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tony&rodney

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Everything posted by tony&rodney

  1. tony&rodney
    I guess I am way off on the Twins. The AL Central isn't that terrific and I believed that a budget of $120 million would bring the Twins to a position of contention. My figure is below what Twins Daily had suggested and well below what the market can bear, especially in light of the new CBA and emerging revenue streams. JD is a professional player in my opinion. I don't know him personally. I am not aware of any issues he had either, but it is very difficult to see where the team is going when it chooses mediocrity. Urshela is a decent, albeit expensive, utility player and Sanchez is a DH only with mighty issues. Signings like Bundy, Happ, or Pineda are not helpful looking back or going forward. But maybe Bundy wins a Cy Young. The future is unpredictable. I'm not down on Rocco in any way but he is among the most inexperienced managers in baseball and he had Cruz, JD, Adrianza, and Hill as well as some solid assistants now gone to pave the way in the past few years. Obviously, time will tell how the changes play out. I hope everything works out.
  2. tony&rodney
    Petty has enormous upside if he develops command and can avoid all arm problems. The best way to sustain excellence in baseball is to develop players, especially pitching. However, it is imperative that there are experienced pitchers on the staff to lead/help the prospects learn the skills needed for MLB. The Dodgers do this well. Cleveland also mixes in a few guys each year. The idea of just throwing the prospects out without any veterans to steady the course doesn't work. In the past five years the Twins have not developed any pitchers to move up the ladder. Berrios took his lumps earlier but was then traded. No use to complain about past problems but there are a ton of pitchers ready to be mixed in with vets. However, the Twins need two or three guys at the top. Gray is one and the cost was substantial. Now, the team needs at least one more, hopefully two. No, Pineda and Happ do not count as staff leaders. The team needs to shoot higher. There are bodies to trade. This is the way to set a path for Ober, Ryan, Balazovic, Winder, and others to succeed.
  3. tony&rodney
    No idea what is next. Something must be happening tomorrow. Urshela, however, is a good bench player although at a higher salary for a typical utility infielder. He is NOT a shortstop. You were kind in your description of Sanchez. Actually he is about as poor with a glove as a catcher can be. He can throw and when he hits the ball it is scary, but he is more erratic than Sano has ever been.
  4. tony&rodney
    I know you are being funny, but still, while the prediction of a WS is a little crazy and those signing won't happen ..... those contracts would all fit within a $160 million budget. Actually affordable with revenue from fans in the stands too. Isn't that crazy?
  5. tony&rodney
    Best analysis and article on this so far - very fair. Synopsis - we won't know anything until the envelopes are all opened. Anything could happen but it is a strange March. The Twins are thin at catcher, need a shortstop, leftfielder, and some relief pitching. Oh, and there is still the most glaring hole - starting pitching. Hold on for the ride. This Yankee trade was crazy by itself.
  6. tony&rodney
    A curious addition in this trade was Ben Rortvedt. The Yankees would absolutely not ask for him unless they saw great value ..... or .... were the Twins unhappy with the talkative catcher and maybe suggested him. Curious.
  7. tony&rodney
    Urshela is a good utility infielder, not a shortstop. The Yankees used him at short in desperation and because they could score 10 runs per game. Urshela would actually be a really good player to have as a bench player. I'm not sure how that affects others, like Arraez or Miranda. Arraez may be the new third base fielder.
  8. tony&rodney
    "Donaldson's presence and salary both looked like odd fits with the Twins seemingly entering a transitional year. Shipping him to the Yankees makes sense in terms of their contention status and spending capabilities. Donaldson also feels like a proper personality fit in the Bronx." - Nick Nelson What does this mean? Dis Donaldson do something wrong? Are the Twins going below $100 million for their roster budgets? Is their roster incapable of competing in the AL Central? JD competes, he is a winner. Are these qualities anathema in Minnesota? I'm very confused by this paragraph Nick and I like your writing. I am waiting out the maneuvers currently in motion beneath the baton of Falvey, but it is clear that whatever notions Twins fans had in their collective heads, the FO had different ideas. Hopefully, all of these moves will result in a competitive team. While not enamored with the trade with Texas, I liked the trade with the Reds. This current trade is bewildering though. Sanchez can't catch or really hit too often and Urshela is a decent utility player. We shall see what happens but JD had star power and there isn't anyone like him available.
