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stringer bell

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Everything posted by stringer bell

  1. stringer bell
    Given what is going on in our country and especially in our state, I'd like to be positively distracted by things Minnesota Twins. Yes, we will go through the stages listed in the OP, but it would be nice for positive narratives to be accurate.
  2. stringer bell
    Castro has extreme versatility. Not many guys can adequately play six different positions. He had a breakthrough year defensively in 2023, but has gone backwards since. Maybe it was a happy accident in 2023, but he played his best left field and third base and was satisfactory in center and shortstop. He didn't play much second base and no right field in 2023. In 2024, Willi was a regular and played over 20 games at five different positions in the field, a rare feat, but he didn't improve. Maybe it was because he was asked to play too much center and shortstop or maybe he wasn't fully healthy or maybe his steps forward in 2023 were a bit of a fluke. Still, someone with his versatility, speed and switch hitting ability can be an asset for a lot of teams. I don't think he is a fit for the 2026 Twins.
  3. stringer bell
    Farmer's range makes Lee look average. I don't think that is a good thing.
  4. stringer bell
    Is Willi a viable shortstop alternative? I don’t think so. If he isn’t, it really isn’t a fit.
  5. stringer bell
    Two very obscure former Twins signed minor league deals. Davis pitched 5 forgettable innings for the Twins last year. Staumont worked 24 innings for the '24 Twins. https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2026/01/pirates-sign-noah-davis-to-minor-league-deal.html https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2026/01/reds-sign-garrett-hampson-josh-staumont-brandon-leibrandt-to-minors-contracts.html
  6. stringer bell
    Interesting and probably accurate. However as hard as it is to quantify defensive performance, it is that much harder to predict future performance. I think the Twins’ overall defensive performance will be determined by who gets the innings.
  7. stringer bell
    I can’t find the quote, but Riley Greene lauded Kreisler’s defense as the best in the Tigers’ organization. I’m skeptical that Fitzgerald would hit any more than Keirsey despite having some SSS success last year. The Trade rumors report notes that Fitzgerald has good speed, but only swiped one base for the Twins (again SSS).
  8. stringer bell
    He was an okay player. I think his Twins career compares favorably to Dan Gladden, but he is missing a world championship or two.
  9. stringer bell
    Polanco and Nelson Cruz also had hits for PEDs. I'd venture to say that neither are looked on that negatively by the Twins' fan base.
  10. stringer bell
    I see that Schultz got claimed by a team with a worse record (Washington). Really not surprised that he was claimed.
  11. stringer bell
    It's been my understanding that players do PEDs to return quicker from injuries. IDK if that's totally accurate, but it seems recent PED users haven't physically changed their bodies.
  12. stringer bell
    Ryan Fitzgerald is officially an ex-Twin. Claimed by the world champion Dodgers. https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2026/01/dodgers-claim-ryan-fitzgerald.html
  13. stringer bell
    Would the floor for Jenkins be Max Kepler? Jenkins would appear to have a similar, but superior, skill set with Max. Kepler never made an All-Star team, but was a consistent 2 WAR player. I also wonder if Jenkins will be a major league center fielder. At this point he appears to have the tools to play the higher defensive spectrum position. I'd really like to see him put up a full healthy season. If he does, he should make his debut this year.
  14. stringer bell
    I think Kreidler being on the 40-man roster and out of options give him the advantage. Of course, Arcia probably has an opt-out, so he is not likely to play significant innings in St. Paul.
  15. stringer bell
    Lots of players being claimed and more DFAs in the past couple days, including Jhonkensey Christmas (2x). Some guys had pretty good numbers. So far nothing about the Twins, but I suppose we’ll hear Fitzgerald’s fate pretty soon.
  16. stringer bell
    I agree totally with naming the specific three players as pivotal in 2026. All three disappointed in 2025 while playing more than they ever had before as major leaguers. All three are #1 draft choices and all three are slated for regular duty in 2026. Expecting all three guys to flourish is probably counting too much on a bouceback. But getting two out of three is optimistic, but certainly not unprecedented, especially given both their pedigrees and their previous success. It is probably a make or break year for all three, as far as their time with the Twins is concerned. I'm pretty optimistic about all three improving from 2025, but I don't expect all three to be All-Stars.
  17. stringer bell
    Your original posting asked the question above? Coulombe was on his third organization when acquired by the Twins on a minor league deal, he signed another minor league deal but was claimed by the Orioles due to the upward mobility clause. Doesn't that fit what you asked? Cano wasn't on his third organization when he had success but he was not Lopez' replacement (closer) on the Orioles. To that point he had not produced anything that suggested he was "major league ready". He was definitely a throw-in with Povich being the main piece. He had had close to zero major league success and was 29 before experiencing any success. While Megill was technically traded to the Brewers, it was a trade after he was DFA'd IIRC, just like the Wagaman trade made last week. Doesn't that fit the criteria of your original question?
  18. stringer bell
    I do expect Keaschall to come back to earth a little as a hitter, but if he is a plus base runner and average on defense, he is a real asset at 23 years old. The Twins haven't exceeded offensive projections since 2019, so maybe this will be another year when they surprise. If two of Lee, Lewis and Wallner step up and one rookie breaks out their offense looks a lot better. Lots of "ifs" I know, but why not be optimistic until they start keeping score for real?
  19. stringer bell
    Add Jake Odorizzi and Scott Baker as former Twins without great velocity who had effective fastballs. Location and movement matter more than going from the 50th percentile to the 70th.
  20. stringer bell
    1) I think there’s 5-10 guys floating around who will be big bullpen assets and Schultz is an excellent candidate. 2) Castro was a non-tender IIRC and I think the Twins signed him to a minor league contract. 3) Everybody has access to a wealth of information and people who can be had for free or almost free have red flags. Finding gems in the second-hand store is harder to do these days. IMHO Castro was a good pickup because he had legit versatility and speed. I think it is easier to find diamond-in-the-rough pitchers than position players. Finding that little something that makes a reliever successful happens pretty often.
  21. stringer bell
    Another ex-Twin “success” is Trevor Megill. Milwaukee is his third organization and he broke through at age 30 with the Brewers. When it comes to relief pitchers, the vast majority are in the category of “you never know”.
  22. stringer bell
    I'd say absolutely. The Twins traded Yennier Cano to the Orioles as a throw-in for Jorge Lopez and the Birds got an outstanding year and a half from Cano. I think he was 29 or 30 years old at the time. Danny Coulombe is another example. He was signed on minor league contracts for both the Orioles and Twins and was outstanding for three years. I believe the Twins were his third organization.
  23. stringer bell
    When other teams are signing free agents, they have to DFA players. This is the bargain basement the Twins might be shopping in. Today, for example, Toronto designated Paxton Schultz. My guess is that he will be claimed given the information provided by MLB Trade Rumors. The Twins have a high claiming priority and have room to add to their 40-man roster, so I’m believing they will claim a player or two.
  24. stringer bell
    The Twins absolutely need to have a competent defensive shortstop to back up Brooks Lee. Despite Seth’s comments on other threads, it appears the Twins don’t believe Fitzgerald is that guy. Kreidler does have a good defensive rep and Arcia provides a decent defensive floor. I would hope someone who plays shortstop hits okay and fields the position adequately.
  25. stringer bell
    It's a new year, so time for a new ex-Twins thread. As posted by @mnfireman, DaShawn Keirsey Jr. signed a minor league deal with Atlanta. https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2026/01/braves-sign-dashawn-keirsey-jr-to-minors-deal.html
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