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Nashvilletwin

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Everything posted by Nashvilletwin

  1. Nashvilletwin
    Assuming they are both on the major league roster, then the answer is obvious: whoever is the best SS. At the moment, that projects to be Houston and it’s not thought to be particularly close. After Houston rakes with the Saints through the ASG, he gets called up when the major leagues start the strike shortened season. The Twins should start the delayed ‘27 campaign with Lee (3B), Houston (SS), Culpepper (2B) and Clemens/Lewis (platooning at 1B). That’s not a bad infield. Cheap too. Add an outfield and primary DH of Keaschall, Jenkins, ERod and Buxton. Then re-sign Jeffers to a multi year deal. A core bench of Martin, Caratini, Clemens/Lewis plus one or two others and this team is ready to be competitive immediately while building for a championship run as early as ‘28. Jeffers and Buxton are the only somewhat expensive position players - the cash is available to build the pitching staff if desired. It’s not rocket science…..seriously, my three year old grandson could figure this out.
  2. Nashvilletwin
    Starting 2B until Houston arrives. Then he’s starting 1B against RHs and super utility/late inning matchup or defensive substitute. He is 100% a ball player. Good influence on the younger guys, particularly Lee, as well. Keeper.
  3. Nashvilletwin
    We went into the season with four, and only four, above average ballplayers on the team: Ryan, Lopez, Jeffers and Buxton. All four do not project to be with the team (albeit one year from a 35 year old Buxton - so little value should be expected anyway) when the next window could open after a strike shortened ‘27. What is the best case scenario we can expect today for a return on those four assets? Jeffers - a mid 30’s to 40’s qualifying draft pick. Ryan - with the strike looming, what will some give for at best a 1/2 season of Ryan? Maybe a borderline top 100 prospect at best. Lopez - see Ryan, except given Lopez has no data recently and his salary is higher, we wouldn’t get much for his last 1/2 season. Buxton - zippo. We never seriously tried to move him, despite the NTC, at his peak before the ASG. Now, with the surgery, other injuries and the strike. he’ll be here through ‘28. Sorry, but that is serious ineptitude. It’s hard to make that up.
  4. Nashvilletwin
    I wouldn’t bench Kody - he could be part of the future yet. He’s a really good baseball player. He should be our starting 2B next year until Houston shows up. Then Cody can move to 1B and Lewis can be traded, etc. ERod should play in every game the rest of the season. Larnach, if he’s not coming back next season, shouldn’t see the field the rest of the way.
  5. Nashvilletwin
    A mid 30’s pick is not even close to two top 50 prospects (which the Bosox offered us for Ryan at the ‘25 trade deadline - who, btw, have become a better major league starter than Ryan and a consensus top 5 prospect in AAA who could very well be a starting IF for them next season. Lopez during this off-season (before his injury) might very well have drawn a similar offer. We just can’t seem to sell high…..
  6. Nashvilletwin
    The season next year won’t probably start until after July. What do you think we will get for two months of Lopez and/or Ryan? Jeffers is gone (although I hope we re-sign him). I do not think we pony up for a multi year deal for a couple of 30+ pitchers with significant injury history Erod has to be on the roster - my understanding - when we break camp next season, whenever that may be. So, if he has a poor “spring” training” or the team just doesn’t want to carry an unproven rookie or the team decides to “go for it” in the strike shortened season, then ERod has to be traded or goes on waivers. What do you think we could get for him in those circumstances? The answer is not much.
  7. Nashvilletwin
    18 games left and then who knows when we will see Twins baseball next. If the owners stick to their guns on the salary cap, the smart money probably is thinking July at the earliest.
  8. Nashvilletwin
    Looks like the Twins are going to run out the clock on ERod this season. Just don’t get it…. Add him to the list of valuable players we will probably lose without getting anything in return - joining Ryan, Jeffers, and Lopez (won’t list Buxton because of his NTC, but assuredly we will get nothing for him either).
  9. Nashvilletwin
    Four solid catching prospects in the system now. It’s been a long time, if ever, we could say that. It’s not impossible that all four could be on the major league roster in ‘29 with Tinney at 1B and Diaw in the OF. If it looks like there will be plenty of baseball next season, re-sign Jeffers to a three/four year deal with team trade protection after year two. If not, finesse ‘27 with Caratini and Jackson and hope one of the four at least is ready by ‘28.
