Jump to content
Twins Daily
  • Create Account

stringer bell

Verified Member
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Posts

    21,409

  • Joined

  • Last visited

  • Days Won

    95

 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 Pick Tracker

Forums

Blogs

Events

Store

Downloads

Gallery

Everything posted by stringer bell

  1. stringer bell
    Either Larnach or Santana. Also possible: Willi Castro in the lineup somewhere and a presumed regular as the DH, for example Julien, Lewis, Wallner, Buxton. Kepler.
  2. stringer bell
    I know a lot of people don't like to use Pythagorean W-L when looking at a season, but the game is about runs scoring on offense and run suppression when on defense. The Twins scored 119 more runs than their opponents and according to Pythag should have won 93 games last year. With some regression to the mean, the Twins can be equally "good" and win more games this year and slip a bit and still come up with a better record. The Twins did well in extra-inning games, but were substandard in one and two run games, yielding only 87 wins last year. I expect better fortune this year, with an improved bullpen and more veteran players. Do I want to see another 30-something guy brought in to be a platoon outfielder and Buxton insurance? No, particularly if he takes away at-bats from Matt Wallner. I would be okay with bringing in a guy who plays DH versus right handed pitching and puts on a glove to give Kepler or Wallner a day off pretty often against left handed pitching. Would any of the veterans in question be accepting of being a platoon player on the short side of the platoon? I already see the veteran Santana squeezing Kirilloff out of at-bats, I don't want to see it with Wallner as well. The best move the Twins made at the trade deadline in 2023 was no move. Perhaps the same can happen now, leaving a spot for someone to win among the position players. The obvious candidates would be Trevor Larnach, Jose Miranda and Austin Martin.
  3. stringer bell
    At one point this off season, the Twins had only two pitchers over 30. Now they have seven. They have subtracted Polanco, but added Santana, who is more than seven years older. The Twins have a lot of talent still on the upswing, but have added a lot of older players lately. It appears to be a pretty good mix for 2024.
  4. stringer bell
    They essentially played last season without him, so a ways down.
  5. stringer bell
    Having López start every fifth game is crucial to the Twins. I have him as the most vital player on the team followed by Durán and Lewis.
  6. stringer bell
    Who did this report? Santana’s agent? I’m mildly in favor of bringing Carlos Santana to the Twins, but this preview made it sound like the Twins landed vintage Eddie Murray, but with Mark Grace’s defense (also vintage).
  7. stringer bell
    Boras is very good at his job. He gets to represent premier free agents because he gets them the best contracts. If we are pointing fingers about who ruined baseball (if it is really ruined), we have to look at ownership.
  8. stringer bell
    Of the three FAs being discussed here, Montgomery is by far the most consistent. If the Twins somehow see fit to add a big ticket guy, he is who I would want them to sign. Bellinger was DFA'd a couple years ago and Snell has been hugely inconsistent. For the kind of money, those guys are seeking, no thanks.
  9. stringer bell
    I've said for a while that if they bring in a position player, he has to be a starter, getting over 500 at-bats if healthy all year. If they are bringing in a platoon left fielder or Buxton backup neither is a full-time role. Maybe bringing back MAT might be okay because he'd combine those two roles and depending on Buxton's health, might get as much run as he had last year. I don't get too worked up on how a player is productive--with Taylor it was defense and power plus base running--but the needs of this team going forward would include making contact and getting on base and Taylor was poor at those things last year.
  10. stringer bell
    I think Johan will be the next Twin in the Hall of Fame. I consider him more deserving than Morris or Kaat. It is hard to measure guys from different eras, but he was dominant in his era.
  11. stringer bell
    In earlier GATG installments, the guys have said they've been told that the formula is basically 50% of revenue is dedicated to salary. For good reason, the club doesn't disclose all the details of their finances. From what we know, the loss of BAM ($30M) and the reduction of local TV revenue (plus or minus $10M) is $40M or so and the payroll is reduced by more than $30M. The Twins have chosen to explain the reduction in salary as a function of uncertainty and now reduction in local TV revenue. I guess if the BAM money is such a big factor and the Twins want people to understand that, they should point it out.
  12. stringer bell
