Jump to content
Twins Daily
  • Create Account

jmlease1

Verified Member
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Posts

    5,456

  • Joined

  • Last visited

  • Days Won

    30

 Content Type 

Profiles

News

Minnesota Twins Videos

2026 Minnesota Twins Top Prospects Ranking

2022 Minnesota Twins Draft Picks

Minnesota Twins Free Agent & Trade Rumors, Notes, & Tidbits

Guides & Resources

2023 Minnesota Twins Draft Picks

The Minnesota Twins Players Project

2024 Minnesota Twins Draft Picks

2025 Minnesota Twins Draft Pick Tracker

2026 Minnesota Twins Draft Pick Tracker

Forums

Blogs

Events

Store

Downloads

Gallery

Everything posted by jmlease1

  1. jmlease1
    Houston is showing out as a much better hitter than Miller. Noah Miller had 2 stints in High A: Cedar Rapids, where he put up an OPS of .648 and Great Lakes with the Dodger org where he put up an OPS of .668. To be fair to Miller, he did that at 20 and 21, but Miller's bat has never been good at any level. He's currently putting up a .716 OPS in AAA, but for a little context the team as a whole has an OPS of .821 and the PCL is definitely something of a hitter's league. So far Houston is showing up quite a bit better as a hitter, but again as an older player. I think it's part of why we'd like to see him at AA sooner rather than later...
  2. jmlease1
    Morris makes sense as a reliever, and with some experience should be able to adjust his offerings to a mix that will be impactful on a more consistent basis. He's got the velocity to do some things, and the potential is there. He was unlikely to make it as anything more than a 5th starter/swingman, so this looks like a better fit, and it's nice to have a high velocity reliever back there (finally). He's not there yet, but you can see the vision. Now...who else is going to get tapped for this? They need at least 2 more internally.
  3. jmlease1
    Add me to the chorus of people clamoring for Houston to get moved up. I think we've seen enough of him against A-ball pitchers; time for a new challenge! Really impressed with how he's done so far this year, was worried that he could be another Noah Miller: all glove, no bat. Now, he's 22 and had 3 seasons of college ball so he should be able to hit A-ball pitching. But should doesn't mean will. He's done the job. Looking forward to seeing if he can keep hitting in AA. Diaw had a very nice debut. Glad to see him in AA. I'm not worried about Quick; he's pitched so little in his career that just seeing him navigate his way through a full season of pro ball with decent success and strong peripherals is enough for me. I think he'll be fine and this is a good place for him to build up endurance and refine his pitches. Good news that Rojas is starting a rehab assignment; nice to be seeing some decent health news for once!
  4. jmlease1
    Or he's fully healthy and not trying to protect a turf toe injury any longer?
  5. jmlease1
    I think it depends on whether Keaschall just has a terrible arm or if it's injury-related. Does he still need more time to build up strength in his arm and work on his throwing, or is this as good as it's going to get? I don't know the answer to that (and neither does anyone on this board, frankly). A good arm is a benefit at every position, so wherever he plays it could be a deficit. We saw what a bonus it was to have Correa's arm at SS. You need to have an arm to play 3B to make those long throws and get it to the 1B with some accuracy. It's a benefit at 2B to turning DPs. It's a benefit at 1B to turn the DP. A weak arm will be a deficit at every position. The question is whether or not Keaschall can be passable with his arm. Don't know. In terms of range and glove, I think Keaschall can be just fine; he's got the speed and quickness and more reps will help even out the mistakes and let him react rather than think about it. (you can definitely see some of the plays where he's thinking about it and it goes sideways) Should Royce get some time at 2B? Maybe...just to get his bat in there more? But frankly, Royce's bat and glove play better at 1B than 2B, and 10 games into any stint he plays at 2B I suspect people will be complaining about him there too. Considering how much better Royce has looked since coming back up and how much of a confidence player he is...do we really want to mess with that? I think more important than moving Keaschall off 2B is moving Gray off SS and getting Culpepper up in the mix. I'll worry more about Keaschall in a month.
  6. jmlease1
    Next season might be a bridge year of Caratini and Jackson. Diaw did just move up, but I wouldn't expect him to go from AA to MLB, though I do like his bat. Tait has huge potential, but I expect him to be in AA in 2027. And maybe we'll be drafting Lackey. Short-term catching looks a little wobbly if Jeffers goes. Long term? There's more depth and upside in that department than we've seen in a while, and it becomes a real strength if we get Lackey. (particularly interesting if there's a lockout for a big chunk of 2027, which the owners and players are both greedy and stupid enough to do. Mostly the owners, who are always the greediest and stupidest. Neither cares about the fans.) Some good days on the farm. Glad to see Jenkins playing, hope he's back in Saint Paul soon. Even better seeing Abel looking good; I expect he'll be back in MN soon and the rotation needs him (though it's battled through lately). I've been so impressed with Abel, so here's hoping for good health the rest of the season. Bit of a weird season for GG; slow start, got a cup of coffee in MLB (and did very well in his 1 appearance) and has seen his power production come and go all year. Maybe he's getting his footing a little better? Not unhappy about him getting time at 1B either. Amick's power is for real; that .507 SLG% is no joke even in Wichita, but people are going to hate his low BA and piles of K's. Weirdly bad against LHP this season? It's not a huge sample, and it wasn't an issue last season, so seems a bit fluky, but he's been absolutely dreadful against LHP and it's dragging his overall stats down. Think he's destined for 1B eventually, but I'm still ok with him splitting time at 3B/1B. He's not awful there, but could be pretty good at 1B. Be interesting to see how he finishes the season.
