Doctor Gast

Baldelli says a lot of things during ST & sometimes he'll make a weak attempt. Normally, if it makes sense, he'll return to his original philosophy if it doesn't make sense, he'll stick to his statement & try to make it work but fails.

Good point LambchoP, with the new rules & the league taking away the HR advantage by adjusting to the "all or nothing" approach, reducing the number of HRs, Which forces teams to focus more on fundamentals to score those runs needed, those who don't will be left behind. IMO it makes the game more interesting.

I think Alvarez would have had a shot if they hadn't signed Gasper & France. Since they were signed with a MLB contract they'll have every opportunity to make the team ahead of him. I have high hopes for Canterino but I think I saw him listed as a SP. Unless they dial back his innings maybe put him in the pen his trip to the IL would be unfortunately inevitable

No one will break with the club after camp. Keaschal won't be ready for a while. We are really deep in the pen so it'd take something catastrophic for Blewett to make the roster although he's a good pitcher. He'll make the team sometime during the season.

They can string Eeles along for a long time so that's what they'll do even though he could help the club. But yeah they'll keep an eye on him in AAA for a bit longer.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_OsvfG5Qie0 I enjoyed this video & I thought I'd share it with my TD bros.. Now I agree with most that a sacrifice bunt is not beneficial in most cases and some players shouldn't be bunting but I agree with the author that there are many cases when bunting makes a lot of sense. Therefore bunting should not be shunned but should be taught & encouraged, especially those who have the talent to do so. Many INFers cheat by playing back because they don't expect a bunt. Having the ability to bunt will make the INFers honest & increase your chances of getting a hit. Another reason for not bunting is because it does practically nothing to increase your SLG or OPS & that's what teams go by. Many lauded the batter with high SLG & OPS who hits a lot of HRs when they're not needed & getting out when getting on base is needed. Yet shun the player with lower SLG & OPS who gets on base by bunting or otherwise, making those bunts into doubles & triples, Shaking pitchers up to make mistakes for following batters & sparking rallies & winning games (Isn't that the most important stat?). IMO that's where analytics veers off when too much importance is put on SLG & OPS where they try to squeeze out every HR from every player & overlook their other talents that can make the difference between a contender & a 4th place finish in the AL Central.

I share your wishes. I'd like to share the differences between Miranda & France. Miranda was coming off a shoulder surgery, while serviceable Miranda racked, Miranda should have been fixed at 1B/ DH to accommodate his recovery, he was moved off. at the end of the season, Miranda was unserviceable. France had a bruised heel. France was fixed at 1B/ DH & given a chance to recover, yet he never raked. If Miranda was fixed at 1B/ DH, like he should have been, we wouldn't be having this discussion. There is a difference between playing hurt & recovering 100% from a surgery.

"We do have to wonder, too, whether this amounts to an important schism between Baldelli and the front office. There's no way for an executive to more clearly send the message that a player is fungible than by signing them to a rare, uniquely low-ceiling and team-friendly contract. For Baldelli to signal an expectation of plugging in such a player every day creates some unavoidable cognitive dissonance. How much of this problem, over the years, has been about the front office—and how much has been Baldelli cleaving too tightly to veterans, perhaps using his own influence to fight off Falvey's efforts to move out non-producers? Is this a source of real or potential friction between the skipper and his bosses?" I don't think there is any schism. For years Falvey makes these deals & Baldelli showcases them. From Happ to Gallo to Margot. These have been a few failures that Baldelli tries to showcase. I've been against all of them from the beginning. I could be wrong about Falvey but my gut feeling tells me otherwise. In France's case, I hope he does work out & help at DH & secondary 1Bman. But making him sole 1Bman is going way too far. France had his time at 1Bman & he's been bad. It's time for Baldelli to do the best for the team & let Miranda finally get the chance to get better at 1B & stay healthy. It's time to put our own players ahead these outhouse veterans instead of these other guys chance after chance after chance & not our own guys. If you want to produce good chemistry among our capable guys you give them every opportunity. Competition is fine but naming France as the sole 1Bman doesn't sound like competition to me. It sounds like the same old, same old.

