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TopGunn#22

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Everything posted by TopGunn#22

  1. TopGunn#22
    Tony-O is my favorite Twins player, but Zoilo was the right choice. I do think that if Tony-O had won that MVP award he would probably already be in the HOF. MVP awards carry weight. There was an interesting article about the controversial MVP Mo Vaughn won over Albert Bell. Bell's stats were not just better, they were MUCH better. Bell had an epic season but the writers didn't like him and he'd been caught corking his bat the year before.
  2. TopGunn#22
    Spot on Doc. Depending on who they are looking to acquire as a stud SP (and I have to admit, I've been pushing for Chris Sale and Syndergaard DOH !!) the Twins are better off keeping both Larnach and Kiriloff. I could see a scenario for 2021 where Cruz has retired or moved on, Sano becomes a DH who occasionally plays 1B, Rosario is traded and there's Larnach in LF and Kiriloff at 1B. Both these kids will HIT. Of that I have little doubt.
  3. TopGunn#22
    And I TOTALLY agree with Stringer Bell. Tony-O was and is my favorite all time Twin. You hear the guys that had to play against him, especially the pitchers (Jim Palmer, Denny McClain, Catfish Hunter) they all think he should be in there.
  4. TopGunn#22
    I would put Puckett ahead of Hrbek on the all time list. I think overall it's a good list. But for a guy to be considered, he needs more than just a couple seasons like Hisle or Bostock. First some corrections: Oliva didn't win the batting title in the Twins inaugural season. That was 1961. Tony-O won the batting title and Rookie of the Year in 1964 and then finished 2nd to Zoilo for the American League MVP in 1965 in helping lead the Twins to the American League pennant. I think the point that Killebrew hit homers (LOTS of them) in an era where HR's were generally hard to come by is excellent. (I think Indiana made that point). I would go with Killebrew #1 and Carew #2 and be thrilled I got to watch both of them play.
  5. TopGunn#22
    I REALLY like the thought you put into this chaderic20. It's virtually impossible to make everyone happy. What i like: In a year like no other, you've come up with divisions based on geography---why not ?? It looks like your season plays about 96 games, yet it starts a week before the traditional All Star break. That's pretty impressive. But what i like the most is your playoff scenario. A playoffs that is fairly consistent with modern tradition yet expanded and since we aren't locked into traditional American and National League metrics (which being a traditional kind of baseball guy I'm surprised I like) and it plays the World Series October 11th-20th---which is what I like the most ! MLB NEEDS to come up with a season that plays the World Series in that time frame. Rosters could also be expanded to 28 players. And finally, let ALL teams employ a DH...no matter where they're playing. That would be a perfect opportunity to see how it plays for all 30 teams. Great article, if for nothing else the conversation it could generate. (we know MLB would NEVER be this bold or think this much "outside the box."
  6. TopGunn#22
    I asked my wife. She's FAR more qualified to comment than me. Kepler---Runaway Winner. The line about him being ABC's next Bachelor hits the nail on the head. Otherwise, she says Eddie Rosario and Taylor Rogers should be higher. She also noted that Alex Kiriloff is a fine looking young man so Eddie has ANOTHER reason to be worried.
  7. TopGunn#22
    I think Larnach and Kiriloff should BOTH start seeing more games in LF. I'm not sure if they will be on the same team/level to begin this minor league season, but if they are, they should alternate starting in LF & RF. In a very limited look, I saw Kiriloff play some 1B in a spring training game and he looked decent (which means he didn't make any bone-headed plays). Kiriloff and Larnach are READY to hit at the big league level.
  8. TopGunn#22
    Rewatching the 1987 & 1991 World Series sounds like a good idea ! I'd love to see the 1965 World Series as well. Koufax in his prime. Killebrew & Oliva. I heard yesterday that baseball is desperate to find a way to finish the World Series before the election. How stupid! The election is on November 3rd !!! This is a perfect opportunity to implement a 154 game schedule and find a way to have a Game #7 of the World Series happen no later than October 20th or so. This idea of playing any World Series games on Halloween or November 1st is INSANE. Unless the Dodgers are playing the Oakland A's it's ridiculous. The Twins have a decent chance to make it that far. Baseball games in Minnesota in November?? No way. And this is with baseball discussing plans to broaden the post-season.
