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TopGunn#22

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Everything posted by TopGunn#22

  1. TopGunn#22
    The other thing Kirilloff and Farmer have done is solidify the infield defense. Kirilloff at 1B and Farmer at 3B is MUCH better than Solano and Miranda. I have a lot of faith in Kirilloff. I think he's the real deal. When you also consider that Royce Lewis may be up in the not to distant future and the power that Larnach provides (better than Kepler) there is the chance to be a pretty potent lineup if guys like Buxton, Correa and Polanco just do what they SHOULD.
  2. TopGunn#22
    I'm not predicting All Star games and CY Young Awards, but I think we've seen the last of Mahle and Maeda in the Twins rotation. Ober and Varland have shown no tendency to give those spots back, and that's an excellent outcome. We've been waiting for a couple of home grown SP's to crack the rotation. Ryan, Gray and Pablo Lopez have been great trade acquisitions but it's time to get the young guns in there. Mahle's season is done and Maeda's future should be in the bullpen with an occasional start if needed. The sample size is small but I've been very encouraged by what I've seen from both Varland and Ober.
  3. TopGunn#22
    This is a great discussion. I for one am excited to see Ober and Varland get an extended look to see what we've got. I don't think we're going to get much from Maeda or Mahle this season and I'd be surprised if either were with the Twins next year. I see the Twins either making a trade for an impact SP before the deadline this season (not sure yet who that would be) and if there is no deadline deal, the Twins looking at a top of the rotation SP for 2024 and beyond either in free agency (which would be EXPENSIVE) or another trade. I would extend Sonny Gray a Q.O. but what he's doing now (while wonderful) I don't see him sustaining. Not saying who that #1 SP would be either (that's a good topic for speculation later this season). I think the plan for this FO has always been to pitch and play close games. That got kind of messed up after 2019's "Bomba Squad." But I think this FO wants to build a solid and deep pitching staff. There are several young hitters that should be having an impact this year and next in Lewis, Julien and Lee and Rodriguez not too far behind.
  4. TopGunn#22
    Thanks for clarifying chpettit. Lewis will make a lot of this speculation moot when he's ready to come up to the big club.
  5. TopGunn#22
    It's too bad that they optioned Kirilloff to St. Paul meaning they need to wait 10 more days baring an injury. But it really shouldn't be too difficult to find room for A.K. Larnach is 7 strikeouts in a row and counting. The team as a whole is just atrocious when it comes to situational hitting. Kirilloff can't fix that by himself. But as Farmer gets closer to a return the easy move is to DFA Solano who at 35 doesn't bring much defensive value and is an empty, pop-less batting average. Flores brings much more to the table. Gordon is their LH hitting CF option as is Gallo. Here is a lineup against RH pitching: C Vazquez 1B Kirilloff 2B Polanco SS Correa 3B Miranda LF Gallo CF Gordon RF Kepler DH Buxton Bench: Jeffers C Farmer SS/3B/2B Flores IF/OF Taylor OF Larnach OF You've got to have Jeffers. You've got to have Farmer. You've got to have Taylor. So if you have a bench of 13 hitters it comes down to Larnach or Flores. I like the versatility Flores adds to the bench. He can play 3B a little 2B if needed and outfield. Larnach is only a corner outfielder and he still has options. He also has Wallner breathing down his neck. And don't forget that Lewis will be knocking on the door in a couple of months and Julien has already been up. Larnach looks so lost at the plate that he needs a little St. Paul time to rediscover his swing. Kirilloff is raking in St. Paul. It's no less stressful to his wrist to play there than it is at Target Field. Get him up ASAP.
  6. TopGunn#22
    Great timing for this Cody because Kirilloff will be coming up soon and Farmer will just make the roster crunch a little tighter. When you factor in Gallo, Kepler and Wallner for the immediate future, and Rodriguez for the year or two future as well as the strong possibility that the Twins could take an toolsy outfielder with their 5th pick in the June draft, Larnach is indeed on the hot seat a bit. Kepler is in his last year with the team. Gallo is signed for only one year. So beyond this season, there is still a place for Larnach. But he's supposed to be a middle of the order power bat and it just hasn't come to the fore yet. He leads the team in RBI's but that's more a function of the abundant opportunities he's had. Last night's 7th inning with bases loaded and nobody out was beyond frustrating seeing big guns like Correa and Buxton both swinging at the first pitch and both making weak contact with grounders back to the pitcher. Larnach battled back well from falling behind 0-2 to bring the count full, but in the end finished with a strikeout and earning the "Golden Sombrero" (4 strikouts in a game, from Hrbek and Gaetti days) for his effort.
