Jump to content
Twins Daily
  • Create Account

darwin22

Verified Member
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Posts

    634

  • Joined

  • Last visited

 Content Type 

Profiles

News

Minnesota Twins Videos

2026 Minnesota Twins Top Prospects Ranking

2022 Minnesota Twins Draft Picks

Minnesota Twins Free Agent & Trade Rumors, Notes, & Tidbits

Guides & Resources

2023 Minnesota Twins Draft Picks

The Minnesota Twins Players Project

2024 Minnesota Twins Draft Picks

2025 Minnesota Twins Draft Pick Tracker

2026 Minnesota Twins Draft Tracker: Picks & Bonuses

Forums

Blogs

Events

Store

Downloads

Gallery

Everything posted by darwin22

  1. darwin22
    1 error: Collective 2024 salaries for Santana, Kepler, DeSclafini and Theilbar totaled $22,475,00. If all 4 are gone---thats a decent chunk of $$ that could solidify the rotation as well as bringing in at least 2 quality RPs--preferably LHP RPs
  2. darwin22
    Not arguing with "the numbers" you mentioned regarding estimated payroll for 2025, but I looked at Spotrac website and found significantly lower numbers. Twins have 5 players (Vazquez-10; Correa- 37.33; Buxton-15.14; Lopez-21.75 and Paddack- 7.5) with guaranteed salaries for next season. That total is $91.72mill They have 12 players arbitration eligible for 2025. Of this group, I'd guess that 10 will be offered arbitration, with resulting raises: Jeffers, Lewis, Castro, Larnach, Ober, Ryan, Topa, Stewart, Jax and Duran. The 2 others arb eligible are Kirilloff and Tonkin. Both, imo, should be released. Alcala has a $1.5 club option, which imo is a no-brainer. He absolutely should be back. Margot has a $12m mutual option. Enough said. See ya later Manuel 4 players are unrestricted free agents: Santana, Kepler, DeSclafini and Thielbar. Their collective salaries for 2024 totaled $26,475,000. The only 1 in that group that I'd advocate to re-sign would be Santana as I don't see a legit 1B ready to take over next year. The rest of the players are all PRE-ARB. All of them made under $1m in 2024 Hitters: Miranda, Martin, Julien, Lee and Wallner Pitchers: SWR, Festa, Varland, Matthews, Duarte, Sands, Funderburk and Blewett. Waste of my time and other TD fans to think that our cheap ownership will make any effort to sign a big time FA hitter or pitcher in the offseason. As a result, the only means I see for improvement are a few trades for SP depth, legit bullpen arms and 2 quality bats. Wishful thinking, I know.
  3. darwin22
    Pathetic performance. Where is the pride? Where are the guts? Where is the fire? Of course, being the "Twins way" there will be ZERO accountability from the front office or ownership. Anyone expecting anything even resembling a shakeup hasn't followed this team for any long stretch.
  4. darwin22
    The 2024 Twins have to be getting dangerously close to the most heartbreaking team in franchise history, right? The 1984 Twins were in 1st place with 7 to go. They lost 6 of 7 (walked off twice vs CLE), blew a 10-run lead in final series of the year, and missed playoffs.
  5. darwin22
    Can't say I remember this (I was 2.5 years old), but if referencing the 1967 Twins, you can hardly call that a collapse. Twins held a 1-game lead in the final series of the season against Boston (at Fenway) after winning the 1st game, but dropped the final 2 games to finish in a 2nd place tie with Detroit.
  6. darwin22
    The complete and utter FAILURE of the front office to upgrade this team at the trade deadline is THE REASON why this team is sinking and facing the likely outcome of sitting at home when the playoffs begin. Yes, blame can be directed in many directions, but it starts at the top of the organization. Attitude reflects leadership. The Pohlad ownership better NOT come out now or in the off season and state that WINNING a World Series is their #1 priority. Its not and never will be.
  7. darwin22
    Well.....a very nice W to start an important road trip. I, like possibly others, need to appreciate what our HEALTHY players are doing to make daily contributions to help this team win. Tonight, obviously, the 2 main bats were Larnach's scalding 3-run BOMB and Lee's late HR. After a disappointing start by SWR it was great to see Alcala and Henriquez hold onto the lead with their scoreless outings. Jax showed why he's our best and most reliable RP with his 7th inning work. Bummer to see Sands give up a solo HR, but he pitched well again. Duran closing things out with zero drama was much appreciated. Really need Festa to duplicate his last outing as, imo, its unlikely to see any of Sands, Jax or Duran tomorrow night as each has pitched in back to back games. Alcala also unlikely after his 32 pitch outing tonight. That leaves Blewett, Tonkin, Castillo and Thielbar to pitch Tuesday night. Will be interesting to see if Rocco gives Helman a start tomorrow night against Springs.
