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tony&rodney

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Everything posted by tony&rodney

  1. tony&rodney
    Bunting will always have a place in baseball. A player with elite speed, especially one without Troutlike hitting talents, should absolutely attempt to become skillful at bunting. In addition to breaking slumps, it helps slow the game down and brings the 3B in, opening up both the baseline and the 5-6 hole. Buxton, and hopefully Lewis soon, create havoc when on the bases. How many slow curveballs or sweeping sliders are thrown with Buxton on base? Bunting and speed are still valuable weapons in baseball in 2020.
  2. tony&rodney
    I'm down with our kids filling in while Pineda and Hill are resting in a warm climate and getting prepared to be good from late May for Big Mike and after the All Star Game for Richy Rich. Forget Gray, Boyd, Archer. Think something better in July (unlikely). Meanwhile, get Donaldson, or as someone else suggested ... Betts. We still have three months more (thinking hopeful) of winter.
  3. tony&rodney
    If you want Kepler go to 1B, then trade for Betts. Set in RF and covered for CF. Graterol and Celestino? Lineup goes, Betts, Kepler, ... we win. Think positive in 2020.
  4. tony&rodney
    Nothing. However, it is possible, even if not based on past practices, that the Twins view 2020 as a year to change their stripes. Buxton, Sano, Berrios, and Rosario could all easily follow Cruz, Gonazalez, Odorizzi, and others out the door in a few years through free agency, refusal to sign, or demand. Sometimes there is a tipping point and I'm thinking that a failure to attempt strategies different than prior years will cause an unfortunate return to sub mediocrity. 2019 had a very positive vibe for the team and I thought the team enjoyed the games and each other. A push can occur. The question remains - will it happen?
  5. tony&rodney
    The opportunity to sign a top pitcher has passed. I'm hoping that Bailey is a marked improvement throughout the season from Perez and am especially hopeful he gets off to a strong start in April and May, although not necessarily as strong as Perez was to June. A season of a 4.30 ERA and 180 IP would be a plus.
  6. tony&rodney
    "You can probably ride this rotation as it stands to another title and move the impact pitching goal posts to a midseason trade." This is the current state of the Twins. Because there really isn't any reason right now for a team to trade away their best pitchers, a signing of Donaldson becomes even more important. In July, someone will be amenable to an offer. Maybe the Mets tank and Thor is available or perhaps San Diego realizes they can afford to trade pitching for hitting. July will come and an opportunity should be there for a rotation upgrade.
  7. tony&rodney
    If Thorpe is just a little more effective this year than Gibson was last year, then he will have progressed nicely. Pitching takes time as we have seen from Berrios and others. Gibson and Perez had uneven results and the Twins just need a little more consistency and slight improvements from the pitchers who pitch in those two slots. I'm afraid that there will be some pressure on Berrios and Odorizzi to be stronger though. That was a reason to slot someone (a FA signing) above those two. I am optimistic about the depth of the Twins pitching but concerned about their ability to be consistent. If the pitchers keep the scores down, around four, the offense should produce. A most concerning issue for many is the lack of an arm above Berrios, or to slide in above Odorizzi. At some point this season a trade seems likely, but I doubt any team will part with a pitcher the Twins need before July.
  8. tony&rodney
    There could be a little help from coaches and players maybe, but not that's not likely to swing the decision. Donaldson needs to be sold on hitting in the Twins lineup and convinced that he would enjoy playing at Target Field and fishing on Lake Minnetonka in the summer. The Falvines need to sell the Twins as a team that is really good and capable of adding talent in July. Finally, if this is serious, The Twins should have the high bid. Washington will defer a bunch of money and Atlanta has to think about Freeman soon. The Twins have only $20M something committed past this summer. The opportunity is there - make JD smile green or live with the knowledge that you were the clear high bid. I have to think that something like Arraez, Garver, and Buxton hitting at the end of the lineup would be really exciting to a guy like Donaldson who loves to hit with runners on base. He would look pretty good in the two hole, eh?
  9. tony&rodney
    From: spycake "I think the Twins signing Donaldson would represent a pretty substantial break from history." Yes, true. January, 2020 is as good as any time to break from past history. 4/92 or 4/100, just do it.
  10. tony&rodney
    All of the top FA pitchers Twins' fans wanted to see pitch for Minnesota are signed by other teams. The Twins have a solid core of players and some promising prospects a year or two away from prominence, if everything rolls nicely. It seems to me that there are only two paths from here to improve the roster, add a player or two or shift to a strategy of trading from their core, prospects, or some combination of the two. I'm not seeing where any of the current Twins players bring back a pitcher without diminishing the team and it also seems like only a drastic overpay of prospects would bring back a pitcher, and not an ace at that. The question that pops up frequently is what would it cost to trade for Bieber, Thor, Paddock, Castillo, or those who are really worthwhile. I can't see it happening. So, signing Donaldson or Moreland become the last FA options, in my view. This is why I would advocate for a Donaldson addition right now. Additionally, I have shifted my ceiling upwards for a potential offer to JD because he would be a player to allow the maximum development of prospects and overall positive experiences for the Twins. Finally, the summer will unfold to reveal whether the Twins must trade or add from their own system to be a more competitive team in the playoffs. The Twins must win the division first.