All our acquisitions were fringe bench players, Castellano & Cartaya have future potential, Cartaya won't contribute this season but hopefully, Castellano will somewhat. Hopefully, Coloumbe will stay healthy & be of some use. Gasper like Camargo are AAAA players & shouldn't see much time. Buxton is our RH CFer, Bader was a waste of money. Bader would ideally be used to replace Buxton when he'd be down against LHPs, which would be minimal. If France can prove that he can hit (which I hope he will), he should be used as DH & secondary 1Bman. But rest assured that all these new acquisitions will have every opportunity to play, playing too much, especially even if they are bad & take away playing time from more deserving inhouse young players, who in turn would improve our team. Bader will take away precious playing time from Keirsey, as a LH CFer he could be more advantageous to sub Buck while improving himself & the team. Same with France, Twins have shown preference of him being the sole 1Bman. Taking away precious playing time from Miranda again. Leaving to Miranda to fight over playing time over DH with Larnach (how sad). It'll be the same old scenario, Miranda will mash like crazy, to fit his bat in the lineup they'd prioritize him at 3B again & he'll hurt himself again trying to compensate for his shoulder, decreasing his production & shortening his season on the IL. When the intelligent solution is prioritizing Miranda at 1B, Julien was never an option at 2B, he should be sent down to AAA to reinvent himself as a hitter & finally learn 1B while he's there. Unless Lee really shows he can hit he should be sent to AAA to play every day. The best way to start the 26-man roster is to do the following: Buxton- CF, Wallner RF, Larnach LF/ DH, Keirsey- 4th OF, Bader- UTIL OF, Castro- UTIL, Lewis- 3B, Correa- SS, Martin- 2B, Miranda- 1B, France- DH/ 1B. (1st man up is Lee, hopeful he has his hitting figured out). Rotation- Lopez, Ryan, Ober, SWR, Paddack (Festa & Matthews can rotate in & out as 4th & 5th SP). BP- Duran, Jax, Steward?, Sands, Alcala, Coloumbe, Tonkin, Castellano?, If either Stewart or Castellano is out then the next better option is Varland because he can be used as LRP & spot starter. But more than likely sadly, Keirsey, Varland & Martin are sent down, Julien is the primary 2Bman & France the primary 1Bman. Poor-hitting Bader has about 1/3 of CF PAs & given every opportunity to break Margot PHing record. IMO making us an inferior team.

I'll say again MN & SEA started out '24 the same focus of "all or nothing" hitting approach, That approach goofed up a lot of hitters. MN changed direction, SEA did not. I hope that France can regain his old self & help out at DH & 1B. It made me sick when the Twins brought in outhouse players to automatically take over the positions from our own capable players last season Miranda & Kiriloff could have really mashed at 1B. They are doing the same thing again this season, they aren't giving Miranda a chance, I hate it. Some players seem to get opportunity after opportunity when they don't deserve any. Yet players who deserve it get the short end of the stick every time. I hope common sense finally wins out.

Members are voicing for Lewis to play at 1B (now & future) and I 100% agree. That said, inhouse Lewis should have been chosen to sub Miranda & not go outhouse.

Joe Ryan has the stuff, but IMO when a game is very tough & on the line. I'll still take Lopez over Ryan.

& Mauer

I don't see Julien validating a spot on the active roster. Gasper & Camargo are AAAA. Cartaya won't be ready for a while. Bader will be our Margot replacement so he'll make the team. If France will be our primary 1Bman & Julien makes the team, there's something seriously wrong with the plan. I do hope that France does hit & become a serious DH/ secondary 1Bman. I rate this offseason so far a C-, to give reference I'd give the Twins a C if they'd done nothing. The discrepancy comes with the addition of Bader. His slight upgrade in defense doesn't offset the needed MLB development of our players to improve this team. The money could have been spent more wisely elsewhere. Look for Bader, Gasper & maybe France to play too much, especially if they are bad. To the detriment of the team. Keaschal should be taken slowly & when he's ready, he should be limited to DH/ 1B.

It doesn't surprise me that Baldelli won't name a closer because he doesn't believe in a classic closer. But closer has some prestige to it. IMO Duran is tired of the fireman role, that little prideful skip that I love isn't as occurring, which I miss. IMO keep him as the main closer with Jax filling in when need be. And use Jax more of a fireman. IMO Stewart, Cole & Alcala are fine set-up men. It'll be interesting how Columbe will figure in.

This is what I went by https://www.mlb.com/twins/news/twins-2025-opening-day-roster Nothing is official until he officially makes the team.

I suppose Pohlad came tired of Falvey crying that he wanted to sit with the big boys to throw money away at the table. IMO Pohlads got the greenlight from the new owners. Hope Coloumbe & France work out. IMO we threw money away with Bader.