  8. darwin22
    What other options do they have but to keep "rolling with" Festa, SWR and Matthews?
  9. darwin22
    Excellent post! No way did I take your assessment as "doom and gloom"--rather its spot on to where this team is at right now. I'm (like all fans) beyond disappointed that Buxton and Correa continue to miss action. I understand these are legit injuries, but Buxton missing 42 games and Correa missing now 57 games are one of the core reasons why this team is scuffling. As many have noted--the #1 core reason why this team is in this position---struggling to even make the playoffs--with a quick exit OR totally missing out if Boston or SEA takes the 3rd wildcard---is the absolute FAILURE of the Pohlad ownership to provide the financial resources necessary to field a playoff team with a legit chance to win in October! What did the Pohlad ownership due in the offseason to upgrade this team? 1. Traded Polanco (which I was fine with) for a promising RP (Topa) and a washed up/injure prone SP in DeSclafini. Result/Grade: A big fat "F"---------I still have hopes for Topa, but he won't be make any impact over the last 30 games to help our beleaguered bullpen 2. Traded for Manuel Margot as our 4th OF/starter against LHP. Although a few bright spots they've been very few and far between as evidenced by his .646 OPS, woeful power (4 HRs/30RBI in 274 ABs and a -0.5 WAR). Moreover, his defense is beyond substandard. His waffle iron for a glove makes Lew Ford look like a perennial gold glover. My grade: D---and I'm being generous 3. Signing of Carlos Santana as free agent Well....1 out 3 is still pretty miserable. Santana has been a godsend especially due to the total tank that Alex Kirilloff has turned out to be. I may be in small minority, but count me in the camp of bringing Santana back on a 1yr deal to play 1B and platoon possibly with Miranda there. Trade deadline moves: As a former high school social studies teacher I never game a grade of a "F minus" to a student, but thats the grade I'd give the Pohlads for making the absolutely foolish/ignorant/ insert your own adjective----for the pickup of Trevor Richards. Just a complete joke. What "message" does that send your players when they see pretty much EVERY contender in MLB make upgrades for the postseason and we pick up a beyond below average RP in Richards. The failure of the Pohlad ownership is a slap in the face to the players, coaching staff and the fan base. We deserve better.
  10. darwin22
    You may be right, but I was referencing K/BB ratio, not BB/IP. 64 K's vs. 8 walks IS a 8-1 ratio.
  11. darwin22
    Who would've predicted that Cole Sands would become an important and DEPENDABLE part of this pitching staff this season after two seasons of less than stellar performance? For those not aware---Sands has put up the following numbers this season: W-L record: 6-1 WHIP: 0.99!...this after a +1.50 last season ERA: 3.23---a full half of a run better than last season (3.74) Most impressive is his K to BB ratio: 64 K's over 56.67 IP------------walks for the season= 8 With my limited math skills that is an outstanding ratio of 8:1 Keep it going Cole!
  12. darwin22
    Mentioned this a few weeks ago: Is the time approaching that the Twins make a legit effort to re-sign Santana for next season? My answer: A strong "YES" Yes, I know he's OLD, but he has produced with the bat in key situations all season and has proven he's the best defensive 1B we've had since Mauer---maybe even better. I'm completely DONE with Kirilloff and I don't want to hear anything about Julien. Miranda is a viable option at 1B, but imo, his best position is 3B/DH.
  13. darwin22
    Just wondering the following after such an excellent MLB debut by Zebby tonight: When was the last time a pitcher won his MLB debut after progressing through 3 minor league levels in the same season? I was fortunate to see Matthews pitch the second week of July in Springfield for the Wind Surge against Springfield. A high pitch count forced him out after only 3 innings, which was quite disappointing at the time. Boy, he sure didn't disappoint at all tonight! Don't want to get too hyped over just 1 game, but Matthews showed tonight against a very good hitting team what he's done the vast majority of his time in the minors: Command of the strike zone, aggressiveness in attacking the strike zone and an excellent pitch mix over his 5 IP. Welcome to "The Show" young man and hoping for a long and prosperous career in our starting rotation.
  14. darwin22
