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stringer bell

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Everything posted by stringer bell

  1. stringer bell
    While I agree with almost all of the OP, I will point out that after a slow start, the club played very well for about 100 games. Perhaps the beginning and end were regression to the mean, Last year everyone was talking about the high number of strikeouts. The club drastically reduced strikeouts and home runs while the pitching staff was among the top strikeout units in the majors. Yet the team won six less games and failed to make the playoffs. Yes, they lack team speed, which also diminishes their defense, but one of the slower shortstops (Correa) isn't going anywhere and none of the second base candidates are above average in the field and only Castro has above-average speed. Where will increased foot speed come from? If Correa played 140 games and Buxton 120, I'm pretty confident the team would have made the playoffs. I'm not confident that either Correa or Buxton will get 600 PAs again during their respective careers. They also lost two starting pitchers during the season and one before the season started. There wasn't enough pitching depth for the club to win. The death knell for the season (IMHO) was the loss of Joe Ryan, without anyone available to step up. Trying to win with a $130M payroll (with over $50M tied up in three players) is a tough task.
  2. stringer bell
    My lasting memory of AK is when he was a fresh faced youngster in spring training. I went to a game in Clearwater where he and Lewis started at first and short respectively and faced Wheeler. Lewis homered and I believe Kirilloff had a single. I watched Kirilloff doing drills later and he looked smooth at first base. I became convinced that Kirilloff would be an All-Star.
  3. stringer bell
    Castro and Lee are almost automatically Five Guys candidates because of being switch hitters.
  4. stringer bell
    It’s my understanding that all five of these guys are eligible to be minor league free agents, which would mean they’ll come back to the Twins only if they believe it is best for them. To address earlier topics in this thread, Varland has shown enough promise to be hung on to, despite the bad numbers. He might be a bullpen guy going forward. Thielbar might retire or try again, but he probably won’t get any major league offers. I could see him signing a minor league deal with the Twins and competing for a spot in the 2025 BP.
  5. stringer bell
    Miranda worked hard and improved as a fielder at third. Many of those improvements would/will show at first base. He doesn’t have great hands, good range or a strong throwing arm, so he probably will never improve beyond adequate at any defensive position, but adequate defense plus a 130 wRC would be fine. I guess Santana will be looking for a pretty big raise after a successful offensive season coupled with recognition for his defense. He might price himself out of the Twins market and will be looking to be what he’s always been—a full time regular player. It’s a close call, but I’d rather bet on Miranda at $800K than Santana at $10M in his age-39 year.
  6. stringer bell
    Is vs it possible that a platoon lefty hitter could be “promoted” to one of the five guys? If not a full-fledged regular, at least not pinch hit for in the middle innings (á la Kepler). I’m thinking of Wallner or perhaps later Rodriguez or Jenkins. It would help if the player vying for this status was a plus defender. Midsummer (‘22 and ‘24) Miranda might qualify despite his less-than-great glovework because of the way he hit during those relatively short intervals and because he pounded right handed pitching. I agree that Castro shouldn’t be one of the five guys, but as a sixth, starting closer to 100 games (about what he did in ‘23), he could be a big positive.
  7. stringer bell
    I don't think Miranda is proven. He's shown flashes, but his overall numbers both in 2022 and 2024 were brought down to near average by bad finishes. I think he could be okay as a first baseman (league-average in SSS) but he needs to be a much better than average hitter.
  8. stringer bell
    Decision time for Tonkin and Topa comes when the team decides to tender them or not.
  9. stringer bell
    Outrighted off the 40-man today. Despite the big power numbers in 2023, I don’t think the front office is very high on Severino.
  10. stringer bell
    Congratulations to a real professional.
  11. stringer bell
    Since Correa and Buxton are about the only two players who are good defenders under contract with the Twins, this is currently a non-starter IMHO. Further I don’t think Lewis is considered a shortstop option at this point, so the job would go to Castro or Lee.
  12. stringer bell
    Trading any of the projected stars from 2024 (Buxton, Correa, Lewis) or any front line pitching almost guarantees a rebuild. Paying Buxton, Correa and López big bucks is a waste if they are rebuilding, so either trade none or trade all IMHO. I think the team makes minimal moves in the off season and is active at the deadline if they don't have a good first half. Larnach, Wallner, Julien and perhaps Lee would be the type of pieces to go along with all of the 1-5 candidates. Remodeling the team with more speed and defensive ability would be the goal.
  13. stringer bell
    I believe he got $12M, paid equally by SF, Seattle and the Twins.
  14. stringer bell
    Topa is under team control for the coming season. If the Twins tender him a contract, he is "signed". While it is not likely Topa will pitch a full season in 2025, he could well give them quality innings for at least half of the season.
  15. stringer bell
    Inconsistent, but he was worth far more than $1.5M last year.
  16. stringer bell
    There’s lots of room on the 40-man, but I’d still non-tender Tonkin and offer him a minor league contract. Stewart and Topa are health issues, but given their (comparatively) meager salaries, they should be tendered.
  17. stringer bell
    The Twins subtracted three players on the first day after the World Series was completed—a buyout for Margot, option declined for Farmer and Alex Kirilloff’s surprise retirement. https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/10/twins-decline-mutual-option-on-kyle-farmer.html https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/10/twins-decline-option-manuel-margot.html https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/10/alex-kirilloff-announces-retirement.html
  18. stringer bell
    Sorry and sad for this guy. I wish him well.
  19. stringer bell
    Martin had good numbers at St. Paul, fueled by free passes. Also he did hit quite a few doubles, but don’t disagree with you about what Martin showed in 2024.
  20. stringer bell
    I pretty much agree with this. Martin didn't reach base nearly enough to compensate for his lack of power and poor defense. I would also state that the fan in me is hoping for a jump in quality contact to the point that Martin can be a positive offensive player. It is a long shot that a player can enhance his skills that much at 26 years of age.
  21. stringer bell
    I don’t think Miranda’s finish to the season makes other people want to acquire him. He cratered in the last half of the season and produced zero homers. He showed enough to be a near-lock to make the club out of Spring Training and to get significant early playing time, but I don’t think there is a guarantee that he’ll be a full-time player in 2025. Mike Max made a Twins comment about the new Twins batting coach to the effect that he needed to get much more out of Royce Lewis and Brooks Lee or the Twins would be in trouble. I would add Miranda to that list.
  22. stringer bell
    Martin would be a lot more intriguing if he was a plus fielder. I actually believe he could be a good left fielder or second baseman. His less than strong arm really limits his defensive value. I like the speed (second best on the team) and the contact, but he has to be better at getting on base. His production has to improve as well as his defense or he won’t get beyond “bench player”.
  23. stringer bell
    I, for one, have never viewed Nick Gordon as more than a stopgap, thus not comparable to Castro.
  24. stringer bell
    Disagree. Gordon is not and was not as versatile as Castro. Nick was never more than an emergency replacement at third or shortstop and was protected from left handed pitching. Gordon also isn’t and wasn’t the type of threat on the bases that Castro has been for the Twins, particularly in 2023.
  25. stringer bell
    Honestly, I think Popkins was fine as the hitting coach. The team floundered down the stretch, which probably necessitated some coaching changes.
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