LA Vikes Fan

I tend to agree but I think Lee has 2 more weeks to show he can hit MLB pitching. Statcast stats are nice and can give one hope but bottom line results are what matter. Lee went .221/.265/.320 (.585) in 185 PAs, 3 HRs, 27 SOs, 11 BBs. Ugly no matter how hard you squint. This year, you ask? .143/.308/.286 (.594) so far in 26 PAs, with 1 HR, 4 SOs, 5 BBS. A little better but let's face it, not too much better. I get playing Lee every day until Lewis comes back. If he can get that OPS up to the high 600s or higher, maybe he can stay. If not, back down he goes because it makes no sense to keep him on the Twins unless he's going to play regularly. Guys don't develop and get better sitting on the bench. The harder question is going to be where does Lee play? Keaschall looks pretty strong so far and if he is even 80-90% of what he's shown so far he is your every day 2B/DH. Julien's Statcast line is also pretty good and he at least backed it up in 2023, and is better than Lee now at the plate. It's hard to see even a part time role for Lee going forward with Lewis at 3B, Correa SS, Keaschall/Julien 2B, and Castro as the UTL. Lee is going to have to force his way onto the roster and so far, that's not happening. If we need aa second UTL, better to have someone like Bride with Lee hopefully getting better in AAA.

Sooooo, the Twins need offensive help and it doesn't really matter what position they play or the level of defense. The DH spot is open and there really isn't anyone set at any position on this team except maybe Correa and Buxton. It doesn't sound like there's anyone at St. Paul ready to come up who could help. It sounds like McCusker may be future option but not yet and the time horizon is very uncertain. Same for Emma, although it looks like he may be even farther out. Is there anybody at AAA that could come up and help the Twins in the batter's box?

I think Alcala has now acquired enough MLB service time so he would have to go on waivers if they attempt to send him to AAA. He would almost certainly be claimed by Oakland/Sacramento, the White Sox, or a similar bottom feeder. He is much more of a trade possibility for a A Ball guy than for a demotion. I would take him off of the list when thinking about a AAA demotion.

Excellent article. Really sums up the malaise surrounding this team. And you're right, one game, even one play, can reignite a team and turn things around. Maybe Buxton's game saving catch last night can be that play. Keaschall might be the real deal and maybe Lewis is the first half of 2024 hitter when he's back in a couple of weeks. Festa might turn into something and there is other pitching on the way. One can see daylight if you squint hard and look all the way down the tunnel. Still, the bottom line is that the one thing that would spark this team and this fan base more than anything is an announcement of a sale. That can't happen soon enough.

My guess is that today and Thursday's starts are tryouts or validation start for Festa and Paddack. Is Paddack the guy form his first 2 starts - 7.1 IP, 13 hits, 13 runs? Or the guy from his last two starts - 10 IP, 5 hits, 3 runs? Another decent start and he stays in the rotation, particularly if he can go 6 innings. Then the choice is SWR or Festa, with both looking like 4 or 5 inning guys so far. Can Festa go 6+ today? Loser of the 3 goes to the bullpen unless it's Festa and he goes back to AAA. Watch, one of the starters will need an IL stint and that will solve the problem.

Based on results, the posters above are right - Julien, Keirsey, and especially Brooks Lee should not be on the MLB roster. We may have found a replacement for Lee in Keaschall. Can McCusker replace Keirsey? Let's find out. Keirsey got a abbreviated shot - only 19 ABs - but has really shown no ability to hit MLB pitching. Bring up and play McCasker for Keirsey, bench Lee for Bride (?) unless Julien a can play 3B. Can't see what else there is to do. There isn't anyone else to really call up from AAA. Hard to see how this will turn around without some larger shakeup. We all know the largest - fire the manager.

While I agree with the basic thesis of the article that this year's performance isn't necessarily Baldelli's "fault", I disagree that "fault" matters or drives the decision. If you're the field manager and the team is not successful, you lose your job. That's the deal you signed up for. Being a baseball manager or football coach, or any kind of coach in sports, is not a job when you get to keep it just because you're being competent or even above average. Many times, you can be doing everything "right" and you just aren't getting the production out of the players you have so the manager/coach/GM/assistant coach has to go. Really the only question here is has the talent played up to its potential? While we might disagree about the potential of this roster, I think we have to agree that the roster has a potential of winning more than 51/52 games this year. At their current .318 winning percentage, that's how many games they will win. To make matters even worse, we aren't really seeing signs that this is going to turn around regardless of what happens in the upcoming season with the only team worse in baseball; the Chicago White Sox. I actually like Baldelli as a manager and think he is above average. Having said that, he has clearly lost the team or at least lost the ability to motivate their play. It's time for him to go. Not because he's a bad manager, not because it made a bunch of mistakes, not because this isn't been also on the Front Office, he goes because he's the manager responsible for on the field performance. That performance is dreadful and even worse for an entertainment product, boring. Firing Baldelli does not make him a "fall guy", it's the proper response to a field manager unable to motivate his team into achieving their potential. If people want to call him the fall guy, it doesn't really matter, getting fired if the team doesn't win is what he signed up for. There is nothing to see here.

