Jump to content
Twins Daily
  • Create Account

stringer bell

Verified Member
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Posts

    21,549

  • 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 Tracker: Picks & Bonuses

Forums

Blogs

Events

Store

Downloads

Gallery

Everything posted by stringer bell

  1. stringer bell
    I count Louie as no worse than #6 and perhaps at #5. I think it’s still a real long shot for Lee to break camp with the Twins. Nick Gordon would now seem to have a much better chance of staying with the Twins.
  2. stringer bell
    You are saying it, but I can’t agree. Larnach is not going to move the needle much nor is Severino. Polanco, Kepler, Lewis, Lee, Julien and maybe Kirilloff are the names that could pry a quality, cost-controlled starter from the Mariners. And the Twins would have to add a pitcher to that.
  3. stringer bell
    The story is that the Twins will spend their savings on a player or players, perhaps free agents. Before any further acquisitions, the position player side has changed dramatically. If Buxton can play center field most of the time, the DH slot can rotate. With Castro, Gordon and Farmer inserted in the field and all of Lewis, Correa, Julien and Kirilloff can DH. Adding a credible right handed bat can mean an enhanced attack against left handers.
  4. stringer bell
    Yeah, from the original story, it appeared the Twins would actually be paying more in salary for the two major leaguers. Now, it looks like they will pay little or none of DeSclafani's salary and are about $10M on the plus side. So, if the Twins add a $10M hitter, they are getting that player plus Topa, plus DeSclafani plus a legit prospect and a lottery ticket for Polanco. Sure, it all could blow up, but I'm pretty happy with the whole thing.
  5. stringer bell
    According to BB Ref, DeSclafani's salary will not cost the Twins much at all. San Francisco is paying half and the Mariners are paying $6M, meaning the Twins will pay no more than $2M. That does mean the Twins will have some money to spend. It also means that the Twins don't have significant money invested in DeSclafani, so if he's another Bundy, they would be less prone to hang on to him.
  6. stringer bell
    DeSclafani hasn't been healthy for the last two years. He was very good in 2021. Can he be both healthy and effective in 2024 at 34 years of age? I think there's a greater than zero chance that he can be effective. I looked at his game log and he pitched very well until sometime in May. Injury? Maybe. I would also note that AD (tired of typing that long name!) was much better in the friendly confines of Oracle Park. We fans want to win every trade, meaning only elite major leaguers and top prospects. I don't know who will win this trade, but it will most likely be decided by the health of the major leaguers.
  7. stringer bell
    I didn't want to like this post, but that is exactly where I've been for weeks--the teams willing to trade good controllable starting pitching are not going to take on the salary of Jorge Polanco or Max Kepler. Teams that want Polanco or Kepler might be willing to give back prospects, but they aren't going to part with a #1-#3 starter who is controllable.
  8. stringer bell
    It's not "just like Arraez for Lopez" because the starting pitching piece acquired isn't a top of the line pitcher. Of course, Polanco isn't Arraez either. The Mariners get two years of a very good player. The Twins get one year of a dreaded innings eater if he's healthy. The other guys acquired are interesting--Topa had a very nice season and it looks like he's quite a ground ball machine, Gonzalez looks like a nice prospect.
  9. stringer bell
    I hope the Twins keep DeSclafani long enough that I can spell his name. That didn't happen with IKF.
  10. stringer bell
    Topa has a nice season last year, but he's 33 in March. First year arb eligible.
  11. stringer bell
    No salary freed up--DeSclafani is making more than Polanco. Cash returned might make save the Twins some $$$. Do we know how much money is involved?
  12. stringer bell
    Well, we knew there would be some movement before the start of the season. Polanco is a solid professional and he'll help Seattle. I hope DeSclafani can give them a decent season. I know nothing about the minor leaguers, but this is about what I expected.
  13. stringer bell
    While I agree almost totally with Brian's post above, I still think the priority is on the mound. It is pretty close to inevitable that at least one of the projected five starters will be on the IL. Last year, the Twins had relatively good health, but Mahle missed almost the whole year, Maeda missed over a month and Ryan missed about three weeks. With Ober in reserve and Louis Varland behind him, the Twins received competent pitching a great majority of the time. Going seven deep should be the minimum and the Twins look pretty shaky after five. Regarding getting plate appearances for the guys who were platooned, that is why I really don't want to see the Twins get a first base or corner outfield right handed bat. It then provides a rationale for platooning either/or Wallner and Kirilloff and Julien. I would hope all three get increased opportunities against southpaws and respond with better production. Wallner had 18.1% of his plate appearances vs. left handers, Kirilloff 17.6% and Julien 11.8 %.
  14. stringer bell
    I would point out that one area where Castro was weak last year was against left handed pitching (.636 OPS), but I would expect Willi to get several starts in left vs. left handed pitchers, particularly since the young left handed hitters (Kirilloff, Wallner and Julien) were all far worse vs. lefties. Lifetime, Castro does not have severe platoon splits.
  15. stringer bell
