LA Vikes Fan

Well said. There is room for one of them tp play regularly with the Twins. It's harder to make it work with both since they are similar types of players and neither brings a lot of defensive value to the table. We may be witnessing a fight to the death to see who will remain with the MLB roster. After last year, it sure seemed clear that Wallner was the winner. Right now, Larnach is now back in the lead because he is hitting well in an incredibly small sample size and Wallner did not hit at all during last year's playoffs, spring training, or the first 15 games or so of this season. That can all change in a minute through an injury or hot streak. To me, the thought that Wallner is still "developing" into a long-term asset where as Larnach "is what he is" may turn out to be right, but certainly is not supported by the evidence now. Let's be honest, right now I'd rather have Larnach at the plate in an MLB game.

Thanks, Very interesting and sounds almost intentional. It would be great if Larnach had two options. Makes him valuable both to the team nd in a trade.

This. Polanco didn't have a lot of value to others as an older, poor defensive player with injury issues so there wasn't much value to get trading by him. The mistake was thinking we had a lot of depth at 2B and in the order so getting a high end prospect, a decent reliever and an innings eater made sense for the team. It's not that they traded Polanco for less than he was worth (they probably got more than he was worth), it's that what they got isn't what we needed, and it got worse when DeSclafani crapped out.

Some of us were vocal this spring that this was the year to play the young guys, not retreads. This division is down now but Cleveland, Detroit and KC are on the way up so it will be tougher in 2025. What does that mean in practice? Miranda is up and playing every day either at 3B, !B, or DH. .Kirilloff is the primary 1B AND hits some against left-handed pitching. Julian is the primary 2B and hits against left-handed pitching (they are doing this one). Jeffers is the catcher 60% of the time and DH is 20% of the time. Austin Martin is the fourth outfielder, now the third outfielder since Wallner crapped out. SWR gets a shot in the rotation. When he's back physically, Brooks Lee comes up and plays regularly. Yes, I know this means riding with the ups and downs, giving away defense for offenseat some positions, and living with the fact that some of these guys just aren't good enough or are quite ready like Wallner and Varland, at least as a starter. I could live with that, spending the first two months of the season with the guys that are going to be here longer term to see how they react. Then you can try to trade for a few veterans to supplement areas where you really need help. Instead, we assumed the team was good enough to contend for a World Series so we needed veteran backups. That's the huge mistake.

My thinking is that Varland looked good in the bullpen last year in the playoffs, so let's see if that can continue. Maybe it's a mental thing where he can concentrate better in short bursts or maybe he's just more relaxed. You're right, the way he's pitched this year an overseas stint might be the way to go. I say let's make him the closer in St. Paul for a week and then give him a shot in the Twins bullpen.

I disagree. I think SWR could be a decent mid-rotation starer and will give us a chance to win most starts. Varland is not doing that. Paddack either, but he seems closer to competence. I agree that we should have more in AAA but we don't. We have to play the hand we have.

Just joining so I'm sorry if this was already discussed. Do most of us agree that this should be the end of the Louie Varland, big league starter, experiment? I say put him in the bullpen, not back in AAA as a starter.

I think his AAA ERA is inflated by one really bad inning where he gave up 6 or 7 runs, 3 or 4 on his own and the rest let in by relief. Overall, he's actually ben very good in AAA other than that.

So instead they got 2 gaping holes in the lineup. I might make your choice if the rest of the lineup was hitting and we were averaging 5 runs a game. When the rest of the team is hitting below .200 and we are averaging less than 4 runs a game, you can't sacrifice offense for defense. We're losing because we can't score; not because we can't field. If you cannot hit, you should not play. Santana cannot hit.

Agreed, and as I posted above, this is the year to find out. Give Martin 350 plus ABs and give SWR a minimum of 10-15 starts. There's plenty of room for both to happen with this roster.