Well written article. I know I've been saying this could be a fact all season but now it's borne out - this is a team missing a #2, #3, and #4 hitter. What we have is 4 types of hitters. The First 3 are (1) a few complimentary type guys who could hit #5- #7 on a contending team in Buxton, Correa, Jeffers and maybe even France, (2) "young" guys who need to hit 6-9 as they develop (if they develop) in Larnach, Julien, Lee, and Keirsey, and (3) guys who are what they are and it ain't that great in Bader, Vasquez, and Castro - all bottom third hitters. What's left? Very inexperienced guys who MIGHT someday be middle of the order bats in Wallner, Lewis, and Keaschall. That's it. That's what we got. To make things even worse, there is no one at AAA who is tearing it up and requires a promotion and that includes Emma, McCusker, Miranda and Martin (last 2 are hurt to be fair). There is no cavalry riding over the hill. There really isn't much we can do here. Play Keaschall pretty much every day, same for Wallner and Lewis when they get back. Hope Buxton stays hot and that Larnach and Julien find enough to at least be serviceable. The bottom line is that this is a bottom half, probably bottom third, offense and it's like to stay there unless Keascahll, Lewis, and Wallner all hit and hit big. The odds here are not great.

The most likely result here is that Keaschall will come up, show some potential, but not be ready for Bigs. Notching wrong with that. If we get lucky, he will be ready and can help us with the OBP and speed we need while his power develops. The key is he needs to play, and play almost every day so we can see what we got. No need to force time for Castro or Bride - force time for Keaschall.

We also have to remember that Buxton and Correa are "stars" in large part because of their defense, not their offense. They are both really lead dogs on the field, but supporting players in the batter's box. Lewis is a key to the offense if he can hit like he did in the first half of 2024 - he hit .292/.354/.685 (1.039) before the AS break. That's the guy we need or even 85-90% of that guy. Buxton and Correa are streaky, nice offensive players who can compliment a Lewis at his best, or really, 2 Lewises. I know i sound like a broken record but the problem with this offense is we don't have any hitter who is good enough to hit 1, 2, 3, or 4 in a championship contending lineup except for Lewis and maybe Wallner. Both are hurt. I don't see anyone on the roster likely to be that guy in the future. Julien could be a nice complimentary bat, Jeffers is already at his peak, and France and Bader are pleasant surprise - all great for the 6, 7, or 8 hole. Lee might be a solid bat hitting 5 or 6. but again, not a lead dog. The 2 players I personally had hoped would really develop into that missing offensive piece were Larnach and Miranda and they have both completely crashed and burned so far this year. Maybe Keaschall is the second coming of Shannon Stewart and be that needed bat in the 1 or 2 hole? A guy can dream ... This year looks the same because it is the same. We still haven't solved out main problem; we need a bat and we need one bad. We haven't had that guy since Nelson Cruz. Oh, and by the way, fire Rocco. Why? Because this ain't working and doesn't look like its going to work, and Rocco seems incapable of changing that narrative. Besides, we got to do something.

I say DH tomorrow against the RH, 2B on Saturday against Sale. Hitting 7 or 8 to start out with.

Agreed. I see him at 2B against LH starters in place of Julien and at DH when Larnach is in the OF and Keirsey sits, or in place of Larnach. I just hope they give him some ABs while he's up so we can see where he is and whether he's ready, close, or still needs time. I would rather see Keaschall bat this weekend than see any ABs for Gaspar or Bride. Let's give Keaschall at least 2 starts this weekend.

Saw that. Good move. Hope he provides an offensive spark.

The Athletic is reporting that the Twins have called up Keaschall. No corresponding move announced as far as I know. Assume it's either an IL for someone like Castro or Correa or a demotion for Gaspar.

Just saw in the Athletic that Keaschall has been called up. No corresponding move yet announced.