    I do agree that it is unlikely that there would be acceptance of down years as part of the cycle. However, I think that now really isn’t a good time to cut payroll. If the Twins win the Central, a segment of the fan base will be satisfied, if the reach the ALDS or ALCS, a greater amount will be satisfied. More success yields more interest and all that goes with it. Having more payroll and using it to enhance the roster could help to achieve post season success.
  13. stringer bell
    Taking BAM into account and using a model with 50% of payroll going to payroll, the Twins payroll would then drop $15M without the one time BAM money and half of the difference in money from Diamond between '23 and '24 due, estimated at $11-15M (so half would be $5.5-7.5M. Midpoint would be $6.5M, adding back the $15M would mean a reduction of $21.5M (give or take). The Twins currently are at about $124M, after going to $155M last year. It looks like there should be some room (maybe $10M), but there could be other expenses to render this little calculation inaccurate. At best, reducing salaries should make the accountants happy, but as G and the G point out, there isn't a much worse time to reduce payroll when the Twins finally won a post season series with a mostly young lineup. It only makes sense (to most of us) to bring in another excellent player or two to get over the top.
  14. stringer bell
    I don't think I'm being Debby Downer to point out that not everything will work out. Every season there are surprises and disappointments, 2024 figures to be no different. Having all of these options in the bullpen is pretty sound strategy given the volatility of pitching and relief pitching specifically. We can all pick out our favorites and we'll be right sometimes and wrong sometimes. I think there will be opportunity for relief guys to move up the pecking order in the spring. Alcalá and Funderburk are currently below the line to make the club, but they can move closer and there will be injuries and there will be disappointments, maybe as soon as the spring.
  15. stringer bell
    I would consider platoon work in left field plus being the first sub for Buxton no matter which hand the pitcher uses to throw would be enough playing time to keep Martin with the Twins. Right handed hitters usually aren't as prone to large platoon splits, especially guys like Martin who make a lot of contact.
  16. stringer bell
    According to Gleeman and the Geek, the Bally offer was considerably more money (probably $40-45M) than a deal with mlb.tv. And, it appears the team will essentially pocket the $$$$ since they haven't spent more than what they saved when Polanco was traded.
  17. stringer bell
    Always an interesting listen. I realize I’m not typical in that I’ll follow the team passionately whether they win 70 or 90, but attracting the casual fan and setting the team up for future success seems to have been lost in balancing the books for the short term. Regarding Spring Training, I am curious about similar topics. I hope to see (and hear of) Austin Martin in center field and I’m really interested where Brooks Lee will be playing on the infield.
  18. stringer bell
    Taylor was near league average in OPS despite the low batting average and he had a .915 OPS against left handed pitching. I could see him as a platoon LF and defensive replacement/pinch runner and Buxton insurance. Honestly, I’d like Austin Martin better in that role, but there aren’t many options if Martin isn’t ready.
  19. stringer bell
    1) Win lots of games. 2) Reduce ticket prices. I'm serious about this. For the games that look like they might draw less than 20,000 offer tickets for the nether regions at reduced prices, sort of like the Knothole Gang games of old. 3) Win lots of games. 4) Sign a prominent player to an extension. Royce Lewis might be the best case.
  20. stringer bell
    I can't see him making the BP without a rash of injuries. He is first on the list for a DFA IMHO.
  21. stringer bell
    Funderburk will get some time with the Twins, I am confident. Whether it is because a lefty is injured or someone else washes out, Funderburk will get his chance. I think Alcalá needs to prove something and maybe that it is to be done at St. Paul. This is a big season for him.
  22. stringer bell
    There's space for Canterino to be in the rotation sooner than the bullpen, I think. I can see him starting once a week for the Saints and then being recalled at mid-season.
  23. stringer bell
    Weiss has two options remaining.
  24. stringer bell
    Topa, Jax and all the guys looking for that last spot have options. I would anticipate that any minor injury might be grounds for placement on the Injured List, with as much depth as they have. Additionally, those signed to minor league contracts may well have opt-outs. Something will have to be done as there are considerably more players than spaces available for the Twins and St. Paul.
  25. stringer bell
    Michael A Taylor remains on the Twins radar according to mlbtraderumors.com. He is the only free agent that really makes sense for the Twins at this point IMHO. https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/02/twins-rumors-michael-a-taylor.html
×
×
  • Create New...