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stringer bell

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Everything posted by stringer bell

  1. stringer bell
    I dunno. I don't have any great expectations for Keuchel, but saving a few innings for Ryan, Ober, Gray and López might make sense. As far as having “only” seven in the bullpen, with a bit better health (Thielbar, Stewart) added back, they can juggle their remaining members and mostly have enough arms available to get through. The tone of posters here is that the Twins are on the razor's edge to make the playoffs. BBRef today has them as having a 84.1% chance to make the playoffs. The surest way for those odds to go down would be to have injuries or ineffectiveness from their starting rotation. If adding Keuchel for 4-5 starts increases the effectiveness and health of the rotation, it would enhance their chances to not only win the division, but also have some playoff success.
  2. stringer bell
    We don't know exactly how long Lewis will be out. I think that might move a third baseman up on the list of possible acquisitions. Castro's recent struggles with the bat and Farmer's so-so at best first half don't inspire confidence for the next month plus.
  3. stringer bell
    I’m neither disappointed or elated by the Twins sweep of the A’s. There were several disappointing performances (Buxton, the starters) but the bullpen and several players got the job done. Just enough big hits to paper over some sketchy starting pitching.
  4. stringer bell
    On the double in the seventh inning, that usually isn't a ball the first baseman is asked to catch. Kepler did have a long run, but was coming in, Solano may have been pulled over towards second and we know that Barrels is not the fleetest of foot. All three looked like they were feeling someone else close to them, so the ball fell with AK the closest.
  5. stringer bell
    Correct, and Michael A Taylor didn't catch the last out, it was (my man) Willi.
  6. stringer bell
    As frustrating as it is to watch Buxton when he slumps, he is going to be the DH unless he is on the IL. That eliminates the best position for Julien. The Twins converted Arraez pretty much on the fly last year. Maybe they can do the same for Edouard. I think the best, most doable move is to move Julien to first base and have Kirilloff get more outfield reps.
  7. stringer bell
    Kirilloff has played in more games than anyone but Correa since his recall in May. He hasn't been a starter vs. some left handed pitching, but it isn't like he's been fully platooned. Donny Barrels has gotten more at-bats of late, but that is a performance issue. Honestly, Farmer, Solano and Castro have deserved at-bats at the expense of Kepler, Kirilloff and Gallo and really all three have played sporadically against left handed pitching.
  8. stringer bell
    The broadcasters were quick to give Willi a lot of love for his defense. I like his game, but the offense is ...........inconsistent. He is playing way more than anyone thought he would and he has provided a spark on the bases and played well in the field.
  9. stringer bell
    I am as big a Kirilloff fan as anybody, but the production in June (.621 OPS) and so far in July (.649 OPS) isn't anything to write home about. Kepler and Gallo can't be optioned and finding a place for Julien needs to be done. If Alex hits like today, he'll keep playing, but if he keeps coming up with a low .600s OPS, he could be back in St. Paul. Kepler's OPS in June and July is better than AK's, and Gallo also has better numbers for the two months (coming into today).
  10. stringer bell
    Two big hits for AK, the oppo double bigger than the homer. They come at a key time for Kirilloff—he could lose playing time or maybe even his spot on the active roster if he continues to struggle.
  11. stringer bell
    I don’t like it, but that’s a possibility. Kirilloff needs to get it going to stay in the lineup.
  12. stringer bell
    Could be Julien, too.
  13. stringer bell
    While I really don't want to add to the Buxton talk, I guess I can't resist. If the Twins are going to do anything in the remainder of the season or postseason, Buxton will be a large part of it (IMHO). He has had this kind of struggle at the plate, but either the full-time DHing or injury may have deepened the slump. Certainly, I'm concerned by the strikeouts, but it seems to me that in about 90% of the at-bats where he makes contact, he is using about 20% of the field--from the third base line to the shortstop hole. He is the most pull-happy player that I can remember. When he's going good, he's driving the ball from the right-center gap to the left field corner. Right now everything is severely pulled, including a lot of hard-hit fouls. I would think he could try to adjust that.
  14. stringer bell
    The manager and pitching coach had better have a better feel than the fans for what the bullpen pitchers can and cannot do. There were a lot of figurative raised eyebrows when Stewart was inserted into high leverage situations, but now it is accepted that Stewart is a high leverage setup guy (hoping that will still hold when he returns from the iL). I don't think Ortega has the stuff that Stewart does, but he might have enough to be an effective middle guy. If memory serves, Jax was warming last week to go into his third straight game (didn't happen) so maybe he'll be available for a batter or two today. Duran is probably not available today, otherwise they should be all right.
  15. stringer bell
    Right now, the injury bug has really hit the bullpen (Stewart, Thielbar, De León) and it might be a while before Jorge López is in a high leverage situation, so others need to come through. Ortega did the job today and actually everyone has in the Oakland series. Ryan is rested and hopefully can give the Twins seven innings today and get the bullpen in a better spot. \ The team won two games when their starters were off--10 runs in 8.1 innings from Maeda and López--I don't think it is the right time to criticize bullpen management.
  16. stringer bell
    A solid game for Jeffers, although he didn't block a pitch in the dirt. Two walks, a hit and a safety squeeze bunt, plus he did his part on the double steal. More production in a day than the club has from Vázquez in a month.
  17. stringer bell
    Wow. All of a sudden.....
  18. stringer bell
    Feel bad for Pablo losing a shutout on a 20 foot bleeder, but Jeffers made the right play.
  19. stringer bell
    The lefty is going to (try to) pitch the majority of the game. Julien is going to start against right handers until Polanco is ready. I honestly don’t know when or where Wallner is going to play.
  20. stringer bell
    Wallner is listed as on the Twins active roster while Miranda is listed on the 10-day IL at 1:15 this afternoon.
  21. stringer bell
    Is 2 a crooked number?
  22. stringer bell
    It just hasn’t gotten better (on the hitting side) for Vázquez. There is a better alternative available. It is time to flip the percentages Jeffers’ way when it comes to playing time.
  23. stringer bell
    If the future home for Julien isn't 2B or DH, I think it would have to be first base. I've loved the idea of a healthy Alex Kirilloff spending a decade as the Twins regular first baseman, but he is a capable outfielder and he hasn't nailed down a permanent spot on the field with his hitting.
  24. stringer bell
    The corollary to this discussion would be “which corner outfielder gets promoted?” I think that question is equally interesting. In a very small sample size, Wallner did well with the Twins, Larnach’s numbers are poor (much larger SS). However Larnach has the higher AAA OPS and is the better and more versatile outfielder. Both hit lefty and neither will help with the Twins’ K problem.
  25. stringer bell
    When Buxton has "busted it" down the line, he runs halfway to the right field stands (Maybe a small exaggeration). Often when he has slid into a base, he has a hard time gathering himself. I think there is definitely something wrong and that changing directions while in the field is less predictable than running the bases. He might not be able to make the cuts and route adjustments in the field. It may have also figured in the collision he had during the April Chicago series. Yes, he still can run fast, but being able to cut and stop quickly might be a problem. I continue to speculate on why the surgery in October was unsuccessful, at least on getting him back in the field. My speculation as a fellow sufferer is that the knee joint is arthritic and that the amount of recovery he can make is limited.
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