    Wow...not sure how many fans remember Eddie Bane, but a few nuggets from his MLB debut: 1. After pitching to an outstanding 40-4 record at Arizona St and leading his team to the championship game in the CWS against USC, the Twins signed him to a whopping 55K bonus. 2. His 1st start came on July 4th at Metropolitan Stadium against KC. Hoping to (literally) cash in on Bane's debut like the Rangers did with David Clyde, who followed the same route out of college, Calvin Griffith promoted Bane to start without any minor league experience. 3. The game was a sellout---45,890 at the Old Met, which prompted a 15-minute delay in getting the game started. 4. Bane's 1st MLB strikeout came against Lou Piniella. 5. Bane pitched an excellent game allowing only 1 run over 7 IP. That proved to be his best game as he finished the season 0-5 with a 4.92 ERA
  15. darwin22
    Any postgame update on Buxton? Didn't see the game as I cannot (and will not) listen to the annoying, Rex Hudler as I'm forced into watching the Royals feed as I live in the KC area. Very good bounce back victory after the bats hibernated mostly the last 2 days. Crucial for the offense to pick up the pitching staff as we move toward the end of the season. Lopez appeared to regroup after allowing 2 early runs to get through 6 IP. Absolutely a MUST he be the leader for this staff the rest of the season. Having seen Zebby Matthews pitch just a month ago in Springfield, I was a little surprised to see him get promoted to start tomorrow night. I'm hoping he is aggressive and can command the strike zone. He WILL throw strikes as evidenced by his numbers all season. Hopefully, he can give us at least 4 strong innings tomorrow night and then patch things together with bullpen.
  16. darwin22
    After an unexpected sweep Friday to slice division deficit to 1.5 games, I made the following comment to my spouse: "Is it too much to hope for a split the next 2 games?" Answer: Yes it was Just a totally frustrating last 2 days. Wasted an excellent start by SWR yesterday and then Festa pitched like a rookie today. 41 pitches through 3 innings then appeared to lose his command and confidence after serving up game tying HR to Ramirez. 29 pitches in 4th to record 1 out. No mystery to me why CLE has dominated Twins this season. Hitters that work long counts, put the ball in play and come through with RISP. On the other hand, we continue to trot out 37 year-old Caleb Thielbar and have hitters that can't hit with RISP. Something like a putrid 8-65 with RISP on the season vs. Guardians. Season and playoffs are still definitely within our grasp, but the last 2 days along with the loss of Ryan doesn't have me in an optimistic mood.
  17. darwin22
    Spent the afternoon on the golf course and see that the Twins pretty much played as poorly as I did, which is quite depressing. Got to believe, well at least hope, that after the unmitigated disaster of an outing that Richards had today he will be demoted/ DFA'ed. He's not good and have no idea what Falvey saw in him. Dobnak needs to be jettisoned back to SP also. Should those two things happen, is it reasonable to expect/hope that Topa ( 0.00 ERA over 6 IP since July 23rd) and Ronny Henriquez (2.51 ERA at SP since July 1st over 14.33 IP) get promoted to add bullpen depth? IMO, I absolutely believe Topa and Henriquez have earned that opportunity. Losers of all 5 this season against CLE, I'm not as optimistic as others facing them this weekend. With our bats in hibernation the last few games and our bullpen leaking, I'd be pleased with a split. Things tilt in a BAD direction if Ryan is out for any extended period.
  18. darwin22
    Forgot about Disco Danny Ford and won't disagree with you. I'm sure others--Bombo Rivera comes to mind had major blunders, but I still stand by my comment. Larnach is a MLB player and one that I do like. Saying that, it doesn't excuse his pathetic lack of effort. That was a BAD play for a Little Leaguer. Absolutely atrocious for a high school or college player, For a MLB player just totally inexcuseable.
  19. darwin22
    An absolute gem by Festa tonight! Was aggressive throughout his 5 IP and attacked the strike zone. Got to give credit to Margot for his HR to extend the lead to 2-0. Castro played very well at SS as did Martin with each making a very good play on tough ground balls. Can't ask anymore out of our bullpen! 4 scoreless IP with only 2 hits allowed and ZERO walks. Thielbar looked very good with his dominant (3 Ks) 6th inning. Hate to end on a down note, but the baserunning BLUNDER by Larnach was absolutely disgraceful! Not only did Larnach JOG to 2nd base on Wallner's 2-out---yes 2-out---drive to right center, but he STOPPED--not a pause after rounding 2nd base looking at the Cubs OFers. That was the WORST baserunning play in that situation, that I've ever seen in 50+ years being a Twins fan! In an earlier era, Larnach should've been IMMEDIATELY benched. TK would have done it. So would've Paul Molitor as well as other managers. Not Rocco. I know he wanted to give Buxton a day off, but he had options on the bench with Miranda and Lee both sitting out. I would like to believe that this will be addressed by Baldelli. At minimum, Larnach should be fined and imo, he should step up in the clubhouse and apologize to all his teammates. Totally pathetic effort.
