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stringer bell

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Everything posted by stringer bell

  1. stringer bell
    FWIW, Kirilloff has had a quiet, but productive, spring thus far. He's hitting .324 with a .970 OPS. There doesn't seem any reason for him not to be in the lineup every day against right handed, whether it is as the DH, the first baseman or maybe at a corner outfield spot.
  2. stringer bell
    I don't think the game was broadcast. I know it wasn't on Bally. Eddie, Jesse Winker and Gallo are in a position battle, with likely two of the three making the Opening Day roster. Winker and Rosario have opt-out today (per BBRef.com) and one is likely to get cut loose. Gallo has a major league contract, so it's unlikely he is sent packing. Sands, IMHO, is the one rostered reliever who will be optioned to get to 13 pitchers, so Duarte has to be better than Sands plus one other guy. So far, Staumont hasn't been impressive, but neither has Funderburk and Alcalá overall. With the BP injuries, most of the perceived depth is gone for the moment.
  3. stringer bell
    Once the club determines a guy on the 40-man won't make the club, they send them down because they don't want them to get injured and then get major league service time while on the IL. If Lee were on the 40-man, he might now have ended up on the IL with his minor injury and his major league service time clock would start. The other issue is giving pitchers innings to stretch out and hitters more at-bats.
  4. stringer bell
    De La Cruz isn't going to be a superstar because of his line in Spring Training this year. And Wallner isn't a bust because of his results this spring. De La Cruz has superstar tools including speed and bat speed that make him a good bet and Wallner has less tools, but plus plus power.
  5. stringer bell
    Yep!! He’s the one I think very few remember.
  6. stringer bell
    The Twins are playing the Nationals in an away game for Minnesota. Position players making the trip (who will play for the Twins this year) are Kirilloff, Farmer, Wallner and Lee. The Nationals have three ex-Twins in their lineup. A bonus of 5 points (value of $0) to anyone who can pick them out without using a reference book.
  7. stringer bell
    I think a larger sample size will tell a lot about Matt Wallner. The range of projection for him could be from AAAA player to All-Star. As noted, there’s plenty to be concerned about, but also plenty that is vey encouraging. I think it is preposterous to send Wallner down based on a lousy Spring Training, but it is not preposterous to believe he could be in the minors by May Day.
  8. stringer bell
    Yes, he’ll start every time against left handed pitching and to start the season, he’ll hit lead off against lefties. It appears he’ll get “a lot” of starts vs. right handers as well. I hope it is less than half the time against righties but that is tbd.
  9. stringer bell
    There seems to be a mutiny going on with the MLBPA. While Tony Clark’s job has been directly threatened, his assistant seems to be under pressure. The complaints center on Scott Boras’ relationship with the top execs of the union—that they are too cozy with Boras and that he influences them too much. Several Boras clients remained unsigned late and into spring training and some have agreed to contracts far below projections, taking much luster off Boras' reputation. Perhaps not directly related to Boras, a player (JD Davis) won an arbitration hearing and then was ultimately released, costing the player several million dollars. I'm sure players don't want this to happen to them. I’m a fan of the Players’ Union. They have managed to win free agency for players and allow the average salary to grow, while leaving a framework that allows the small markets to have a chance to compete. They don’t have the parity of the NFL, but working conditions and salary for baseball players is far better than the other sports. I see anything weakening the MLBPA as helping the owners, who don’t need any help.
  10. stringer bell
    I'm not saying that Spring Training doesn't matter, but stats accrued are far less a direct indicator of whether the player can help the team. Willi Castro didn't hit a lot in the spring, but showed he was versatile and capable of holding his own at the plate. Hitting early in the spring isn't nearly as important as when major leaguers are pitching the majority of innings and using all their pitches.