  9. tony&rodney
    A healthy Sonny Gray should look better in Target Field than in the bandbox in Cincy. Buxton, Polanco, IK_F, and JD will help him as well. Now, is there any chance at signing Kenley Jansen?
  10. tony&rodney
    I'm really interested in knowing how Martin handles the bat this Spring. Can he make the jump and play LF? The Twins could use an athletic outfielder and if Buxton and Kepler step forward, then the power from LF is less important than OBP and defense.
  11. tony&rodney
    Perhaps, but he just became the staff ace in Minnesota. Easily. One thing to consider is how much a veteran like Gray helps a pitcher like Ober or Ryan or any other inexperienced guy. It's huge. Now, one more addition. Mahle, Castillo, Montas, Manaea, Lopez, or any one guy with experience and talent. A pitcher like Cueto or Happ is a last resort. Gray suddenly becomes the first Twins pitcher generally acknowledged to be at least a #3 pitcher. Good move.
  12. tony&rodney
    I have accepted/ moved on from Bassitt, but the addition of Gray is a positive. Bassitt is just a steady pitcher and the huge number of inexperienced pitchers on our 40 person roster plus those who need to added next season make it possible to engineer a trade for someone like CB. Additionally, I'm looking for at bats for Jose Miranda this year and there is some duplication in corner players that might hold value for some teams (Arraez, Larnach, Rooker, ...) I guess everything is in flux right now.
  13. tony&rodney
    Sort of funny in light of adding IK-F yesterday, but I was a big fan of adding Story and Starling Marte back in November. Now it is time to see the positive in the recent moves and there has just got to be one more big addition to the rotation and perhaps just one relief pitcher. I have thought since last November that the actual budget would be below $120 million, but if it goes higher a left fielder would be nice too.
  14. tony&rodney
    The addition of Sonny Gray puts the Twins around $100 million. There is room to make another great trade and still be beneath $110 million. Ober*, Balazovic*, Duran*, Ryan*, Winder*, Enlow*, Strotman*, Sands*, Henriquez*, Vallimont*, Moran* - these guys are all on the 40 person roster at this time. Alcala, Bundy, Cotton, Dobnak, Duffey, Garza, Gray, Jax, Maeda, Rogers, Stashak, Thielbar, Thorpe, - these guys are on the 40 person and have experience. Woods Richardson, Canterino, Varland, Mooney, Cruz, Cano, - these guys are expected to be added or contribute as soon as next year. The trade for Gray came at a cost that the Twins can take, both now and in the future. I'm of the mind that a trade that loses a couple more is a solid plan too.
  15. tony&rodney
    Hope. This trade raises my hopes. Petty was a big guy to lose, especially because he doesn't clog upthe 40 person. This is great news. I'm hoping for at least one more big addition.
  16. tony&rodney
    Exactly. This is a question I have asked, repeatedly and annoyingly so, in a number of posts. When the World Series was over and Twins Daily began to put forth lineup constructions centered around $130 +/-, this seemed reasonable. When the Twins made zero effort to sign any free agents or trade for any experienced players it piqued my queries into what exactly was The Plan and would the budget be closer to $100 million. With a new CBA a reality and a new agreement with Apple to televise a few games it looked promising for the Twins to become proactive. In fact, the Twins may still complete a few needed trades to fill out their roster. However, it is currently looking more like $100 million is a ceiling. It would be real raw if the Twins added Happ and his ilk (Cueto) to the roster at this time. Dobnak, Bundy, Thorpe, Ober, and Ryan look like the starting five at this point. When individuals support a team with their money in the face of 100+ losses, their opinions carry weight. I'm wondering what a projected attendance is for another couple of last place finishes. As previously stated, there are still options and perhaps the next few weeks include two dramatic trades that greatly improve the Twins roster.
