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TopGunn#22

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Everything posted by TopGunn#22

  1. TopGunn#22
    I agree Trov. But it's looking like Kirilloff should be up SOON.
  2. TopGunn#22
    Julien has more than delivered and he was the primary reason the Twins traded Arraez to Miami for Lopez. Julien will be a fixture at the top of the Twins order for years. Even though his defense has improved, Brooks Lee will be knocking on the door soon and Lee will command a spot at either 2B or 3B. Julien would be smart to get some work in at 1B and LF to enhance his value and versatility. The problem the Twins have right now as their youth movement rolls forward is who becomes the CF?? They simply can't count on Buxton for anything going forward so a plan has to be made for CF. If Buxton gives them ANYTHING it will be a bonus. And to me, the CF question comes down to two options: Trading for someone who steps right in and becomes the full time CF. Who is player and what would the trade cost amount to? There are also two "In-House" options for CF. Royce Lewis and Austin Martin. Lewis is a stud and will be the star they build around going forward. He could play 3B, 2B or CF but with Brooks Lee on the way, Julien needing AB's and Polanco probably remaining, CF makes the most sense for Lewis. I do not believe he is any more injury prone in CF than he would be in the infield. I wish we hadn't traded Steer and CES for Mahle but we did. If we hadn't, we'd have an even bigger log jam of young talent to sort through. I don't see a future for Miranda or Larnach with the Twins, so I see some potential trades involving them this off season.
  3. TopGunn#22
    I don't think Miranda has a place on this team. You could say the Twins made a mistake with Spencer Steer and you'd be right, but Steer can play 3B, 2B, 1B and LF. Miranda is below average at both 3B & 1B. Steer can also run a little. Miranda is a station to station type of baserunner. I would be looking to deal Miranda in some sort of package that would bring back a bona fide CF (can't count on Buxton for anything going forward) or a solid BP piece. Packaging Miranda with Larnach could get something useful back.
  4. TopGunn#22
    Maeda and Keuchel (if he makes the post season roster) should be bullpen bound. I would like to see Stewart back. He and Varland would be some serious gas out of the pen. To me, I like what I've seen of Funderburk so far. I'd include him as well. Paddock is a mystery. How quickly could he be ready? To pitch one or two innings at a time, Paddock could be a sneaky arm to add to the pen. I think their top 3 are Gray, Lopez and Ryan. Ober gives them another SP option if he returns to form, but they can certainly get through the entire post season (assuming it's a World Series run) with 3 "for sure" SP's and a 4th (Ober) when needed.
  5. TopGunn#22
    The Twins lucked into a top 5 pick in a draft so rich with talent that 5 guys were viewed as potential #1 picks when compared to previous years. The Twins ended up with Walker Jenkins. Thank Goodness the FO went with the prevailing logic and didn't try to get too cute to save money for down slot players. I don't ever remember a time when SO much young talent was knocking at the door for the Twins. Maybe the early 80's with Hrbek and Gaetti. We also traded for Brunansky at that time as well. Lewis, Lee, Julien, Jenkins, Rodriguez, Ryan, Ober, Duran. That's just the cream of the crop. Jeffers is young enough that he could be considered in that group but he's been up for a couple years already. I'm not even mentioning guys like Festa or Keaschal. And if Matt Canterino can ever stay healthy he could be in that mix. I'm frequently critical of the Twins FO. But it's hard to deny how well the young talent seems to be developing. Not all these guys are part of the Falvey & Levine pipeline, but a lot of them are.
  6. TopGunn#22
    I had Buxton on my fantasy team this year and dropped him months ago in favor of Jaren Duran (Red Sox) who really played well but is now out for the season. I think if the Twins had put Buxton on waivers nobody would have picked him up, and that would have been pretty humiliating for both Buxton and the organization. They need to acquire a CF this off season with the idea that Buxton's playing days are over. No more half measures. If Buxton SOMEHOW returns to health, that's a bonus. But the days of counting on him for anything are over.
  7. TopGunn#22
    I agree. Falvey should have great insight on Clevinger. At times, Clevinger has looked like he's washed up. But this season he's really put a lot of those doubts to rest. With our rotation looking like we will need replacements for Gray and Maeda next year, Clevinger would add some depth. Plus, he's got some Playoff experience. It never hurts to add a quality arm. I'd put in a claim and see what happens. I also would be putting a claim in for Matt Moore. As impressive as Funderburk was in his debut it couldn't hurt to have BOTH Moore and Funderburk in the pen with Theilbar.
  8. TopGunn#22
    I'd be all over Moore. Grichuk is interesting, but with the return of Buxton coming soon I doubt they do it, even though he'd be a big upgrade from career journeyman Luplow. I have to agree with the previous assessment that 2 years ago we'd be screaming for Giolito. Now, he couldn't crack our rotation.
