h2oface

Did "Matt Wallner force his way into the big league outfield by season’s end," or was it that all the options were gone, injured, outfield decimated, and he was the next up?

Total dream.... and it is over.

???? Why would Duran try to "throw the way he did" if he was a starter? You know the game well enough to know he would pitch like a starter, adjust his velo and have the "verlander" +5 mph anytime he wanted, another tool, and adapt. The Twins could seriously be limiting his lifetime earnings if they don't even explore him starting, and they don't own him. He will find a team, eventually, if that is what he wants. "Never" gonna happen? Funny how absolutes aren't.

Byron Buxton........ sigh

Duran, if allowed to start, could very well be the most valuable asset this team has! But I guess a lights out closer can never be as valuable as a mid rotation starter that can't stay on the mound. Best to keep him were he is less valuable, therefore he won't be so coveted that this FO trades him like Pressly this mid season when the roster they built tanks and they want to get the most value for prospects and hope for the future........ rinse repeat........

Ober a more valuable asset than Duran? or the next five coming? I'm out of here.

I am sure the Twins can give up too much to get him if they want to. They are much better at making trades that don't work out much than signing good free agents. It has been a long time since our farm was highly rated. No need to stop now, 6/7 years in. My bet is they will wait for Lewis at this point. May as well.

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OKAY then. I will keep TRYING. THANK YOU.

Is EGO an acronym here for something I am not aware of, or should I just shout it everytime I read it? Just because someone freely spends their money.... and gives their city and fans something to cheer about... seems that is more in the selfless arena than conceit. Giving away and even losing $ to make others happy? I could use more of that ego. Excuse me now..... I'm getting tired and need a nap.

"They would benefit highly from a guy by the likes of Luis Arraez. Heck, any team would. " Like the Twins.

".... richer than God", eh? Pohlads could do the same thing. So could Dolan of Cleveland. So could most owners. They just whine about baseball being a business. But may there be more owners that make baseball their favorite hobby and an avenue to spend the money that can't be taken to the grave, money that they got lucky to get. Money for money. Spend it. I have more a problem with the billionaires that won't spend it, than those that do. One could say the ultra rich that don't spend are ruining the game as much as the reverse presented here. Spend, Baseball is a game. Stop making it a business. SPEND SPEND SPEND. Personally, I like a guy that wants to have fun with his wealth rather than pinch pennies, or millions. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1125149/wealthiest-mlb-teams-owners/

"And to reiterate, Rogers was NOT GOOD this past season. At no point was he a reliable late-inning fixture resembling his prime years in Minnesota. " Well, for his first 12 appearances of the year he had given up no runs at all. 11 saves, 4 hits total, one walk and one HB. He finally gave up one on May 10th. Thru May 27th - 20.1 innings, 20 appearances (4 times the dreaded back to back days that he always had trouble with on the Twins), 17 Saves in 17 opportunities, 23 Ks, 4 walks, 3 HB (2 in the game he gave up a run but still got the save), 9 total hits, 1 run, .132 BA against, ,44 ERA and .64 WHIP! That is Cy Young votes in 2020 for a 2 month season, the kind that made some declare Maeda an Ace! As I was paying attention to it happening, I thought they were using him too much, and that might be the case. But I would say for 2 months, and not "at no point", that he was "a reliable late-inning fixture resembling his prime years in Minnesota", and it might have even been the best consecutive 2 months of his career. The last 4 months were definitely NOT GOOD, but the first 2 months made Pagan look even more horrid, if that was possible. And the trade for Hader at the end of July (both Hader and Rogers had a magnificent first 2 months and had strugged since).... Hader's July was even worse than Roger's! So it seemed that both San Diego and Milwaukee were betting on each of them returning to form before the end of the year. The market is overpaying everyone this year. So much for collusion theory....

