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Nashvilletwin

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Everything posted by Nashvilletwin

  1. Nashvilletwin
    I’m sure there are a few. Please let us know who they are. And let us know how they performed last season when given a consistent opportunity (please feel free to refer to the post below highlighting Julien’s performance in the last quarter of the season when he was getting playing time for comparison purposes).
  2. Nashvilletwin
    Thank you for sharing the facts. The kid can hit. And he has proven that at the big league level. There literally is no downside in the first half of ‘26 to give him the ABs and show faith in him on a consistent basis. He will not be stealing any ABs from any other player who could be considered for the post lockout core (Clemens most assuredly will not be part of that core, nor will Fedko or Sabato).
  3. Nashvilletwin
    I will take a contrarian pov. Why not? Here are four reasons: 1. Is Julien that much different than all the others who have had to battle Rocco’s mental games? At least at some point he performed at the plate. When Julien is on, he’s as good a bat as almost anyone on the roster. He should get a chance in the post Rocco world just like Lewis, Wallner, Martin and even maybe Lee - all of whom at many times played superbly but could never get over the hurdle with Rocco pulling the strings. 2. Don’t dwell on defense. We’ve all seen Moneyball. 1B is not that hard (that was meant to be sarcastic). But seriously, if he can rake, “we don’t care” (to quote Brad Pitt as Billy Bean). 3. What’s his trade value? Nada. Julien is a free option. 4. Whose ABs would he be stealing? Clemens? Big whoop. He is in almost perpetual slumps. Fedko? Sabato? Yeah, the FO thinks so highly of those guys they left them unprotected. Let’s face it. There are a number of Twins who are going to get chances thru the all star break to see if they can get back to their potential under the new regime. All of them are cheap and worth zippo in the trade market - so they all are essentially free options to see if they can be part of the post lockout core. Julien may not be at the top of that list, but he’s really not that far behind and deserves to be on it.
  4. Nashvilletwin
    Thank you. Finally a post that supports the reality (which I’ve been harping about on the TD for years - much to all my fellow TDers annoyance I’m sure). Finding and institutionalising systems/processes for being better at player development (all the way from drafting/initial signing through transitioning to a legitimate above average every day major leaguer) is the only way a small/mid-market team can hope to achieve any sort of sustainable competitive advantage in modern MLB, most certainly in a non- salary cap environment.
  5. Nashvilletwin
    Those four players - Ryan, Lopez, Buxton, and Jeffers - you correctly point out would be the core on a mediocre at best ‘26 team. But there is a high likelihood that none of them are on the Twin’s roster after the trade deadline at the latest. And there is virtually zero chance any of them are part of the true future core post the ‘27 lockout. Including Buxton. Given that reality, coupled with each of their trade values being at or near peak value as well as their cash costs, there is little reason to keep them for another forecasted dismal campaign. When the top 5 trade candidates article comes out soon, they will be #s 1-4 on the list, and rightly so.
  6. Nashvilletwin
    1. Sands is staying. 2. No reason to trade Lewis (unless his agent is adamant). Why? A. He desperately needed a change at manager. B. He will have virtually no competition to get the playing time to get his career back on track. C. No reason to sell low - the near-term return doesn’t justify foregoing the possible mid/long-term upside. 3. Lee is staying for now. But just because he has five years of control remaining does not necessarily make him a candidate for part of the future core. He has a lot to prove and will likely need his bat to outweigh his fielding by quite a bit to ever be considered a full-time starter. SS is his in ‘26. 4. Wallner stays too. On a team with very little power, Wallner has the potential to step into the gap with authority if he can improve his consistency. Shelton ideally invests in Wallner’s opportunities against lefties to see if he can become a more regular DH type. If so, the return right now is not worth the hole left in the lineup as well as the possible future upside. 5. Ober stays primarily because he’s cheaper and his tough 2025 campaign crashed his value. If we move Ryan and/or Lopez (as we should, mind you), we will need the innings. But there are younger, cheaper and potentially better SPs coming fast. Except for maybe Sands, none of these players should be even close to being considered locks for the post ‘27 lockout core. However, each should get plenty of playing time/opportunity to prove they could be and to really resurrect their careers. The Rocco dismissal should help them all in that endeavour.
