Jump to content
Twins Daily
  • Create Account

stringer bell

Verified Member
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Posts

    21,410

  • 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
    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
  2. stringer bell
    Official reporting date is Saturday IIRC. The first official workout is the 18th.
  3. stringer bell
    I would hope this thread would be a go-to for news of injured and recovering Twins during spring training. Star-Trib reports that Josh Winder is behind because of a "right scapula stress fracture" diagnosed in October. He won't be ready for the early Spring Training games, but is throwing 90 feet at this time. Jose Miranda may be limited early in Spring Training due to the procedure on his right shoulder. Injured from last year: Staumont and DeSclafani are reporting and saying they are recovered. Kirilloff is at Fort Myers with no report of being limited due to his late-season shoulder injury.
  4. stringer bell
    I'm glad that DeSclafani is reporting as healthy coming into camp. I don't trust that he will last the season and/or his effectiveness will be limited by his elbow issues. That said, I don't see him as being another Dylan Bundy--a guy with substandard stuff who had to have near perfect command to be an effective starter. DeSclafani demonstrated in April/May 2023 that he could be a good mid-rotation pitcher. If that guy can give the Twins 120-150 innings, the rotation looks pretty solid. To me, the main risk with taking on DeSclafani was health. With the Twins only taking on $4M of his salary, it is a good risk.
  5. stringer bell
    First of all, as a fan of Willi Castro, I don't want to see him tied to center field. It's not his best defensive position and his biggest defensive asset is his versatility, so I would hope that Willi is the 3rd CF. While every club needs to score runs, I don't think the Twins have a glaring need to add an offensive asset in center. They have one is Byron Buxton is healthy and in center. I think it is important that his backup be more than passable as a defender. I think Willi Castro just gets there, so I would hope for something better, be it from re-signing MAT or employing Martin (or Keirsey) as the backup. Whoever wins the 26th spot on the team will need to show they can hit and field well enough to belong in the majors. I'd prefer it is someone already in the organization and the only non-organization guy I see filling that role is Michael A Taylor.
  6. stringer bell
    There's certainly a path for Martin to make the Opening Day roster. What I would think is important and, at this point, undetermined is how good a defender Martin is in center field. If he is better in center than Willi Castro, I think it enhances his case to make the team, particularly because it then frees Castro to be a true super utility guy, with no assigned position, but who can get playing time at five different spots. Martin has to show something in camp, both with his glove and his bat. I think the closest thing to a certainty is that he will be a good base runner.
  7. stringer bell
    The injury was to his non-throwing shoulder FWIW. I've visualized AK as the primary first baseman for the last three years. He was last year for a while (platooned, of course) and I hope youth is served eventually at first base by having Kirilloff as the first baseman even when Santana is in the lineup.
  8. stringer bell
    Matt Wallner is the incumbent in left field. He'll start there or in right field if something happens to Kepler and he'll DH some with Willi Castro in left field. A year ago, Trevor Larnach was clearly ahead of Wallner, but Matt clearly outperformed Trevor in major league at-bats and played a good left field. Larnach is around in case Larnach falters and will also get DH at-bats if he makes the club. If he makes the club, Austin Martin will get some time in left as well. It will be interesting to see the pecking order between left and center between Martin and Castro. If Castro is in left and Martin in center, that will indicate that Martin is a viable option to back up Buxton.
  9. stringer bell
    The Twins head into 2024 with an apparent "good problem" on the horizon. Brooks Lee is nearly ready to step into the majors as a regular infielder. The Twins already have Edouard Julien penciled in as their regular second baseman, Carlos Correa as their shortstop on the second year of a six-year guaranteed no-trade contract and Royce Lewis at third base after a shortened (but monster) rookie season. Lee has played shortstop in college and as a pro with a few games at third base. He looks the part of a major league SS, but is projected to be an excellent third baseman if a position switch was made. Additionally, there is little doubt that he'd be able to handle second base, as well. Julien is a hitter first, but made tangible strides on defense last year for the Twins. He did play a couple of games at first base in 2023 and acquitted himself satisfactorily. Correa is the veteran at 29, he previously won a Platinum Glove as the top defender in baseball and was a finalist for a Gold Glove last year. Lewis was also a shortstop, now switched to third base. His defense there was satisfactory last year and he has played some outfield in the minors and Arizona Fall League. Royce suffered his second ACL tear while playing in center field for the Twins in 2022, his only major league game at that position. How do the Twins resolve this situation? Could one of the younger guys be traded? Does someone switch positions? Could all four be regulars by using one as a DH? Lots of possible answers! On the poll, I'll list "none of the above" as an answer--please give your solution in the thread if you choose that answer. Thanks!
  10. stringer bell
    So was Byron Buxton last year??? Self-reports aren't the most reliable, but nonetheless it's better than saying they can't throw from the pitching rubber to home plate.
  11. stringer bell