I think you have this right if Castro and Correa don't go on the IL - Julien is the primary 2B subject to sitting against a LH starter in favor of Bride or Castro, with Correa, Lee, Bride, and Castro handling SS and 3B. If one of Castro or Correa goes on the IL, then Julien plays 2B every day with Bride part of a 3 man team at SS and 3B with the remaining two since both Lee and the remaining one of Castro and Correa can man SS. If both Correa and Castro have to go on the IL, Lee is the SS, Bride the 3B, and they probably have to bring up Fitzgerald as the backup to both spots so they have a second SS. All of this takes Castro completely out of the OF mix except in a late inning emergency so Buxton and Bader play every day, Kiersey plays most days, and Larnach is an occasional LF and primary DH.

Wow, this is going to be one ugly lineup. especially if Correa or Castro has to go on the IL. Here's Julien's chance to seize the every day starting 2B job.

Wallner is going on the IL today with hamstring tightness, assumedly retroactive a day. Who comes up? This decision is a little more complicated than usual because Austin Martin is on the minor league IL, we can't make Castro an OF because we don't have enough left side infielders unless Correa can play, and Larnach isn't running well. Add to that you look at the statistics for the St. Paul Saints and the only three players were really hitting much are Carson McCusker, Ryan Fitzgerald, and Luke Keaschall. McCausker has only had 145 PAs (132 ABs) at AAA between last year and this year, going 38-132 (.288), with 8 HRS, 13 RBI, 48 SOs (33.1%!), and 13 BBs (9%). He's also 6'8", 250 lbs., so I'm guessing not a speed merchant. Good average and OPS, some but not exceptional power, high strikeout rate. Keaschall is in his first year at AAA with a slash line of.261/.379/.348 (.727), and coming off Tommy John surgery so is limited in the field. Good on-base guy, not much power, uncertain defensive home, not an outfielder. Ryan Fitzgerald is hitting with a .882 OPS and can play SS, but he is 30, not really a prospect because of his age and prior performance, and also not outfielder. Emma is not really hitting much at AAA - .704 OPS wiht no HRs and 6 RBIs in 45 ABs. This also Jefferson Morales who placed some outfield, but he's really a catcher and is sitting.238/.304/.405 (.709) so he's not really setting the world on fire. So what do you do? I would call up Keaschall, put some combination of Bader, Keirsey, and Larnach in the corner OF every day, and have Keaschall play 2B some and DH some. I'm banking on Correa being able to play so he and Lee are the primary left side of the infield, with Castro an occasional fill in and also available as the fifth outfielder. Frankly, it's not ideal. It would be better Martin was available, but he's not. By the way, I wouldn't be upset if they combined this with bringing up Fitzgerald to have some infield coverage at SS and 3B while sending down Gaspar. What do you guys think we should do?

Way to give that lead away quickly!

The throw at 3rd sucks but like the aggressiveness with 2 out. We are really in trouble if Wallner is out and either Bader or Keirsey have to play every day. The weak get weaker.

Keirsey can't get the bunt down! Error bails him out but this is pretty pathetic.

Well, isn't that special. I guess Keaschall or Emma may get that shot early after all.

Just tuned in. What happened with Wallner?

This. C'mon guys, a young pitcher going a solid 4 2/3 in his first MLB start of the year in April is something to celebrate, not criticize, One unearned run, 4 SOs. He could have gone longer but we didn't field well and once again we didn't score any runs. Score was tied 1-1 when he left so we didn't have a lot of room to let him go further. With that said, treating this as a retooling/rebuilding year makes a lot of sense to me. To be more specific, I would either trade Paddack now or after one more start to improve his trade value. If he can't be traded for a bat, I would move him to the bullpen as the long man and either keep Festa up when Lopez returns or call up Matthews to take his rotation spot. I would demote or DFA Gaspar and replace him with Keaschall now so we can see how he performs while Lewis is out. Vasquez may be a great defensive catcher, or at least good, but we can't carry his bat. He is released, Camargo up. Keirsey either plays 3-4 days a week instead of Larnach and/or Bader, or if they really have no confidence in him trade or demote him for McCusker. To me, that's a start. More coming if guys don't get better.

I would like to see Chris Paddack in the #8 bullpen spot, with Matthews and/or Festa in the rotation in his place. I'm hoping that by keeping Festa up to make another start or two that the Twins are going to use the remainder of Lopez' time on the IL as a competition of sorts between Festa, Paddack, and SWR for the fourth and fifth rotation spots. Loser goes to AAA or the bullpen, depending on who loses. I even would be in favor of going to a six man rotation and giving Matthews that same opportunity now.