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GNess

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  1. Notable on the schedule: final nine games 3 at home vs Angels, 3 at home vs. the A's and 3 in Colorado vs the Rockies. There are no locks in baseball, but if the Twins lead the division when they get to the final nine you have to love their chances. (At least on paper.)
  2. Twins kept competing until the game was over. A team win all the way. I am optimistic that those are qualities we will see more often over the final 60 games and into the postseason. Also it's never a bad thing to sweep the Chisox.
  3. Of course, every move comes with the caveat of what do the Twins give up in return? The FO has made some good trades (Joe Ryan acquired for Nelson Cruz) and some poor moves (Mahle - yikes!) But it is the core job of the FO to build a roster that can win reasonably consistently over time and realistically compete for a World Series. It would be malpractice if a team in the Twins position regardless of the relative strength of the division they are in did nothing at the deadline. The cost of acquiring a decent RP and/or decent RH bat won't/shouldn't sink the future.
  4. Not sure any of these players are going to move the needle much. (Renfroe as a rental maybe?) But the Twins should definitely be looking to add a piece or two. RH bat and RP are the two areas to add most mentioned on TD. (I'd be good with either or both.)
  5. Ober struggled early, but really liked how he settled in. He competes. Twins needed that sort of tough-minded performance by Ober after a string of suspect efforts by the rotation. Scoring 10 runs didn't hurt either.
  6. Many cogent arguments here for keeping Gray. I agree with almost all of them. One point - the argument for trading Gray is basically, "The current Twins aren't good enough to beat the "good" teams in the playoffs." I disagree with that premise, but how does trading Gray for likely less than they can get from a QO make the Twins more likely to be able to beat the "good" teams in the future?
  7. There are many examples of mediocre / poor offensive teams with strong pitching having success in the playoffs. for example the 2020 Tampa Bay Rays were 22nd in MLB team batting and 4th in Team Pitching. They won the AL pennant and lost in the World Series 4-2 v the Dodgers.
  8. Robertson, Hader or Finnegan if the cost isn't too high. (I am no expert, but Chapman's cost didn't seem that high?) Strengthening and deepening the BP is a move which increases the chance of winning some in the post season. The Twins pitching gives them a chance in any short series. Why not improve those chances at a low to medium cost? Deciding you can't win when you have proven players underperforming their career norms is misguided. If Correa, Polanco and/or Buxton get rolling like they can at times during their careers, this team can win in the post season.
  9. Tried to get as many HOF players / World Series winners on the team: Wouldn't want to pitch against this lineup... DH - Winfield (2) C - Harper (2) 1B - Killebrew (5) 2B - Carew (5) SS - Cardenas (2) 3B - Castino (1) LF - Jones (1) CF - Puckett (5) RF - Oliva (5) RP- Reardon (2) SP - Kaat (1)
  10. This Twins failure to produce with the bases loaded is getting well beyond a statistical anomaly - it appears to be something akin to a group mental block of some sort. I hope I am wrong. Two culprits today: When Buxton slumps he really slumps. Gallo - how many swings and misses can he have in one game?
  11. Yes, Kirilloff seems, to my eyes to be the real deal at the plate. He should be an everyday player for the most part. Plus, how is he going to develop fully if they don't let him bat vs LH pitching? Are the other RH options that take his place in the lineup actually an upgrade other than a minor, short-term only impact.
  12. The, "Twins have no heart" takes are proving to be BS.
  13. He has good stuff and seems to be a competitor. I think he'll turn it around. Most relievers go up and down some largely, because their outcomes often hinge on just one or two pivotal pitches.
  14. Needed that one. The bUllpen and lack of consistent run production continue to ail the Twins. Hopeful that De Leon can provide some quality outings in BP. The current state of the BP is not playoff caliber. Likely will be addressed via trade, but that is many games in the future so any internal options such as De Leon contributing would be huge. The offense needs Correa and Buxton to produce more.
  15. I am not seeing what the Twins FO/Management sees in Pagan? Clearly, they have enough performance data over the last season and 1/4 to know he is simply not consistently effective in pressure (high leverage) situations.
  16. Great bounce back win. Marker of a quality team. There are some decisions to be made in the near-medium term: 1. Where will Lewis play? 3b (Then where does Farmer play?) 2. When will Buxton be in CF? How often? (This will allow much greater line up flexibility.) 3. If the BP needs an arm or two added via a trade(s) who is expendable and still has some trade value?
  17. Correa will almost certainly hit better as the season progresses. (Right?) What doesn't get mentioned much is his stellar defense at short and how important that is.
  18. Being realistic and keeping perspective day to day during a 162 game baseball season is a challenge. I understand the disappointment with the lack of offense over the first 30+ games. Expectations are a primary source of unhappiness, and we see that in play here on TD. What is the actual status of the team rather than what was expected realistic or not? 1. Pitching ultimately wins championships - the SP is amongst Top 5-6 in MLB. The BP is decent and has a few quality arms and can be an area most readily added to via trade later in the season. 2. Batters performing near their statistical norms: Kepler, Buxton, Taylor, Solano, Castro, Polanco, Vasquez(?) 3. Batters performing below their statistical norms: Correa, Gallo, Miranda, Gordon. 4. Batters performing above their statistical norms: Jeffers(?) So where does the improvement come from? In a highly successful season, a few players generally perform above their statistical norms - this could still happen for the 2023 Twins. Star players like Carlos Correa rarely tank for an entire season. It is reasonable to assume Correa will hit much better sooner rather than later. 5. Are there internal replacement options who could likely out-perform those above? Yes, Farmer, Lewis, Kirilloff could easily significantly out perform a number of players listed above. Conclusion: The Twins certainly have the pieces as currently assembled on the 40 man roster to finish above .500, win the division and participate in postseason play with only a few players getting it going on offense and/or via internal replacements. This doesn't even take into account external additions. Tough to watch them struggle on this road trip, but I remain optimistic...
  19. Nice win. The bullpen did its job, but the depth in the pen is suspect especially with Thielbar on the IL. Are there arms in the minors that could be effective in the Twins BP? If not, then BP arms become the focus at the trade deadline. Looking ahead...
  20. Found a way to win, which is a good thing. Lopez was strong. The offense is still sputtering - seems Kirilloff might be able to help?
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