    This early in the spring, it isn't wise to utilize the 60-day IL unless the player is certain to be out long-term. There really isn't any 40-man issue until a non-roster player makes a push to be on the active roster or the Twins sign a major league free agent. I would think that Weiss would be DFAed before any player is put on the 60-day IL to make room for someone. I think both Staumont and DeSclafani are huge injury risks. I also think that if fully healthy, both could be big additions to the pitching staff.
  12. stringer bell
    That's correct. The 60-day list can be used once teams report to camp, but the 60 days start on Opening Day, so anyone put on the 60-day IL is out until the tail end of May. Edit: Ninja'd by @IndianaTwin!
  13. stringer bell
    I saw the list and noted they had passed through waivers. So, they lost Bubba, but kept Jordy Blaze and Duarte.
  14. stringer bell
    Going off the projection made in a thread on the Front Page News, I'm trying to put together the projected pitching staff for the Saints in 2024. We all know the major league team will need reinforcements throughout the season, and with the depth the Twins have put together (particularly in the bullpen), it looks to me like the Saints might have quite the powerhouse pitching staff. Starters--Simeon Woods Richardson*, David Festa, Randy Dobnak, Brent Headrick*, Caleb Boushley, Matt Canterino*. Bullpen--Ronnie Henriquez, Michael Boyle, AJ Alexy, Ryan Jensen, Hobie Harris, Matt Bowman, Jared Solomon, Jordan Balazovic, Daniel Duarte, Jeff Brigham, Jorge Alcalá*, Kody Funderburk*, Cole Sands*, Josh Winder*, and Zack Weiss*. That is 21 pitchers. I don't know how many of the newly signed guys have opt-outs, and there will be injuries, but without adding any more guys who were in the system last year below St. Paul, that's a lot of arms. I marked an asterisk next to pitchers who are on the 40-man roster. Did I miss anyone? Who is the pick to click from this group?
  15. stringer bell
    Bubba we hardly knew ye. Claimed by the Reds. https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/02/reds-claim-bubba-thompson-designate-levi-stoudt.html
  16. stringer bell
    Do-Hyeoung Park has weighed in on the Twins official website. He has Miranda instead of Larnach as the 26th man, but otherwise agrees with the prediction of the OP. As much as I didn't agree with Larnach in the role of 4th OF, I think having Miranda as a right handed DH and Castro as basically the only outfield depth is off track. There might be another transaction, but right now I'll stick with my prediction that Austin Martin is on the roster on Opening Day.
  17. stringer bell
    I think it is seven days, so we'll get word tomorrow.
  18. stringer bell
    Ugh. Syndergaard hasn’t been good since????? Lorenzen threw a no-hitter and then went to …..no good last year.
  19. stringer bell
    You’re talking about Correa? It’s my understanding that he’s here for six years with team options after that meaning that he couldn’t be a free agent until after 2028. Looking at this a little deeper, you must be talking about Correa’s original contract with the Twins. Sorry I misinterpreted.
  20. stringer bell
    I wonder if an even tighter payroll in ‘25 is why the Twins acquired all these older team controlled guys. Only Thielbar can be a free agent among the relievers and DeSclafani is the only starter. If most of these work out, the bullpen turnover will be limited. Also, it would explain reluctance to even consider guys looking for multi-year deals. I see Soler got three years and the top remaining free agents want more than three.
  21. stringer bell
    I have Austin Martin over Larnach due to versatility, RH bat and speed. Having Martin available to play center allows Castro to be a true super utility guy and spreads out DH at bats between the projected starters and Santana. On the pitching side, if everyone is healthy, this looks about right. Funderburk or Alcalá could possibly pitch their way on the Opening Day staff in the bullpen Varland gets a lovely parting gift (Green Line ticket) with a guarantee of a return
  22. stringer bell
    I think the salary is guaranteed as soon as a contract is tendered.
  23. stringer bell
    The roster, as of today, doesn’t have a regular DH. I am speculating that Castro starts in left, center, second, short and third while the regular takes a half day as DH. That’s what a super-utility guy does and that maximizes Castro’s versatility.. If Buxton can’t play over a quarter of the time in center, the club needs to sign MAT tonight unless there is a somewhat regular center fielder waiting in the wings. It shouldn’t be Castro in center field starting 100 games. It’s probably Willi’s fourth or fifth best position.
  24. stringer bell
    I have Bally on my DirecTV package. Along with Peacock, I had access to every regular season game, only to not have viewing access for five of the six post season games. I live outside of Elgin.
  25. stringer bell
    Farmer had been +2 for Defensive Runs Saved at shortstop in his career until 2023, when he was -5 in 40 games, 27 starts. Yes, he went to a new club and he played less SS than he had in the previous year, but that is quite a downturn. I think he is on the downslope due to aging and mid-thirties is a time when that aging shows particularly in speed and range. His sprint speed is 31st percentile. I think the club trusts Willi Castro in February of 2024 a lot more than they did in February of 2023. He demonstrated that he could be a very good defender wherever he was placed. Circumstances kept him out of the middle infield in 2023 and might again in 2024, but I think he proved he is more than capable as a defender. On the flip side, Castro was the superior hitter to Farmer against right handed pitching. We are both making some assumptions here, but I'm saying if somebody is to sub in for Lewis, Correa or Julien against a right handed pitcher, I'd pick Castro ten times out of ten.
×
×
  • Create New...