GeorgiaBaller

He had a good runway to prove himself. Maybe he wasn’t mentally tough enough until he was traded and saw things slipping away. I would be glad to get the same return for Kirriloff, Larnach, Austin Martin, (fill in several other failed to stick prospects) right now. Very sad this team cannot deliver support from their own farm system to even fill corner outfield spots with significant contributors other than Castro.

Is it pessimistic to take over/unders on how long Buxton plays before getting hurt again? Starting to worry Lewis might be in the same bucket.

@nicksavikingCorrea at short was your only strong defensive position in the infield this year. I am admittedly not heavy into stats, but I would guess the Twins were in the bottom 3rd of the league in double plays turned and the same range for anything more than high probability outs created by the infield. Please cite for me the prospects who have panned out in the last 5 years that are defensively strong? Other than Royce Lewis? Lee may be great--but he still hasn't made it to the big league club yet. Martin--same. Herein lies the problem---they are all SS's. Larnach--wash out in bigs and blow avg D, Miranda-same and less than avg defense, Kirilloff can't stay in lineup b/c of injuries, Julien terrible defensively and keeps Correa from turning DP's because he is constantly out of position and doesn't field cleanly. Nick Gordon? Wallner, pretty good bat but less than avg LF as he's stiff, slow to react and lacks range in Outfield. Castro is the closest thing to a fully functional product without a position---Jeffers is the only successful "prospect" that has developed and continues to improve at his position from the "strong pipeline" all around ---besides Lewis (who has yet to stay healthy through a season in the last 3-4 years). The organization has one starting outfielder returning (Kepler) that much of this forum has been in favor of trading the last 3 years. No 1B, question at 2nd, no CF, no LF. You can't just move guys around day to day and have them be great defensively. That's historically called a "utility" player---which is what the Twins have a lot of. I am a Twins fan---love to see them play---but the organization has a deficit developing players who are multi-dimensional and it hurts them. Add that to leading the league in SO's and I have to say the organization lacks identity.

A myopic look at the product on the field is where part of the problem is now. You can't win with only hitting, either. The Bomba Squad and previous high scoring versions of the Rangers both are good examples that. Twins were not hitting with RISP, had starting arms that were over-used and declining the last month of the season as well as a failing bullpen, etc. Twins are mainly trying to develop bats---and maybe not well--but continue to deliver the majority of their prospects to the Majors without a solid position. Make no mistake, preventing runs is an important part of the game. Sloppy fielding and only delivering on high probability defensive stops (rarely making great palys) allows runs that are unnecessary and are a differentiator when trying to square up with a similar team.

I watched---it's the Great Game. If its good ball, I will watch anyone. I would say that Defensive execution was glaringly obvious in comparison with the Twins roster. And no, they were not high-priced free agents other than Simeon and Seagar. Excellent D is just a priority for most of the teams advancing in the playoffs organizationally---that doesn't just happen when prospects get to the Bigs. Its a priority for drafting and development, too. Was shocked early on at how much Evan Carter looked like Kepler when he set up at the plate.

He doesn't get another pitch in the zone. Shoestrings and shoulders. You can't throw Altuve in the shoulders as he crushes those balls---but Alvarez, maybe. nothing that doesn't move and nothing in the zone. If that means walking him, OK. Inside and low is not the answer---he has adjusted to that in the playoffs.

100% Seth. These guys are hitting and are your best defensive options. The playoffs are the only thing that matter---see recent Yankee (not this year), Dodger and Orioles teams who won 100+ games only to get waxed in the playoffs. You overanalyze now because this is the $$ time of year. I am all for the young guys developing---and part of that is learning how to play tough. I know I am beating my point to the ground, but the only way Wallner and Julien get to see the field is through their bats. Both are defensive liabilities. The hard truth of development is you need to watch from the bench if you can't produce in the big spots. That what makes you tough. If you fold up because you got chances, blew them, and had to sit---then you won't last in the majors very long. Playoffs are do or die. Put the bigboy pants on.

OK--it's a given--Sonny had a terrible day and looked like he had a very tired arm. If the Twins can re-sign him, he may have to get "hurt" for a while in June and Early August. Joe Ryan looked tired down the stretch, too. Should they be conditioned better? I don't know, but both looked pretty worn out and missing snap and spin the last 3-4 weeks of the season. I don't know if anyone else had the sound on during Ober's 2nd inning. It was like he was throwing BP. The sound of the bat cracks on each hit (not just Abreau and Alvarez, but someone hit a screamer to center as well) were the loudest I have heard this season. I worry a little that Ober might be a little bit brittle when things start a little south (think Aaron Rogers in the playoffs). That's not saying he can't pitch--but they may need to address the mental toughness with him if he is going to be a topflight starter.

