tony&rodney

The Skenes boy has turned out ok so far.

That is about as good a reason as anyone has at this point. My mom always bet on the ponies with names somehow related to family and she won a bunch. The Twins and their scouts are watching these players quite a bit. They will have a ton of information and crosschecking done by mid July. The options are wide open at this time. While the UCLA shortstop was a consensus top pick coming into the season, he has not done anything to firm up that spot according to numerous prospect writers. He still holds down the #1 position but I believe it will be late June before the Twins are more sure of their guys. Just a few weeks ago people were suggesting that Vahn Lackey had little chance to break into the top ten. I'm just staying with BPA, but like Joe A. Preusser's reason to pick Flora.

I'm taking whatever works. One thing that seemed much improved in the Tigers series was a big reduction in mental errors. Seems like the team is working hard. We have to be fair and honest - the Twins don't line up as the most talented team on most occasions. The starting pitching has led the way forward and I'm not going to complain about this bullpen. Who are the studs that every team knows can bail the team out? Have watched most of the Saints games. Agree with Ryan Jeffers that the weather has been pretty tough and he won't judge anyone on any team: offense, defense, running, and pitching. He was referring to MLB but the minor leagues do not have the stadiums protecting the players from wind, heated fields, or warm dugouts. March and April have been rough for everyone. To be sure it is a level playing field and some have managed but I'm holding off on wondering too much on anyone (position players) until June. I have not thought the Twins likely to change any position players out except for injury. So people will have to wait. My only comments on our top prospects are that Jenkins looks really cold and miserable, while Culpepper has hit quite a few balls hard right at fielders. Culpepper has looked really good at shortstop but less comfortable at third base. We shall see how things play out soon enough.

They have been decent. Also, what a job by Acton today. He was going to go one more inning if the Twins had not scored. The players have really limited their mistakes and have kept their heads in the game.

Totally agree. Shelton has shown faith in the starters and it has worked. I'm not going to ask for 120+ pitches from starters but depending on a guy is pitching on any given day, there really isn't any reason to see a starter going to 110+ pitches if the command and stuff play. When Shelton came to the mound in the 6th today it seemed like he wanted to hear from Caratini and Abel what he was watching, which is that he should trust Mick to get through the inning. On another unrelated note, I don't see the Twins calling up any position players, except as necessary due to injury, until at least mid May to early June. The guys they have need time to show what they can offer and the players in AAA can all benefit from learning the game.

Just get outs. Also, I thought the biggest weakness of the team would be their defense.

The team is playing hard. The starting pitching has been really good and the bullpen has been the biggest surprise of the young season. The boys were incredibly happy for Brooks Lee and they are definitely pulling for each other.

Defense in this game has been key, for both teams. Outman saved several runs and both Baez and Meadows have stopped scores too.

Great outing by Mick Abel. Shout out to the confidence shown by Derek Shelton in his young hurler as well.

Javy Baez just showed why a great defensive shortstop is worth a crappy bat. Saved a run.

FWIW, Keith Law has a new board up at The Athletic. He has Flora #3 with Vahn Lackey at #2. Seems like Grady Emerson has dropped a bit. He switched to a smaller school, less competition, and not excelling the way people imagined. Meanwhile, I have not seen any of these guys in game action, so I have no real opinion except BPA as the pick.

When the trades went down last July it seemed like the primary focus was getting a strong return for Jhoan Duran and maybe Griffin Jax. I had hoped the Twins would require Painter or Miller but Tait and Abel could wind up as a fair return. The other deals seemed hurried, particularly the talks with Boston, which fell through, and sending Jax to Tampa Bay. Sometimes people need a change of scenery that allows them to reflect and refocus their lives. It seems like Taj Bradley, for now, has made the changes needed to unleash his physical talent. I'm inclined to suggest all credit goes to Bradley for the change. It seemed like Jax had quite a bit of value but the Twins were not listening to other teams. I had hoped Jax might return a prospect like Harry Ford plus a lesser player from Seattle. The Twins were asking for two top rated prospects, similar to what they wanted for Duran. Then came the unfortunate incident when Jax was pulled for a position player and last minute the Twins pivoted to trade Jax. Bradley was the return. The Rays weren't listening on Boyle. Things have gone well in the first three starts. That's good.

Definitive comment on attending baseball (any sports). Thank you. Those who fall for propaganda are bound to be shut ins. Crime statistics take time to look over and understand. I have studied statistics since 2000, when I became aware of how crazy the U. S. was from 1975-2000. The chart below is one to think about. I copied that while looking over government files/statistics in January of this year. Nothing gets your attention like nearly 2500 homocides in the "crack era" of the late 1970s into the mid 1980s as compared to less than 300 murders in NYC in 2017. Crime is down. However this is always a weather versus climate argument. The trends over time are no comfort to one who is a victim today. On a more local level, DHS recently released that just over 2/3 of all people arrested during their recent occupation were free of any records. They released that to negate the propaganda put out that 90% had no records. My thought was .... I'm not sure I actually know anyone who has never received a traffic ticket, parking ticket, etc. It was good of DHS to release that information to correct the other position.