  7. jmlease1
    The bats were cooking for sure, and Zebby did a good job chewing up the innings with the big lead. A nice win. Boy Trevor Plouffe really did not like the Rangers surrender mode last night and tossing out a pitcher who couldn't even register on the speed gun. That guy wasn't even throwing BP speed, more like an Eephus.
  8. jmlease1
    It's also A-ball, where pitchers notoriously don't hold runners on. But yes, he may not stick at catcher. But pretty intriguing to see a guy who can work behind the plate and play a credible CF. Rosario has 2 issues: he's a poor defender (haven't seen much indication that he's improved) and his contact is suspect. The power production is impressive and he controls the strike zone well enough to get on base at a fine clip...but those low BA's at this level are a danger sign that he simply swings and misses too much. But you never know. He's probably organizational depth rather than a real prospect, but seems like he should get moved up to AAA as soon as they start calling up some of the other OF ahead of him (Rodriguez, Gonzalez, Mendez, and Jenkins now that Fedko is getting a look).
  9. jmlease1
    Really happy to see Diaw get a promotion. He's definitely earned it, and I'm eager to see how he does against higher level competition. I will also be interested to see him catch AA pitchers and will be watching a bit to see what his PT splits look like. He's a fun prospect. Maybe Wichita will start to put up some more consistent offense with the recent promotions! Anyone know what's going on with DeBarge? (other than him not hitting well)
  10. jmlease1
    My expectations are minimal. But I'll root for them all.
  11. jmlease1
    I think it's also misunderstanding how a lot of fans feels about Fedko. Few if any are projecting him to even be a starting quality player...but we're rooting for him. I doubt anyone here sees him as a savior and long-time contributor to the MLB club...but we're rooting for the dude, who seems like a good guy who has worked and grinded his way up. For most "Fans of Fedko", I think they'd rather give chances to guys we haven't seen and might do something with a chip, a chair, and a chance in what was always going to be something of rebuilding year, rather than waste too much time with players like Outman or Arcia. If we're losing anyways, why not find out what you have and don't have with players who at least theoretically could be sticking around...
  12. jmlease1
    I don't think there's much evidence that the Falvey Era had pre-determined promotions any more (or less) than you saw under Ryan or Smith
  13. jmlease1
    eh. it's more about the injuries than anything else. If he can't play, he's less appealing as a prospect. It's not like this is a one-time thing.
  14. jmlease1
    There's going to be some interesting decisions on who gets promoted from Cedar Rapids in the next few weeks (I would assume that there will at least be some guys moving up soon, or when they reach the first half break). Diaw, Houston, and maybe Winokur? (congrats to McDaniel for already moving up) Tough break for Winokur with the 0-7; he had a great May. Hope he doesn't backslide in June, consistency could be what keeps him in Iowa longer. Houston is doing a great job of showing that I was too fearful about his bat. Hope he does all he can to make me sound like a fool for doubting his ability as a hitter! He definitely should be getting a promotion to AA, IMHO. Diaw too.
  15. jmlease1
    I dunno. It made a certain amount of sense at the time, presuming that we could get the Bell from the second half of last season he'd add some hitting the team needed. But he's been hot & cold with more cold than hot. Would we have been better off spending that money on a decent back-end reliever? Yes. But I'm also someone who would have rather seen them cycle through AAA hitters (including Fedko) and find out what we have there, not that Bell couldn't have been a decent add. It's more about where I always saw this team sitting and the need to give time to guys who might have a future than what I thought of Bell. But AAA guys often struggle when they get to MLB; it's a damn hard leap. I guess I look at it as having been the wrong choice rather than a stupid one. Stupid goes a little too far for me.
  16. jmlease1
    I think the article has it right: Fedko is going to start against LHP, most consistently in the OF, though it's possible based on matchups, injuries, or rest needs he'll get some time at 1B or DH. I expect they'll give him some time in CF (Clemens is as stretched there as Fedko would be, and they'll want to see how he does) and they'll certainly reduce Larnach and Clemens exposure to LHP this way. He'll definitely get some PH/PR opportunities, especially with OF/1B/DH guys, since it'll only require 1 move and he might even get some defensive replacement innings if the Twins have a lead and someone like Larnach is hanging out in LF. It'll definitely be more of a role than Outman had, and I think we'll see much less Kreidler in the OF (which is fine, even if he's a more than credible CF). Putting Kreidler on the dirt consistently where they need more help defensively won't hurt anything. The question will be whether or not he'll hit. Here's hoping he does, especially against LHP. Next issue: when do we see Culpepper? Kind of feels like they're waiting a bit longer to see if they need to send Keaschall down for a re-set, otherwise I think Gray will drop some time in the next month. The more I think about it, the more I like this move with Fedko. It should send a message to the rest of the team that MLB jobs aren't guaranteed and there are players in the minors who will come for them...
