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stringer bell

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Everything posted by stringer bell

  1. stringer bell
    I think Arraez is more stretched at SS than Polanco and is, if not a better offensive player, at least a more vital offensive player. Yes, the Twins used him at short, third and left, but I think Polanco would be better suited to a utility role.
  2. stringer bell
    Wondering about Freddy Galvis. He's a switch-hitter who has handled both second and short over the years and only a year removed from being a regular. Still seems to have the wheels and range to be a competent middle infielder. He's also had some time in the outfield and third base.
  3. stringer bell
    Also, catchers are given predictable days off—day game after night game, one game of a doubleheader—and often are paired with a particular starting pitcher. Sometimes managers are able to dovetail a platoon split with other priorities, but sometimes it doesn’t work out that way.
  4. stringer bell
    I probably was at the same series. I remember thinking the highly regarded Twins team didn’t have any more prospects than Kane County. I sat next to Berríos in the stands. Vogelbach looked really pudgy and I thought there was no way that he would make the majors.
  5. stringer bell
    I don't pretend to know as much about pitching as the Twins braintrust. I'm certain they'll add pitchers and I expect those pitchers will fit well. I kind of like a couple of the center fielders who were cut loose, as well as maybe our old friend Danny Santana (listed as a first baseman). If Santana could be considered acceptable in the infield and corner outfield, he would be a replacement for Marwin and add some speed.
  6. stringer bell
    Concur with those in favor of Tony in the Hall. In addition to all the stats, he's been a great ambassador for the game.
  7. stringer bell
    Past performance is not a guarantee of future results. Even after 4-5 years in the majors, players take different trajectories in their career. I have seen analysis that Eddie will not age well, I certainly don't know if that is true. It seems that being healthy in 2020, he was able to improve his overall stat line from 2019 and not many Twins were able to say that. Rosario is a free agent after this year and he plays a position where the Twins have many of their best prospects on the cusp of playing for the big team. The other three players won't be free agents until later and Buxton plays a key defensive position. Kepler and Sanó both are under contract with cost certainty.
  8. stringer bell
    I like them all.
  9. stringer bell
    I think the ingredients for postseason success are pitching, power, defense and speed in that order. I've said that for a long time. I guess pitching would now mean that there is enough starting pitching and a shutdown bullpen.
  10. stringer bell
    I read a story about Anderson and I wonder how much of his back story is why the Twins were willing to let him go. To me, the miss on Anderson is probably least excusable of the current bullpen stalwarts who were in the Twins' system.
  11. stringer bell
    I guess I thought tendering Rogers would be a no-brainer especially since no one has enough pitching (see the playoffs). Rogers was very good and versatile and seemed to figure out how to get right handed batters out, but he faded a bit late in 2019 and wasn't good last year. I think a bit different usage and a tweak or two would again put him in the "very good" to "elite" categorization. Rogers is relatively young and healthy. I simply can't see the Twins giving him up because he costs too much.
  12. stringer bell
    I do find it interesting that many on this site are calling to bring up the prospects to a club that has won more regular season games in the last two years than anyone else in the American League. In very general terms, if they hit like 2019 and pitch like 2020, the Twins would be dominant. Specifically with Polanco, if he hit like 2019 (particularly the first half) and defended like 2020, he could be an All-Star candidate again. He has had at least a season and a half of ankle miseries, which might explain his decline in the second half of 2019 and his poor 2020. If he only an average hitter and an average to below average defensive shortstop next year, perhaps then he could/should be shifted to some type of utility role. I know he played a couple of games at third in his first year and he played a lot of second base in the minors. I think he could adjust. An average bat with the flexibility to play three defensive positions adequately would make him a pretty good replacement for Gonzalez/Adrianza and with Rocco's managing style, he would get plenty of at-bats. To me, Polanco to utility is Plan B or C. Things would have to happen for that move to happen, but I don't think it is out of the question entirely.
  13. stringer bell
    I am not a huge Sanó fan, but I don’t think it is the optimum time to part with him. He’s coming off a bad, but healthy, partial season. Even with health, the big guy is so slump prone. For too many interludes, you’re hoping Sanó will “run into one”, rather than having confidence that he’ll make solid contact. He doesn’t walk enough to be even a “three true outcomes” guy (.278 OBP). I give the guy credit for his work and improvement at first base. I don’t think he’s a bad guy or has a questionable attitude, but he just hasn’t shown he can sustain the hot streaks to guarantee a spot in the middle of the order.
  14. stringer bell
    Comparing Buxton and Robert, though, is CF vs. CF. I believe Buxton led the Twins in WAR despite playing not 2/3 of the games.
  15. stringer bell
    It's not a perfect comparison because he became a DH, but the same was said about Paul Molitor early in his career and he was durable later in his career.
  16. stringer bell
    Cleveland has done a good job turning over their roster making it younger and continuing to reinforce their pitching. They aren't going away anytime soon, whether or not they retain Lindor. Chicago has a lot of good players and a lot of pitching that has a good chance to be very good or better plus they have an ace in Giolito. I think they will be above average or better. The Twins have a lot of guys who have had periods of outstanding performance. Some like Sanó and Buxton have never sustained it for an entire season. Kepler and Polanco each had one great season plus above average play in other seasons. The pitching staff has a good top of the rotation and some good bullpen pieces, but will need to fill out both the BP and the starting staff. There's a lot for the front office to do, but they have the pieces in place.