  9. TopGunn#22
    GREAT article !! It's easy to get lost in all the prospects not named Kiriloff, Lewis or Larnach. I think BOTH Kiriloff and Larnach are going to be very good major league hitters. It's why Eddie Rosario's days are probably numbered even if his defense rebounds somewhat and he has a good year hitting this year. When extensions for Berrios, Buxton, Sano, Arraez etc...start to come an affordable LF'er will be necessary. Question about Jeffers...is he a left handed hitter ? I seem to remember him being a right handed hitter but if he's a lefty it would make for an awesome platoon with Garver.
  10. TopGunn#22
    I agree, I wouldn't have included Thorpe. I would have mulled the following players for that #3 spot: Mitch Garver. He was SO GOOD last year. Can he even come close to what he did ? Jorge Polanco. He started at SS in the All Star Game. Have you seen how many really GOOD SS's there are in the American league ?? Max Kepler. Last year he put everything together and bashed 36 HR's. Can he do it again ? Tyler Duffy/Trevor May. The guys were light out over the 2nd half of the season. Can they be even better ?? When a team wins 101 games and sets a record for HR's in a season it's hard to come up with "conventional" X-Factors. Garver, Kepler, Polanco and many others had the BEST seasons of their careers. How do they follw that up in 2020 ?? It's going to be so much fun to see.
  11. TopGunn#22
    Oh, I think the Dodgers and Yankees both win about 108 games.
  12. TopGunn#22
    This looks pretty good. I'm actually surprised at how high the Astros win total is. I could see the Twins winning more (98-100 games) and the Astros winning less (94-95). Interesting that this is the year the Reds finally break through and win the division. I still like the Braves in the N.L. East. Braves 92-70 Mets 90-72 Nats 86-76
  13. TopGunn#22
    Totally agree Richard. Not only do we have Larnach, but Kiriloff as well. I don't dislike Rosario, but with talent like that coming up behind him Eddie is eminently replaceable.
  14. TopGunn#22
    mikelink !! That's a GREAT comparison. I've been thinking about Buxton's similarity to Pete Reiser for a long time. Reiser was a .300+ hitter, very fast and a super aggressive outfielder. He played CF for Brooklyn in the 40's. I agree that PECOTA is a little harsh toward Buxton but remember, Buxton's sample size is pretty small and I can see how PECOTA could project him this way. However, Twins fans who watched a lot of games last year saw a completely different approach at the plate from Buxton (and Sano for that matter as well). Maybe it was the influence of Nelson Cruz (I don't think it was a coincidence). It seemed that Buxton and Sano each had a definite "plan" in mind while at the plate last year. This is where PECOTA comes up short...the eye test. As with Pete Reiser, so with Buxton. If he can stop crashing into outfield walls and play 140-150 games we will really enjoy seeing Buxton's "baseball gifts" for the better part of an entire season.
  15. TopGunn#22
    Shaitan and Nicksaviking have the right idea. I've thought for a LONG time that baseball needs to move to a 154 game season so that the World Series is played closer to mid-October and not Halloween/Nov. 1st. I'm pretty luke warm about this proposal, but if ANYTHING good could come of it, it would be that baseball would be forced to shorten the regular season so that the playoffs don't end up in November.
  16. TopGunn#22
    This is a much better deal if Balazovic is not included. he will be a very good front line starter for the Twins.
  17. TopGunn#22
    I agree rdehring, let Boston and the Dodgers work out the Mookie deal. Let's keep talking to the Dodgers about Maeda. Everything can work out fine if we separate the Twins and the Red Sox in this "schoolyard fight." The Dodgers are ready to move on from Maeda anyway. They're looking at young starters like Julio Urias and Dustin May and in the end, the BIG prize for L.A. is Mookie. SOMETHING will get done. I'm just not sure what the timeline is. And depending on what we send back to the Dodgers, I'm fine with having Graterol in our bullpen.