  9. TopGunn#22
    We've speculated on this before and I maintain that if Ryan is close to his pre All Star break form he's clearly the #3. Maeda has history of being moved to the BP come post season by the Dodgers and he's been VERY GOOD there. Maeda probably becomes our 8th inning guy in the playoffs. Ryan and Ober are the wildcards. Pre All Star break Ryan and he's #3. If Ober's stint at St. Paul gives him the rest he needs to be strong down the stretch then Ober #4 and possibly starting Game #1 of the next round is perfect for the Twins. Maeda and Keuchel reinforce the BP. Boy, Funderburk looked pretty good last night. He should be in the BP come playoff roster.
  10. TopGunn#22
    It's fun to see the young Twins prospects coming up and not disappointing when given the opportunity. This off season will be VERY interesting indeed.
  11. TopGunn#22
    The idea of Paddock being available in the BP as well as moving Maeda and Keuchel there once we hit post season (Lopez, Gray and Ryan would be the starters, Ober as well if they give him some time to rest and get back on track). Throw Stewart into the mix and you have flame throwers mixed with crafty pitchers that could be just the medicine the Twins need. Castro coming back will probably displace Luplow. Kirilloff coming back SHOULD displace Gallo (finally). Buxton coming back (??) who knows who goes? I agree 110% with JD-Twins...they need Kirilloff!!! Hitting 3rd, 4th or 5th, if Kirilloff is healthy and "right" he's an impact bat that could be huge for the Twins. Especially with Lewis back. There is a LOT of talent sitting on the sidelines for the Twins. Getting these guys healthy was basically the trade deadline strategy of the F.O.
  12. TopGunn#22
    If Joe Ryan looks to be pre-All Star Break Joe Ryan, he's in my starting rotation in the playoffs. The guy who's had tremendous success being moved out of the rotation and into the bullpen in the postseason is Maeda. If the Twins have Maeda and Keuchel in the BP for the playoffs they should have more certainty for performance and better production.
  13. TopGunn#22
    No, he'll be a Dodger or a Yankee. I think Ohtani is a tremendous hitter who also happens to be a very good pitcher. His value WILL take a hit as all he will be able to play is DH. But he will have a "prime" Nelson Cruz year as a floor for a hitter. That kind of production is the foundation for a great, run scoring lineup. It would be beyond fun to have him but it's Dodger Blue or Pinstripes for Ohtani. Nobody will outbid them. The Twins will have money to play with but a lot of youthful uncertainty and veteran mystery. Gray will be tough to replace. I can't believe I'm saying this on 8/27/23 but Pagan will also be a challenge to replace. Imagine if the Twins had added a BP arm at the deadline that would be doing what Pagan has been doing since just before the All Star break? We could have win last night rather than see Jax give the game away. The Twins will need to plug a lot of holes, and Ohtani doesn't plug enough of them to justify the expenditure.
  14. TopGunn#22
    I think LA Vikes has accurately pegged the value of Maeda. I think he COULD have a spot, but I'm not getting into a bidding war for a 36 year old, oft injured-needs time off for "maintenance" pitcher whose future is in the BP and not the starting rotation. He's certainly more Kyle Gibson than Max Scherzer. Someone else had the idea of incentives like holds and saves being built into a contract offer. I like that. He's not your prototypical 8th inning 100 mph power pitcher, but he could certainly stabilize the back end of our BP there. I see his future in the BP not the rotation.
  15. TopGunn#22
    I could see the 6 man rotation being a good move through the rest of the season. Certainly with a 5 game lead the Twins have the cushion to give it a try. I just don't want to see SP removed from a game they are pitching well in at the 73 or 78 pitch mark "just because." Once the post season rolls around, provided Joe Ryan is back to pre All Star Game form (and that's a big "if") I would go with Gray, Lopez, Ryan and Ober as the SP and move Maeda and Keuchel to the BP. The Dodgers were very successful using Maeda as a SP in the regular season and moving him to the BP come post season. His postseason pitching stats are outstanding, primarily as a BP pitcher.
  16. TopGunn#22
    Interesting viewpoint. It's shocking what has happened to the Rays this season what with all the injuries to SP's. But the biggest shock is the situation with their cornerstone player. It's hard to imagine Franco's Major League career being over, but it's certainly a possibility. Boy, wouldn't it have been nice to have added a solid 8th inning/occasional closer type of arm at the deadline...Still, with the SP the Twins have, anything is possible if you get to the playoffs.
  17. TopGunn#22
    Yeah, I was fine with and understood all the comments until RpR. I wouldn't mind locking some of our young talent up. But as has been pointed out, Lewis is much older than the Braves young stars or Franco of T-Bay. I think guys like Walker Jenkins, Lee and maybe Rodriguez will fall into this category if they show superstar potential. Lewis and Kirilloff, due to their injuries, have missed this bus.
  18. TopGunn#22
    Thanks jmlease!! That also helps put into perspective the season Jim Thome had with just 340 AB's that FireDanGladden mentioned.
