stringer bell

Well, I know the Vikings were really hurt by injuries this year, but watching teams trying to win in the last game everyone is decimated. I think the season was too long with sixteen games and a seventeenth just makes the injury problems worse.

Watching Green Bay and Chicago play and there's more talent there than I thought. Detroit is pretty good right now, especially on offense, and Green Bay and Chicago are on the rise. The Vikings will have to get much better just to keep pace.

I don’t think a bona fide #2 starter will be acquired during the off season. I’m starting believe the Twins will try to find a hidden jewel, maybe someone who labored with a bad team, like Colorado or the Athletics.

So far, it looks like the Bills need to win to make the playoffs. For some reason, I’m pulling for them. That should make the final game pretty exciting.

Only need four upsets to make the playoffs—Vikings over Packers, Cardinals over Seahawks, Bears over Packers, and one of Falcons over Saints and Panthers over Bucs. A truly tall order.

According to mlbtraderumors.com, Sean Manaea has agreed to terms with the Mets. Two years $28M. Paying that much for players like Manaea makes no sense to me. https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/01/mets-in-agreement-on-two-year-deal-with-sean-manaea.html

Alan Busenitz re-upped with the Reds. He pitched for the Twins in 2017-18 and then went to Japan. Busenitz pitched a few innings for the Reds last year and now has been signed back by Cincinnati on a minor league deal. https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/01/reds-re-sign-alan-busenitz.html

I’ll also note that, with the exception that of Julien, the late-round finds are pitchers. Maybe the Twins are good at developing and building successful pitching. They have tended to choose hitters in the early rounds and with their international signings.

I was thinking that at some point this year the Twins might have as many as eight #1 picks on the field—Kirilloff, Lee, Correa and Lewis in the infield and Wallner, Buxton and Larnach in the OF. Maybe Gordon at second and Lee at shortstop would be all eight being first rounders for the Twins. To the OP, yes having later round draft choices thrive really helps a franchise. The truth is that every successful team has a mixture of home-grown high choices plus players acquired by other means or lower picks.

Yes, I like López a lot more than Gray. But weight loss alone does not guarantee durability. I think there's a really good chance that Pablo will be an ace, but it's not a certainty.

2.3% is infinitely more than 0%. I think you have to try to win Sunday rather than using the game for evaluation, I agree that the Vikings are not worthy of making the playoffs. but they wouldn't turn down the opportunity.

So, this is where I think the Twins are in a bind. What is a solid #3 starter worth in terms of players in return? Are we saying at least one of the top three prospects (Rodriguez, Lee, Jenkins)? Does the fan base agree with that? On top of that, what kind of salary would this hypothetical #3 starter get? Since the Lucas Giolitos and Frankie Montases of the world are getting >$15M, a #3 starter would figure to have a similar salary. If he is under team control the arb number would be in that area. If the Twins add a #3 starter's salary, they probably will have to subtract salary. Finally, any team willing to unload a #3 starter probably doesn't want to add the salary of a Kepler or Polanco. I think it's really tough to thread this needle.

But anyone on the 60-day list misses the first 60 days of the regular season (I’m pretty sure of that) so other than clearing roster space, there is no point in placing a player on the IL.

I don't think so. The only way to open room is place guys on the 60-day IL, which IIRC isn't in place until Opening Day. On top of that, I don't know of anyone who won't be ready to play by Opening Day or soon thereafter.

Andrew Vazquez, who began his big league career with the Twins, signed a minor league deal with the Tigers. He split his 2023 season between the Phillies and the Tigers. https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/01/tigers-andrew-vasquez-agree-to-minor-league-contract.html

Okay, I'll bite. What do you disagree with? I spent the time to write an entry expecting to have a dialogue about depth and reinforcements and the seemingly abrupt change in focus from having veterans available to fill in for the presumed starters and I get a thumbs down and one word response. Do you disagree with what I stated about the Twins having depth that saved their season in 2023 or do you disagree with my assumption that the Twins will use unproven guys as replacements/reinforcements in 2024? Maybe both? At least you responded, maybe I shouldn't be perturbed by your (one word) posting.

Mullens seems the best bet right now although I don't know if he has a future with the Vikings. When the Vikings take the field on Sunday, they'll still be technically in the race for the #7 seed, so it is probably the right call to start Mullens. What is the over/under on holdovers in the QB room in 2024 (counting this season as 2023)?

There is some risk and cost in that he is currently on the 40-man roster. Upon reflection, I think the team will DFA him well before the regular season starts with the hope of getting him through the process and getting him to St. Paul.

Not trying to be picky, but since he's on the major league roster, why did you post this in "minor league talk" in a thread that includes minor league signings?

