Jocko87

Tumbled is your word. I said slipped and I think 5-8 slots depending on where you look for someone being called the next Strasburg/Cole is a significant move. He hasn’t been as good as last year but he was damn near perfect in 2022.

Whats the deal with Braden Taylor, moved down 10+ spots but still #2 on Fangraphs board with a 50 FV?

#2 overall in December. Watch the video to hear Mayo gush. Clear top 3 on a tier of their own was Dollander, Crews and Langford. https://www.mlb.com/news/draft-top-100-prospects-list-2023

His appearances have been quite exciting, the opposite of what we are looking for. He had a nice clean inning against the Angels and it was very boring but effective. If he can stay boring he can be a weapon but hes not there yet.

I have a tough time with him slipping as far as he has. OK, Skenes has surged ahead but 4 months ago he was the best prospect since Strasburg? Like Lee last year he could be a bit of the forgotten man in the hype machine. I wouldn't have a problem with taking him either.

Lost in all the lineup discussion, the pitching was excellent overall. Ober had a 4 hitter ouch, which happens occasionally, but responded like an ace. I would have loved to see him go more than 79 pitches but I've posted enough about Rocco. How many times have we watched a Twins game where they jumped on a Verlander for 3 or 4 and nervously watch a bad Tigers offense chip away and then whoops? Verlander recovers, we look anemic and feel lucky if we pull one out. There is no reason to panic after the first.

Listening to his post game comments the 4 run first put the urgency into the moves. Which is odd, because there isn't an urgency to score runs in any other situations. Wouldn't he try to chip away and get a run every chance with small ball? No indication of urgency in extra innings. It feels like the only move he thinks he has is a left right match up.

The purpose of the modern in game manager is to know when to override the chatGPT sabr-autopilot. We did not have that today. I don’t know what it was. Interesting to be sure. I said in the game thread, before I knew about the extension, that if I were Joe Pohlad I’d have to have Derek explain the math to me in detail. What was the plan here? Make him say it out loud. If it still makes sense OK, but I’d bet he couldn’t get halfway through. And please don’t let the Garlick home run be some indication of doing something right. If he had a move he would have made it. Larnach was sick I guess which makes emptying the bench early even odder. I’m usually a bit of a Rocco apologist but I’ve got nothing tonight. True that the subs were the only spark, but they were subbing for the only other guys who’ve been a spark lately. He’s been saying he was going to do something crazy with the lineup to jumpstart it but this ain’t it. This was just crazy.

Lot better already, breathing is not over rated as it turns out.

No, I got my snoz fixed on Friday and didn’t feel up to it.

I’m average! Yay!

🤣 trademark that! They’re everywhere!

I didn’t see the article but it’s pretty obvious that he’s going to be making up missed minor league time in the major leagues. That’s tough for anyone including 1-1 guys. Don’t make it harder by having to be uncomfortable on both sides of the ball.

Farmer and Castro both have roughly 4000 professional plate appearances. Correa only has 5400 for comparison. That's plenty of time on the track. They both have two years where they were regulars and below average performers. As Denny Green would say, they are who we thought they were. I do agree we should ride the hot streak but the way to ride the hot streak is to keep them in favorable positions.

Farmer is what Castro will be be as well. If Farmer continues to get full time run, he will be exposed as the role player he is especially against RH pitching. I love players like both Castro and Farmer in that they do all the thankless things that hold a roster together but when in a full time role they often disappoint. This is an expectations problem rather than a player problem. Let Castro get some run but don't be surprised when hes struggling 3 weeks from now. Expecting either of them to be an average or better regular after years of track record that says otherwise is optimistic, even for me.

I'm not even concerned with busting games wide open, just produce runs in runs producing situations. The break outs will come and we will enjoy them thoroughly. Echoing on a small game thread discussion re: RBIs as an opportunity stat. Obviously this is true but what I don't understand is why they are discounted as not mattering. The stat heads (I am one) are missing a huge opportunity here for a success rate stat that can make them matter. Yes, the raw number is meaningless but the success rate in those situations is huge. It may be captured somewhat in the runs created stats but it doesn't look like it to me. My bottom line is that situational hitting is a measurable ability that can be statistically quantified. I don't know what the formula would be but the analytics folks have to adjust to observable truths. I get that over the long run more runs are scored by swinging for the fence but does that actually win more baseball games? Using the proper analytics in the proper situation is the whole in-game purpose of a manger.

I think that its a bit optimistic to think he can replace MAT on a 1 for 1 level much less as an upgrade to middle of the order bat. It both underestimates how solid MAT has been and overestimates the ability of someone with 40 MLB at bats to dominate. MAT isn't a world beater but we know we can count on his production. I also believe its more valuable to the team to have Farmer moving around the infield 3-4 times a week than MAT being a pinch runner, defensive replacement.

Or they are trying to make everything intriguing a starter. As an organizational philosophy I'm a huge fan of getting most pitching prospects a run at the bullpen in a non-mop up role. It's not the Twins way but I think it should be. Cut SWR and Balazovic loose for an inning at a time in plus situations. Get the feet wet in the bigs, throw hard and throw strikes. Get some important outs. It doesn't doom them to a life in the bullpen and may better prepare them to start in the future. Just using them in the 4-5 inning garbage spots isn't doing any long term good imo.

I mean, if Phillips could help in the bullpen?

This was a good and healthy time. If he's healthy, he comes up immediately. I'm want him at 3rd full time and I'll get to my reasons shortly. He's a 1-1 talent who is playing well on rehab and showing no effects of the injury. He's a building block of the franchise whether he/we like it or not. Much like Kirilloff, he has the prospect and talent capital that moves him to the front of the line barring injury. He has nothing to prove in the minors and the big club needs the exact help he can give. I'm not a scout but I have been watching his minor league at bats. He looks comfortable and confident, both at the plate and running. He is taking pitches very calmly, like he is seeing it well. How he adjusts to the big league pitchers adjusting to him is the next question to be answered and that happens in the big leagues. Now, the word of caution. As mentioned, the 48 games over 4 years means he will have some heavy adjusting to do. He will absolutely have a Miranda period. Do NOT be surprised if he has a 6 week period with .650 or less OPS. Along with freeing up Farmer this is the main reason for setting and forgetting at 3rd base. He needs to be in comfortable positions when possible as we can't have defensive confusion spilling into what are sure to be some offensive struggles. I'm fine hitting him leadoff as long as he's taking good at bats but don't be disappointed if he spends time in the 8/9 hole. Its part of the process. Get him up here and get it started.

Brent Rooker is on pace for 37.125 homers. A's on pace for 33.75 wins.

Its a great setting for a game. Shame to miss both Lee and Lewis but the top talent is still coming through. Maybe we will get a few good months of E-Rod and #5 pick together. Plenty of of interesting names coming.

Brooks Lee did play, went 0-4 and had one the oddest missed catches on a stolen base attempt I’ve seen in the top of the 8th.

I live here and those references are things but would never think to assemble them in that order.