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Nashvilletwin

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Everything posted by Nashvilletwin

  1. Nashvilletwin
    Looks like the development of the Twins stellar young position player talent - Miranda, Larnach, Kiriloff, Lewis, Lee, Julien, Wallner, Martin, Gordon, Rodriguez, Miller, etc. - will remain under the responsibility of Rocco for at least 2.5 more years. As I do not think Rocco’s track record in developing young position player talent is very strong, and I believe that this particular skill base is at the top of list for what this franchise needs from a manager over the next several years, put me in the camp of being disappointed with the extension. I’d be less disappointed if Rocco’s skills in other areas - i.e. roster management, bullpen usage, emphasising fundamentals, creative run production, challenge success rate, etc. - were better, maybe even above average. However, he doesn’t really excel in any of these either. It appears he really only excels in Excel. I was really hoping the Nephew would actually provide Rocco with a legitimate performance review against stated criteria and hold him accountable for his results (or lack thereof). That’s what well run organizations do. The early extension seems to indicate that this is not the case.
  2. Nashvilletwin
    Yep, this was a complete snooze fest last night. Let’s face it, other than most of our starting pitching (and Duran), this team is pretty darn boring. Gray, Ryan, and maybe Duran could make the all star team. We do not have a single position player, not a one, who could even remotely be considered to be selected. ZZZZZZZZZ
  3. Nashvilletwin
    Typical 2023 Twins loss, just so typical…..
  4. Nashvilletwin
    Please be Wallner….
  5. Nashvilletwin
    By the end of 2024, Lewis, Lee, Rodriguez and Julien all should be in the lineup on a daily basis. But so should Kiriloff, Miranda, and Larnach if all these players develop as they should. So with CC at SS, Vasquez/Jeffers at C, and BB at DH, that’s ten players for nine spots. Miranda’s best fit for substantive playing time with this cadre is probably at 1B. Kiriloff and Larnach are then our corner outfielders. Can Rodriguez play CF? If so, our “everyday” lineup might look like this: 1B - Miranda, 2B - Lewis, SS - CC, 3B - Lee, RF - Kiriloff, CF - Roderiguez, LF - Larnach, C- Vasquez/Jeffers, DH - Buxton. Bench options: Julien, Gordon, Wallner, Martin and Miller. This is a pretty cheap, very flexible lineup. If Rodriguez cannot play CF, then Lewis may be more suited for it of all the players we want starting every day. That would move Kiriloff to 1B, Julien to 2B, and Miranda to a bench option.
  6. Nashvilletwin
    Nobody disagrees, but we must remember that Farmer was acquired to essentially be our everyday SS before we (re)signed CC. If CC had signed first, it is unlikely Farmer would be a Twin - so we lucked into that a bit, which is nice. Farmer is 100% a professional ballplayer. The FO was correct to target him and he’s having a big influence on this team I think in ways beyond his performance on the field.
  7. Nashvilletwin
    Quick observations: 1. Nice show for the fans - a few of these really help the narrative. 2. Correa hitting well is a big key to this team in more ways than one. 3. We have five legit starters: two #2’s pitching like #1’s. A #2 pitching like a #2. A #4 pitching like a #2 and a #5 pitching better than most #3’s and #4’s. Hate to say it, but Ober and Varland > Mahle and Maeda. 4. The middle to backend of the bullpen is pretty scary at the moment. No timetable on Thielbar? 5. I’d be interested if one of the incredibly capable stats people on this site could dig up stats on which teams lead the majors in: a) total walks given up in the 8th and 9th innings, and b) lead off walks given up in those last two frames. I have suspicions….lol. Great series win, nice gift to all those Twins fans moms! On to the Dodgers!
  8. Nashvilletwin
    Nice win today - great to see some bats back. Bullpen, although only giving up one run, was again uninspiring. It’s a big issue going forward. Let’s take the series tomorrow!
  9. Nashvilletwin
    Ok, as long as it’s Kepler, Gallo, Castro, Solano, maybe Polanco etc. that get moved. As things currently stand, we don’t need to panic on trading our young top talent for this year’s club.
  10. Nashvilletwin
    I’d love to see a list of the position players this FO and coaching staff have developed into legit major leaguers reaching their potential. At the moment we have at least twelve really, really good young players/prospects: Lewis, Lee, Julien, Larnach, Kiriloff, Miranda, Wallner, Gordon, Jeffers, Rodriguez, Martin, Miller and plus probably a handful of others. Coupled with Buxton, Correa, Vasquez and an additional player or two, that’s more than enough talent to comprise a solid multi year contending core. This FO and coaching staff need to be held accountable for how these players develop into their best versions over the next 12-18 months. The state of our relief pitching means that this team will unlikely be in a position to truly contend this season. Soon it will be time to start investing in the future.