  7. TopGunn#22
    While this is disappointing to hear this allows the Twins to give Ober and Varland a fairly extended look in the rotation. I for one would like to see Maeda in the BP in long relief when he's healthy enough to come back just to give him more time to build up. That would ensure an even longer look at Ober and Varland. Varland hasn't disappointed me yet. I'm excited to see him get 10 starts.
  8. TopGunn#22
    I agree, the real solution is Buxton in CF but Hans is right. Gallo in CF until Buxton starts playing there consistently is the best solution to getting Kirilloff INTO the lineup at 1B and keeping Larnach in the lineup in LF.
  9. TopGunn#22
    I'm all in favor of getting Kirilloff up YESTERDAY. I expect big things from him this season. They need his bat in the middle of their lineup. It's going to come down to Gordon or Castro. They really don't need Gordon for CF at all. Taylor, Gallo and Buxton will have that covered. Kepler should also be moved if a couple more outfielder injuries happen to teams and Max hits a little bit better. We've been carrying dead weight on our roster for a long time. With Kirilloff healthy and Julien, Lewis and Lee knocking on the door it's time to start integrating these young talents and cast off the dead weight.
  10. TopGunn#22
    Maeda should be given plenty of time to work things out in St. Paul. On second thought, I'd send him to Fort Myers and let him pitch in warm weather. I've been impressed with Ober AND Varland so it's nice to have TWO solid choices. Headrick has also been pretty solid so there is no reason to rush Maeda back into the rotation. He needs to build up a little more velocity and a bit more command. I'm also VERY READY for Alex Kirilloff to arrive. He doesn't need to play two games in a row right away, but I'd love to see it. They need his BAT and they need it NOW.
  11. TopGunn#22
    I think it's time to get Kirilloff up to the big team team. The "Roster Crunch" article did a good job of laying out who would have to go to make that happen but whoever it is, I just think it's time to get Alex up and into the heart of our batting order.
  12. TopGunn#22
    At this point I'd release Pagan for sure. Ober being sent back to St. Paul already makes this interesting topic moot for the time being but I gotta say, I love the "problem" the Twins are now facing with their starting rotation. It's a far cry from Shoemaker, Happ, Bundy and Archer territory. I will also say that the minor league pitcher who has impressed me the most when called up is Varland. I rank him ahead of Ober actually. Maybe the Twins front office has finally built a pitching staff, albeit from trades, not so much from development yet.
  13. TopGunn#22
    The other thing I would suggest is that Buxton no longer use the head first slide. He's terrible at it. Every time he does it he looks terribly awkward. Feet first. You really don't get there any faster with a head first slide but the chance of hurting a shoulder or hand (even with the oven mitt) is higher.
  14. TopGunn#22
    I've been complaining about this for awhile. As others have already stated, Rocco does not value the stolen base. And as Rod Carew's Birthday showed with the chart he supplied the Twins are solidly middle of the pack in team speed. The Yankees are near the bottom. Now, one guy like a Volpe who could steal 40 bases has a big impact, but speed alone isn't needed to effectively steal bases. Another thing I've been figuratively pounding the table on and Mike Link mentioned earlier is to just take the bubble wrap off Buxton and let him play. Buxton's insanely stupid baserunning collision at 2nd base a couple games ago illustrates that "bubble wrapping" Byron is NOT going to protect him. Rocco and the F.O. cannot protect Buxton from himself. Just take off the bubble wrap and play him! A couple games ago, about the 7th inning, the Twins had Taylor on first base with Kepler up. We were up by one run. It's a perfect situation to try to steal second base, get a runner in scoring position and maybe even force a bad throw by the catcher. After two pitches and no steal attempt the count was 0-2. This is when you MUST steal second base. There is a high probability that the 0-2 pitch will be a breaking ball or change-up in the dirt (it was). If Taylor gets thrown out, Kepler leads off the 8th. If he's successful, you've got a guy in scoring position. Kepler blooped a hit into left center, next hitter got out. Missed opportunity. My frustration continues to build.