    I think the biggest factor in Buxton's offensive struggles last year wasn't that he was a DH, but that he wasn't close to fully healthy. Using BB as the DH a lot (40-60 times) would make sense given his injury history. Probably no day games after night games (in the field) and breaking up eight to ten consecutive game stretches. In 2022, Buxton's stat lines were very close when he was DH and when he was the center fielder. I do believe that a slump can deepen when the only thing the player is doing is coming to the plate, but I don't think using Buxton as a frequent DH should be ruled out.
  16. stringer bell
    As the roster is today: 9 starters--Jeffers, Kirilloff, Julien, Correa, Lewis, Polanco, Wallner, Buxton, Kepler. With a three or four way trade-off for who is the DH. Bench--Vázquez, Farmer, Castro, Miranda. I'm picking Miranda for the last guy because he would get consistent (not frequent) playing time as the platoon partner for Kirilloff and given Kiriloff's health history, AK may get days off even against right handers. With the other 12 guys pretty much guaranteed their spots, where would Nick Gordon get consistent playing time? Is he a better option than Castro to start in center when Buxton is not? Should he start at second base over Julien or Polanco? Should he get time in left field when Castro is probably the better backup option? Even during his "good" year, his splits against left handed pitching were poor. Gordon has played very little third base and not much shortstop. Farmer and Castro are both preferred options to Gordon on the left side of the infield. The Twins could make a place for Gordon by trading Farmer or Polanco (and maybe Kepler) or maybe more accurately, there would be a roster and playing time opportunity for Gordon if one of those three were traded.
  17. stringer bell
    The only guy I can see losing his spot on the 40-man not due to health issues is Jensen. Due to lack of options, Gordon and Balazovic are in jeopardy.
  18. stringer bell
    I just don't see Gordon making the 26-man roster without disabling injuries. He is redundant in the outfield and not needed at second base, with both Polanco and Julien on the team. In order to make the team, he has to be considered a superior option in center field to Willi Castro and for there to be room on the bench for Castro, Farmer and Gordon. I just don't think that is the case.
  19. stringer bell
    I don't dispute that Nick Gordon is a major league player, but even if he's a slightly better hitter than Willi, it doesn't make him more valuable than Castro. I would go so far as to say if the comparison were center field only, I'd still prefer Castro's combination of okay defense (in center), superior base running and comparable hitting (especially since he's a switch hitter) to what Gordon brings to the table.
  20. stringer bell
    I think Keaschall's floor is making the major leagues and his ceiling is becoming a major league regular, probably at a position not high on the defensive spectrum. He is precisely the kind of player that should be included as a prospect in a trade netting big league talent.
  21. stringer bell
    That is a fair critique IMHO. The Twins have far too many question marks to be considered a powerhouse like the Braves, Phillies, Dodgers and Astros. If those question marks pan out negative somebody else has a very good chance to win the AL Central. That said, Detroit has plenty of question marks themselves. Give me the Twins current roster over any AL Central team 100 times out of 100.
  22. stringer bell
    Two thoughts on Bubba: 1) Nobody is saying that he currently makes maximum use of his 100th percentile speed. For him to be an asset, he certainly has to make better use of that speed in chasing down fly balls and base running., as well as getting on base via bunting or base on balls. 2) Bubba is 25 years old. A lot of 25 year-olds get a lot better at 26--Jeffers and Castro last year--so I wouldn't pigeonhole Thompson as exactly the hitter he has been up to now. In order to be a good major league player Thompson has to more completely use his great speed and develop as a hitter. If it would be easy to do either, he already would have made those improvements. Like guys with 100 mph fastballs or 80/80 power, teams will continue to take chances on guys with potential game-changing speed.
  23. stringer bell
    Detroit overachieved in the division and according to Pythagorean computation they should have won five less games. I don't take them as a true contender, but they are getting closer. They'll certainly get better production out of the DH spot this year and they have acquired some decent veteran players. I think .500 will be a worthy goal for them and they should be a few games above or below that.
  24. stringer bell
    Kiersey, Castro, and probably Martin are fast. Bubba and Buxton up until his knee injuries are another level. Just having speed like Terrance Gore or Herb Washington isn't enough to be a real contributor (niche is a good word for it), but if Bubba can develop enough of his game around that elite speed, he can help. Yes, it is a long shot, but he's only 25 and stranger things have happened.
  25. stringer bell
    I'm not sure his hitting can be fixed to a degree that he could establish himself as a major league player. That said, Bubba is a faster runner than Buxton has been since 2019. That kind of speed can be game-changing. I don't think this claim will be a success if he is Billy Hamilton lite, but it could be a consolation prize that could be helpful in September or October, much more so than Andrew Stevenson was in 2023. He stands to be the best defensive left fielder or center fielder on the 40-man (perhaps outside of Buxton). Overall, I'd prefer Castro because of his decent hitting, especially as a LH hitter and proven ability to be a base running force in MLB, but chances are Willi will be needed elsewhere. Austin Martin also could be that guy, maybe right away and maybe by mid season. As long as there are vacant 40-man spots, it is pretty much risk free as long as the Twins don't lose out on a superior player because of Bubba on the 40-man.
×
×
  • Create New...