Doctor Gast

He didn't do anything then because MIA approached him. Just Lopez for Arraez was a great trade but Falvey didn't want to trade until MIA included Salas & Courios, which could have jeopardized the trade. Glad it didn't.

IMO the best way to keep the window open is to maintain the core. If we compromise it & the chemistry we close the door. Catching in our system has been ignored. Drafting & development seem nonexistent. Jeffers was privileged to sit under Tanner Swanson but what has Conger done? Yankees have been trading catchers left & right. We are sitting at #18 at the MLB catching department with our tandem & zero depth & they want to subtract from that? Jeffers can't even handle equal tandem w/o tiring halfway through the season. If they can't draft & develop promising young bonafide catchers, then they have to trade for them, like years ago. Obtaining fringe non-MLB-ready catchers to our already fringe non-MLB-ready catchers doesn't cut it. Catching is a foundation for any competitive team, we need to strengthen it now for now & the future.

I think you can come up with a pretty good list on any GM even Falvey, who never initiates big trades, the only time he did was with Mahle & J Lopez (not Jennifer) & he fell on his face & has become gun-shy. You can blame Preller for putting together a lousy player evaluation & development team or fault him for being quick to trade undeveloped talent which I tend to agree with you or even bad luck. Falvey sometimes likes to trade for a fringe player (Cave) that comes well short of a need (CF backup) giving up an undeveloped talent (Gill). Right now we have a big need at MLB catching depth. The Twins finally addressed the problem by trading for a LAD reject Cartaya who has potential but LAD didn't have the patience to wait another year or roster spot. Cartaya's progress has been slow in the upper MiLB & he just started AAA. Cartaya can be a MLB backup catcher but not this year. For an undeveloped pitcher Vazquez, the fact that LAD is interested in him, makes me wonder. One thing that I can't fault him is him being proactive. If there is a need he doesn't sit around & wait for another FO to initiate a deal, he goes out there makes it happen. He doesn't get a bunch of fringe players to throw against the wall hoping one will kind of stick, He goes after bonafide solutions.

IMO here is SD not able to develop Clase & was a nobody. I give TX credit for eyeing him & developing him (I had an eye on Clase while in TX, hoping that we could land him). I criticize TX for developing him & then letting him go for Kluber, who didn't amount to anything there.

He can't control how SD or other teams develop players, he has to trust what his player evaluations tell him & some long shots turned out, but some more certain ones didn't, A lot of it is out of his control, his job is to buy & sell & that what he does. Some blame him for Endy Rodrigues? To land Musgrove, PIT had their eye on this cheap insignificant Met's catcher, Preller went out of his way to intise him away from NYM to land Musgrove. IMO the SD trade pieces weren't that great but this cheap insignificant Mets Endy Rodrigues was a gem, you can only credit the PIT catcher evaluater. Some blame him for Rooker, could he help it that they couldn't develop him? Some blame Falvey for Mahle I don't (unless he knew about his condition & ignored it), I applaud him for trying.

I remember someone texted that SD didn't want Paddack in return. To me that seems strange, they brought him through the system, they gave him to us broken, we invested time & money into him to fix him. He's good to go, they need him & now they don't want him?

AJ Preller is a great GM. He's a wheeler-dealer, someone who can actually be creative, initiate & close on essential deals which I appreciate the most in a GM. I can't see the Cease for Vazquez deal ever working out, I know many will disagree with what I'm about to suggest, I'm not texting for them but those that might be more realistic & who could appreciate a good trade. What the Twins need most is a bonafide promising young MLB-ready catcher. My suggestion is Preller put together a 3-way trade involving SD/ NYY/ CWS. Basically, SD trades Cease & Arraez to NYY, CWS trades Roberts to NYY & Teel to SD, and NYY gives CWS a bunch of high prospects. Then Preller approaches the Twins for a Teel for a catcher trade. My hope is in Preller's ability to pull this off. Teel is very promising & MLB-ready and could justifiably cover as a 2nd catcher (not what Falvey has whipped up). Where CWS could hesitate to trade us Teel directly but secretly via SD they could. We can debate who that catcher should be but this trade would help us this year & for many years to come. This could be a great opportunity to use Preller's ability for our benefit because I have no faith in Falvey to pull something like this off,