  10. Nashvilletwin
    The two (karmaesque) losses to Dobnak were not the most consequential games this season in terms of impact to the Twins; rather, the two ridiculous come-from-behind wins in July will prove to be much more deleterious to the team’s long-term prospects. Those two unlikely wins were the catalysts that perpetuated the delusion that this was a team of destiny that could compete for a meaningful playoff run this summer and prevented the team from trading the few valuable assets we had (Ryan, Jeffers, Larnach and maybe Buxton) to build for the future. Now, the reality is apparent and the opportunity to receive any meaningful return on those assets is gone. All the team got back from those wins was a fleeting month of excitement and two weeks or so of positive PR for our owner.
  11. Nashvilletwin
    The Tigers traded their stud starter at the deadline and started six rookies last night. They are taking their lumps but were under no delusions about their ‘26 season. Instead, they are investing in the future now - even if it means they played like a minor league team the past three games. Those six rookies are getting valuable ABs and innings that will pay off next season and beyond. Smart.
  12. Nashvilletwin
    First, let’s just be happy for a moment that the team is playing meaningful baseball into September. Nobody really had that on their bingo card (certainly once Lopez went down in ST) and, if they say they did, they’re either lying or are just Pollyanna fans. So, though a combination of the team outperforming (for which credit can be spread among JZ, the players, coaches and TP) and pretty much most of the AL stinking up the joint, we should be grateful for how the season has went. Having said that, another frustrating season will end up on the books. But that was to be expected. So the more legitimate question that should be asked is not “who is to be blamed for the 2nd half collapse”, but, rather, “who will be blamed for not being smart and/or courageous enough to not make the tough choices in ‘26 to better position this team to win in ‘27 and beyond”? When this identical article is posted next September 1 (and we will be lucky if the team plays well enough that it can be), we should look back on the decisions made this season to place the blame. There are definitely reasons for optimism and big steps were taken by the FO, coaching staff and players this season to give legitimate cause for hope. However, many chances to invest were simply cast aside, sadly.
  13. Nashvilletwin
    Tigers certainly played with pride. But they started six rookies last night. They are undoubtedly playing for ‘27 and beyond right now by giving those players crucial innings. Smart.
  14. Nashvilletwin
    Don’t care for some of the negativity from a handful of posters. Lee is already a legit major leaguer who is only going to get better over the next four years he’s under control. Houston won’t be ready until mid next year at the earliest to step in at SS and move Culpepper to 2B. Until then, let Lee and Culpepper play 3B and SS, respectively. They will improve and, by ‘28, we should have the core of our infield - other than 1B - set for the following three years at a minimum. With Keaschall and Jenkins plus hopefully one or two more (Lackey, ERod, Gonzalez, Winokur, etc,), we should be excited about the future. We just have to invest the innings and ABs to get these players whete they need to be. Look what that has meant for Lee and Keaschall this past season. That investment might mean some pain, especially in ‘27. But it’s pain we must endure to compete for a World Series again. It’s the only business model that has a chance.
  15. Nashvilletwin
    Geez, what a ridiculous headline and article. Just like Keaschall, he (and Culpepper) need to play every day this season and next to continue to grow as major leaguers. Just quit with these stupid, trolling articles. For heaven’s sake, the kid is 21 and been up a week. At this rate, next week the TD will publish an article headlined “Is Jenkins the Twins’ Solution at First Base”. Let it rest.
  16. Nashvilletwin
    How about this lineup instead for a strike shortened season or after the all star break (whichever the case may be): 1. Keaschall - LF/DH 2. Culpepper - 2B 3. Buxton - DH/LF 4. Jeffers - C 5. Jenkins - CF 6. ERod - RF 7. Lee - 3B 8. Lewis - 1B 9. Houston - SS Clemens, Martin, Catatini plus one (Gonzalez, Roden, Winokur) make up the bench. Note that given the low overall cost of this lineup, we re-resign Jeffers to a 3/4 yr $10-15MM/year deal. He and Lackey become our starting C’s as early as ‘28 and Jeffers can DH more once Buxton moves on after that season. This is how you build a lineup to actually compete for a World Series as early as ‘28 and for several more years.