  17. stringer bell
    It is nice to start with three proven starters and only have to add two to the back half of the rotation with several in-house candidates available. Draft choices and trade acquisitions by Falvey/Levine can and should fill the bottom of the rotation starting in 2021. Personally, I'm not in favor of retaining Odorizzi, because of his inability to go deep into games. I certainly hope that the starters, with a normal season including spring training, will average closer to six innings per start and take some heat off the bullpen.
  18. stringer bell
    Buxton only played 39 games, but a case could be made for him over Robert. I believe Buck had a higher WAR and his hitting numbers (OPS and OPS+) were better, plus he is a better defender than Robert. Same old story. The Twins need to find a way to have Byron on the field for 140+ games and he might be an All-Star and perhaps an MVP candidate.
  19. stringer bell
    From what I have seen, you can be very proud of your son. He seems to be a class act who takes the frustrations and struggles that occur in stride. His story is a good one and he has a great future. Undoubtedly, Randy has been a good contributor so far. He faces the challenge of adjusting after the league has adjusted to him. I wish him well, not only as a Twins fan, but also as someone who cheers for those that have faced uphill climbs to reach their goals.
  20. stringer bell
    I haven't seen enough to give up, but I've seen enough to have plenty of doubt. Thorpe hasn't demonstrated sufficient command to get away with the stuff he has IMHO. Perhaps 2020 was more difficult for him than others due to the pandemic and whatever other issues he had in spring training, but I have to believe he's only going to get one more chance, if that.
  21. stringer bell
    I'm conflicted about Rosario. I don't think he'll ever be better than he is now and that he might not age well, however Baldelli has almost always kept him in the middle of the lineup. Rocco did the same with Polanco, batting him at the top or in the middle, but when he slumped he moved Jorge down in the order, that has not happened with Eddie. If the manager consistently regards Rosario as one of his top offensive guys, does it make sense to let him go, particularly as a non-tender? I have thought that the club needs to make room for the many corner outfield prospects who are near ready, if not totally ready to step in. Further complicating this is the nearly lost season of development with no minor league season. 25 plate appearances for Rooker and Kirilloff don't give enough information about their readiness. The one certainty is that arbitration-eligible Rosario would cost considerably more than an organizational replacement. If resources are limited, is this the place to save?
  22. stringer bell
    I am puzzled by Kepler's inability to hit for a higher average. As noted, he has a great natural swing, decent eye at the plate, strikes out relatively little and has good power. I see Kepler go through slumps where he continually hits popups and grounders into the shift. Could he be looking too much to drive the ball and not enough to hit line drives to the alleys? I don't know. The other thing is hitting against left handed pitchers. He was better against them than right handers in his fine 2019 season, but this year was dreadful in a small sample. There's a lot to like about Kepler's game and even in an off season for him he posted a 108 OPS+ and (full season adjusted) 2.2 WAR. At a still-young age, I think the Twins should hang on to the reasonably priced right fielder. I also think that Kepler should work on bunting against the shift, both down the third base line and past the pitcher (especially lefties who fall off toward third base). If he can "shorten up" the second baseman and perhaps move the the third baseman and shortstop closer to "normal" position, I think he could lift his OBP and batting average quite a bit.
  23. stringer bell
    As a fourth outfielder/bench guy I think I would too. It appears that the Twins coaching staff like Cave a bit more as a center fielder and Cave has more power, but Wade gets on base and has acquitted himself nicely at first base in a few games there. The thing about Cave is that he seems to do better filling in for a week or month, but playing a random game a week, he doesn't seem to perform as well. I see Wade as better getting a start or two per week. As was mentioned above, both Cave and Wade would be better fits if they were truly center fielders or hit right handed.
  24. stringer bell
    Getting anything more than a bucket of balls for Rosario would be a coup. I get letting Gonzalez go, He was paid starter money and last year, he was a replacement player. Not a lot of guys have his utility skills and he is a switch hitter, but last season he was pretty bad with the lumber. I don't think either Kirilloff or Rooker are locks to be ready. I said it before that 21 plate appearances isn't enough to make a judgment about Rooker and his minor league credentials don't say "future star" to me. I'm much more confident that Kirilloff will be a building block than Rooker, but I'm not sure if that is in April of 2021. I have mixed feelings on Cruz. Ted Schwertzler's blog entry gives me pause. The topline numbers were just as good as last year, but especially in September, Cruz looked vulnerable. He's smart and takes advantage of mistakes, but I really fear that he is going to diminish and not gradually. If he can't be had for a one-year deal, let someone else see him decline.
  25. stringer bell
    Lindor is not a free agent. He has one more year of team control, much like Mookie Betts last year. Cleveland is likely going to trade him this offseason (at least that was the CW until 2020 become that COVID season) and I still think they will listen, but they are going to want a lot of talent in exchange for Mr. Lindor. I don't think we'd really want to give Cleveland a couple top pitching prospects plus Lewis/Kirilloff/ Larnach for Lindor, but someone would and will give them a lot for him.
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