  11. tony&rodney
    Very strange insistence being forwarded to not sign Josh Donaldson. He improves both defense and offense and has extended tough at bats. The Twins seem to want him to play for our favorite nine. He makes the 2020 Twins better and the front office wants him playing his home games at Target Field. Let all Twins fans hope these negotiations come to fruition. Certainly it is understandable why Atlanta fans would argue that the Twins should never sign JD, but we can let them worry about their own team. Yes, sign JD.
  12. tony&rodney
    The development of Graterol, Balazovic, and Duran will be watched closely as will the further experiences of Rooker, Larnach, Kirilloff, and Lewis. The Twins are heavily invested in these seven players and a few more and the Twins first three months will determine whether trades or promotions are needed for August onward. Hopefully, Bailey can be solid from day one. Hopefully, two of Dobnak, Thorpe, and someone else provide competitive outings until Pineda and Hill are available. Signing Josh Donaldson just became even more important than before because a strong Twins team offensively will provide a boost to the hopes previously mentioned.
  13. tony&rodney
    Agree, sign Donaldson.
  14. tony&rodney
    The Twins, with the signings of Hill and Bailey, have more reason than yesterday to sign Donaldson.
  15. tony&rodney
    Awesome job! My absolute favorite post of the off-season thus far. I saw most of these. # 1 - Mauer. Watching live via mlbtv on my computer in Vietnam, I actually went from smiling and laughing to crying - pure joy. Thank you for this.
  16. tony&rodney
    Nothing electric, but I really enjoyed watching Cody Stashek pitch. With an exception or two, he looked to be in control of the at bats. I hope he improves and makes the trip north from Florida on the opening day team.
  17. tony&rodney
    Donaldson takes really good at bats and crushes mistakes. If Buxton is in the 9 hole, pitchers will have their hands full when he is on base. While I expect JD to sign with Atlanta, it would really be fun to watch the Twins hit. Kepler, Donaldson, Polanco, Cruz, Sano, Arraez, and Garver are pretty patient hitters and Rosario and Buxton are likely the most talented athletes on the team. That would be a lineup worth seeing.
  18. tony&rodney
    From: Doc Bauer "To be frank, Donaldson was never in MY plans for this team. My hopes were tied to just one really good SP FA option. No more debating or whining, it simply was not to be. So, while trading for an arm is a viable and import move to make, you can STILL add to your team. It is never a bad thing to add to your offense or your defense even if another area of your team still needs work. You are still adding to the WHOLE that is the team." Same with me - JD was not a player I hoped the Twins would sign. My hope was for pitching. Simply put, Donaldson would improve the team, both offensively and defensively. Yes, the Twins need to still search out pitching, but any good player added puts the team one step forward. The post season will wait.
  19. tony&rodney
    Wow. Another example of using baseball and its profits as business. Except, baseball is a closed club. One must be approved to buy a team. Calvin Griffith had to sell to the Pohlads for MLB. Except, baseball clubs (exception SF Giants) have the public fund their businesses like getting stadiums. Except, the dollars we read are all estimates because these are private businesses and we DO NOT know. The Pohlads are decent citizens by many accounts and I have supported them, but they certainly don't need a legion of apologists for how they handle their money. I can't decide which is worse, ripping the Pohlads or being their public defender. To the topic though ... I would like to see the Twins take a chance once or twice on a player. It sure seemed like there were years when the Twins won the division under Gardy when one or two players could have helped. It sure seems like one or two players now could help now too. The Wild took a chance and even their disappointed fans appreciate that effort. One last item - Kansas City was really a fun team to watch and their fans remember those teams fondly.
  20. tony&rodney
    Mauer, easily.
  21. tony&rodney
    If the Twins can sign JD, then it is incomprehensible why any Twin fan would be opposed to a contract in the 4/$100M range (I will predict 4/$90M) for him. Donaldson makes any team in baseball better. Perhaps the Cole contract is too rich for the Twins (he was never a consideration by the team), but JD and others are not. The Twins will show a profit with a payroll of $150M in 2020, more profit with a lower payroll. As far as Donaldson goes, I want the Twins to add players that make them better; he does.
  22. tony&rodney
    If you do not want Donaldson, don't suggest wasting money on someone else. The Twins are set, mostly. An add of Mitch Moreland would help at 1B, but they are good to go right now. They still need pitching. I would advocate an addition of JD, but the Twins can score runs without adding anyone. Add Wood and Walker, and continue to explore decent trade opportunities. No offense intended on my disinterest in Frazier or Thames, but I like Adrianza and Gonzalez more.
  23. tony&rodney
    Sure, why not?
  24. tony&rodney
    Kepler Donaldson Polanco Cruz Rosario Sano Arraez Garver Buxton W/O JD MK JP NC ER MS LA MG MGonzalez BB
  25. tony&rodney
    I totally agree, especially with the values that are heard on TD. I would not trade Sano straight up for Bryant. My thought was how someone else might value Miguel, because clearly I am too high on him. On another front -what is a way to pry an innings beast like Alcantara from Miami? Cave, Gordon, and Duran fair?
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