Maybe you you know what from the same mold means, it means the same kind. If I say Arraez is from the same mold as Carew, doesn't mean that he's a fix for HOF. Because so many people are so hung up about WAR, Molina might not make it on the 1st ballot although he's one of the all-time greats. I didn't say hitting wasn't important, I said hitting is super important for DH, 1B & cOFers. Hitting isn't important for pitchers it never was. A good catcher adds so much more than their hitting to highly influence a game. I'm sorry if you can't see it. AGAIN my guidelines aren't the point here, that needs to be debated. They are only guidelines that can be adjusted to show how to look at the importance of OPS in each position.

"As I explained earlier with RiverBrian," .2 I take it you didn't go back to read that. So I'll answer your question. Simple answer no. The tandem of Vazquez/ Jeffers we are #18 in catching. We need to add not subtract. If you eliminate either that will extremely effect our catching corp. For reference, Jeffers in '22 when he was called on for primary catching duties of catching every day quickly faltered & ended up on the IL, he ended up with .9 WAR. As is using Jeffers's .9 WAR & him landing on the IL, that'll put all the weight on the fringe catchers that have no right to be in the MLB, that'll produce negative WAR. Looking at projections of every team for '25 at catching that'd put MN firmly in last place. SEA who had the best rotation & catching core, didn't make it to the '24 postseason. How can you think with Cease & the worst catching corp we can even come close to compete in '25? Let me add that Cartaya has potential but needs to be progressed slowly. If rushed, you'd not only wreck his '25 but maybe even his career. WAR is a terrible way to evaluate a defensive catcher, wherever you got that -.2 WAR you can throw in the garbage. I can say more but I'll stop here.

I wrote my text hit & miss so I forgot to write about pitchers. Pitchers, OPS is absolutely not important, So to complete my thought. (DH), OPS is 100% important, defense 0%- (Pitching), OPS is 0% important, pitching is 100%, (1B) OPS is very important, defense not so much (catcher) fielding very important, OPS not so much & down the line. I stated that Vazquez is no Molina but they are of the same mold. I also stated that Vazquez while settled in BOS especially towards the end had very good OPS probably better than Molina's towards the end of his stay at STL. Here is my point again, catchers like Molina & Vazquez do better when settled in one place, where they don't have to study a whole new pitching staff & system, they can focus on their hitting. As always you miss my point, you zoom on some insignificant detail & twist it. My standard mainly serves as a guideline to prove a point of importance OPS & defense on each position. My text was not meant for members like you who are dead set on OPS as the most important standard to gauge everyone no matter what. My text is focused on members with an open mind that maybe OPS isn't all end-to-end all. That in many cases, pitching & defense is more important and that fundamentals like taking & stealing an extra base, bunting, not striking out, hit & run, & clutch hitting cannot be overlooked.

My thoughts. SD probably offered Cease to MN for Jeffers plus others. Falvey likes Jeffers too much so he countered with Vazquez & that was what was broadcasted. There is no way that SD would take that offer. they want to cut payroll. I can't see the Twins doing it either because they want cut payroll not increase it. If SD wants prospects then it'd be Vazquez + Emma or at the very least Vazquez + Festa + K Culpeper + Winokur. If SD doesn't want prospects, Vazquez + Wallner could make it happen. As I explained earlier with RiverBrian, With Vazquez as is, we have an outside chance to compete in the playoffs with a #18 catching corp. W/O Vazquez our catching corp will end up dead last, thus destroying any chance to compete in '25 even with Cease. Is it worth it? Paying dearly for a rental? Making us worse as a team in the future? I don't think so.

