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stringer bell

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Everything posted by stringer bell

  1. stringer bell
    Four right handed hitters—Rooker, Broxton, Garlick and Astudillo—have hit very well. If Kirilloff makes the team, there’s probably only room for one. If Alex starts at St. Paul, there’s room for two. If Kiriklloff starts swinging well in the next few days, he can claim a spot, but I think it is up to him to do better. He has no absolute claim to a roster spot despite his #1 prospect status. Of note, as well, there is no backup for Sanó if Kirilloff is sent to the minors.
  2. stringer bell
    It's a long season and certainly the Twins will undoubtedly use many pitchers, probably including Smeltzer. I just don't think Smeltzer is going to be anything more than marginal. I think Smeltzer's story is great, but the tools are pretty limited. He doesn't have much very much margin for error.
  3. stringer bell
    I've liked what I've seen from both Garlick and Broxton (who doesn't?), but I don't think either will impact on whether Cave makes the squad out of spring training. The "victims" if either of those guys comes north would be Kirilloff and Rooker. There is a vacancy in left field and it seems that sometime this year it will be claimed by Kirilloff, but that might not be right away and so far he's only 2-13 with four Ks. Rooker has been fine in limited work, but both Garlick and Broxton have been much better. While Broxton isn't on the 40-man roster, he has defensive ability (including being a legit center fielder) and speed that the other candidates don't have. Besides that, as I understand it, Keon has an opt-out so if the Twins would not add him to the roster, he would essentially be a free agent.
  4. stringer bell
    I think a non-roster infielder makes the Twins team to start 2021. Arraez is a good offensive player who plays an acceptable second base. I think he can be deployed occasionally in left field with little negative effect and can probably give a healthy Josh Donaldson a few days off at third, but he will be a defensive liability anywhere but second. I don't think Arraez is anything more than a stopgap at shortstop. With the departure of Marwin Gonzalez and Ehire Adrianza, the Twins have a hole to fill--finding competent and versatile defenders--Riddle, Romine and Lin all seem to fit the bill. Each would appear to have a different strength. Riddle having the superior glove at shortstop, Lin perhaps with the most offensive upside and Romine the most versatile and most experienced and a switch hitter. I think there is a position to be won by one of the three.
  5. stringer bell
    With a 26-man roster, there is room for five outfielders IMHO and I think Cave is pretty close to a lock to make the team. The question is whether he's third (starting left fielder), fourth or fifth. I suspect both Arraez and Kirilloff are ahead of Cave to be the "everyday" left fielder, with Cave a lock and then a competition for fifth OF, which would include Garlick, Broxton, Rooker or none of these. I don't see Rooker as a great fit to be a fifth OF, particularly since he hasn't played first base in years and the Twins have a full-time DH. Of course, this is presuming health and we know that injuries will happen.
  6. stringer bell
    Unless he gets a starting job, I don’t like Rooker as a fourth/fifth outfielder. I think it would really be tough for a guy accustomed to playing regularly to play once or twice a week. His best asset is his bat and I doubt there would be many opportunities to pinch hit. He’s not fast or a good fielder and not really versatile.
  7. stringer bell
    I see a spot for a non-roster infielder like Riddle. Unless the club wants to move Polanco to short every time Simmons is out, there is a real need for a plus defender to back up on the left side. Gordon would also be interesting, but he hasn’t played third at all to my knowledge and I don’t know if he’s even average at short.
  8. stringer bell
    I've wondered if the backup shortstop will be Polanco or if there would be another SS on the active roster come Opening Day. As far as Arraez' playing time, I suspect he'll get plenty of ABs as the left fielder. If a manager tries to put a shaky glove in the field, left field is as good as any. I know it was a small sample, but Arraez played pretty well in the field at second last year. He still doesn't strike me as a true utility man. He seems stretched as both a third baseman and left fielder and he's definitely not a shortstop. I suspect that the field staff keeps a guy who can play above-average SS besides Simmons.
  9. stringer bell
    Trade makes sense. Wade will be better than expected for the Giants, but they get pretty good potential in Anderson. I do like what the FO is doing.
  10. 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.
  11. 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.
  12. 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.
  13. 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.
  14. 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.
  15. 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.
  16. 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.
  17. stringer bell
    I like them all.
  18. 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.
  19. 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.
  20. 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.
  21. 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.
  22. 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.
  23. 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.
  24. 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.
  25. 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.
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