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stringer bell

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Everything posted by stringer bell

  1. stringer bell
    Alcalá has had two absolute meltdowns totaling seven runs and no outs (IIRC) and Jax has been touched for three runs in one outing and Jax had three outings where he was scored on (earned runs) six runs in 2.2 innings. It will take months to overcome what happened to Alcalá and weeks to overcome what Jax has allowed. Such is the life of a relief pitcher. I think Jax' stuff and previous performance over the two and a half years says he'll still be pretty good. I wouldn't say the same for Alcalá.
  2. stringer bell
    I did not remember Jonah Bride at all, so I looked him up at Baseball Reference. He's been bad (SSS) this year after having what looked like a breakthrough year in 2024. Certainly he looks like a better RH bat than Mickey Gasper. Perhaps he can help out on the left side of the infield, with both Correa and Castro having injuries that might end up costing them playing time. Bride would appear to have a bit of power, but lower than league average strikeout rate and above league average walk rate. He has pretty pronounced reverse platoon splits. Defensively, the topline numbers look average-ish. A couple other thoughts about this move. Keaschall isn't coming up anytime soon unless the injury barrage continues. Despite hitting a home run today for St. Paul, Armando Alvarez hasn't done enough to be considered for promotion. Alvarez and Bride look like similar players to me. Did Castro's injury cause this acquisition? Short-term, the Twins are really short of left side infielders.
  3. stringer bell
    A nice lead would allow Festa to go in the uncharted waters of the sixth or maybe even seventh inning IMHO. So far, he hasn't shown (in SSS) the ability to sustain his stuff beyond twice through the order.
  4. stringer bell
    If it comes to that, I think Paddack (the last vowel is an A) is the guy in the bullpen. I sure hope so anyway.
  5. stringer bell
    To me, the photo is proof that Bader wasn't in contact with the bag and the fielder still had the tag on him. I'm just glad the Mets lost their challenge on Castro's double and couldn't challenge the call at first in the seventh inning.
  6. stringer bell
    1) It's just one game, but Julien had a flawless game at second, with the heads up double play. I think he showed good judgment on a grounder up the middle by the Mets catcher. Julien fielded the ball cleanly, set himself and made a good strong throw. I've seen him rush when there's no reason and then things unravel--not this time. Maybe he's making some progress. 2) I know Gasper made a really bad error in one of his few appearances at second base, but I've seen two platinum glove shortstops (Correa and Lindor) make equally bad errors in this series. I don't think we should make judgments on one or even a couple of mistakes. I see that Gasper's preliminary sprint speed is in the average range, so he shouldn't be considered an extremely slow guy (like France and Miranda) so maybe he might have okay range. I am not saying this disproves that he should never play second, just that the jury should or could still be out.
  7. stringer bell
    Keirsey will be 28 in less than a month. By the time Trout was Keirsey's current age, he already had a leg up for the Hall of Fame. Yeah, there's not much comparison. The manager and coaches see these guys all through spring training and in BP. If a guy can play, they will play or the coach/manager will lose their job. Rocco and his staff may well lose their job, but I don't think it is for the way they handled (specifically) Keirsey, Miranda and Alex Kirilloff.
  8. stringer bell
    Nice win. First one-run win and (of course) first walk-off. Bader helped win the game with his glove, bat and arm. The Twins had the right ghost runner and it looked like they got a huge break with a bad call at first base. Rocco might be well-advised not to use Jax on back-to-back days.
  9. stringer bell
    Beautiful (if chilly) day for baseball! My vantage point.
  10. stringer bell
    2023 Willi Castro played three or four positions pretty well and was passable at a couple more. He hasn't been nearly as good defensively in '24 or '25 IMHO. I don't think SS is a position where Willi can thrive, but he does have the necessary arm for that spot. Despite not having a lot of experience at third, Lee looks pretty comfortable there, but with Willi's misadventures at short, I guess I'd rather see the more surehanded guy at shortstop. A little bit off-topic, but I wonder if the Twins will end up rescinding the option on Miranda and place him on the IL. He didn't get injured playing for the Saints and it would save the option.