I agree. I hope I'm not getting too far off topic, but one of my biggest concerns for 2024 is the health and effectiveness of ...................Pablo López. López has an injury history and he was mostly healthy in 2022 and didn't miss a turn in 2023. If he can stay healthy and effective next year, I think he cements his ace status. There are precious few starting pitchers who are both healthy and effective year after year and if López becomes one of them, it justifies trading a fine hitter no matter what Luis Arraez does in Miami. It is even more crucial to the Twins that López is a top of the rotation guy in 2024 because the other top of the rotation guy is gone.

I think Ryan will be good in 2024. He was inconsistent with his third pitch, but the carry on the fastball seemed to negate a lot of his struggles with secondary pitches in the first half. He's smart and he'll adjust. Bailey Ober threw over 170 innings between St. Paul and the Twins in 2023. I don't know if he'll duplicate that number, but it has seemed to me that the concern for him to be durable is a bit overblown. His injury in 2022 was lower body, not his arm FWIW and he wasn't injured (to my knowledge) in 2021. It is true that he hadn't thrown a high amount of innings due to injury going into 2021.

I read somewhere on Twins Daily that the MVP for the Twins in 2023 was depth. After losing a lead in 2022, the Twins added several depth pieces to their roster along with keeping Carlos Correa after it appeared that he would leave due to free agency. Adding to the starting pitching staff by acquiring Pablo López wasn't directly adding depth to the rotation, but adding a solid starter moved Bailey Ober out of the rotation temporarily, so when injuries eventually occurred, they had Ober and Louie Varland ready as the sixth and seventh guys to take the ball. The Twins traded for Michael A. Taylor and with Byron Buxton's inability to play center, that depth piece became a regular. Correa's signing meant that Kyle Farmer, pegged as the regular shortstop, could assume a utility role and the Twins signed Willi Castro, a speedy guy with the ability to play several positions, as another depth piece. Nick Gordon had flourished in the latter part of 2022 and was another player capable of manning several positions. Finally, the Twins signed Donovan Solano late in the winter. He proved to be a vital hitter with the ability to fill in at three different infield spots. Many, including myself, lauded the front office for the foresight to be ready for the inevitable injuries and underperformances. As mentioned, Buxton never got to center field and only played in 85 games as the DH, José Miranda, coming off a nice rookie year was both disappointing and injured and only played in 40 games, Projected starters Jorge Polanco and Alex Kirilloff both started the season on the IL and went back on the injury list later in the season. Every position player starter spent time on the IL, one rotation member (Mahle) was lost for the season before the frost was out of the ground and yet the depth (and reinforcements) kept the Twins above water and finally carried them to a comfortable division flag. So, this year seems to be totally different. While the Twins appear to have a pretty solid 26-man roster, they have only added a lottery ticket to their bullpen. I know it's only January, but the lack of activity seems telling. There hasn't been any speculation that the Twins were in on a substantial free agent. The club has announced they will be cutting payroll, perhaps to the point that any payroll additions would have to be countered by subtractions. There hasn't been a replacement added for either of the two rotation members who left by free agency and so far no activity to bolster the center field mix minus Taylor. It looks to me like the Twins are going to try to fill these gaps internally, a complete departure from 2023. I have belief that players on the roster or in St. Paul can fill those gaps. I think Austin Martin will be a capable outfielder with good speed and bat to ball skills. I think Miranda will come back and capably fill the role that Solano handled so well in '23. I think Brooks Lee will be a future star as soon as this year. I expect that the current five-man rotation will be among the best in the American League. However, beyond those just mentioned, my confidence is not nearly as high. There will be injuries to the pitching staff and to position players. Most everyone on the 40-man roster will be on the major league roster at some point in the season. I don't see the proven depth to step in when the inevitable rash of injuries occurs. I guess the front office is gambling that a) injuries will be manageable and b) the internal options will adequately fill the gaps in the Opening Day roster. I am not so sure, but do understand how tough it is to acquire the help needed with the payroll constraints.

Royce is an interesting case with key factors all over the place. Premium draft choice (1-1) but an already long injury history and position move. While he has barely exhausted his rookie status, he'll be a Super-2 after the '24 season. His minor league stats are not exceptional, but he's been terrific on the field for the Twins.

Agree. IMHO Miranda falls short of “impact player” with his lack of plus power and defensive limitations, even if he hits like midseason of ‘22. I think he would be fine at first base with more work. I don’t think he’ll get significant reps at third in the future.

The problem with bringing in a low-cost free agent is occupying a roster spot. He couldn’t be sent to the minors and would have to be DFAed if there is no role for him.