Twins' projected roster has France at 1B. I don't know what stunt they are trying to pull off but this is ridiculous. I hope France has regained his hitting prowess & be our DH & help support 1B which we need but not primary 1B. France has been bad defensively for a while let Miranda finally have a chance to get better there by having the primary 1B job.

I put together the best roster but rest assured that's not what will happen, which is frustrating.

If they dial Jeffers back to weak-side tandem as in '23 he might have a shot. Otherwise, forget it.

What I heard is that they still want to start him out at SP. Which I don't agree with.

CF- Buxton LF- Larnach RF- Wallner 4th OF- Keirsey OF Util- Bader INF UTIL- Castro SS- Correa 3B- Lewis 2B- Martin 1B- Miranda C- Vazquez/ Jeffers DH- France? Larnach SP- Lopez, Ryan, Ober, SWR, Paddack RP- Duran, Jax, Stewart?, Sands, Alcala, Coloumbe, Tonkin, Castellano?. If any of the question marks don't work out my vote goes to Varland because of our need for long relief. Any injury in the INF Lee is the 1st man up if he's not injured. If Lee is injured then we're cooked. W/O Helman we'll be thin. Julien will not be fit, Keaschal if available should only be so at 1B.

There's no doubt in my mind that Julien needs to go down to AAA, he shouldn't be in the 2B discussion, #1 his defense #2 his bat. Unless Lee really hits in spring training he goes down. That leaves Martin at 2B with Castro as utility. We are absolutely jammed packed in the OF with Buxton, Keirsey, Castro, Larnach, Wallner & Bader. We didn't need Bader but Bader will get a lot of time & squeezing out playing time for our guys.

I'm all for adding quality MLB depth, that's why I'm big on Castro because he can fill in adequately at so many positions. Coloumbe fills a need although I'd prefer someone better. Bader doesn't fill a need. France? we don't need a primary 1Bman but we do need MLB support. I'd prefer inhouse & better defense but his contract is not guaranteed if he hits he might improve our DH & serve as a backup 1Bman. These additions have directly affected some of our prospects Moran, Helman, Henriquez, & Headricks, Others have affected their playing time. We haven't had decent MLB catching depth since we got rid of Garver & Rortvedt. We've been very fortunate that Vazquez & Jeffers have been healthy for the past 2 years. because have no MLB depth behind them. So they added 2 more fringe catchers to add to Camargo making 5 catchers on the 40-man, 3 that won't contribute to the team. FO hopes that one sticks but the odds are against it. I'd rather have one promising MLB-ready catcher now than 3 fringes. My problem with our FO is them not seeing the right need & viably meet it.

Analytics is very important & serves a large purpose, especially in pitching. Game calling isn't something easy to do, Some catchers have an easier time than others, very few become very good at it while a vast majority aren't very good at it. So it's easier & more productive for the analytics department to come up with a plan. In '22 we had Jeffers & Sanchez, neither were very adept in game calling then. Jeffers got hurt early so it was basically Sanchez, to give you context, Gray refused Sanchez to catch him. Now I usually don't follow pitchers' pitches but I took a special interest in Chris Archer. His best pitches were Slider/ FB & his 3rd pitch was a change-up. So every batter it was the same plan throw the CU early to set up the slider/FB. Although his CU wasn't his best pitch he got a lot of whiffs early in the count on it because they were trying to be on for a slider or FB. Later on in the count he threw slider/FBs & they kept fouling off pitch after pitch, racking up his pitch count. Archer was still recovering from shoulder surgery & the high-pitch counts really took a heavy toll on him. Quickly they knew when the CU was coming & when the slider/FB was coming. Nothing changed throughout the season. If I were the catcher I'd see Archer getting whiffs with his CU, I'd change it up right away & save the CU for the SO pitch. Bringing down Archers pitch counts & extending his innings & make him more effective. I like to compare this "the plan" to computer dating. For people who are very busy & or lack social skills, this is great. But this can't replace the organic & chemistry that has to happen. This "the plan" can't replace the organic & chemistry that has to happen between the catcher & pitcher. "The plan" can't eliminate the need for organizations to stress catchers to develop game-calling skills throughout their careers or encourage catchers who have this gift. Now days technology has hindered many from developing social skills, many are dependent on calculators, and they don't know how to do simple math. "The plan" catchers can become dependent on it & not know how to call a game. Game calling is very organic, situations pop up & it's very advantageous if a catcher can pick up on it right away & react. But FOs love it because they get to control the game, taking away that feeling the catcher feels when he's in control of the game. I'm not an expert & I'm not saying get rid of "the plan". I'm saying I'm concerned of the dangers of taking this too far.