  7. Nashvilletwin
    Exactly! No way you trade for any player who is not going to be available to be on the roster in 2028.
  8. Nashvilletwin
    Just give him 3B at a minimum thru the All Star break.
  9. Nashvilletwin
    Well, if this turns out to be an accurate prediction, we won’t care about the first three players - they all will be on new teams next season.
  10. Nashvilletwin
    When you think about it, if things go really well, the Twins could enter 2028 with an outfield of GG, Jenkins, and ERod, an infield of Culpepper, Chowolsky, Houston and Keaschall, and a super young catcher in Tait. All could have some major league experience entering that year. They’d all be basically on rookie/minimum type deals. Sure, there will be growing pains and that lineup shouldn’t be expected to win right out of the gate. But they sure as hell would be fun to watch and many of them should be the core of a contending team from 2029 on. Given we should not be expected to compete in 2026, and with a long lockout pending in 2027, developing these players and building around them on the mound and with some veterans (C, 1B, DH, etc.) should be the strategy. Go for it. Don’t lay up with settling for mediocrity over the next couple of years at these players expense.
  11. Nashvilletwin
    I’m dreaming of a Gonzalez, Jenkins, ERod starting OF after the all star break/trade deadline timeframe. Let them get a solid almost 1/2 year under their belts before the lockout. I’d tune in to watch those three every day with Keaschall. Sadly, I still have the under on ERod as a major leaguer, but let’s see. Trade Buck. I’d love to watch him play some meaningful October baseball. He deserves it. His haul should be incredible. Keep building with 2028 in mind. Wallner gets a year to mostly DH and develop against lefties. Maybe Shelton will make the investment Rocco never did. Might as well see how he does given his power. He can platoon in RF as needed. Martin is the spark plug utility player every team needs. Maybe Shelton can teach him how to improve his base running. He stays as a 4th outfielder/late inning pinch runner/ pinch hitter type who can play in the infield in an emergency. The rest? Meh. Get a reliever for Larnach if you can. Rhoden and Outman may see major league innings early in the year, but should be AAA injury call up guys come mid July/early August.
  12. Nashvilletwin
    I appreciate your optimism. The “let’s see how things go until the summer”might be the actual plan. But there is no chance in Hades the Nephew is coughing up a payroll of $130MM. Zero chance. $70MM would be a better target. Nah, with that expected approximate payroll the smart move is to sell at peak price (which includes peak cost savings). So selling sooner rather than later should get the best return and save the most salary. My wish for Buck is that he does exactly what he wants and what is best for him and his family. He earned our respect and that no trade clause - neither were free.
  13. Nashvilletwin
    If this truly is what Falvey believes and will pursue (i.e. building around Buxton, Ryan, and Lopez), he’s a bigger idiot than most of us believe (if that’s even possible). So, the new strategy is a halfway rebuild in which we lose 90+ games and get nothing for our biggest assets, all of whom arguably are at their all-time (including the future) peak trade values and won’t be re-signed, before baseball shuts down for a good part or more of ‘27? That would be the definition of pure GM lunacy. C’mon, these quotes have to be lip service. There’s no chance that the ‘25 trade deadline massacre happened so that we’d squander the chances to build the best new core coming out of the new CBA. Even Falvey and the Nephew aren’t that stupid. Oh, and by the way, there is another reason we know that these quotes are 100% lip service: they hired Shelton. That’s not the guy you hire to build a nearish term winner (come to think of it, he’s probably not the guy you’d hire under any circumstance)
  14. Nashvilletwin
    Sorry, but disagree with ERod. Lotta hat, maybe not so much cattle with him. I have the under on him ever becoming a regular on any MLB team, most certainly including the Twins. Hope I’m proven wrong, but the world goes round on different points of view and that’s mine at this point.
  15. Nashvilletwin
    Seth, thanks for this really informative post. Loved it.
