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LA Vikes Fan

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Everything posted by LA Vikes Fan

  1. LA Vikes Fan
    Agree overall, but not sure why you say Kreidler would not be an upgrade on defense. I think the opposite is true - Kreidler would be a HUGE defensive upgrade at SS. The problem is that he just can't hit water if he fell out of a boat. We could send Lee down to work on his bat and call up Kreidler to give the pitching staff a quality defensive SS. The cost is 4 automatic outs a game - kind of like playing Outman except you get defense from Kreidler in addition to the golden sombrero. And 4 automatic outs are really only about half an out more than we get from Lee.
  2. LA Vikes Fan
    Agree with you on showcasing Larnach, but not on how to do so. The way you describe gets more ABs for Clemens at the expense of ABs for Martin and Roden, assuming a DFA switch of Outman for Roden. I want to see Martin in the lineup most every day supplemented by Roden, who can also back up Buxton and Wallner to get on the field 3-4 days a week, The only way I can see to do that and still keep both Bell and Larnach in the lineup against RH pitching is to play Bell at 1B most days. Clemens is not part of the medium or long term future of the Twins, so let's not give him the extra ABs. Let's give those to guys who might be part of that future.
  3. LA Vikes Fan
    I remember a lot of questioning on this board as to why Larnach (and Wallner) wasn't given a chance to hit LH pitching and try to be an everyday player. Well, he got a chance against LH pitching last year and didn't get better. I agree that the optimal way to use Larnach is to face righties only, to the extent that's possible, and mostly out of the DH spot. The issue is that doesn't work on this team unless Bell plays 1B every day (or at least against RH pitching). That also makes it hard to both play Wallner and give the present AAA guys plus Martin much of an opportunity to play. If the team was a contender, I would keep Larnach and try to squeeze out 2-3 more wins But we're not, not really even close to a contender. Miles away, in fact. Time to move on from players that are this limited and try guys who might be more. By the way, same goes for Lee and most of the bullpen.
  4. LA Vikes Fan
    We need to do something to jump start the offense. It seems like at the very least we should DFA Outman, call up Roden, and have 4 OFs playing 3 spots - Buxton, Roden, Martin, and Wallner. Larnach can be the LH DH/PH. and Bell needs to play 1B pretty much every day to get his bat into the lineup. I know we need to wait one more week for service time reasons, but it's time to give Culpepper a try at SS, with Gray a UTl, and Lee back in AAA trying to find his stroke. Move Buxton back to lead off - he just seems to hit better there. It may all be mental but that counts too. Run out a lineup of something like Buxton, Keaschall, Larnach/Wallner, Bell, Lewis, Wallner/Martin/Roden/Larnach, Jeffers, Roden/Martin, Culpepper. Caratini is the backup C/only occasional 1B, Clemens 5th OF/backup 1B playing 2 days a week max, Gray primary IF UTL. Consider a Clemens DFA so we can get Emma up and then play him. Not great, but better than what we're doing now, Here's another option. Send Lee down and call up Kreidler. Lean into the low scoring game thing with a SS who adds real value in the field. I know he can't hit MLB pitching but he's hitting in AAA so maybe he can get by at a roughly .200-.210 BA and add defensive value. Again, not great but at least it shores up the defense.
  5. LA Vikes Fan
    The Twins might be maximizing Larnach’s value, but to what end? His skills could have value on a decent team hoping to become a good/better team, but that’s not who the Twins are. We may only by 9 games in, but it is becoming pretty clear that this is a bad team in desperate need of full time starting talent. That kind of team needs to give opportunity to a new group of prospects ready to get their feet wet if they have them. We do in the OF. I have nothing against Larnach but he is in the way of playing the guys we need to play. He needs to be moved so Martin and Roden can play regularly and, if/when one or both fail, Emma, GG, and Jenkins can play regularly. That’s the only way this team has a chance to get better.
  6. LA Vikes Fan
    This. Caratini isn't on the team to play 1B, he's playing 1B on occasion until Jeffers is gone so he can do what he's really here to do - be the bridge catcher for the last half of 2026 and 2027. He's just playing more because we've faced 4 LH starters in 6 games. The real "bad fit" on this roster is having Larnach, Bell, AND Wallner on the same team. It's particularly bad if you can only play one of them in the field at a time which seems to be the situation. I'm not sure what the thought was if Bell isn't going to play 1B.
  7. LA Vikes Fan
    Agreed and maybe that means its time to put in someone new. Start with the SS position.
