Thrylos

I don't get the love for Hildenberger compared to Drake (especially) and Magill. Here are their numbers: Hildenberger: 5.25 ERA, 4.53 FIP, 1.36 WHIP, -1.53 WPA, 22.0 K%, 14.1 K-BB% Drake: 2.33 ERA, 3.63 FIP, 0.98 WHIP, 0.03 WPA, 25.0 K%, 15.8 K-BB% Magill: 3.88 ERA, 5.19 FIP, 1.46 WHIP, 0.36 WPA, 22.0 K%, 12.6 K-BB% That -1.53 WPA stinks a lot. Unlike the other 2, he did lose games. Drake has a funky delivery also and has been more effective across the board. I think that only Rogers, May, and maybe Reed (if healthy; and he does not look it) belong in a contenders bullpen. Maybe even one of the 3 above, but I'd take Drake at this point. That's 3 new arms and better be 8 and 9 inning types.

If y'all care to find the '87 and '91 World Series in a supported format for your devices of preference, you'd get what May wants. It is not the "loud" part. It is the engaged part. And if you are engaged in the game, you better be loud. If you are going for the "experience" and a baseball game happened in the middle, you won't. Simple: Bring back baseball to baseball games.

I think that in about 5 years or so, Twins fans will appreciate Mauer more for what he was (an All-star player season in and season out) and concentrate less to what he was not (a charismatic leader who would take the team on his back.) Regardless, I think that this is it for him and there will be an announcement right before the last home game...

He was 3 full years removed from the foil bat vs. Rooker's half. Cannot underestimate the power of foil. Really.

.333 OBP and 26.4 K% vs. .309 OBP and 34.8 K% is a tad more important than xBH and OPS

Rooker is in AA in his first full season as a pro swinging a wooden bat. It took Walker 4 seasons to get there, and still is there (Harrisburg in the Nats' system) having a .707 OPS

For the Twins to be relevant they need and 1-2 that will at least be able to have a 50% chance on paper to beat Verlander Cole (Morton and Keuchel are FAs) and Sale Price. Berrios Gibson just do not cut it. Both of them would be at best a number 3 in Boston and Houston next season. This should not be good enough for the Twins if they want to be relevant. They should go all out and try to trade for the Mets' top 2 pitchers IMHO.

Can probably make the argument that the Twins have been lagging in draft quality since 2009 (Gibson) if not since 2002 (Span). Add some horrendous player development with the inability to trade prospects for proven players and you got a recipe for the disaster they have been...

Will miss Mike. First met him at the back fields at Fort Myers many moons ago and had an interesting conversation about the way Fernando Romero throws his fastball and how it plays. The only guy from the mainstream Minnesota media that publicly questioned Torii Hunter's homophobia and racism when he was brought back as a player. And this says a ton. Indianapolis' gain is Minneapolis' loss and now there is absolutely no reason to buy that paper...

I agree with the assessment of the Twins' talent (other than Berrios might be a #3 because of this home/away and 1st half/2nd half splits). However they need more than that. They need a pitching staff that will match up with Boston or Houston and give them a chance to win on each game. That is not just one pitcher away.

Indeed. A tad above 2. Love the Yelich comparisons. Career 96 OPS+ for Max (98 this season) vs career 127 for Yelich (158 this season.) Maybe Max should wear his wolf suit and try to make mischief of one kind or another, because he is not cutting it...

They got Sixto Sanchez who is the same age (actually a month older) ranked 16th. They played at the same 2 levels. Here are their results: A: Graterol: 41-1/3 IP, 2.18 ERA, 0.944 WHIP, 11.1 K/9, 2.0 BB/9 Sixto Sanchez: 67-1/3 IP, 2.41 ERA, 0.817 WHIP, 8.6 K/9, 1.2 BB/9 A+: Graterol: 60-2/3 IO, 3.12 ERA, 1.286 WHIP, 8.3 K/9, 2.8 BB/9 Sanchez: 46-2/3 IP, 2.51 ERA, 1.071 WHIP, 8.7 K/9, 2.1 BB/9 Sanchez (even though he spent more time than Graterol in A than A+) is a bit better. But not a dropoff from 16 to 98. Just sayin'...

Data. Twins' rotation rankings in the majors: WAR: 2017: 20th, 2018: 16th (+4) ERA: 2017: 19th, 2018: 22nd (-3) FIP: 2017: 23rd, 2018: 21st (+4) K%: 2017: 26th, 2018: 15th (+9) K-BB%: 2017: 22nd, 2018: 20th (+2) Average ranking improvement: 3 spots Shift? Not really. More like baby steps towards improvement, but still below average in the majors as a unit.

1. No reason to do that. Cave is just a year older, and even though he is not as good as Buxton is with the glove, he has been better with the bat. Even if you like small sample sizes and account Buxton's 2016 second half (.300/.347/.546) Cave bettered it in his first half this season (.312/.346/.558). The best case scenario for the Twins will be for Buxton to come with a chip on his shoulder in spring training and then: 2. Used as the centerpoint for a trade for an Ace. Not a top 3 pitcher. They need an Ace. A real one. And they can use Buxton (and the likes of Gonsalves. Gordon etc) to get him. Maybe even 2 top of the rotation pitchers, because: 3. I am not convinced that Berrios is better than a number 3 in a championship team. His 2018 was improved over his 2017 but if one looks at his splits, he/she will see the same difference between home and road games and the same drop off in the second half. I would love to see the Twins going to a team that screams for rebuilding, like the Mets and go after both of their top starters (DeJong and Syndergaard) and their star outfielder (Cespedes) with a packaged centered on Buxton and Berrios, with players like Gonsalves, Gordon, Kepler etc as add ons. 4. Bring back Eduardo Escobar will go long ways here. Arraez (.310/.361/.397 between A+ and AA) is back. These two can rotate at second and back up Sano at third if necessary. Rooker (.254/.333/.465, 22 HR in AA) and Luke Raley (.275/.350/.471, 20 HR in AA) will fight with Austin for the starting position and DH roles, with the loser at AAA. Enough depth there, esp if you add another utility type like Astrudillo. 5. That eventually will happen if they go hard after top of rotation starters...

Pensacola is practically a Mobile, AL suburb. Selfishly, I'd love it if the Twins return to the Eastern League.

This is not hard at all. An Ace. A real one. As it has been the last 10 years or so. The rest shall follow.

How do you know that he was injured all year? Because he said so to hold on to some perceived value and not sign a minor league contract next season?

Well worthy! Congratulations

An example is Royce Lewis: they focused Sam Perlozzo (IF coordinator) to work with his arm strength and his throwing accuracy and has paid dividends. It seems that he will stick at SS instead of moving to CF as was the initial thought after he was drafted.

Teams that won weak divisions and went belly up in the post-season is "outstanding"? Wonder what MacPhail's run from 1987-91 should be then or Brian Cashman's for the Yankees from 1998 on?

Great to see Kirilloff performing with the stick. Would need to check some video of his season in OF to make me forget about the triple bounces from RF to 1B and the balls over his head while at ST. Players his age are a work in process, and at least he seems to be progressing... At some point the Twins need to ask themselves the question regarding how many left hand hitting, left hand throwing OFs are appropriate in an organization...

Too young. He needs a break the first season back from surgery

David Ortiz was great for the Twins but not as good as good ol' boy Matt LeCroy for Terry Ryan. Mauer is about 10 years older than Ortiz was when he went to Boston. And in Mauer's age, that's dog years...

So.... if he is not good enough for the Twins, why in heaven he should be good enough for the Red Sox or another perennial contender? Mauer smacking the green monster would had been a valid fantasy c.2009-2010