Syndergaard for me. I can't see him as another Shoemaker or Bundy. Many times, the second year past TJ is the velo year, and the pitcher reclaiming his feel. But alas, it is not speculation about where and why he chose to sign.... https://www.mlb.com/dodgers/news/noah-syndergaard-dodgers-deal

Thanks for the offer. It is some of the mysterious unexplained censorship (comments that just disappear with no explaination or penalty or warning) that deters me from being a caretaker. I truly appreciate the offer and your love of your work and amazing detail to your analysis, even if I sometimes struggle to interpret your complex graphs etc. as much as I try. Many things I enjoy most in life pay nothing but I invest much time and work for the love of it, and give much for free. It is always nice to get paid for it, too, but sometimes it also changes the motive and taints the whole process (ex: coaching/mentoring newer committed skydivers for free instead of being a paid staff of the drop zone to do the same thing).

If I had a vote, I would vote for him. If he had retired after he couldn't play cather anymore, he would be better off for the HOF vote. Playing at first to draw the rest of his salary and performing very non-hall worthy those years only hurt his case, and many will use those years for their reason why he didn't get their vote.

And Grandfathers REALLY REALLY don't like Gallo!

Censored again. Let's try it this way...... since apparently you can't give a player a nickname, even if he basically gave it to himself. No more shopping at Dior..... time for the Thrift Store. It even rhymes. ? It really surprises me that Correa so easily bows out of SS and is good with playing 3rd. That is another devaluation. Just one year away from his Platinum Glove award at Shortstop, Is Lindor really that much the better option at short? I you had them both, who would you chose to play Shortstop?

As many days off as Baldelli gave him, I would say that the Team Brass wasn't treating it like a one year. They were definitely treating him as an investment to be given rest for long lasting performance and durability (or at least hoping). If not, and he was a one year only investment, they would have played him more. That is what they were paying him to do. Play. Not sit on the bench.

Looks like Thrift Store shopping now. Dior this!

Nobody knows how good Bauer will be now. Basically two years off. But if released, just from a pitching standpoint, I see no downside at the prorated minimum salary, however good he might be again. He didn't get a contract for about $32 million a year for the last 2 and 2023 because he was equal to a Gray or Mahle or Maeda or Ryan. That is definitely ace money at the time of the contract, and that is what he was consensusly considered to be. He should take 2023 off (prorated) paid, and let the story get old and see about his future for 2024, if there is one in MLB. But maybe not. If some team bites the bullet and he gets signed and pitches well, he could have a big contract to sign for 2024 and beyond because he did weather the impending storm. Is it possible to get booed louder than Correa at Dodger Stadium? We might find out.

To this point only - after months of thorough investigation, there was not even enough evidence to even bring Bauer to trial to possibly/probably acquit him, and the only actual legal proceding that did happen, he won, and the female judge ruled against the requested restraining order after all evidence was presented. The rule of law, and our states or federal prosecutorial legal system, which most generally hold in high regard, has filed no charges that I am aware of at all against Bauer (subject to correction if you know of such, and please inform). Bauer would not be a good fit for the Twins, regardless, for many reasons beyond and including the current suspension reason, even though our FO, ownership, and many if not most fans (and other teams as well) will look past outright cheating and cheating the game and embrace a player as a clubhouse leader, and pay them record contract amounts to do it. And...... even though, if LA releases him, he will be available for a virtual pittance - the prorated league minumum for 2023. Most people decide things these days from facts they may or may not know to be true from second and third and fourth hand (or even more distant) sources and reading, or just make them up themselves to fit what they want to believe. Bauer will not be able to escape that for the rest of his life. He definitely chose the wrong kink.

Still the highest AAV he was offered........ I guess he doesn't belive in himself enough to think he would be worth it then for the next two years as a free agent.

Jeremy Peña was a question mark last year. I think it safe to say, Houston doesn’t miss Correa at all.

Or they just don’t care and didn’t see it as a problem. Looks like a $ thing to me. And I am one that never wanted Correa at all.