  11. Nashvilletwin
    The way the Twins are currently playing is a bit like my golf game. I’m not putting very well, so there is tremendous pressure on my iron game to have to hit it close. That pressure is not improving my iron game, per se. Or it’s similar to the Vikings last season - the D was so bad, the O felt like it had to score each time it had the ball. Right now, the Twins relief staff must feel if they give up any runs, the bats won’t pick them up. It’s not a helpful feeling. IMHO, I’d think a pick up in our bats would improve the quality of our relief pitching. The two go together to some degree. Having said that, championship teams in the modern era of baseball almost always have shut down pens. Some of us have been harping on this point for some time. It’s clear, we do not have anything near a shut down pen at the moment. Ergo, this team, especially when combined with its poor hitting and short outing, albeit superior, starting pitching, is not built to compete for a championship.
  12. Nashvilletwin
    Nice write up. Everyone is entitled to their opinion. Those who favoured the trade had rational reasons behind that opinion. Those who did not also had good reasons to question the trade. This trade didn’t work. That’s the outcome. Some bets work out, some don’t. This one didn’t. Oh well. But like it or not, it goes on the FO’s ledger - right along with all the good moves and the other bad moves. If your job is to hold the FO accountable for its actions, then you must keep track of both the wins and losses. But it’s water under the bridge now. Let’s beat the Cubs.
  13. Nashvilletwin
    Meant Taylor.
  14. Nashvilletwin
    Sad news for sure. But not completely unpredictable (the TJ was obviously not predictable, but the unavailability is not surprising). In my heart, I think the FO understood the risks of Mahle and Maeda as the season drew closer and that is one reason they were aggressive in acquiring Lopez. Having said that, besides feeling devastated for Mahle, this is not devastating news for the Twins. Ober and Varland are better as a pair than Mahle and Maeda. Sure, we lose depth, but we gain better starts on average going forward and the upside of a faster learning curve for the young hurlers. The Mahle trade didn’t work - hey, some do, some don’t. You pay your money and you take your chance. Many of us wannabe GMs would have done it, some of us (I’m in this camp) would not have. No matter - water under the bridge now. Only course of action is to move forward. And I personally like who have to do that.
  15. Nashvilletwin
    Excellent series win. A couple observations: 1. Farmer is a pro. 2. Ober and Varland > Mahle and Maeda (i.e. I’ll take the youngsters as a pair over the veterans as a pair). 3. Welcome back from the dark side Pagan. 4. Do we always need to walk the lead off batter in the 8th when we have a lead? 5. Defense counts big time - Martin, Correa, and Gordon standing out today.
  16. Nashvilletwin
    It’s debatable if BB as a full-time DH has worked for the Twins on the field - my own humble opinion is that having him in the lineup at DH, while not ideal, is better than not having him in the lineup at all. Where it decidedly has hurt is with the identity of the team with the fans. During the off-season, the Twins’ marketing gurus fed us Buxton, Arraez, Polanco, and then Correa as the position player “faces” of the franchise. Now BB DH’s only with marginal relative success, Arraez is gone, Polanco is pretty much meh Polanco, and Correa’s claim to fame is he’s our highest paid FA who also happens not to be performing as a dud at the plate. My point is that BB in CF 2/3rds of the time would really help with the engagement of the broader fan base. But if it can’t be done, well then, it can’t be done and we soldier on. But a marginally successful DH who doesn’t show his incredible (league best?) speed or glove is difficult to put forth as the face of the franchise with the degree of success that might be desired.
  17. Nashvilletwin
    Good win tonight. A pretty clean game in the field. Makes a difference. Farmer is a real pro. Padres manufactured a great run in the 10th - impressive execution. Let’s take this series tomorrow.
  18. Nashvilletwin
    Great, valid question worth asking. One could argue Polanco; and Garver had one good season (but, hell, everyone was good that year). But Kepler and Sano - supposedly two of the fixtures of a long-term core - both stalled out too (one right out of the majors). The track record is not good. It’s hard to claim that the Nephew should trust Rocco to be in charge of our young, fast approaching talent.
  19. Nashvilletwin
    He’s a square peg in a round hole at the moment. Miranda is not playing the position for which he is best suited - not only given his particular talents, but also given his future fit with the Twins. Lee or Lewis are our future at 3B and that future is rapidly approaching. Although right-handed, Miranda has the glove skills to be an above average fielding first baseman. That is where he should be getting 2/3s to 3/4s of his ABs (with Kiriloff getting essentially the rest while being primarily one of our starting corner outfielders). I must admit though that I’m getting worried that Miranda, Kiriloff, Larnach and, yes, both Gordon and Jeffers, are stalling out on their development, particularly as hitters. That’s a huge blow to this organization for which something quickly needs to be done and someone needs to be held accountable. Let’s hope we put the right people and systems in place to make sure it doesn’t happen to Lee, Lewis, Julien, Rodriguez, Wallner, Martin and Miller.
