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stringer bell

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Everything posted by stringer bell

  1. stringer bell
    I actually see room for both Miranda and Martin to break camp with the Twins. It would mean that someone is injured or that they use Larnach's last option. Larnach really doesn't have a place to play with the current position player mix, not even as a DH. Miranda could fill the Solano role and Martin and Gordon would compete for the last spot. Martin has the advantage of hitting righty, while Gordon is out of options.
  2. stringer bell
    I don't know how it will take shape, but I do expect that the Twins will add another starting pitcher, but probably not one that has been talked about on these forums this off season. I also believe there is much room for optimism with the current cast of players. Not one key position player should be a regression candidate on the basis of their age, and only Caleb Thielbar among the pitchers. As noted above, their two highest paid players are a good bet to far exceed their production of 2023. Buxton turned 30 this off season and Correa turned 29 at the end of September. Injuries will happen. The Twins were well prepared for that in 2023 and I fear a little bit that they are counting on unproven players more this year. Regression is also probably among the players who broke through last year, but that is probably true of most players who had a good year last year.
  3. stringer bell
    Ryan does need more than two pitches to succeed, but he showed on several occasions that he does have three (fastball, sweeper, change). He was inconsistent with his secondary pitches and not as consistent with his fastball in the second half of the season, possibly related to injury. As is, he is a solid #3.
  4. stringer bell
    Given the high price attached to pitching, I have a hard time seeing the Twins thread the needle of getting a #2 or #3 starter by trade. Getting a "good" starter with at least an additional year of team control means that the pitcher would be making more than the salary of one of the Twins' prime trade chips (Polanco, Kepler). The cost in prospects and players would be higher than that prime trade chip and given the apparent ceiling of about $120M for payroll, the Twins would have to shed as much as they obtain. Also, the universe of available good starters is pretty small. For a team to take on Kepler or Polanco's contract, they need to believe they can win this year and they can afford to trade a "good" starter. I am of the opinion that if the Twins get a starter, it will be someone with some negatives attached to their resumé that the Twins think they can fix.
  5. stringer bell
    Interesting article. I think the unknowns will determine Martin's success. Can he be a plus outfielder? Will the stolen base numbers translate to MLB? Can he avoid further injuries? Martin has a skill set that fits quite well with the Twins. Getting a versatile defender capable of high OBP and being a force on the base paths would check quite a few boxes. I hope he gets his chance early and runs with it.
  6. stringer bell
    Two more former Twins inked minor league deals--Steven Gonsalves with the Dodgers and Jordan Luplow with the Braves. https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/01/royals-sign-sandy-leon-to-minor-league-deal.html https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/01/dodgers-sign-jesse-hahn-stephen-gonsalves-to-minor-league-deals.html
  7. stringer bell
    Like many other defense-first catchers, Sandy León always seems to find a job. https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/01/royals-sign-sandy-leon-to-minor-league-deal.html
  8. stringer bell
    Probably I'm basing this more on pedigree, but I think Alex Kirilloff is the Twins future at first base for the rest of the decade. I think he will hit as well as Julien and be a better defender. We've only seen glimpses of a healthy AK, but it is pretty good. The injury history is concerning, for sure, and having an adequate backup/platoon partner is prudent. With the current roster, that guy is Miranda, with Julien a possibility if Kirilloff is injured and out for a longish period of time. It is not optimum to slate Miranda as the RH platoon partner because he's coming off his own injury and poor performance season. Kyle Farmer absolutely should be getting the majority of his at-bats against left handed pitching, but he's not a first baseman. He's probably the Twins best defensive option at second base and he has both career and recent success against lefties. Fitting him in at second against left handed pitching makes perfect sense as long as he's on the team, however, he can move around and give other players a day off or a chance to DH. I would hope that the manager finds a way to avoid strictly platooning Farmer and Julien.
  9. stringer bell
    Well, I think there could be some second guessing of the timeouts used by McVay in the second half. He also decided to kick a field goal that didn't give him the lead and then punted and didn't get the ball back. Hindsight says he should have gone another way. That said, both coaches did a great job getting ready for the game. The Rams didn't take a motion or false start penalty and they certainly moved the ball. They held the Lions to three points in the second half, but they couldn't get the ball back in the last four plus minutes. Detroit's defense is leaky, but they didn't allow a second half TD and ended up only allowing 23 points. Neither team had a turnover.
  10. stringer bell
    I really thought this was a team that could win it all. I was probably the most disappointed in that playoff result.
  11. stringer bell
    I think so too. Injuries and better luck could get the Vikings in the playoffs next year, but I don't think they have the framework of a champion, and all things being equal, they are the third best team in their division.
  12. stringer bell
    Credit Detroit (and Goff) for completing those two first down passes. Gutsy calls and good passes.
  13. stringer bell
    If I am the Rams, I go for it on 4th down, even with more than 10 yards to go.
  14. stringer bell
    Two first downs will do the trick for Detroit. I hope they don't go too conservative.
  15. stringer bell
    Or not. I'm just glad this is a good game. Three straight snoozers so far.
  16. stringer bell
    Detroit's best hope is to score after the Rams score here without enough time for the Rams to score again.
  17. stringer bell
    With all the noise, the Rams haven't had a false start. Pretty impressive.
  18. stringer bell
    Goff is great when the Lions are going downhill. But he doesn't carry a team like the great ones. I feel the same way about Purdy.
  19. stringer bell
    They're building something. They already have an elite offense, although I don't know if they'll have salary cap and free agent issues. I think they'll be a lot better on defense next year and a threat to make the playoffs for a while. I suppose the Packers will be a trendy pick to be good next year, as well. I do wonder if if seeing what Detroit and Green Bay are doing will effect what the Vikings do (Cousins & Hunter).
  20. stringer bell
    If the Rams need to score in the last two minutes, I think they will. Not as sure for Goff and the Lions.
  21. stringer bell
    Anybody know who Stafford's center was in high school? Hint--he excelled in another sport.
  22. stringer bell
    What can Minnesota learn from these two teams? Is it coaching? QBs?
  23. stringer bell
    Detroit just outscores their opponents. They have a great, balanced offense. You know they will pick defense in the draft.
  24. stringer bell
    This year, I was at the Keuchel game where he was perfect into the eighth IIRC.
  25. stringer bell
    14-3, maybe not.
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