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tony&rodney

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Everything posted by tony&rodney

  1. tony&rodney
    Ryan was impressive as he pitched through some weak contact that found holes. The Twins continue to be really good on defense. Urshela's error was an one where he could have held the ball but tried to make a spectacular play; no harm on the play as the batter was going to gain first anyway and was stranded. Correa made a phenomenal catch running into the outfield. His error was on a ball he tried to field too quickly because he wanted the runner at the plate running in from third base and that play wasn't going to be made anyway. Good slashing double from Miranda and Celestino continues to look good. Oh, and Jeffers was impressive blocking the ball and crushing his HR. Buxton and Correa are clearly leading this team and the steady Polanco is right behind that pair to keep everyone calm. For those who were troubled by either Thielbar or Stashak, they both looked really good. The Twins are playing good baseball right now. Baltimore battled in almost every inning but the Twins fought hard too.
  2. tony&rodney
    Miranda is getting an opportunity right now to show his skills. Winder was in long relief twice and had an excellent start against a terrific Tampa Bay team. Sands had a brief look and Duran has impressed from Day 1. When there is an opening the Twins will call up the player who fits at that moment. It would not be at all surprising to see Royce Lewis before July if he continues to take good at bats. There aren't too many concerns about his glove and he could slide into the outfield or infield quite easily. The numbers get tight with Kirilloff, Larnach, Gordon, Celestino, and Garlick all vying for outfield spots along with the two sure players, Buxton and Kepler. Things are also crowded in the infield because Correa and Polanco are locked leaving six others - Sano, Kirilloff, Arraez, Urshela, Miranda, and Lewis who would like to play. Kirilloff, Gordon, and Lewis can swing between if/of. That's a pile of bodies and the guys who hit and field will get their spots. Importantly for the success of the season, the Twins have much better depth than last year. Thankfully, we are also seeing some of that with the pitching staff as well.
  3. tony&rodney
    I get some frustration with Sano but we shouldn't question an injury. He is injured. Sano is an important piece if the Twins want to play extra baseball this year. Let's hope he gets squared away in the next couple of weeks. Arraez is so much fun to watch but Urshela plays strong defense and there have already been a half dozen plays at third base where one can see the importance of defense. Luis will continue to see at bats but he needs to be very productive with line drives because long fly balls won't cut it for him. It is a long season and many players will get opportunities. If someone steps forward with a hot bat and/or glove there will be room in the lineup. We are seeing this right now with Larnach's bat and Urshela's glove.
  4. tony&rodney
    The defense has been quite consistent. We see nearly every regular play being made cleanly right now, but are also watching a number of outstanding plays result in outs. Correa, Buxton, and Polanco have made it tough on players' batting averages. The Twins are also getting strong defense from many others and the more you watch Kepler, the more you realize his simple routes and athleticism shines. For me, right now, the defense has been a big step up from last year and converting batted balls into outs is huge for any pitcher. Nash hits it by highlighting depth. It seems every player on the roster has made positive contributions. I'm liking the clear improvement in Gordon and Celestino both in the field and at the plate. The nature of professional sports requires strong depth for successful teams.
  5. tony&rodney
    A little sunshine and warmer weather heals many ills; keep the faith for the big man.
  6. tony&rodney
    Thielbar will come around. I am more concerned with Pagan and Duffey and they are fine for now. A big positive for this Twins team is their improved defense. Just a pure visual and totally biased observation of mine sees a better defense at C, 2B, SS, LF, CF, and RF this season. 1B and 3B are pretty even and health in CF and RF makes a difference. Correa and Polanco have looked outstanding. Gordon and Celestino bring some speed and defense to the team. Celestino and Gordon are still improving on routes but their speed helps them cover inexperience.
  7. tony&rodney
    Leg (knee) soreness or something similar. He sat out a few games and then had to be replaced during Saturday's game. If he can heal, rest, recover in the warmth of the Fort Myers sunshine, Sano could return in two weeks a new man.
  8. tony&rodney
    Ober is the senior member of the rotation (odd but true) and will slot right back in when he is ready.
  9. tony&rodney
    Celestino looks more comfortable and made a nice catch. Larnach is going to get a ton of at bats with Sano on the IL. Urshela and Arraez figure to play regularly as well
  10. tony&rodney
    Team chemistry is quite different in professional sports than in many other areas, including amateur sports. While it is a definite plus for everyone to mesh their different personalities, talent and some good fortune plays a major role in winning. There are untold ways that positive vibes get reduced, but a good example can be the multiple losses the Twins suffered last April and May due to blown saves. When a team loses a number of games in dramatic fashion the confidence and trust level is diminished. Similarly, winning games late pushes a team together with everyone smiling and laughing. The wins against Detroit and Chicago last week are good examples of that good luck. I'm hesitant to place blame on individual players for dissension unless I personally know specific truths of actions. Baseball is a tough sport because of the great amount of failure inherent in the game. Thus most players are quite good at focusing on the positive with themselves and their teammates. So while chemistry is a good thing, it is talent and performance nudged along with a little bit of luck that is most important towards winning.
  11. tony&rodney
    I thought he was out of options. I would keep him in the system if he has options. Thanks.
  12. tony&rodney
    Stashak and Celestino have looked pretty good today so far. Arraez is a bit silly at first base but he looks ok. Larnach is showing he wants playing time. Even Garlick is looking decent but he just faces a pretty tough numbers game.
