a fair addition and could be really good this year. I do not see him as a solid choice to be extended because he doesn't project as good gamble for 5/$100M and if he returns to full health and effectiveness he is not looking for 3/$40M. I'm hoping for 180 innings of 3.25 ERA pitching this summer from Mahle.
  21. tony&rodney
    Yah, I'm already quite older and usually the most relaxed person in any setting. Something about seeing Mauer play since he was a 10th grader .... blah, blah. I'm turning that leaf though.
  22. tony&rodney
    Think Kyle Schwarber with less power but better K rates and more speed that hits for a higher average. Julien is a wild card. It is a big jump from AA to MLB, yet special bats have proven to make that jump many times. Whenever I have watched Julien, he seems to control most at bats. He drives the ball with authority to all fields which is why he has a high BABIP. Julien was called out on strikes on numerous occasions, that I saw, where the pitch was clearly outside of the strike zone. The umpires are better at the MLB level, which I see as a distinct advantage for Julien. There is a concern with his splits, but his left handed bat hammers right handed pitching. By the end of March the Twins should have had ample opportunity to evaluate how Julien would fare versus MLB pitchers or whether he needs to further prove himself at AAA. If Julien shows a bat that plays I want him in Kansas City leading off to open the season.
  23. tony&rodney
    I think you are absolutely correct. I don't know. Maybe it is something about the tone of conversations that consistently denigrate the playing career of Mauer and reek of jealousy and are ignorant of the skills needed to perform as a catcher at the MLB level. It doesn't affect me so much, but I have responded. I'm going to follow your cue and ignore this going forward. Thanks.
  24. tony&rodney
    Welcome to Twins Daily. Can you give us the name of all of the Hall of Fame catchers with 3,000 hits. RBI's are a function of runners in scoring position in front of you. Joe Mauer was the best batter with RISP the Twins had. Mauer was actually underpaid. For some reason Mauer has received more criticism from Twins fans. Baseball fans across the country have never understood this phenomena. I have been asked about this many times. The writer who is larger considered the closest thing to an expert on who belongs or not in the Hall of Fame, Jay Jaffe, has repeatedly stated that Mauer will be elected and should go in on the first ballot .... and it isn't really very close. Baseball players, managers, and executives are all pretty much completely aligned with Jaffe. Joe Mauer was an amazing catcher and we are not likely to see his equal in a Twin uniform. I don't want to tell you are wrong about Mauer because I don't know if you have passed the exam on concussions yet.
  25. tony&rodney
    This was a well researched article with some solid information, which I applaud. Nevertheless, having played, coached, managed, and watched thousands of games over too many decades I do not believe the current metrics for defense are as useful as those for pitching and hitting. Polanco was never a superior defender but always has been fair and steady. Correa is as dependable as one can be from shortstop. Miranda is raw, but he won't impact as many plays at third as he did at first. Kirilloff will be a major upgrade at first base. While I do think the Twins have a great defensive infield, the eyes say they are adequate. I'm always in favor of athletic defensive players, but for this season we should worry more about our outfielders when they bat than the infield gloves.
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