  11. stringer bell
    It looks like Rocco prefers Castro at shortstop over Lee. After the ninth inning I think I’d give the job to Lee right now. Castro seems to be fighting it on both sides of the ball.
  12. stringer bell
    Provus said he was okay.
  13. stringer bell
    With more than 20 pitchers on the 40-man roster and four catchers, there isn’t much room for depth. Martin and Miranda are down with injuries at St. Paul. Add in Lewis and perhaps Correa and Wallner and they just about have to go off the 40-man to cover a position spot.
  14. stringer bell
    Bader has three infield hits. That doesn’t happen often.
  15. stringer bell
    And his batting helmet isn’t falling off.
  16. stringer bell
    I think there’s a 40-man spot open, so a player can be promoted without a DFA, since Blewett was DFA’d. I doubt Correa will be able to avoid the IL. Not sure about Wallner.
  17. stringer bell
    I get the doom and gloom and in most respects it is justified. Normally, patience should be exercised, but coming off the very similar play of late 2024, this club really couldn't afford a slow start. A healthy Buxton and Correa will be very good players, but their slow starts highlight how questionable the rest of the roster has proven to be. The second tier of relief pitchers have shown to be unreliable and the lack of speed and athleticism shows in the field and on the base paths. The Twins have far too many players in the category of "if you're not hitting, you're not helping". The team really needs a spark and I don't know if there is anyone ready to provide it. I'd hate to see good players traded, but I suspect that is in the offing if the club doesn't do a 180 and soon.
  18. stringer bell
    I fear that if López is back soon he’ll be a member of another team by the trade deadline.
  19. stringer bell
    Can’t bunt with Vázquez on deck.
  20. stringer bell
    Rocco's early pulls are more defensible than they might appear. López is the most trusted and he was taken out due to injury, Ryan is coming off a serious injury and didn't get a lot of work in Florida. He worked 7 innings his last start. Ober was set back by illness and then threw a short start in St. Louis to start the season. I believe he went four innings his next time and went six his third outing. The trust isn't there for Paddack, Festa or SWR, and much of that is justified, particularly Festa. If the score is tied or the Twins have a small lead, Baldelli is pretty quick with the hook for the #4, #5 and #6 guys. With a larger lead or a slight deficit, he lets them go longer and that makes sense to me. Example #1 is SWR going over 100 pitches in his second start.
  21. stringer bell
    At this point anyone trying to acquire Miranda would be calling him a reclamation project. I think he's get another shot with the Twins, but his struggles make me question what he will become as a player.
  22. stringer bell
    A nice win on Sunday can't cover up what has been a continuation of what happened late in the 2024 season. Buxton and Correa have been less than stellar and the third Twins' "star" (Lewis) hasn't played due to injury. Everyone else on the position player side seems to have struggled. It's early, but Miranda's struggles and France's success seem to justify the move to get France in the first place. Bader started hot, but hasn't hit much since the first week. His usage seems about right and he definitely looks like a better player than the 2024 version of Manny Margot. Despite the injury to López, Twins' pitching seems to be finding the range, with six straight acceptable to good starts and most recently a dominant bullpen effort in Sunday's game. One other note--it's really hard to trust Jorge Alcalá. Too many brutal blowouts where he can't get anybody out. The next time he looks dominating. It has to give a manager gray hair (unless they have no hair).
  23. stringer bell
    I don't think Headrick had any options remaining and he also was coming off a injury wrecked 2024 season. I am of the opinion that left handed pitchers should be hoarded a bit by the Twins since they have had so few on the major league roster the last few years, but I think it was a defensible judgment call to try to get Headrick through the DFA process instead of Funderburk.
  24. stringer bell
    Two things about Funderburk have stood out to me since he has played with the Twins. First, he really has struggled with the first guy he faces--really not a good thing especially for a relief pitcher. Secondly, his command seems to come and go. When Kody is around the plate, he's very effective, but far too often he is in hitters' counts and then his stuff doesn't play. Does that relate at all to relative ineffectiveness against left handed hitters? I don't know.
  25. stringer bell
    Things look a lot rosier after a solid win in a game started by the team's #5 starter. If the Twins are to avoid being buried, they need to win the Mets series. It looks like it will be cooler and windier tonight. Might keep the ball in the park.
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