  20. darwin22
    For a guy making $17m this year and next you'd expect a professional effort. Not good
  21. darwin22
    Good W to finish road trip and to see bats finally wake up this afternoon. Hopefully our players don't "assume" a sweep or series win against the White Sox as their due eventually to get a win to snap their brutal losing (17 game) streak. Frustrating to see Stewart regression back to IL. Missed his performance last night. Did he have awful command? Was his velocity down? Definitely a RP we need down the stretch. Wondering how soon we might see Topa promoted from SP? Very short sample size as he's only made 2 appearances (2 scoreless IP) since being moved from Fort Myers to the Saints. Difficult to count on him (or Stewart) at this point to be counted on to help our top 4 RPs, but since the front office FAILED miserably to acquire talent at the trade deadline, they are the main 2 that feasibly could deliver key IP over the last 2 months.
  22. darwin22
    Just an absolute gem by Ober today. In command all day and just refused to allow DET hitters to get anything going. Have to admit I darn near did a double take when I saw Vazquez sit in the left handers batters box on the 2-strike pitch to Baez in the 8th! The homeplate ump sure looked surprised also. Nice to see Baez whiff on that pitch! The next thing I'd like to mention is our current catching situation. I'm sure most would agree that Vazquez is far superior defensively as well as with pitch calling/framing than Jeffers. On the flip side, Jeffers bat has been far better (until recently) than what Vasquez has done since coming to the team last year. Never thought I'd EVER and I mean EVER be writing this, but has the time come for Baldelli to bench Jeffers and give Vazquez 5+ starts each week? After an outstanding April----.338 avg with 5 HRs, 18 RBI with a .424 OBP and .636 slug--Jeffers has totally cratered at the plate as evidenced by these putrid numbers: May: .214/.295/.536, but that was mitigated by good production..7 HRs and 18 RBI June: .161/.238/.232--------other numbers were gruesome: 1 HR and 5 RBI for the month in 56ABs July: Hitting .222 (12-54) with only 1 HR and 6 RBI. Even with hit today, Jeffers is in a 3-31 funk since July 13th. Vazquez on the other hand in July has proven to be much more productive: Now hitting .324 this month (12-37) with 3 HRs and 7 RBI to go along with a plus .360 OBP. Finally, even after Thielbar's scoreless inning today--can anyone argue against the front office/Falvey making a deal to bring in a LHRP? Thielbar's command was BAD---needed 25 pitches to get through his inning. His best days are gone. Okert: Who trusts him in any tight situation? Not me! Funderburk: IMO, the best in the group, but is on IL and has struggled with his command all season. Yes, it would take giving up a legit prospect (Raya) or two to acquire Tanner Scott from MIA, but the payoff is worth it. Saying that, I doubt anything of that significance will happen.
  23. darwin22
    Echoing the comments of others, the detailed analysis of games and features on our players is one of the main reasons I check out TD on a daily basis. Seth and the other TD writers do a great job! The only suggestion I'd make is trying to update readers on the injury status of players ( ie: Rodriguez, Canterino) that have missed substantial time. Keep up the awesome work!
  24. darwin22
    No---Rocco is not obligated to do so, but we all know he's committed to pinch hitting him in ANY situation in which a LHRP is facing Wallner or Larnach. I Seriously wondering what the MLB record ( a dubious one) is for futility as a pinch hitter. Margot is now a BIG GOOSE EGG for 25 this season.
  25. darwin22
    Agree with you on Lee moving over to SS as long as Correa remains on IL. Castro would be much better suited to move over to 2B as he's shown, imo, to be lacking with glove and arm at SS. If both Miranda and Lewis are activated before Friday series in DET, I'm guessing Miranda gets the lion share of starts at 3B with Lewis serving as DH. If that happens, that would result in Larnach moving into a 4th OF role. He could also serve as a DH against RH pitching when Lewis or Miranda need a day off.
×
×
  • Create New...