  17. tony&rodney
    Hope. There haven't even been any indications that the Twins are looking at Montas or other decent pitchers. However, we hope something does happen: Montas, Manaea, Mahle, Castillo, or another decent pitcher. Buxton signed, so hope.
  18. tony&rodney
    Yes, but .... Bassitt to NYM for Ginn (think Duran) and Oller (think Strotman) is gone and he would have been a decent guy to have in Target Field. Without Tortuga, the Twins are going to need pitching.
  19. tony&rodney
    Ted writes a nice summary that paints an optimistic picture. I hope those who like this trade are correct. It is noted above that the Twins value defense. I hope that is true, but the evidence is shaky. Sano, Arraez, Larnach, Rooker, etc. are not especially noteworthy with a glove. LF was pretty much a disaster last year. The ball is still in Falvey's court but the predictions for where the Twins finish in the AL Central may not be kind without significant trades in the next few days. Two more Dylan Bundy types are not my choices, but who knows, Bundy could win the Cy Young this summer. We need to stay positive I guess.
  20. tony&rodney
    Maybe, I don't know though. Can we compare the Twins to what the Tigers or White Sox do? Others? What is the ceiling for the Twins for a 2022 roster budget? Why does it seem like $100 million is more likely than $140 million? If the Twins spend 75% of the 2020 budget, will ticket prices, concessions, etc. all be reduced accordingly? I'm not expecting that at all, but I do wonder why the Twins are not expected to consider established players. It has been shown repeatedly that a couple of larger salaries fit within the past budgets, yet a very common refrain here on TD is that $20-25 million is too much to spend for a player. A large number of comments suggest that Josh Donaldson should be traded because he earns too much money. I'm just really interested to hear what everyone believes a reasonable number is for the Twins regarding their roster budget.
  21. tony&rodney
    Good take. Martin seems like a better bet to play LF if there isn't a place at 3B or 2B. I thought that any rule changes were put off for a year and then would be "voted" on by a committee of players, owners, and an umpire. The entire shift paradigm is being dismantled by fangraphs and other sites who use copious amounts of data and research to support their hypotheses. I guess we shall stay tuned.
  22. tony&rodney
    A good shortstop is always a valuable part of any team. What totally confuses me is this - who is going to pitch? The posts on TD are using the prospects on the mound, which makes me think of a related question. If the Twins can just let the pitching prospects get their feet wet, why can't they let Palacios, Gordon, Lewis, or Martin get their feet wet? I'm not advocating for that policy but am bamboozled how it is possible to go forth without decent experienced pitchers at the front of the rotation. Still time for a few big trades though. Hope?
  23. tony&rodney
    Agreed, .... should not have used "wow" because it can easily be inferred in a negative manner. I am fully aware of Buxton's shortcomings and not blinded by his talent. Rather, count me as one person who believes that the past is gone and Byron will use the experience gained from everything to keep himself on the field and very productive this year. I could be wrong, that much is possible.
  24. tony&rodney
    Yes, you are correct and I agree. Why is it that the Twins pitching is in such poor shape? Why do so many TD fans seem content to run out AA and AAA pitching prospects with nobody above them to show the pups the ropes, which invariably leads to 90-110 losses? As much as I may like our young starting pitching prospects, the current guys are widely acknowledged by those outside the team to be either middle or below average compared to every other team. We could get lucky, yes. The Twins get more athletic with IK-F and that is good, but unless a minimum of two experienced starting pitchers worth watching are added via trades, this team is sunk. Why did they sign Buxton? I guess patience is in order because until Falvey declares the roster full and finished being constructed there is a chance.
  25. tony&rodney
    Oh my!
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