  11. stringer bell
    Falvey has stated that Durán, Thielbar and DeSclafani are starting the season on the IL. With the roster players who have been optioned, there remain 27 for 26 players. There are 14 rostered pitchers, so one will have to be optioned. The players with options who haven't been guaranteed a spot are Staumont, Funderburk, Alcalá and Sands. The consensus is that Sands will be optioned. That would leave this active roster: Position players--Jeffers, Vázquez, Kirilloff, Santana, Julien, Farmer, Correa, Lewis, Castro, Kepler, Buxton, Wallner, Margot. Pitchers--López, Ryan, Ober, Paddack, Varland, Alcalá, Funderburk, Jackson, Staumont, Topa, Okert, Jax, Stewart.
  12. stringer bell
    Larnach's last option was just used. I expect he'll spend most of his 2024 in St. Paul, but chances of an injury to a corner OF are pretty high, so he'll get some time with the Twins. With Kepler likely leaving after this year, maybe the Twins will hang on to Larnach believing he can help them in 2025. There are DH at-bats to be had this year and next. Miranda and Larnach could be in line for many of those ABs. It will be a huge year for both of those guys and if they don't step up, they likely won't be around next year.
  13. stringer bell
    Since apparently all of the roster decisions have been made, which decision was made based on Spring Training stats in your opinion?
  14. stringer bell
    The risk in acquiring DeSclafani has come to pass. If this guy was going to come back healthy, the Giants wouldn't have paid money to trade him and neither would the Mariners. Health has always been a huge question mark and here we are. He had an elbow issue and it was dealt with non-surgically. From the player's perspective, this makes a lot of sense, since this is the last year of a multi-year contract. The Giants paid $4 to pass the risk to the Mariners and the Ms paid $4M more to pass it to the Twins. At $4M, DeSclafani might have been a gamble worth taking, but again the Twins look like they are going bust on that gamble. I'll argue all day that DeSclafani would have been well worth it for a half season of pitching in an alternate reality where his elbow stayed in one piece. He didn't make it to the finish line, as a matter of fact it appears he won't make it to the starting line.
  15. stringer bell
    While I think there's probably a <10% chance that they will sign Lorenzen, I think it might be a good move. He has ample experience in the bullpen, so he could be shifted there if there are better options in the rotation and he could perhaps be that much coveted multi-inning reliever Rocco is always looking for. The Twins certainly need to go at least eight deep in starters, probably nine or ten and right now, including Varland, they have five plus SWR and Festa. I don't want to see Dobnak or Headrick starting games for the Twins in August, but without reinforcements, I think that is what we are looking at.
  16. stringer bell
    That would be my assumption, as well. TBH Funderburk hasn't pitched particularly well this spring, nor has Staumont. I see that Staumont got his velo up to 98, which is encouraging. Most likely Sands will get his chances to pitch for the Twins serving as a shuttle member. Of the non-roster guys, Duarte started a couple games (opener?) and wasn't as effective as pitching later in games. It could be that he was facing major leaguers when starting and AA guys when pitching later innings earlier in camp. Bowman and Brigham seemed to enhance their stock and the couple times that Henriquez pitched he was pretty good.
  17. stringer bell
    I'll add that with the IL moves already announced by Falvey, there remain 27 players for 26 spots. Unless a non-roster player is selected, one pitcher will have to go. The relief pitchers with options are Alcalá, Funderburk, Staumont and Sands.
  18. stringer bell
    Trevor Larnach and Jose Miranda were both optioned to St. Paul today and Jordan Balazovic was reassigned to minor league camp.
  19. stringer bell
    So, on one day, five guys are moved from likely to pitch in the next week to the IL. Tough day for sure.
  20. stringer bell
    Yes. He reported "forearm stiffness" after his minor league outing a couple days ago and he will be seeing a surgeon this week.
  21. stringer bell
    My best guess is that DeSclafani will on the 60-day soon. The verdict will probably come pretty soon on whether Disco will get surgery.
  22. stringer bell
    It doesn't end with that. Canterino will open the season on the minor league IL and Zack Weiss will also start the season on the major league IL.
  23. stringer bell
    I suppose Funderburk, Alcalá and Varland are now in for Opening Day. A couple of the non-roster guys are on the brink if there are more bullpen injuries.
  24. stringer bell
    That bullpen depth is now being used in March/April. The rash of injuries has struck the pitchers, so far.
  25. stringer bell
    Yes. h/t Chief!
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