I think this is the year that we find out what value we got in that trade. SWR will be in the rotation on a regular basis probably within the next month. Maybe sooner than that because Varland is really only one more bad start away from the bullpen or a reset in AAA and Paddack isn't far behind. Frankly, I would put Varland in the bullpen now given that his starts have really not been competitive and his performance in the bullpen last year was impressive. SWR is a logical and perhaps only replacement. If he stays away from injury, I expect him to get at least 10 – 15 MLB starts this year, maybe as many as 20. Martin's moment is now. He's effectively been starting for the last 10 days and I think will continue to start in LF until . . . actually, there is no "until" on the horizon. Kepler takes over RF when he returns and Martin's only competition for LF is Margot, Larnach, and Castro. Could one of them all of a sudden get hot and force their way into the lineup? Sure, but it doesn't seem very likely given what we've seen so far over the last couple years, not just this season. If Larnach is the one who gets hot, he can always be the DH and play in LF occasionally. Castro's a utility guy who has never hit well enough to be a starter and Margot is 4th outfielder in every sense of the word. Wallner may be back this year but it's going to be at least mid June or July before he gets another shot, and that's only if he tears up AAA. I'm an optimist. I think SWR will get 15 – 20 starts this year, win 8 to 12 games, and have an ERA under 4.25 with a WHIP under 1.5. Classic mid to back rotation performance with the very real possibility of him improving over time to be a solid or better #3 starter. I think Martin is going to settle in with something like .265/.340/.400 slash line, steal 10 – 20 bases, and play above average 0F defense, also with the possibility of improvement over the next couple years. Perhaps not a stellar return for year and 1/2 of Berrios, but certainly a solid one.

I agree on that. We will see Buxton start to hit when he starts to fly out to right center. This fly outs will become line drive doubles and he'll go on a heater. I think Julien is poised to break out in part because he's hitting the ball to left center. Just needs to swing more. It's like the old days. When Mauer or Morneau were cold and then started to take walks, you knew they were coming out of it because they were seeing the ball well. When Buxton and Kepler start to drive the ball the opposite way, they are ready to roll at the plate.

Like it, Kenny. I do agree that we can see the young core coming into focus - Jeffers, Lewis, Kirilloff, Julien, Miranda, Lopez, Ryan, Ober, Duran, and Jax. Add in the veterans Correa, Buxton, and Brock Stewart and you actually have a pretty good core to build around. Martin may be playing his way into that group and Varland could definitely be be part of the group as a late inning/closer in the bullpen, but not as a starter. Who knows, Paddack has talent and he could get there in the rotation. that's actually plenty of talent to build a competitive team. Here's an optimistic thought, let's quit trying to pretend we're only a few veterans away from contending and go for the full-blown "play the young guys" mentality this year. We can do it now while the division is down and who knows what could happen. Jettison the mediocre vets and make sure the guys listed above plus Martin and even Camargo get regular playing time, bring up Keirsey from AAA and let's see where these guys can go.

You're right, but I'm beginning to think that time isn't far off. Maybe when Duran comes back we DFA Bowman to create room. Maybe it's time to test the market for a dump of Santana, Margot or Farmer. Maybe now is the time to put Lewis on the 60 day - he isn't coming back before June any way - and give Keirsey a shot. My bottom line - no more significant playing time for Santana or Magot, and same for Farmer once Correa comes back. They are defensive substitutions or "give a starter a day off" guys along with Castro. Play Miranda, Kirilloff, Camargo, Martin, Julien, and I would include Keirsey, and play them almost every day. Let's see what you got NOW. We won't be full strength before June 1. Take the next 6 weeks and revamp this roster. What we tried didn't work. Admit the mistakes, explore your options, and figure out what we got. Do it now, not two months from now when the season is already lost.

This. Severino isn't hitting at all in AAA so Camargo was effectively the only choice. Still, he's here so why not give him 10-15 ABs while he's up instead of making Vasquez a DH? Who knows, we might catch lightning in a bottle. It's not like we got anyone else to play any way and Larnach can go back to AAA when Kepler is ready. Give them both some ABs and let the better hitter win.

I agree on the approach, but I question your "None of that constitutes stardom, especially given Martin's defensive limitations" comment. What defensive limitations? Martin appears to be an above average fielding LF and has looked at least competent in CF. Do you see him differently and, if so, why? I'm genuinely curious because I think his speed and defense gives him a role on this team above a Wallner or Larnach, even if the latter two improve to league average hitting with more power. Martin has hit 267/.333/.367 since essentially becoming a starter. That's probably not quite good enough to be an everyday player but pretty damn close, and it's definitely good enough to be the 4th OF if he plays well in the OF. I think if Martin can hit .267/.350/.400 plus with a SO % of 20% or less, he's an MLB starter on most teams if he is an above average OF. Maybe not a star, but an everyday player. I think he is an above average OF. He's close at the plate and may get there or more soon. That's why your fielding comment baffles me. I think Martin and Miranda have shot at earning big league starting jobs over the next month. I'd like to see them do it because Lord knows we need it.