With this analytical mania, many have this philosophy, that a good MLB player has to have a .700 OPS. In reality, that's not true. Each position is very different, depending on its defensive premium. DH has to have a well-above- .700 OPS, IMO above .850 because that's their job to mash likewise the priority for 1B & RF is the bat, around .850 OPS. LF above .800 OPS the slight priority here is also the bat. 3B there's a balance between glove & bat, around a .800. Up the middle is where defense has to take priority & less focus OPS. SS & 2B have to have range to get to GBs & turn DPs. 2B's OPS is around .700, SS & CF around .650 OPS & catching around .600 OPS. If LF or 3B have an above-average glove then I'd adjust my OPS requirement lower. My standard is that all up-the-middle positions have to have an above-average glove. If they have a very good to elite glove. I'd discount OPS or a very good base-runner or clutch hitter, I'd discount more. Vazquez had great OPS when he was established at BOS, In His last years he caught at least 138 games (except '20, he had his best OPS .800) & still was very productive OFF/DEF. Only after leaving BOS did his OPS fall below .600 (discounting his early years) due to all of his focus was spent on knowing the pitchers & the team. I see his OPS will be closer to his career average of .673 this season. The problem with our offense isn't that Vazquez isn't doing his job, It's some of the others aren't doing theirs. Molina knew his pitchers, he studied the opponents' hitters, base-runners & game plan. He was elite defensively, he had a catcher's heart where he loved to be on every play, he worked with his INFers to make magnificent plays that normal catchers couldn't dream of. A leader, he added chemistry & unity on the field. Vazquez isn't a Molina but he has a catcher's heart & is a good friend of Molina where I could imagine them spending many hrs. talking catching. So I don't buy that over-simplistic universal .700 OPS standard. With Vazquez (WAR doesn't do justice), Jeffers performs well at the weaker-side tandem, we are 18th in catching. At the premium position, I'd like for us to be at least in the top 10 to be competitive. That means adding not subtracting. W/O Vazquez, that means Jeffers takes the primary duty of catching every day. History tells us that Jeffers can't handle primary catching duties for any extended amount of time. He will falter & land on the IL. In '22 we had Sanchez, he was bad but at least he had some viable MLB experience, Camargo, Cartaya & Gasper have realistically have none. All of them need to spend all their time in AAA in '25. So with Vazquez, we have a chance to make the playoffs as is. Jeffers's OPS during his primary catching duties in '22 was .648 & his defense metrics were pretty bad, he had a .9 fWAR plus the others would put together -WAR. Looking at other teams' projected WAR for '25 that'd put us in the bottom of the barrel, so yeah that would kill any postseason hopes.

It seems the advanced metrics always favor SWR. I like SWR so whatever he's doing right, keep on doing it & I wish him well. He keeps on proving people wrong.

Makes absolutely no sense, so why am I scared? We don't need Cease, How does trading off $10M for $13.75M helps our budget? Padres could use Vazquez but they are in better shape than us in the catching department, W/O Vazquez our MLB catching depth is Jeffers + ZERO. That leaves Jeffers with catching 100%. How long will he last? But wait Falvey has snaggled Brandon Venezuela away from them. After Jeffers that leaves 0+0+0+0= that equals ZERO. If they trade Vazquez, the season is over. Why can't Falvey take catching seriously?

Isn't this the term "mirroring", keeping the same delivery & everything on every pitch? To disguise the pitches. Having pitches that appear similar in flight (before spin- and seam-induced movement take hold) increases the difficulty of judging where and when a pitch will cross home plate, increasing the challenge of making effective swing decisions.

I listened to that interview before, yes he was open but asked about Lewis he never said "Yes he's our 2Bman or no he isn't". He was not sure. My impression about Lewis is he likes to be the best he can be. If he's the 2Bman he wants some instruction & someone working with him besides taking some GBs on the left-side. Baldelli has even admitted that Lewis would like know as quick as possible. I don't get why he was so determined during the season & not be now when it's more beneficial to Lewis. Baldelli might have a good reason to be this way beyond what's on the surface. I just don't get it & why so many people are so bent out of shape because of my statement. Rethinking it. It's probably not his fault. FO has probably informed him not to fix anything because they might want to shake things up. Which I think isn't a good idea, just saying.