  13. tony&rodney
    Who gets sent down on Monday depends on health as of Sunday night. I am not seeing Buxton's name in the lineup today. Hmmm? I would send down Garlick and IL Sanchez. That leaves 14 pitchers and 12 batters. The Twins will face further decisions when Gray is ready to return as well as a decision on Kirilloff will be made in a week too. When Sanchez comes back Godoy goes down (DFA) and Kirilloff replaces Celestino. Gray comes back and whatever pitcher had tough luck against Tampa Bay goes down (Stashak). Right now I see both Winder and Jax as solid in the bullpen, filling needed, albeit different, roles. Both have looked ready, and better than some of the more experienced options. I'm going with talent. June is a ways off and by that time management should have a good idea of which pitchers need a rest, which are trending up, and who might be headed elsewhere.
  14. tony&rodney
    Kirilloff looked a little awkward in his last at bat today. Lewis looks confident. The Twins have some minor league hitters who are a little challenged defensively (but could certainly improve) but carry really strong lumber to the plate. Martin is getting very comfortable and is athletic, Encarnacion-Strand rakes, and Julien swings it too. Smeltzer sure looked good today and he could help quite a few MLB teams. Does he find success as a relief pitcher? We can hope so because the starting positions look pretty full right now.
  15. tony&rodney
    If Lesko is the best high school pitching prospect in ten years and has such high marks for three pitches, take him if available. The Twins need to go athletic, which means taking a vacation on drafting plodding corner players who project to hit the crap out of the ball but whose primary position is DH. The only bat first player I'm interested in is Juan Soto and we cannot draft him.
  16. tony&rodney
    Well stated and true. Baseball is entertainment and entertainers are well paid. The competition for those jobs is much tougher than for executive positions that pay similar wages. Perform or get cut versus a world of glass floors and privilege. Criticism is a right and sometimes warranted but folks should at least have an appreciation for the level of talent and effort at the MLB level. Oh, and I am grateful for my privilege too.
  17. tony&rodney
    Thing is ... who do you replace him with from the Twins system? Garlick? Larnach? We have already had multiple occasions to see outs turn into doubles with less athletic outfielders and batters hit the ball in the air more often in the launch era. Until the Twins employ someone who can cover the ground in the outfield, run the bases, and provide some offense, Kepler remains the second best option in the outfield. I, too, wish we could see an improved output at the plate on a more consistent basis from Max Kepler but I want him in the lineup every day. I'm not too keen on watching any of the others struggle in right field.
  18. tony&rodney
    I feel this too ... often. Twins fans are frustrated by Kepler because the expectations based on his athleticism are high. However, Max is still right behind Buxton, Polanco, and Correa as the most valuable Twins. In short - he is a keeper.
  19. tony&rodney
    MLB changed it to 14 yesterday. The staffs go to 13 in June.
  20. tony&rodney
    Max is an excellent athlete. He is a fine outfielder with a strong arm and is a good base runner. Kepler also has a beautiful swing. He has not been an All Star level player but those skills listed above put him in the starting lineup. One example - Max scores from second base on Sano's hit last night where another less athletic player does not. Right now Kepler is still easily in the top half of the Twins list of every day players; he is quite valuable. If Max can keep his K rate down, stay in the zone with his swing, and continue to work on driving those strikes on the outer half to the opposite field he becomes even more valuable. Kepler has more skills and more promise than any outfielder in the Twins system not named Byron Buxton. Despite the frustrations of Kepler not leaping forward as a superstar, he brings value to the team that cannot be replaced in the near future.
  21. tony&rodney
    Monday the roster goes to 26 players and if the Twins keep 14 pitchers Nick Gordon could be the only bench player depending on a decision to keep 3 catchers. Rule changes are just as responsible for pitch counts, pitcher usage, and playing time as any other item. Past teams used 25 roster limits. A return to 25 person rosters would require more judicious use of pitchers. Additionally, the requirements concerning the IL (formerly DL) have changed and allowed an easier path to demote or promote players without concern of losing their services for 15 days.
  22. tony&rodney
    The Twins get their very own Juan Soto?
  23. tony&rodney
    I like Trevor Larnach and think he has a future at the plate. I'm just guessing that athleticism and defense will return with the deader ball and this puts a premium on strong outfield defense. In turn, the demand for strong defenders puts Larnach as a DH. If Martin can maintain a .400 OBP in the bigs and run around LF with authority, there is less room for those who are defensively challenged in an era of hitters who send the ball into the outfield.
  24. tony&rodney
    While we still hope Larnach, Wallner, and Sabato do well and wish Rooker luck in San Diego, the Twins need to stick to drafting power pitchers (Petty) or athletes who can do more than swing a bat. There should be delicious choices at draft position #8 this July.
  25. tony&rodney
    I never wanted reviews of the plays and have been opposed to the electronic zone as well. However, it must be more and more difficult to call balls and strikes, perhaps due to velocity. There was an article last week that a MLB home plate umpire (Mark Carlson) missed 47 pitches in one game. It seems like electronic balls/strikes will arrive next year. Reviews? I am ok with them but there needs to be 2-3 challenges allowed per game and the challenge needs to happen within 10 seconds of the play. The micro replays and 4-10 minute delays while MLB figures out which of five camera angles definitively provides an answer is lame. The process is too slow. When people call for a pitch clock they need to remember that the umpires already have a pitch and batter rule clock. Currently, for whatever reason, it is never enforced. Putting in a pitch clock would not necessarily change the situation if the umpires still refuse to call a ball or strike.
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