  17. Nashvilletwin
    Keaschall’s maturation as a hitter (and Lee’s for that matter as well) is what a team intends to happen if they make the investment and stay committed to it. Ideally, we make a similar commitment to Jenkins, Culpepper, ERod and Houston in what might be a strike shortened ‘27 campaign. If we have to take some lumps next year, so be it. Can you even imagine that core of young, maturing players developing in ‘27 like Keaschall and Lee did in ‘26. Our core “28 lineup of Keaschall (LF), Jenkins (CF), ERod (RF), Lee (3B), Houston (SS) and Culpepper (2B) would be strong, entertaining and cheap. Throw in Buxton as DH, maybe Lewis at 1B, and (pipe dream) a re-signed Jeffers at C alongside Lackey as a rookie, and the Twins could be a true contender. We just have to have the confidence and patience to let that core gestate.
  18. Nashvilletwin
    Glad we won today. Don’t get me wrong about that. However, the hope might be that the win doesn’t prevent the team from more directly accomplishing really important objectives in the last month - namely, seeing what they have in their prospects. With Buxton going on the IL, I really hope they bring ERod up on Tuesday and let him play RF every day the rest of the year alongside Jenkins in CF and Keaschall in RF. Ideally, that would be our starting outfield in ‘27, so let’s make sure all three get as many innings and ABs as possible as we wrap up the year.
  19. Nashvilletwin
    The first four were actually very good. We are yet to see ERod, but all the others seem like good bets for one reason or another.
  20. Nashvilletwin
    Cheer up everyone. We now have four young players who appear to be legit major leaguers heading into next season: Lee, Keaschall, Culpepper and Jenkins. Ideally by the time the Twins play games in 2027, ERod and Houston could join that group. That’s six really solid position players who could be in the starting lineup by the end of a strike shortened next season. Heck, by the time real baseball starts up again in 2028, Lackey may be our starting C as well. With Clemens (whom I think is a very solid multi-faceted major leaguer), Lewis (who else plays 1B, maybe an FA), and Buxton (alternating in his last year as DH and LF with Keaschall), we have a very solid and entertaining 2028 base roster. Now let’s get ERod up here next week to finish off the season in RF next to Jenkins and Keaschall.
  21. Nashvilletwin
    Here is another way to look at things: this dismal road trip actually (very marginally) has improved the Twins’ future. By getting closer to exposing that the delusion is in fact reality, we may not only get to see Jenkins and ERod in Twins’ uniforms soon, but also learn lessons about developing the roster for a true run in ‘28 and beyond. Ok, that last part is highly unlikely, but we can always hope. Regardless, there could be a silver lining or two.
  22. Nashvilletwin
    I’ve harped incessantly on how the ineptitude of the FO and ownership has meant that the Twins will likely get zippo for four of their biggest assets - Jeffers, Ryan, Lopez and Buxton - when all could have been moved (yes, maybe even Buxton if they had tried hard enough) at or near peak value. I apologize. I was wrong about that. The way this franchise operates, I should’ve included ERod as well. Wait and see - we probably will get zippo for him when he is claimed off waivers after spring training next season (whenever that may be). And that may happen without him ever seeing one MLB AB in a Twins uniform. Bring him up and play him. Next season he and Jenkins start in RF and CF. Keaschall and Buxton can switch off playing LF and DH depending on Buxton’s health and rest needs.
  23. Nashvilletwin
    Fun to see the Twins’ first immaculate inning. That certainly was something to behold.
  24. Nashvilletwin
    Taj just had an immaculate inning. About 120 ever in mlb history. The clown A’s announcers don’t even mention it. American Legion team, stadium and announcers.
  25. Nashvilletwin
    Hilarious. Just like we let two miraculous wins change our trade deadline plan, we are going to yet be deluded again by finishing the year under 0.500 and missing or just making the playoffs. So 2027 will be more of the same? Keep our best prospects down on the farm? Sign a few middling FAs? Let Ryan, Lopez and eventually Buxton leave with no return - just like Jeffers (although, to be fair, we just might as well hang on to those three because we’ve blown the chance to get any real value for them)? Pretend we are trying to compete and score a few PR points for the owner along the way? When will we ever learn that we have to build for a true open window based primarily on developing our own talent and overall affordability if we ever want to truly compete for a championship? More of the same is simply delusion or short term calculated commercial reasoning.
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