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stringer bell

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Everything posted by stringer bell

  1. stringer bell
    Twins 5-2 Kepler RF Cron 1B Rosario LF Gonzalez 3B Schoop 2B Adrianza SS Castro C Buxton CF Berrios P Philadelphia 5-2 McCutchen LF Segura SS Harper RF Hoskins 1B Realmuto C Herrera CF Hernandez 2B Franco 3B Eflin P
  2. stringer bell
    Again, less than an hour before game time and no thread in sight. Here's my take today: Kind of a big game with the Twins' ace (Berrios) slated to start against a really tough Phillie lineup. If the Twins win this one and take their third series in a row (and second on the road), I will be impressed and optimistic going forward. I haven't seen the starting lineup and there should be some intrigue. Cruz hasn't played since Kansas City, but Rosario had a day off yesterday (and homered coming off the bench), Kepler has homered in two straight games and is stinging the ball and Buxton showed his overall value yesterday (hitting, base stealing, and throwing a runner out at the plate). It would be an ideal game to move Kepler to first base for a day, but he didn't play there at all in the spring. Where to put La Tortuga? With three catchers, it is unlikely he would start again today. The Twins paid a lot of money for Marwin and it is in their best interest to get him going, so what happens today? We shall see. Enjoy the game friends. I'll post a lineup ASAP.
  3. stringer bell
    Once the spate of off-days is over, I would think the Twins will want 12 pitchers going forward. Perez would join the rotation, vacating his multi-inning relief role, so someone who can throw 2-4 innings would be a replacement. De Jong could be that guy (or Magill or Littell) or they could go with Meija in that role and then add another 1 or perhaps 2 inning guy (Vasquez or Moya). Honestly, I haven't heard any reports on the Injured List pitchers--are they close to at least a rehab assignment?--but it appeared when the team made their final cuts that all but Moya's injury were convenient. On the catching front, the ideal situation would be to have a starter and backup and a third guy to come up in event of injury. Going into the season, I thought starter (Castro 110-120 games if healthy), backup Garver (50-60 games) and third guy Astudillo (injury replacement-utility) but Willians has been too good to be an injury replacement guy shuttled to the minors. Castro is an experienced lefty hitter, with a decent reputation as a catcher. His lifetime OPS is .695, not Ruthian, but not Drew Butera either. Garver has a big-league bat and has shown progress as a receiver. Yes, it is now a nice problem to have, but will be tough to sustain for an entire season. If the Twins don't have a chance to contend, I guess Castro would be on the trade block.
  4. stringer bell
    Could it be they thought they would put someone on the injured list? That would negate the requirement for how long they were in Rochester, correct?
  5. stringer bell
    So the choice was to add De Jong and fill the 40-man over Littel, whose option was already used? I'm not a big fan of either, but if this is just shuttling between Rochester and the long man in the 'pen, I guess it doesn't make much difference. They have Magill, Moya and Reed to add back to the bullpen soon, so I would expect De Jong won't be around long.
  6. stringer bell
    I like what Astudillo has done, but he has less than 120 PAs. With his insane contact skills, I don't think he could slump too much, but his numbers in the minors don't say superstar hitter. Also, with such a low walk rate, it does negate the low strikeout rate somewhat. I think it is defensible to wait awhile to believe in what Astudillo is capable of. No way do I think he should optioned, and I do think that the team should keep all three catchers on the roster for now. Reality is that Castro isn't going anywhere. Yes, he hasn't started like house afire, but I think he should get about 50 PAs before suggesting he should mostly ride the bench. What to do with Garver? Yes, he has an option, but I think he's shown he is a major league catcher, with a pretty good bat. For him to start less than 50 games would be unwise use of a roster spot.and wouldn't aid in Garver's development going forward. My solution would be to try to move Garver for a younger catcher (you know, like John Ryan Murphy) who would be the third catcher if one of the two got injured, who could step up in 2020 as a full-time major leaguer.
  7. stringer bell
    The first roster move occurred today with Tyler Austin being DFAed today. Most of us were happy with keeping Austin and also keeping three catchers. I think reality in 2019 is that a team can't have three catchers and three first basemen/DHs for the long term. the Opening Day roster choices also pivoted around Austin being out of options, and now likely lost to the organization. Before today's game, I was thinking that they will eventually have to do something with the catcher position. Of course, injury could solve the problem or perhaps Willians Astudillo could turn into a pumpkin. If the season proceeds with Castro, Garver and Astudillo being viable options and splitting time, then something should probably be done. Who should go? Astudillo and Garver have options, Castro is a veteran on the last year of his contract. If the Twins have something in Astudillo, I think Garver is the odd man out. He is OK as a catcher and he's a good hitter for a catcher, but he isn't going to take that many at-bats from Castro and Astudillo needs to play, if he continues to hit as he has so far. Astudillo could play elsewhere, of course, as he has played a lot of positions for the Twins, and Garver has some first base time, but trying to get three catchers enough time is no easy task. As I said, injuries or lack of production would solve this problem, if it termed a problem. I guess time will tell.
  8. stringer bell
    Seeing the NL park lineups brings a question to my mind--how many games were played last year with only nine players playing for one team? Since we have so few complete games, I would guess the number is very low. I wonder if we will have any this year?
  9. stringer bell
    OK, smart guys, I've added a ninth batter to the lineup. Sorry, for some reason, I couldn't copy and paste. Doing things manually is hard!