  18. TopGunn#22
    I find it hard to believe Boston was gob-smacked by something in Graterol's medicals. It's been discussed for quite some time that he very well could end up a reliever than a starter. As LA Vikes fan and others have pointed out, this deal is most important to the Dodgers. My God! They've got Bellinger & Mookie !!! Next it's most important to the Red Sox who I suppose because the Yankees added Gerritt Cole and if healthy could mash 350 HR's this year, and Tampa Bay is clearly better than them, are suddenly throwing in the towel and must get under the "luxury tax." While it would be great to have Maeda this trade is not nearly as important to the Twins as it is the other two. As was also pointed out, but the question has still not been answered...was Graterol technically traded to the Dodgers first. If that's the case, the Dodgers are motivated the most to get this done. I just can't believe the "clueless" Red Sox had absolutely NO IDEA Graterol may be better suited to be a flame-throwing bullpen guy. What happened to their "analytics department" ??
  19. TopGunn#22
    I agree with you Andrew, but I also believe you have to draft pitching to develop pitching. I'm not sure I can identify a specific "draft strategy" for our new F.O. yet, but I like what they've done so far. On another topic, any thoughts on what might have to happen to complete the Mookie blockbuster now that the Red Sox are spooked by some of Graterol's medicals ?? Did we "theoretically" send Graterol to the Dodgers who then sent him to the Red Sox ?? My assumption (I know it's never good to "assume") is that the Dodgers will have to sweeten this deal. Either by accepting to pay more $$ on Price's contract or attaching an additional prospect. I don't think the Twins will have to replace Graterol with a different prospect. What do you all at TD think ??
  20. TopGunn#22
    Deeper starting staff. Solid bullpen that will be one of the A.L.'s best. A lineup that will score, score and SCORE.
  21. TopGunn#22
    24fan pretty much has this covered. I really don't see any way Rocco can screw this up. He's got tremendous lineup depth and versatility top to bottom. I like Arraez leading off...great OBP against RH or LH's. Patient, so Buxton can run more. I like Kepler hitting cleanup or 5th in any lineup with studs in front and studs behind him. Kepler could be poised for a GREAT year.
  22. TopGunn#22
    Well, Wade hasn't shown he can hit a lick in the big leagues. All he does is walk. Gotta have more than that. Cave is simply O.K. He's a lineup guy against RH pitching only. Rooker is probably a far surperior bat to Marwan but is nowhere near as versatile. Nick Gordon could put some pressure on Gonzalez, and maybe Adrianza if he keeps hitting like he did last year. But it's awfully tough to give up a dependable, versatile player like him when you expect to contend.
  23. TopGunn#22
    5 for $60 would be acceptable. For the foreseeable future he is the Ace of the staff. If the Twins ever figure out how to pair him with a true #1 he would be a good #2. Get it done.
  24. TopGunn#22
    This is a GREAT debate. I agree, let's visit this several times over the coming season. Clearly, you've identified the top 3 teams. But there are so many nuances with each lineup that it could be any of the 3. There will be a lot of "prove it" to me with the Astros lineup this year, but there is no doubt they have some studs. What the Yankees did last year offensively with all those injuries is terrifying. What if Stanton & Judge are healthy for a whole season? What if Andujar gets 550 AB's? (that kid can flat out HIT). What is the ceiling for Gleybor Torres? Can Urshela even come close to 2019? And on the Twins side...what if Buxton plays in 150 games? Can Garver repeat? What is the ceiling for Sano ? Can Cruz keep it up ? This season should be LOTS of FUN !!!
  25. TopGunn#22
    I still say if you want to deal with Boston substitute Sale for Price, get a better pitcher who is only 30 years old and have him for 5 years of team control. Sale becomes your #1. Price would probably be our #3. And even if it's only one year of Mookie, Kiriloff will be ready in 2021. We can certainly make a better offer than the Padres.
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