  19. TopGunn#22
    The youth movement has begun and will continue...and it's exciting! I don't see Lee moving out of the IF and I don't see Martin remaining IN the IF. Look for a permanent move to CF/LF by Martin. Julien should start learning 1B and get an OF glove and get familiar with LF. I see the IF next year having Correa at SS and Kirilloff at 1B, Lewis will be at 3B/2B with Brooks Lee pushing for whatever position Lewis doesn't play. Polanco could possibly be at 2B but might well be dealt even if his final year option is picked up. Kepler has certainly earned his final year option being picked up so he's in RF to begin 2024. Buxton will either be in CF or it will be Martin. Wallner will be a corner OF with Larnach traded and Gallo gone to wherever. A lot of this depends on how Brooks Lee develops. He's either going to be a September callup this season or he will finish the year and playoffs with the Saints. But next season he comes to spring training with a big opportunity to make some noise. The pitching staff has some youth but there will be holes to fill with the departures of Sonny Gray and Maeda. I could see either a Blake Snell type FA signing or another "Arraez like" trade for a young SP. Varland and Paddock are Wild Cards and possible lottery tickets and depth. At least ONE quality BP arm needs to be added in FA that has 8th inning lockdown talent and closing capability to give Duran an occasional break.
  20. TopGunn#22
    Yeah, Carew's MVP 1977 season was something else. I would include Nelson Cruz in 2019 to go with Killebrew's 1969 MVP season. As good as Tony O's 1964 ROY season was, his 1970 season might have been his best. Joe Mauer in 2009 with his 365 BA and 28 HR's could almost go in a special category for catchers. But I would like to see where Nelson Cruz 2019 version would rank with Carew. If you're only comparing offensive numbers (since Cruz was strictly a DH) I wonder how close he would come to Carew's 1977.
  21. TopGunn#22
    Other than the obvious guys like Buxton & Kiriloff (Castro too) I would/could see Funderburk and Martin.
  22. TopGunn#22
    I agree, the Twins most certainly will pick up his option. They will say goodbye to Joey Gallo and probably trade Larnach with the emergence of Matt Wallner. That will go a long way toward relaxing the log jam of LH hitting corner OF. The F.O. has a lot more work to do, but those moves seem quite logical and quite probable once the season ends.
  23. TopGunn#22
    I have been confounded by the Twins BP strategy all season. In fact, pretty much since the beginning of the Rocco era and by extension the FO. Why Funderberk hasn't been brought up is beyond a mystery. I have said and will continue to maintain, that Rocco's biggest failing as a manager is his bullpen strategy (or what seems to be a woeful LACK of a strategy). Winder was a trade piece that could have been used to bring back something of value for the BP at the trade deadline. Having Sands on the roster is baffling when you consider his lack of usage. There is no question the FO and manager know more than we do. Yet some of their moves (Gallo instead of Duval) or lack of moves (Funderberk, Henriquez) just leave me shaking my head.
  24. TopGunn#22
    I don't know about Sabato, Nashville. Seven HR's for a bat first/1B/DH draft pick at this stage of the season and of his minor league career to date with the Twins just doesn't cut it with me. He's a lot like Enlow. Just nothing to show for optimism going forward for as long as they've been in the system. I agree about Larnach. They should have dealt him last year when he still had some value. The Twins FO will never come up with a convincing argument that the signing of Gallo had any logic behind it. There are some strengths to this Twins team but holes galore. There is not a level that won't see some kind of major turnover this off season. Starting pitching: Where do Gray and Maeda end up? At least one FA signing (Blake Snell?) will be needed to go along with Lopez, Ryan, Ober, Paddock, and Varland. How does that measure up with the further development of Raya, Balazovic and SWR?? The bullpen outside of Duran and Jax is a huge question mark. How much will a 36 y/o Theilbar have left? Stewart, Floro, Alcala, Moran Pagan etc...that's not looking that promising right now. Who will be in our OF? Who will be in our IF?? Will there be solid bounce back seasons from Correa and Buxton? Outside of Jeffers and Vasquez returning behind the plate there seem to be more questions than answers for this team looking ahead to 2024. Is our FO capable of steering this ship? Clearly, Rocco is NOT the equal of someone like Terry Francona. But is Rocco good enough? Or is a change needed there? Something is just not clicking with this coaching staff. Does Rocco need to clean house? Or do the Twins FO need to clean house in one last try to save their own jobs? Should be an interesting off season. And I wouldn't over emphasize what happens in the post season (should they eventually stumble and bumble their way into the playoffs) when deciding what needs to be done for 2024.
  25. TopGunn#22
    Excellent, in depth article. He simply MUST perfect and command a sweeper or a curve ball. Otherwise, he's really just a relief pitcher with a limited pitch mix. THAT'S what separates SP's from RP's. Command and usage of multiple pitches versus a "limited" repertoire. We KNOW he's a Starting Pitcher. He's demonstrated that. The IL stint will help but Maki has to help him add a breaking pitch and instill in Ryan the confidence to use it...often. (or at least MORE often). Otherwise, we're going to see more of the same.
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