  8. LA Vikes Fan
    The obsession with Wallner is an unfortunate by product of our lack of game changing offensive players on this roster. Buxton is a good but not elite hitter, Keaschall ahs shown great potential, Jeffers is a pretty good hitter for a catcher (but not so much for any other position), and ......Well, that's pretty much it. We need a couple or really at least 3 of the following guys to become consistent, well above average hitters - Lewis, Wallner, Larnach, Lee, Martin, and the AAA guys. Having a wRC+ above 100 does not make one a consistent, well above average hitter. It's just a number that doesn't discriminate for situational hitting or consistency. Moreover, a guy with a wRC+ of 110 should be hitting in the 6 or 7 hole, not in the middle of the lineup. Wallner has not yet shown that he can be that consistent middle of the order hitter who drives in runs that we desperately need. Our problem is we got nobody else. Let's not pretend that Wallner is anything but a decent hitter with the potential to be more. That doesn't mean he should be replaced. On the contrary, he should play every day until we can see if he can become more. But if he can't show that in this his age 28 season, he probably won't be more and we should be looking for a replacement. Until then, we have to focus on him (and Lewis, Lee, Martin, Larnach, etc.) because we need him to be more if we have any hope of competence this year.
  9. LA Vikes Fan
    You're right, but I guess I don't want to wait a couple of months unless Lee shows some life at the plate at least. Right now, he's pretty much an automatic out and he provides negative defensive value at a key position. This team just doesn't have enough offense to survive without good defense. I almost want to play Kreidler for a month if we want to give Culpeper time so at least we get above average defense form the SS spot. With that bat, though..... almost.
  10. LA Vikes Fan
    That was trying to say that we will have a much better handle on Lee after 15-20 more games and we start a swing of 15 games in 15 days tomorrow.
  11. LA Vikes Fan
    Lee is off to a slow start but two games isn't enough to judge hm. Now, 15-20 games is and we will be there after this next game every day for 15 days swing. Meanwhile, Kaelen Culpepper is tearing it up in St. Paul. If both trends continue, the answer is obvious to me. Culpeper up, Lee down.
  12. LA Vikes Fan
    I agree but would add Martin as a guy who could be part of the 2028 group. These guys need to play.
  13. LA Vikes Fan
    I'm with you. Play Martin 5 days a week for a month and see if his .282/.374/.365 slash line from last year can be replicated or, even better , if he can raise his SLG even to .375. If he can do that and continue to play above average defense in LF we have an everyday MLB starter who can it in the 1 or 9 hole. Other suggestions: Play Wallner every day in RF or DH to see if he can hit LH pitching enough. Just don't hit him 4 until he shows you can drive in runs from the 6 spot. Bring up Roden for Outman (or Larnach if you can trade him somehow). Play him 3-4 days a week (RF, LF, and DH). See if he can hit. Wait the 16 days to keep the extra year and then, bring up Culpeper to play SS. Lee has 2 weeks to show that he can hit; replace him when he doesn't. He may need a AAA reset. If he does hit, move him to 1B, trade Bell. Play GG, Mendez and/or Fedko at 1B in AAA. Plan to move the one that can hit up in July to play 1B for the Twins.
  14. LA Vikes Fan
    I couldn't agree more on Clemens. He is a below average hitter with a low average AND a low OBP, although he does have some power. He's pretty good at 1B, decent at 2B (and maybe 3B), and the epitome of average in LF. In other words, he is the 25th or 26th guy on a good team, probably in AAA on a championship contender (like he was with Philly). He's also almost 30 years old so he's likely at his ceiling. He is here to be used when necessary; he is NOT a guy you create opportunities for or feel compelled to use. He's fine as a bench guy playing 2 or 3 times a week, and should be replaced by midseason by a guy with higher upside even if that means Caratini and Bell have to play 1B. C'mon Jeremy, this is a year to position the roster for the future and hope you get lucky and contend. Trade Larnach for whatever is out there and get Roden up. Wait the 16 days until we can get the extra year and call up Culpepper to play SS (maybe Lee moves to a UTL slot). Lose Outman and bring up GG or Emma (I prefer GG since he's RH), move Bell to an everyday 1B, and rotate Wallner, Roden, Martin and GG through the corner OF slots and DH. Give the "young" guys their shot this year so you know what you have for next year.
  15. LA Vikes Fan
    Speaking of bullpens, don’t know if you guys saw but Jorge Alcala triggered an upward mobility clause in his contract and can now go to any team willing to up offer a 26 man roster spot. Worth trying to get him? I say yes, drop Kent.
  16. LA Vikes Fan
    I really wonder about Topa. I was hoping he would have a dead arm or some other "injury" so he could be put on the 15 day Il to start the season. I know its only one game but add in ST and it might be time to drop/Il/demote Topa and bring up Altavilla. He throws 96-98 MPH so he could add some velocity to a soft tossing bullpen. He does have a high walk rate around 12.3% and doesn't have a huge SO rate, around 18%, so there is risk. Still, Altavilla had 2.48 Era (4.66 FIP) last year so there's also hope. Topa was bad in ST and looks off to a slow start so maybe some time off would help. He did have an "oblique issue" in ST so maybe he isn't completely healthy.
