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stringer bell

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Everything posted by stringer bell

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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?
  6. 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?
  7. 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.
  8. 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.
  9. 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”.
  10. 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.
  11. 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.
  12. 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.
  13. 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
  14. stringer bell
    I am going to start a 2026 ex-Twins thread and will include this link.
  15. stringer bell
    Baldelli did far less early pinch hitting in 2025, mostly due to roster inadequacy.. Platooning is used because it works, when done properly. Giving mediocre to decent left handed hitters the day off when a left hander starts makes good sense. Pinch hitting for every left hand hitter in the lineup when a left handed middle reliever comes into the game doesn't. Developing left handed hitter that are still above average against left handed pitching hasn't happened for this team since Mauer and Morneau. My hope is that at least one of Jenkins, Rodriguez or Roden can become such a hitter. As for the Wallners and Larnachs of the world, they should get their chances against the previously mentioned lefty middle relievers and if they succeed there, maybe they can have good at-bats against premium lefty relievers. Would Wagaman have a better chance than Bell or Clemens against Skubal, Ragans and Bubic? I think so. Is being a better hitter against lefties worth the roster spot, I'm not so sure. The other thing that points to adding a guy like Wagaman is the Twins lack of first base alternatives in the high minors.
  16. stringer bell
    He was good three years ago, but seems to have forgotten how to hit Not a bad move, since it is a minor league contract
  17. stringer bell
    While I don't see Wagaman moving the needle much, the team needed someone to fill first base. Bell is an above-average hitter who could DH as much as 120 games in 2026. Adding Wagaman gives them a RH platoon bat at first or DH and depth in the event injuries bite the team at first base. I expect he make the Twins Opening Day roster and gets starts against left handers.
  18. stringer bell
    Short answer--recency bias. Longer answer--Martin provides skills the fan base see as lacking in recent Twins teams. There is hope of a player who can win games with his bat, his legs and his glove. I agree that Austin Martin is far from a lock to become a regular on the 2026 Twins. He has to maximize his hitting value by getting on base, become a smarter base runner and field his position above league average. There is no guarantee that he'll do any of these things. Martin has a high draft pedigree and we saw glimpses of a good player after the trade deadline. I have hopes of a breakout in 2026, but tempered with the reality that he is almost 27 years old and has thus far been a replacement player at best.
  19. stringer bell
    Much like Lewis-Lee, the Keaschall-Martin pairing is pretty complex. The team wants to put the best lineup out there and perhaps that includes both Luke and Austin. Then the question becomes what is best for the team. If Martin is the better defender at both positions, should he play his "best" position? If Keaschall is clearly better at one spot, is that the position he should play? What might be best for the individual isn't necessarily what is best for the team. It is my opinion that Austin Martin's best defensive position is and will continue to be left field. He seemed to get significantly better jumps and take better routes in 2025 and seemed far more comfortable in left field as opposed to center. His defense at second base would seem to be average, although I thought his decision making there was pretty poor. Keaschall's defense would seem to be determined. With plus speed, his range should be decent at whatever position he plays. He has played almost his entire professional career with a bad or rehabbing throwing arm, so we won't really know what kind of arm strength and accuracy he has when healthy. If the offense is legitimate, he should be able to play anywhere on the defensive spectrum, but it probably helps the team most if he can play an adequate second base. It makes sense to me to continue to play both guys at the positions they played in the fall. If Keaschall shows he is subpar at second, then make a move. Martin would need to continue to produce offensively to keep a steady job in left field. There are a lot of guys looking over his shoulder for playing time. If Keaschall would be moved off the keystone, Martin would be a candidate there. It's really a jigsaw puzzle with no photo to use as a key.
