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stringer bell

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Everything posted by stringer bell

  1. stringer bell
    I old enough and old school enough to remember teams with shortstops like Mark Belanger and Eddie Brinkman, guys who batted eighth or ninth, and when they provided offense it was a bonus. Defensively, Kreidler looks the part of a plus-plus defender. As noted above, he's a pretty big guy and when he makes contact he can clear the fence. 90 plate appearances doesn't undo the almost 200 he had with the Tigers, but he has reduced his K percentage and hit the ball harder than he did in any of his three previous seasons, With average defense from shortstop, pitcher and right field, the Twins are an average defense. In those three positions rank them among the worst in MLB. I think Kreidler improves the defense dramatically.
  2. stringer bell
    Platooning has its place, but isn't optimum for the middle infield, where the shortstop and second basemen really have to work together for the infield defense to be at its best. Asking Gray to become the primary shortstop when he was always regarded as an infielder who could play short was a stretch.
  3. stringer bell
    Banda did a real nice job in the ninth. Part of that (IMHO) is the top-heaviness of the Snakes order, but he's been much better since a really terrible start. I'm not ready to give up on Keaschall as a defensive second baseman. His offense has been so-s0, but better than his defense, but he's got enough speed to have decent range and while he doesn't have a strong arm, if his release is quick enough and he's accurate, arm strength isn't going to matter much.
  4. stringer bell
    Is Jackson doing too much? When Jeffers returns, will they be forced to keep Jackson and go with three catchers? He's a 30-year old guy with some intriguing skills and I'd certainly like to see the Twins keep him not so much for as long as they have Jeffers, but for next year if there is a season.
  5. stringer bell
    It is much better with a good shortstop. I think that Shelton has to stay with Kreidler a) as long as he’s above the Mendoza Line and b) as long as Culpepper is in St. Paul.
  6. stringer bell
    He’s got the tools to be excellent behind the plate and limiting the running game. He has looked better with more playing time.
  7. stringer bell
    Would anybody have written that three weeks ago?
  8. stringer bell
    Lineup doesn’t look as good with Buck at DH and Fedko in center. Also Jackson catching and Bell and Caratini sitting. The bench today is Gray, Martin, Caratini and Bell.
  9. stringer bell
    Buxton doesn't look right to me at this time. I didn't like the way he went after the line drive towards the gap.
  10. stringer bell
    Bad news on the injury front, Abel had a setback and will be getting an MRI. Most seemed to expect him being activated and starting tomorrow.
  11. stringer bell
    Speaking of fairness--life and major league opportunities are not fair. Guys with high velocity on their fastballs seem to get infinite opportunities, while the Randy Dobnaks of the world get considerably less. Right handed hitting corner outfielders get less chances than toolsy middle infielders. Left handed pitchers will be tried time and again.
  12. stringer bell
    It took him 24 games, but Tristan Gray has surpassed Brooks Lee as having the worst Defensive Runs Saved in MLB. Gray is okay at third and second (and probably first), but he shouldn't be playing shortstop. Right now, despite his MLB hitting history, Ryan Kreidler should be playing shortstop for the Twins.
  13. stringer bell
    Gray played well in the field at Texas, but he’s really stretched at shortstop. I’d like to see more of Kreidler until they can recall Culpepper.
  14. stringer bell
    Keaschall had a really nice game yesterday, even made a couple of nice plays in the field.
  15. stringer bell
    A really nice game for Keaschall. Not so good for Lewis and Buxton. Larnach had another nice day at the plate and Brooks’ HR broke it open.
  16. stringer bell
    Projecting is tough. I actually think Brooks Lee could be the moving piece in a future infield, playing third, second and occasionally shortstop and perhaps getting full-time plate appearances without having a full-time position (see Castro, Willi). Royce Lewis is the superior athlete with the stronger arm (over Lee) and it appears that Culpepper will get a shot at short, but second or third will be his ultimate position. There will probably be twists and turns in who will play and where they play. I just hope we have some clarity on a couple of the players by the end of this season.
  17. stringer bell
    By the time he won a Gold Glove, Dozier was less than stellar. When he moved from short to second, he was pretty good.
  18. stringer bell
    Houston had nice numbers at Fort Myers and then struggled at the next level. He's dominated that same level this year, but will he struggle at AA? His numbers are maybe enough to skip AA altogether. I hope he gets out of Cedar Rapids soon.
  19. stringer bell
    Brooks Lee has improved his arm strength from 28th percentile to 30th and this year 40th percentile. I don't recall exactly what his arm injury was, but it took quite a while to improve. I am not sure what Keaschall's arm upside is, but I think there is room for some improvement.
  20. stringer bell
    I don't think it's fair to show a "worst of" Keaschall any more than it is for any player. They all make errors and a great majority of players can be shown on blooper reels. That said, the numbers aren't kind for Luke at this time. He has the foot speed to have better than average range, although that hasn't shown up at this point. Second base and first base are the two best places to hide a suspect arm and I don't think his current rating is necessarily permanent. Austin Martin has moved from having a very weak arm after surgery to slightly above average and it took more than a year. Keaschall's recovery was interrupted by hit HBP injury, so there may be room for improvement. On the whole, I thought Keaschall's pivots on double plays has been decent, perhaps better than that.
  21. stringer bell
    I don't think a deep voice is the be-all and end all of play by play.
  22. stringer bell
    Kody Clemens is a really good story and he's a pretty good ballplayer. I would rather he play first base pretty close to full-time, but it appears that Royce Lewis will get a lot of playing time there going forward.
  23. stringer bell
    Willi's versatility included both infield and outfield--Kreidler and Clemens both have played multiple games in the outfield and infield. They are choices to be super-utility guys. Clemens is getting playing time commensurate with what Castro got.
  24. stringer bell
    Is he the backup quarterback or the hated substitute teacher? Honestly, I don't mind different voices behind the mircrophone and he gives a little different perspective. My criticism would be he made the events of the game try to fit with the narrative he established. On Monday, Kreidler was Ozzie Smith on plays where he would have been charged with an error if he had not retired the hitter and on Tuesday it was all about Buxton who had one hit and made no stellar defensive plays.
  25. stringer bell
    Also Jenkins is rehabbing and should be back in St. Paul very soon. I hope they don't send him to Wichita just to complete the circuit.
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