I hope you're right on Miranda and I'm starting to think you may be. I also want Martin to get some run. He's actually looked the part and I hope he gets at least another couple of weeks playing full time to see if he can be a .265/.350/.400 plus kind of hitter. If he can, his speed and defense makes him very valuable for this slow, plodding group. Here's how that shakes out to me: Miranda - Full time 1B, occasional DH, plays almost every day. Martin - 75% LF, 20% CF when Buxton sits or plays DH. Kirilloff - Primary DH, in LF 2 days a week or so in place of Martin or when Martin plays CF, backup 1B. Santana - Traded or Backup 1B playing no more than 1-2 games a week, primarily defensive replacement. Margot - Traded or 5th OF playing RF or DH when facing LH starter. Camargo - AAA when Kepler comes back. Larnach and Castro - One goes to AAA when Correa comes back, one when Lewis comes back unless Margot, Farmer, or Santana is released or traded. My bias is to keep Martin in MLB over Larnach and play him over playing time for Santana or Margot. Injuries can and probably will change things but that's what I would do. Our only chance of turning this around is to get fresh blood in that performs while Correa, Jeffers, Miranda, Buxton, Kirilloff, and Julien all are at least average MLB hitters and at least 3 of them are solidly above average. Kepler could be one of those 3 but at this point he is a complete question mark. He could have an OPS+ of any where from 75 to 125 this year and may get traded in June. Those 6 guys are the key to us scoring enough to be competitive. Best batting order = Julien, Jeffers, Correa, Lewis, Kirilloff, Buxton, Miranda, Kepler/Margot, Martin. When Vasquez plays, Jeffers becomes DH and either Kirilloff or Martin sits depending on starter. Santana, and either Castro or Farmer, which ever one is still on the team, only play as "day off" or injury reserves and hit in the bottom third when they do play, usually 8th.

Understood, but this team is not in a position to sacrifice offense for defense. We need bats. Santana is the better defender but by far the worst hitter of the three. He sits or goes away. We live with the defense of the other 2 to get their bats in the lineup. IF we had 7 other guys who were good hitters we could opt for defense at 1B. We don't. That isn't going to change when guys come back from injury or "heat up". Let's look at the cast of characters that have run through this year's lineup. We have 3 consistently above average MLB hitters - Lewis, Jeffers, and Correa - 2 young guys who we think are at a least averageish now and who may be consistently above average MLB hitters some day, maybe even soon - Kirilloff and Julien - 2 veteran question marks who might be slightly better than average, might be average, might be worse, changes week to week and year to year, hard to say - Kepler and Buxton - 2 young guys who need a chance and could be good, but might crap out - Martin and Miranda - 4 guys who are DEFINTIELY below average MLB hitters - Margot, Castro, Larnach, and Farmer - and 3 guys who are WAAAY below average MLB hitters - Vasquez, Santana, and Wallner (with the caveat that Wallner might come back up some but likely never to the "consistently above average" group). That's who we got so far. That lineup cannot sacrifice offense for defense at any position. We have to play the guys who can hit and try to get them better on the defensive side. Santana can not be allowed to start consistently. Frankly, he should be gone and he should take Margot and Larnach with him. We can have 2 guys on the bench for defense - Farmer and Vasquez - and play Buxton in CF while living with his inconsistent bat. That's it for defense over offense. The rest can't stay if they can't hit. Simple as that.

Miranda replacing Santana is the answer and it should be done as soon as Correa comes back. This probably means a DFA because I don't think anyone will trade for his contract. Maybe we can trade him during the DFA if we throw in a lower-level prospect and get a low level prospects back. He needs to be gone. Miranda plays third base when Kirilloff plays first base and Farmer/Castro plays third base against left-handed pitching when Kirilloff either sits or goes to DH. Miranda becomes part of the 1B/DH group when Lewis comes back. In the outfield, move Buxton down the lineup to the six or seven hole and play Austin Martin every day in LF. Margot isn't bad as a 5th OF and can be in a platoon with a left-handed hitter in right field and as a day off guy. Right now it's Larnach and if he doesn't hit (likely result), Larnach goes when Kepler comes back. Julien and Farmer I think I likely to come back to at least close to their basic levels of last year. Castro unfortunately is looking a lot like he did in Detroit. Last year may have been his career year. Tomorrow is a day off. Here's what we do tomorrow and/or after Sunday's game when Kepler is ready to come back: Pitching: Funderburk down, SWR up. SWR into rotation, Varland to bullpen. Lineup: Santana DFA or traded for a lower-level prospect. Kepler back to roster in his spot, either Larnach back to AAA for Keirsey taking Santana's 40 man spot or if at all the sudden Larnach hits this weekend, he stays. Whichever one stays plays 2-3 games a week in left field or as a DH but Martin plays at least four or five days a week. Miranda is the starting third baseman and Kirilloff starts at first. Farmer plays short, Julien second, and Castro is a true utility player. Jeffers is the DH when he is not catching, plays every day. If there is a desire for another utility or backup infielder, Camargo goes to AAA but there isn't really anyone there to bring up who deserves it other than Diego Castillo and he is not on the 40 man roster. Maybe Bowman is the DFA candidate to create a spot and then Funderburk stays up. Bottom line, significant changes need to be made soon. We've seen enough that this roster is flawed and is losing any sort of confidence or swagger. I do like to see Baldelli not starting Santana but I think a major shakeup is necessary and soon.