  10. stringer bell
    No game thread in sight, so I'll start one. The Twins are 4-2 after a 10-4 defeat in the rain last night. We saw bad Odo after good Odo pitched the second game of the season. Jorge Polanco went 5-5 and hit for the cycle in his first four ABs. Kepler and Polanco homered, now giving the Twins 3 homers on the year. The pitching staff walked eight and the game was brutal to watch, but today is another day! Lineups: Twins Kepler RF Astudillo C Polanco SS Cron 1B Cave LF Schoop 2B Adrianza 3B Buxton CF Pineda P Phillies McCutchen LF Segura SS Harper RF Hoskins 1B Herrera CF Hernandez 2B Knapp C Franco 3B Arrieta P
  11. stringer bell
    Small correction. We are now going to go with pinning game threads.
  12. stringer bell
    Hey! Lay off the Eagles. Seriously, I am also in Craig's generation and I mostly give credit to the generation before us. Something has changed in the public discourse and in the sausage-making that is politics. On the Smollett case, I was stunned when they charged him with 16 felonies, then almost feel off my chair when all charges were dropped. I am nearly sickened by the claim that he was totally innocent, when we know enough to say that he was part of a conspiracy. I think somewhere in the middle is the proper treatment of this guy--charge him and threaten him with jail time, exact a confession and a big check.
  13. stringer bell
    There is and was evidence of collusion between Russia and the Trump campaign. Enough to convict in a court of law? Probably not. Trump's tweets and his behavior seem to be that of a guilty man. I believe there was collusion with Russia, which has reaped exactly what they wanted in the United States--a country thoroughly divided, with trust diminished in almost every part of the government. As far as the media, perhaps the people staffing the newsrooms lean a bit left, but editorially all but Fox News are closer to the center than the political extremes. What drives news is what is sensational--impeachment is more in line with that than erosion from climate change. Jussie Smollett is more of a story than the unemployment rate. Crime is more of a story than crime rates. Impeachment is what Republicans want to talk about. They want to paint such an action as what rank-and-file Democrats want. They want to portray Democrats as the most extreme, why else is a freshman Congresswomen from New York so prominent, along with the two Muslim women (also in their first term).
  14. stringer bell
    The guys that competed for the last spots mostly did well--Harper of the relievers, plus Austudillo, Austin and Cave. I'm glad they're all going north. I wonder if Adrianza is 100%. Can he hit right handed? We'll probably forget about these decisions by June, but rewarding those who've played well with their jobs on the line is a good thing.
  15. stringer bell
    While Cave might "deserve" to make the team, he has options and no real viable way to get much playing time. He was a good story last year, and I'm sure he'll get his major league time this year, but I think the Twins will send him down to start the season. Given the construction of the roster, I don't see many at-bats available for Austin either. I hope the team can find a trade partner and get back a bullpen piece.
  16. stringer bell
    Winners--Reed, Cave, and the non-roster pitchers looking for a spot in the bullpen. It makes a bench of Austudillo, Austin, Garver, and Adrianza possible. The bench, as listed would be better is if Austin hit lefty and it would be good if there was a RH hitter to relieve Kepler/Rosario, but those guys will play almost every day and Marwin can fill in anywhere. If Sano is back in a month or so, it would be interesting to see how Baldelli will maneuver especially if La Tortuga is on his bench. He'd have Gonzalez available almost everywhere along with Austudillo. The more I think about it, the more I think another trade will happen. Austin for an out-of-options reliever makes sense.
  17. stringer bell
    If Austudillo makes the team and if the manager thinks he plays a major league third base, I see Marwin moving around before Sanó returns.
  18. stringer bell
    What does Romero need? Confidence? Relief experience? Or just more innings? I suspect it is confidence and a month or less of success in Triple A will be just the ticket.
  19. stringer bell
    While Gonzalez will start most games at third, he's the unusual type that has always played all over. He could be the guy moving around to get others in the lineup.
  20. stringer bell
    I think Kepler is the guy, at least against RHP. I would think his leash would be moderately long, since there really aren’t many logical choices. Semi-serious prediction—Kepler starts as leadoff guy, is fairly successful and has a power surge. Leads the club in homers and insists on hitting lead off. Twins tradition right?
  21. stringer bell
    I expect Rosario to spend quite a bit of time in right field. I believe Marwin is more comfortable in left, so if he’s in the OF for Kepler or Buxton, Eddie will move to right.
  22. stringer bell
    I think they need one more win to be certain. They should be playing a lower seed in the Big Ten tourney and a loss in that would be a bad loss, so beat Maryland or win one in the conference tournament and take all doubt out of it.
  23. stringer bell
    Blackface is wrong, demeaning to a whole race of people. That it was acceptable in the south 30 years ago is a black eye for our country.
  24. stringer bell
    I like Reusse a lot. I appreciate his independence and respect that he can admit when he’s wrong. Plus, he clearly is a baseball guy. He spends much time in Ft. Myers and knows quite a bit of unofficial information, which I think is why he has been critical of Sanò previously. That he has at least partially defended Miguel says a lot to me.
  25. stringer bell
    I don't think everything is left/right or liberal/conservative. We have several members of the TD community that have been moved in their affiliation by the current president. Twins Daily Sports Bar is a tiny, tiny demographic--male dominated baseball fans with ties to the Upper Midwest. I think frequent posters tend to be well-educated, especially those who post about politics and this works against the Trump base. Personally, I've leaned left, but voted for the occasional Republican, but with the ascendancy of Trump, the embrace of him by the Republican party, and his assault on facts and decency, I doubt I'll support another Republican any time soon.
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