Polanco needs to be at 2nd base---he is awkward and out of position at 3rd, but well above avg at 2nd. Julien is a defensive liability at 2nd. He has multiple mental errors a game where he is not positioned correctly and allows hits or dis-allows double plays because he is nowhere close to covering when the ball is hit to 3rd, Correa at short, or 1st base with a man on. He doesn't even poistion correctly for cutoofs from the outfield half the time--the fielders all throw past him. Defensive stats don't catch that . Julien's only position is DH without hurting the team. Can Julien play 3rd? No. Farmer is the automatic choice at 3rd regardless of right or left handed pitching. Wallner is stiff and slow to react in left. He may have sprint speed, but he is not quick off the jump---which discounts sprint speed. he makes routine plays look difficult. Until he improves his fielding, Castro is a much better option in Left. Stevenson let a ball drop last game that Correa ran 2/3's of the way to the fence and just missed. His ball all the way. The Twins talk about outfield depth, but they have 0 that are not below average in the field---besides Castro. I am not sure why organizationally this is such a deficit. the team even had to sign a FA to get a good/great defensive CF'r! Defensive ineptness costs any team incredibly in the playoffs. Juien and Wallner have no position other than DH during the playoffs---and from their plate production so far, they haven't earned that spot, either.

I admire the guys that can adapt to keep themselves relevant. Kepler was mentioned above. If you look back at Kepler's best year (2019 under James Rowson) at the plate, he did the same thing he is doing this year and hit deeper in the zone, reached and went the other way instead of trying to pull for power all the time. Power swing has to change depending on the count. The great hitters choked up and shortened their swings with 2 strikes---different approach. If you have not seen the Bally special with Mauer and Morneau with a hitting tee and breaking down old at-bats, its worth a watch. I had forgotten how much of an upper body, wide stance, late in the zone hitter Joe Mauer was. He would still be criticized today because he doesn't hit enough home runs---but that late in zone contact going the other way batted in lots of runs and perpetuated lots of rallies. I see the adjustments Polanco and Morneau much the same---neither will be a Mauer, but the approach matters. Wow--now 30 is old man status. When top prospects don't make it the THE BIG SHOW until 24 or 25, that makes a short window. guess that is why the greats break in between 19-22!

Unmentioned is also the fact that Wallner is a less than average fielder. He has a decent arm, but no instincts, takes poor paths to the ball in the field, and is slow. He has a knack for making routine plays look difficult---I guess for him, they are. It would take an immense amount of work for him to get to a major league avg level. This is the same story with Larnach and Julien---I'm not sure why the Twins can't develop the positional skills for these players in the minors. For me, if there is not a glaring upside with the bat to counter the poor play in the field, you don't deserve to be in the lineup---unless you are DH. From the current considerations this season, I would roster Castro instead of Wallner.

Good observation. The years the Astros won or went deep in the playoffs, they were in the top 5 for least strikeouts. Contact is infinitely more important in the playoffs where games are usually lower in overall run production. Let’s don’t forget Joe Mauer made his name with contact, line drives and minimal strikeouts. He also drove in runs with sac flies when called for. An all or nothing approach gives you lots less baserunners—not to mention boring games

100% agree. I really like EJ’s bat, but you can’t stomach sub par defense on a team that has a tough time punching out runs. I have not seen anyone else that would be missed if he took over DH. He might suffer at the plate from not playing the field like Buxton does, but let’s try it and see.

Seems to be a common narrative--great bat and poor glove at 2nd base-----hmmmm--I think we have heard that before. This team has to improve their Defense and they don't do that with Julien at 2nd. Move Julien to DH. He has enough slugging to make sense in the DH spot and he is too short with average wingspan to play first. a healthy Polanco to 2nd. This off-season the Twins decide if they extend Polanco or try to ride Brooks Lee at 2B in the future. Lewis to 3rd when he returns Now for a little controversy. Buxton apparently cannot return to the OF because of his knee issues, but he is floundering at DH---he needs to be in the rhythm of the game fielding a position. DH is not for everyone and Buxton is very much a rhythm and feel player. Play a taller, flexible, long armed Buxton at 1B. He or Kirilloff are often injured, but they can share time at 1B or plug in full time while the other is hurt. It would take some glove and footwork training for Buck, but he is more than capable of handling. Having him play DH has really been a failed experiment. I like Julien and this team needs bats, but poor fielding, limited range defenders is something the Twins don't have the run production to cover for.

I remember Sergio Romo with much less velo being pretty effective. He wasn't a starter so didn't usually see guys multiple times, but the analysis is great--he has to get early strikes in an AB to be effective. Basic stuff, right? However---that's the problem that many on the existing staff like Jax and Duran, who are squeezing out the most velo they can are having, as well. I think there is some validity to the fact that when DK misses, it is usually out of the zone. Many young guys are trying to get back in the count and serving up middle/middle that leaves in a hurry. Ground balls and pitch to contact were what the Twins lived of off for decades---if its weekly hit or ground balls, a good defense can handle balls in play. (Forgive me if you posted a hard hit ball stat---my eyes glazed over on some of those sections) I could see DK as a reliever in the post season as a change of pace to throw 2 innings in a very strong roll. I think Jury is still out this early on---give him some rope and lets see what he does with it.