  16. Nashvilletwin
    Great point. There is a lot of talk on the TD about the inability of the Twins under Rocco to transition proven minor league talent into average or better every day major leaguers. The absolvers claim that it’s not on the coaches to develop players, Once these players get to the majors, they are essentially a finished product from a skills standpoint and there is very little the coaches can do about it. Now that clearly is not 100% true. But what certainly is accurate about this argument is that these players certainly have the physical capabilities when they are promoted. But success as a major leaguer requires much more than that. It also requires development of a mental maturity and approach that can allow those physical traits to consistently flourish. Take golfers for example. There are literally thousands of golfers who have the physical abilities to be successful on the pro tours. But success comes down to what is between their ears. Why do you suppose virtually all the most successful pros have specific mind coaches on their staffs in addition to swing coaches? Good coaches are those who can build the mental strength and confidence of their young players, as well as tweak the nuances of the physical aspects of the game. Perhaps this aspect of player development is the bigger part of what has been missing from the Twins under the Rocco regime.
  17. Nashvilletwin
    Love Buck, absolutely love him. The injuries kept him from attaining numerical greatness, but he’s still a warrior and an all-time Twin. Alas, between Tony O and Buck, the Twins might have had two of the greatest outfielders ever with careers dramatically cut short due to injuries. I hope Buck finishes his career with health on the terms that provide him the greatest happiness.
  18. Nashvilletwin
    It’s not Miranda per se; it’s essentially every position player brought up under Rocco. There is always an explanation (i.e. excuse) for every individual player. We could go through all the names and come up with a reason to absolve Rocco et al for each and every one of them. Yada, yada, yada. But there are a lot of them and, at some point, some sort of institutional deficiencies must be hypothesized.
  19. Nashvilletwin
    I know I’m a Debby Downer, but I’ll take the under.
  20. Nashvilletwin
    No thanks. We are already long athletic infield prospects multiple years away from the majors as well “middle age” big league unproven fourth (at best) or fifth starter types. Besides, if the ping pong balls fall the right way, we will drafting another shortstop better than the two highlighted.
  21. Nashvilletwin
    I’d be interested in a poll of TDers to see where the “grades” of the broader Twins’ community fall. I’d wager that Cody’s B- would be the highest and not by a close margin. Of course, we’d have to exclude the Nephew’s and Falvey’s votes. We could keep Shelton’s though - even he thinks he’s a D hire at best.
  22. Nashvilletwin
    A question to those who want to keep Ryan and Lopez: is there any realistic chance they will re-sign with the Twins for their next contract? Also, is it worth keeping them if it’s likely they will really only play one additional year with the Twins (given the high likelihood of an extended lockout in ‘27)? The answers should be no and no, especially if there are no plans to reinvest in meaningful free agent talent for ‘26. Yeah, it’s sad. But the right move is to trade them at peak value. And if we are talking about peak value, then Buxton should be included (i.e. asked if he wants to go to a contender). Jeffers should probably stay until the trade deadline.
  23. Nashvilletwin
    Another talented young player to keep an eye on for the Twins post CBA, new owners renaissance beginning in 2028. BTW, even in a home run mentality league/team, it’s incredibly valuable to have a player who can pinch run to steal a base AND play superior defense the next inning. That’s literally gold for any team.
  24. Nashvilletwin
    Well, we disagree on the major league development responsibilities of the manager and his staff - particularly for small/mid-market teams like the Twins that cannot rely on proven big leaguers acquired via free agency. But that’s ok. I really respect your comments and the terrific work you do for us TDers. Have a great Halloween!
  25. Nashvilletwin
    Thanks Nick for pointing out what a horrible decision it actually was to hire Shelton. You make the case most convincingly even if that were not your intention. This man has absolutely no record of meaningful success as a big league manager in any area of critical importance to the Twins organization (and familiarity with Falvey is 100% not one of those areas - in fact it’s a detriment). His job is not to “spin straw into gold”. His job is take some subset of projectable, successful minor leaguers and turn them into above average major leaguers. Rocco couldn’t do it with one out of the many position players who were handed off to him and his staff. Has Shelton? Nick, if you want to make the case for Shelton, why don’t you do a deep dive on what he accomplished developing his position players instead of banking on him barely beating incredibly low Vegas win projections. This is the type of analysis/information many TDers would find helpful if your goal is to try to get us to rally around this hire.
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