Why do you say that. Did you see something amiss? Naturally, the final results are a decade away. Having seen him play a fair amount last season and this young campaign, Griffin looks like the real deal. He is really good with the glove and has a big arm. Check. He has a strong sense of the strike zone for a 19 year old and has reasonably balanced K/BB. Check. He is Buxton fast. Check. The power is easy. Check. He improved hit hit tool at every stop last season. Check. Seems like Konnor Griffin is a player that any team can build around in 2026.

We have to give some credit to Ryan Jeffers. He hasn't exactly been a very good catcher in his career. This year we can see that he is working very hard at catching the ball in a firm manner and his challenges have been timely. The blocking and throwing are still suspect but he seems to have put a strong effort towards making pitchers feel comfortable and that holds worth. I'm a fan of players recognizing their strengths and weaknesses and making efforts to put themsleves into good situations by eliminating mental errors and reducing the impact of their weak points.

Taj Bradley has been very effective in his first three starts. He has good stuff and appears to have the physical stamina to go well beyond 100 pitches. What a bonus if he can throw 5-8 innings on a regular basis and keep the opposition below 4 runs. It might not be so difficult to understand why Tampa Bay was so open to trading him last summer. The Rays had tried just about everything and Bradley had been demoted to the minor leagues. His pitching was ineffective. Reports indicated that Bradley preferred to pitch his own game, which tended to remove the catcher from the equation. What really stood out was that Bradley did not feel it was important to look at reports or know the hitters. While that was reported in several places, I do not have a handle on how that unfolded. The Rays had reached a dead end of sorts with Bradley. It wasn't acrimonious but it also was trending up. Reports from Spring Training and early in the season is that Bradley is the same easy going guy as he was for Tampa Bay, but he has embraced knowledge and is working with the catchers. Who knows what exactly transpired with the Rays. It seems like being sent to AAA, getting traded, and reflecting on a deteriorating career may have moved Bradley to consider different viewpoints regarding his craft. Whatever the case, I am loathe to point a finger at the Rays or give undo credit to the Twins. Rather I will say that Taj has made some changes that are bearing fruit right now. Twins fans sure hope he continues forward and has a great year and career. I think Rays fans are hoping he does well too because it wasn't like Bradley was a bad teammate or unfriendly fellow. I'm just saying that sometimes people grow up and decide to accept some change. Only Bradley knows the answers for sure.

Saints are not hitting too hot. Culpepper really stung the ball his first two at bats but right to outfielders. Kernels had a number of good plate appearances and fielded well.

Best player available, every time. I could easily get on board with Flora. I have been impressed with his stat lines and highlight videos. Still, I will leave it to those guys who see him (and others) pitch on numerous occasions. Three months gives the brain trust plenty of time to make a decision. FWIW, I'm not as high on Justin Lebron but, again, I am not seeing his games.

Alan Roden looks a little rough thus far for St. Paul. He is getting on base via walks and he has a few decent swings too. A little early to call for change if it means bringing in Roden. If it is about demoting James Outman, perhaps the call is Ryan Kreidler.

I am confused by this article. Ryan has looked good. A little luck with gloves and a hit or two are all he needs. Joe Ryan doesn't take the mound to be Skubal or Skenes but he is a #1 pitcher from my seat.

The Twins are playing hard. There are plays and plate appearances that don't work out but the effort is good. Tonight the plan versus Skubal looked strong; they made Tarik work. The bullpen continues to baffle us a bit with the four pitch walks but also wiggling through innings. Leaving the challenges to Jeffers proved big tonight with two inning ending challenge calls that ended Tiger attempts to score. Wish that Martin had managed to get the bunt down but Skubal is really tough. The ball has such sharp late movement. Lastly, sending Taj Bradley out for the 7th inning was huge in my mind. The pitchers look forward to real confidence from their manager. When the pitcher is throwing well, let them go past 100 pitches. Bert was standing up cheering Bradley from his home in Ft. Myers.

My best guess is 1 inning per game based on what we have seen to date. Ryan last night was a great example. The pitchers are hurt by making efforts to increase their K-rates, which adds to pitch counts.

Have you watched each of the Saints games this year?

Comment of the year.

Kreidler can't hit a lick, but he is easily the best defensive player the Twins have at any position. He's your guy if you want defense. Arcia is no longer a shortstop. Until May or June when Culpepper may be ready it will have to be gray if Lee is benched. I think Lee will have a long rope.