  15. TopGunn#22
    He's certainly out of synch at the plate to start out the season, no question about that. I agree with tony&rodney, his swing is far too uppercut. A better swing plane should bring him more consistent contact. With his average exit velo and speed he should hit for a higher average than he has, but he doesn't walk nearly enough either. After his completely dumba$$ baserunning the other game that resulted in the collision near second base I just threw up my hands and said "enough with this strategy to 'protect' him. He can't be protected from himself!!" Just put him in CF and give him the green light to steal with the instruction he is NOT allowed to slide headfirst (he's the worst, most awkward head first slider I've ever seen). His speed is completely negated if we won't just give him the green light. Good grief, we have ONE stolen base this year in a season that is finally seeing a revival of the stolen base. There are teams who have more stolen bases than we even have ATTEMPTS! I will conclude my rant with this anecdote. I was watching the Twins game today and I swear, shortly after Pagan was brought in to pitch after Maeda had to leave the game, our tornado awareness sirens had their test. Tornado warning sirens blaring, Pagan did not disappoint. I was glad I was sheltering in the southwest corner of my basement.
  16. TopGunn#22
    I'm always in favor of promoting aggressively. Who is the hot prospect at SS in St. Paul blocking Lee? No one. I'm O.K. with Lee at AA only if he's in St. Paul by 2-3 weeks into May. Julien belongs with the major league team. Some of this will depend when Farmer is able to come back but they need Julien at the top of the order against RH pitchers and maybe full time. I have to admit, I've been very impressed with Louie Varland every time he's pitched for the Twins.
  17. TopGunn#22
    I think Squirrel nailed it. On another topic, I'm frustrated that 15 games into the season we have ONE stolen base!!!! There are teams with more SB's (significantly) than we have even attempted. 29 Major League managers have determined they are going to take advantage of the new rules. I would like someone in the media to ask Rocco if he's just waiting for the "perfect" situation to steal a base or if he just doesn't believe in the SB as a part of the game at all. O.K. Thanks for letting me vent.
  18. TopGunn#22
    I haven't been a fan of treating Buxton like he's a porcelain doll from the get go. If it was up to me I'd forbid him from head first slides because he's terrible at them. That's how he hurt the knee last year. Resting him as a DH is laughable. Not allowing him to play ONE INNING of defense in CF was highly questionable.
  19. TopGunn#22
    Good to see Polanco is getting close. Any update on Kirilloff? Is he even playing yet with the Saints?
  20. TopGunn#22
    So far he looks like the guy we traded for. I've said that I consider him the key to our BP. If he's even 80-90% of what he was for Baltimore last year he and Duran would make up one of the best duo's in baseball. Add to that how Alcala has looked so far and the dependability of Jax and Theilbar and that's a really good BP. The only disappointment so far is Moran but I'm not worried about him. I think he'll settle down and contribute.
  21. TopGunn#22
    I would imagine that Miller will play 60-65% of the games at SS and Salas 35-40% until Salas has either shown the improvement necessary to earn a greater share of the time at SS or failed to earn it. Playing Miller more at 2B would be good with a little 3B mixed in to enhance utility player capability.
  22. TopGunn#22
    This all depends on the health of Polanco and Kirilloff but I expect sometime this season Julien to end up being that leadoff hitter. In the meantime, I'd move Buxton to the leadoff spot. Kepler has no business being there until he shows some kind of sustained positive production. Gallo should hit #6 or #7. Gordon is a possibility against RH pitching but if Julien hits well and gets on base at a high rate and Polanco and Kirilloff are slow to come back, or, come back and get hurt again I see Julien getting the call sometime in June.
  23. TopGunn#22
    I would add Rich Reese and his pinch hit HR against Dave McNally in early August of 1969 to snap McNally's 16 game winning streak. The Twins of 1969 & 1970 were a darn good baseball team, just not better than the Orioles.
  24. TopGunn#22
    Nicely laid out Seth. I think Solano is on a very short leash. He did nothing to impress in ST and unless he hits well right out of the gate I could see him let go as soon as Kirilloff and/or Polanco are ready. I actually think Castro could stick with his versatility. I'd love to see Julien up at some point and if he rakes in St. Paul he will be hard to ignore. I would have liked to see Ober at the #5 starter and Maeda start the season in long relief, or as some have suggested Maeda and Ober used as a consistent piggyback with Maeda starting for 3-4 innings and Ober coming in. But that does not appear to be the plan.
  25. TopGunn#22
    I've been high on Moran ever since I first saw him pitch for the Twins. His change up reminds of of Johan Santana. Yes, he's got to cut down on walks but I think that will come. Nobody seems to hit anything especially hard off him. I'm expecting good things to continue this year. He may emerge as our #1 left handed option.
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