As an interesting idea since Jax doesn't appear to be the world's greatest reliever, and is a lousy closer as we saw today. I would not be opposed at all to them sending Jax to AAA to get a couple starts in and build up his innings, call up SWR to be the fifth starter, and put Varland in the bullpen. I see it is Louie Varland number two closer.

Bad loss. Griffin Jax is a good reliever but a lousy closer. He stunk at it last year and he stinking at it this year. He's a good seventh and eighth inning reliever and that's where he should stay. Whatever it is a closer needs to be successful in high stress situations he just doesn't have. I think that the best closers types on this roster are Brock Stewart and Louie Varland. Send Bowers to the DFA wire or send Funderburk down, call up SWR to take the fifth spot in the rotation and put Louie in the bullpen to close. I have no solutions to offer for this lineup other than Miranda, Jeffers, and Martin should be playing every day and perhaps hitting next to each other. They are the only three that don't look completely overmatched at the plate with the possible exception of Julien, and Margot can at least draw the occasional walk. Any thought that Miranda doesn't field well enough to play needs to go out the window because he's one of the few guys who seems to be able to actually hit major league pitching. If it were up to me, I would strongly consider putting out a lineup for the next game that went Martin, Julian, Jeffers, Miranda, Buxton, Margot, and it doesn't really matter after that because all the rest of them stink.

Yes you want to give guys time IF it looks like they may be figuring things out. Wallner isn't just hitting poorly, his at bats are not competitive. There is no evidence he is figuring anything out. He really has no chance at this point. I think it's actually worse for him and his confidence to continue getting his head bashed in at the MLB level. it's time now for him to go down to AAA and try to re-set his swing. 50 more MLB ABs with 25 SOs is not the answer. BTW, I don't think Larnach is the answer. I would DFA Bowman to create a 40-man spot, add Keirsey to the 40-man, and call him up for Camargo. While we're at it, I would also send Varland down and call up SWR for the 5th starter spot.

Can't get his secondary stuff over consistently an they are hammering the fastball. Too inconsistent with his command. I hate to say it, but Mr. Varland looks like a relief pitcher where he can throw the fastball and one off speed pitch.

I would like to see them move Martin up in the order, maybe as the leadoff hitter against LH starters. For now, he and Julien could alternate in the #1 and #9 hole depending on the starting pitcher. I'm hoping he can show enough to hit #6 against RH pitching when the rest of the lineup comes back in a Julien-2B, Correa-SS, Kirilloff-1B/DH, Buxton-CF, Kepler-RF, Martin -LF, Jeffers-C/DH, Castro-3B, Santana/Vasquez/Margot - depends on who is the DH that day. Wallner goes to AAA when Kepler is ready to come back. Martin stays and is the regular LF. When Lewis comes back, he slots in as #4 and everyone from Buxton on down moves down a slot. Against LH pitching, I'd like to see the order as Martin-LF, Correa-SS, Buxton-CF, Jeffers-DH/C, Kepler/Margot - RF, Kirilloff/Vasquez - DH/C, Castro/Farmer - 3B, Julien -2B. When Lewis comes back, he again hits fourth, everybody moves down one, and Farmer and Castro go to the bench or fill in for guys needing a day.

It sounds like Duran is throwing bullpen sessions and will be back relatively soon. My guess is that Bowman pitches today. If he looks good, he stays until either Duran is ready to come back or Alcala's 10 (15?) days are up in AAA. Bowman's 945K MLB salary just locked in so I think the Twins will ride him a bit to se what he can do. Sands going 2 1/3 yesterday did help save the bullpen a little so they may not need a fresh arm if we can get 6 or 6+ from Ober today. Theilbar came up for Alcala today to give us one fresh arm for Baltimore and Duran comes back for whoever isn't pitching well or needs an IL stint in 7-10 days. Also sounds like Topa is only a week or two away so keeping Bowman around makes sense as an easy DFA when he or Duran is ready. Chances are that someone else will need an IL stint by the time that happens. Famous last words, but it is looking like the Twins' claim that they had a quality bullpen with real depth is actually turning out to be true so far. The bullpen stats are top of the league and that's without 2 of their best 3 arms from last year with Duran and Theilbar out all season so far.