  17. jmlease1
    Can I introduce you to May 2026? Keaschall did well. He's backslid a bit in June (not a black hole, but not good) but his May was kinda the hitter we thought he'd be. 23 games played in May, OPS of .790 But this is more about Fedko, which...congrats! I don't know that he's going to be good: the jump to MLB is the toughest step. But dude has earned a chance. He should be able to hit LHP, he's got enough glove to play all 3 OF positions, can play 1B in a pinch, and should be a good baserunner. Martin unfortunately has been showing that he probably can't be a regular (I do think they did him no favors by sticking him in RF, where his best attribute as a fielder (speed) doesn't play up as much, and his worst attribute (arm) does, but playing in LF wouldn't likely change how much he's struggled at the plate lately). Maybe Fedko shows he can be a 4th OF and cover some of those LF hitting corner OF guys we have in AAA that might one day again be healthy. More importantly, I'm happy to see that production earned him a chance, even if it was clear he was not in their plans and wasn't seen as a significant prospect. Much rather see him on the roster than Arcia, who has no future here at all.
  18. jmlease1
    You do not want to be in the same conversation as Scott Aldred.
  19. jmlease1
    I like seeing the offense continue to battle? I like seeing Royce being a key contributor? I don't like seeing the bullpen be so crap. That said, I do think Morris has a future in the bullpen.
  20. jmlease1
    I'd keep Kreidler of the three; the defense historically has been quite good, he can play a very credible CF to go with the infield, and while I don't expect the offense to be great, he can at least run into a homer from time to time. But it's predicated on calling up Culpepper. When they're ready to bring him up, I'd send Gray down. At some point I'd move on from Arcia for one of our OF down in AAA.
  21. jmlease1
    Really happy to see Soto back on the mound. Don't really care about the results right now, just want to see him healthy and throwing. I'm liking what we're seeing out of Diaw. He really seems to be positioning himself for a callup to AA, and boy could they use his bat in Wichita. Plus, his picture at B-Ref makes him look like he's about 14 which I find hilarious. Quick's stuff still looks great; he's still got some work to do in learning how to pitch, but the upside on him is pretty dang good, IMHO. Not a bad outing, he's just had some really dominant ones that expectations are high. I'm happy to see him getting innings.
  22. jmlease1
    Maybe he was the TD's consensus pick for top pitching prospect, but he wasn't mine. It's concerning I guess, it's not good, and you'd always prefer that he be destroying high A rather than vacillating between loading up the bases and striking everyone out, but he's still young and inexperienced and we're only in June. I'm more concerned about Soto's inability to get on the field, TBH.
  23. jmlease1
    predicating a "regression" for Keaschall based on his June results is a bit silly on June 11. Keaschall had a bad start to the season, hit pretty well in May, and has been wobbly all year on D. If he struggles at plate all June, maybe you send him down for a re-set, but if he gets on a heater for a week he's back to making good progress at the plate, so feels like a hasty judgment right now. There's better choices to send out if Culpepper gets called up (I'm pretty bored with the Tristan Gray Experience, and the Arcia innings aren't exactly doing much for me either; certainly neither has an impactful future with the Twins) I'd hoped for better from Keaschall so far, but let's give him a little more time to succeed or fail, eh?
  24. jmlease1
    Eh. He's 20 years old in High A. Development is not linear, and the only reason to "worry" is because he got hyped a little too much too fast based on on some nifty peripherals and good work in 2025 in Ft. Myers. Maybe this stretch of struggles will be the best thing for him as he'll stop being looked at as too high a prospect based on projection and can go back to just being a developmental arm with promise. It hasn't been a good season at all for him, but we're supposed to worry about less than half a season in High A for a dude who's 20? Maybe I'll worry in October.
  25. jmlease1
    It would be great if Abel is fully recovered and ready to roll again. he looked really good before getting hurt, and it's nice to see him have a fine rehab start. Must be a bit frustrating for guys like Fedko & Sabato to be playing so well and know that they don't have much chance of getting called up. But both guys put themselves on the periphery of the Twins plans in previous seasons through their own (lack of) production at various times, so hopefully they can handle the wait. Maybe some summer/deadline moves will open the gates to give some of these guys a shot. The one thing I don't want to see if there's any kind of sell-off is to be adding veteran cast-offs to fill in late.
×
×
  • Create New...