I like all the options except Julien who should not be an option. Baldelli was dead set to have Lewis at 2B when it wasn't a good idea. Now is the time to commit Lewis at 2B but now Baldelli is quiet & unsure. Baldelli make up your mind so Lewis can properly prepare. Either Lee or Lewis are fine fixes there. But supposedly, Lee has a chronic back problem where he has to play through the pain & is Lewis done with his soft-tissue issues following his ACLs? 2B could be a juggling act, where 2B is Martin's natural position but maybe Castro is substituting often for better match-ups.

The only real substantial need we have is a bonafide future catcher. MLB-ready with real potential, nothing we have right now will cut it. So we have someone to aid Jeffers when he starts to wane & to gain experience to take over for Vazquez & Jeffers when they're gone. I'd be open to trading Larnach for such a player, injunction & or a 3-way trade if necessary. I like Larnach but he's replaceable both Keirsey & Emma are LH, better fielders & potential to be as good or better hitters respectfully. I am willing to wait for the deadline if need be. Such a player is an absolute necessity still I'd prefer to trade Julien over Larnach.

I can see where you are coming from, Matthew. IMO a good-hitting LH Ofer is a premium but I don't see the rush to trade Larnach. If at the deadline a too-good-to-refuse deal came across our path then yeah. To trade just to trade isn't the answer we need to capitalize.

That'd be common sense but my observation is during these budget restrictions Falvey is fine trading away anybody just for a chance to pull up a chair at the Big Boys' FA table. He loves the praise from the TV & website sports commentators & hates to be criticized for doing nothing. A bad or insignificant deal is better than no deal. They can always spin it.

I reread my text, when I used gutter I meant the catching, not the team & I did over-dramatize it. Although fWAR is a good measure for hitting catchers but IMO it doesn't do defensive catchers justice.

Thank you for trying to agree with me. Back when pitchers had to bat & were a drag on the team's offense, were we concerned with their OPS+? No, we only look at how well they pitch. If we are talking about DH & 1Bmen then yeah they better have a darn good OPS+. That is their main job is to mash. Catching is vastly different in that the success of the team isn't on them mashing but how well they catch & all the nuances that go with it. Like many times I've stated before Jeffers is a great backup catcher but as a primary catcher he was completely out of his league, Catching was probably the main reason why we did so poorly as a team even with Correa & Gray in '22. I'm not making him out to be a MVP or GG (I said he was one of the reasons, not the main reason that we did well in '23). But his presence made Jeffers in tandem better, made the pitchers better, and made the team better. If we didn't have Vazquez or someone like him IMO we wouldn't have come close to compete in '23, that how important I think catching is.

People attempt to measure intangibles but according to Sabermetrician Bill James, you can't. & I appreciate his honesty. People can make stats say whatever they want. I dismiss this data because it's unreliable there is no baby in this bathwater no matter how much you want there to be one.

I try to agree with you as much as I can but this -0.2 WAR is totally off. WAR doesn't come close to evaluate the real worth of a catcher, they focus nearly entirely on slugging, little focus on defense & ignore intangibles. The real worth of a catcher has little to do with his ability to slug but more to do with his defense & intangibles. Some WAR are worse than others but this WAR is the worst I've ever seen. To answer your question. Absolutely not. Vazquez is one of the reasons that brought us out the gutters in '22 to the success we had in '23 & kept us in the wildcard hunt in '24 until we didn't, with his defense & intangibles. I wish we didn't need Vazquez & his salary, but we do. I wish we had an elite defensive catcher in our system but we don't. So we are doomed until we do.

These stats are not credible to evaluate catcher's intangibles as I have given before but people will believe what they want to believe. "Sabermetrician Bill James also performed research into CERA, finding that while it is possible that catchers may have a significant effect on a pitching staff, there is too much yearly variation in CERA for it to be a reliable indicator of ability."