  20. Nashvilletwin
    If he’s the best in the majors at doing it, they absolutely will to some degree. Even more so if the hitter has personality and pizzazz and is a huge part of the identity of the club. Particularly we Minnesotans - who so love to have the ability to claim we are the best at something and be so proud of it. But yes, you are correct - winning trumps all (as I’ve said) and it certainly would be better if it were homers and not singles. But then again, in the current MLB, we don’t get the Judges and Trouts on our team.
  21. Nashvilletwin
    Trading away Arraez, for better or worse record wise - TBD (and I’m not here to debate that) was absolutely a blow to the excitement, identity and fan engagement of this team. He brought a spark, a pizazz, an energy, an identity. He was the best player in the majors at a particular thing (you all can argue about the importance of that particular thing) and Twins fans/Minnesotans (being who we are) valued that a lot. My comments/observations on this matter, and as it relates to the team’s performance in tonight’s game, are more from a business/commercial standpoint: MLB is entertainment - so you’d better damn sure provide it if you want to succeed. What is currently on display by this team is simply not compelling in this regard. Let’s hope that changes.
  22. Nashvilletwin
    1. Boring, bad baseball is not fun to watch. They’d better put a better product out on the field or it’s going to be a relatively sparsely attended summer. 2, Boos very evident tonight - until the broadcast cut them (lol). 3. Re Correa, Minnesotans clamor for the high-priced FAs, but when we finally get one we expect them to perform. Correa basically has had one good month at the plate with the Twins - when we were out of it late last year and he needed a good month so he could opt out and hit free agency. Twins fans will turn on him; but, don’t worry Carlos, they will jump back on the bandwagon if you turn it around. 4. Re Arraez comments above, he at least was an absolute fan favorite who essentially played every day. Fans showed up or tuned in to watch him. Lopez has been very good, but he shows up every fifth day. Among our position players, who are the fan favorites now whom people are coming to see in person or on the tube? Buxton, perhaps, but as a DH only? Not so much. Correa? Nope, he’s not performing, he’s overpaid, he didn’t really want to be here, and he was a cheater. Let’s face it, at the moment there really isn’t an exciting “face” of the team and the team itself doesn’t have an identity (Piranhas or Bomba Squad, for example) to really engender much excitement among the more casual (but incredibly important for revenue purposes) fans. Bottom line - they’d better start winning.
  23. Nashvilletwin
    We should not hit the panic button and start moving prospects for pitching this season at this point. If we are patient, we should be in a very favourable budget situation heading into next season. If we can move veteran position players for a solid #4-5, then maybe (but I think that’s doubtful unless Polanco can bring someone of value). Kepler, Gallo, Polanco, Gray, Mahle, and Maeda are gone next year. They are essentially replaced by Lewis, Julien, Lee, Ober, Varland, and SWR (or others). That is a lot of cash that has opened up and should be enough to pick up at least one, if not two, solid #2-4 types. Patience is the key at the moment. We are building for a multiple year open window - no reason to jeopardise that to save bad bets on Mahle and Maeda with this current lineup.
  24. Nashvilletwin
    Although it’s early, we had a chance to make a real statement and create the type of early separation that can demoralise chasers. We flat out blew it. We should still win the division, but this team as it’s currently playing is more of a pretender than contender. Let’s hope we can improve.
  25. Nashvilletwin
    I’m sorry if I offended you in some way. I certainly did not mean to do so. But yes, you are correct, even passionate fans who watch every game (like myself - I’m a 150+ game guy per year) can be disgusted with the hitting. I was only trying to make the point that some of us thought that the team would be especially light hitting this year - so we aren’t surprised by this. After all, did we really think Gallo, Solano, Martin, Kepler, etc. were going to be the answer at the plate? Are we that excited to tune in to watch that crew day in and day out? We traded the one player whom I and I’m sure others made sure we watched every AB last season (and I still tune in to admire his ABs as a Marlin). Correa and, sadly, Buxton don’t produce as compensated. But, it’s been my experience as a long time Minnesotan, that less passionate fans certainly will not invest themselves heavily in a such a team - unless maybe if the team is winning and they jump on the bandwagon - and even passionate fans like you and I will become frustrated and tune out. Your comments are perfectly spot on re getting more out of our players. I’ve written several times on these TD threads that Rocco’s number one job is to develop the young talent entrusted to him. It is terribly frustrating to see these talented kids fail to reach their potential as ballplayers. We have a great crew on the way and I fear that the likes of Lewis, Lee, Julien, Rodriguez, Wallner, Martin, Miller, etc., (not to mention the pitchers) will not end up where they belong given their talent and promise.
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