  17. LA Vikes Fan
    I saw the same thing, but when I watched the replay, the shortstop was lined up for a throw to third base, not to second base. When the outfielder gets the ball, he looks up for the cutoff man, and Lee was lined up with third base. I don’t think that’s Martin’s mistake. I think the shortstop told him to throw it there with his positioning.
  18. LA Vikes Fan
    I like Martin leading off. Let's see if he can replicate that .374 OP he had the last two months of last season.
  19. LA Vikes Fan
    Opening Day Lineup: Martin LF Buxton CF Keaschall 2B Jeffers C Wallner RF Bell 1B Caratini DH Lewis 3B Lee SS I think that's the planned every day starting lineup against LH starters Against RH starters, I'm guessing Wallner and Jeffers flip flop at 4 and 5, and Larnach replaces Caratini. Things will move around as the season rolls along and the order will change on those days that the bench guys get a start but I think this is what Shelton wants to do. By the way, I like it. Your 3 speed guys are together and your LH regulars are split up at 4 and 7 against RH pitching. Lewis is low until he earns a promotion. Lee concentrates on his fielding with less pressure hitting 9. I could also see moving Martin to 9 against RH starters and everyone else up one. It's important to have Martin, Buxton and Keaschall together to manufacture some runs.
  20. LA Vikes Fan
    I live in LA and Dodgers have all kinds of injury issues. They've won the last two World Series with pitching staffs cobbled together to get around injury problems. Of course, having unlimited resources to pay talented guys who can't stay healthy big money even though they regularly break down helps - see Glasnow (never pitched more than 130 innings in a season, salary $30m) and Snell( 5 year $182m contract, one year over 130 innings out of the last 7 years) . I'd be interested in some statistics on that if you think the Twins have more than their share, I think the Dodgers have had just as many injuries, they just have more resources to find and keep quality replacements. A 25 year, 8.25 billion dollar TV deal helps. My sense is that the Twins don't have more injuries, they just lack the resources to replace guys who get hurt with guys who can play.
  21. LA Vikes Fan
    I was thinking the same thing - it looks like there are a lot of catchers who should or have hit the waiver this week. Maybe we'll get lucky and he'll wind up as the 3rd C in AAA. We will need him at some point this year if he does.
  22. LA Vikes Fan
    Agreed, but Emma is unlikely to ever be a well rounded hitter. He'll be a guy who walks a lot, hits 25 plus HRs, fields well, but has an average or below average batting average and a 30% SO rate. Something like a .240/.350/.475 line. That would be great to have in the lineup but It's a guy who hits in 4-6 hole, not a guy who hits 2 or 3.
  23. LA Vikes Fan
    I agree that this is a high variance team - could win 85-90, could lose 90-100. Nick, you described them well. My one nit is that I think Shelton is much different than Baldelli. Being a baseball manager (or head football coach, CEO, etc.) is about leadership. Leadership is not only about the lineup decisions or pitching changes, etc.; its much more about creating a culture conducive to winning and putting players in the best position to be successful. Some guys get a pat on the back, some get a kick in the ass, some get left alone. You have to create a culture where each individual contributor is put in a position to contribute what they can and celebrated for that contribution regardless of how big or how small, not put people is a position where their flaws are exposed or where they are criticized because they aren't something they lack the skills or temperament to be. I think Shelton understands that much better than Baldelli did and is trying to create a positive, winning culture. Who knows if it will work. We may simply not have enough talent to be successful or may need to define success at 81-81 given our talent level. I do think Shelton could be the "X factor" that allows this team to be better as a whole than the sum of its parts.
  24. LA Vikes Fan
    The decisions are in - Arcia, Altavilla, Banuelos, and Trent Baker all sent to minor league camp. Bowman granted his outright release. That means Lawyerson and Kent made the team in the bullpen. If I'm following this, your 2026 opening day roster is almost done unless we make a trade or pick up someone else's waived player for a backup SS or BP pitcher- C - Jeffers, Caratini (Jackson still on roster, assume he will be traded or DFA'd) IF - Bell, Keaschall, Lee, Lewis, Clemens, Tristan Gray OF - Buxton, Wallner, Martin, Outman, Larnach Rotation - Ryan, Bradley, Ober, Abel, SWR Bullpen - Rogers, Topa, Orze, Funderburk, Banda, Sands, Kent, Lawyerson There you have it unless there is a waiver pickup or trade made before Thursday.
  25. LA Vikes Fan
    God I hope you're wrong. At the very least, I hope the thought is Wallner - Buxton - Martin in the OF with Larnach as the LH DH/emergency OF. I would actually prefer Larnach and Outman gone with a Buxton/Wallner/Martin/Roden OF group, each playing on the OF 4-5 days a week and DH'ing on occasion. Bottom line is that Larnach should NOT see the OF.
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