  20. stringer bell
    I don't know very much at all about Wagaman, I recall he played a bit for the Angels in 2024, but I think the Twins see potential in his increased swing speed. That was the big change for Clemens in 2025 that propelled him all the way to average as a major league hitter. I assumed that many would be lamenting the possible loss of Fitzgerald, but I have a hard time believing he is anything but a major league stopgap. I don't know if Kreidler is anything, but he is supposed to be a plus fielder at two of the most important defensive positions. With Wallner, Larnach, Roden, Outman, Martin all competing for time in the corner outfield and Rodriguez, Gonzales and Jenkins all already at Triple A, it make close to zero sense to move Keaschall to the outfield.
  21. stringer bell
    With the low quantity and low quality of returning bullpen arms, building a bullpen for this year is daunting. The starting rotation has many quality arms, so I expect one or two guys to convert to the bullpen. Will Shelton and company make the right choices? I hope they go for upside and bring their twelve best arms north. The 13th and 14th should be guys who can move freely back and forth to St. Paul. As constructed, I don't think the position player mix is nearly good enough to compete. At least one major league infielder is needed, preferably a guy who can back up shortstop and another hitter to play first base or DH would be on my shopping list. There is an unappealing clump of flawed, low ceiling guys for the corners and DH. At least one of those guys should be cashiered for bullpen or infield help.
  22. stringer bell
    I'll bite one more time. Kwan is a left fielder, Martin has played left field a majority of his time in the majors. Kwan is a leadoff hitter. Martin profiles as a leadoff or at least top of the order hitter. Kwan is a fine defender. Martin took large steps to be an above average left fielder last year. Neither Kwan nor Martin is considered a power hitter by any means and both are above average at making contact as well as both have above average speed. As of now, there is no comparison in their big league achievements, but their skill sets and strengths are very similar in my opinion. This thread was started to discuss whether Austin Martin was capable of taking the step of becoming a full-time player and leadoff man, which is what Steven Kwan has been in his four-year career. I can respect someone saying they don't think so, but I think it is obtuse or trolling to claim that they are not remotely similar.
  23. stringer bell
    What does Jake Cave have to do with Austin Martin? As noted previously, he was a fourth OF who featured power over OBP and/or defense. Martin hasn’t played close to the level of Kwan (I never said he did), but the skill sets are similar. If Martin would break out, it is likely his stats would be similar to what Kwan has put up over the last four years. Making a snap judgment is your prerogative, but I was encouraged by Martin’s play late in 2025. He’s a long way from a sure thing, but as I said earlier, his strengths are areas where the Twins are lacking so I think he could help the team.
  24. stringer bell
    I think Martin is an interesting case. He is a righty hitter, so platoon usage means a minor role and he's not really that versatile so he's not really a prototypical utility player He does possess skills that the team, as a whole, lacks. I don't know if Shelton will prefer an everyday leadoff guy, but if he does, Martin does check most of the boxes. I do think it is a year of decision. If he doesn't stake a claim to an everyday job, he probably never will.
  25. stringer bell
    The 2026 roster, as it is today, isn't a candidate for postseason and is much more likely to finish with 90+ losses than 80 wins. However, there is talent and potential amidst the replacement level players. Only Byron Buxton is an established major league regular and we all know his injury history. Ryan Jeffers has been good, not great, as a half time catcher. He'll get a chance to play a lot more in 2026. Royce Lewis and Matt Wallner have had their moments in the past three years, but injury and inconsistency make them question marks. In approximately a year of playing time, first round draft choice Brooks Lee has been above average only one of the six or seven months he has played, but he is a first round draft choice with some skills. Josh Bell is an above-average hitter who probably would do well to DH more than play first base. Luke Keaschall had a promising abbreviated first year in the majors. Austin Martin looked much improved when he got a chance to play regularly after the trade deadline. Three of the Twins top hitting prospects are outfielders who have already played at Triple A. I don't think it is a big stretch to expect one or more of those guys to come in and show they belong. Here's my take of the position players: It's a year of challenge and transition. The team is overloaded with LH hitting corner outfield and DH types and lacks potential and depth in the infield. There is only one proven major league catcher. The team needs to bring a starting caliber infielder, preferably a shortstop, and would benefit by having a power bat to play 1B/DH.
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