Steve J

I like how they're sitting the Ice cold Tristan Gray.

I'm not sure our pitcher is ready and willing. Any thoughts?

The Twins bought Caratini at a good value. If we just pretended he was a right-hand hitting first basemen that kept Bell off the field, we'd think it was a decent signing at two years and less than 15 million total. We were looking at Ryan O'Hearn for twice that amount, and while he's the better hitter, we shouldn't doubt that there are a lot of clubs more appealing to free agents even if we offer lots of money. Caratini may have simply been about the best right handed hitter we could sign at the time with the money available. Of course, it also is possible that the front office was thinking about trading Jeffers prior to his walk year. Under that plan they would still having catching figured out through '27 with Caratini and Jackson and probably get a decent return, but it fizzed out for one reason or another.

He depends on two very poor pitches, a fastball that tops out at 90mph and a changeup that he lobs down the middle at 85 that is easy for everything but the radar gun to differentiate.

Brooks defense has been brutal, with last night a gleaming example. At least last year with his fringe tools he moved, reacted and fielded like a shortstop. It was simply a matter of balls he could not get to and he finished with a total Rtot of -2. Right now, he is -3 Rtot, and on pace for -93 runs below average, which is what you would get if you manned the position with an empty bushel and make the third baseman take the ball out of it in the rare occasion it made the play.

Ober's pitch count wasn't high, but its clear the O's had figured his poorly located 90mph fastball and 84mph lob changeups.

First two pitches by Ober. 90mph.

Looking over the MLB transactions of the last few days, one name stands out to me: Leo Jiménez, a right-hand hitting shortstop, who was DFA'd by Toronto. He is 24 years old and has a good track record in the minors as a contact hitter and AI says his defense grades out decently. I'm hoping the Twins are on the phone with Toronto, with an eye towards replacing Gray. Thoughts? Other Waiver or DFA targets sound good to anybody?

Shelton may be experimenting with scenarios involving idealized defensive lineups, and that does not often include Keaschall in the infield.

Yeah, but Gleeman notes that it was not unusual for Ober to be hitting 92-93 in early spring games in prior seasons.

I think, respectfully, this article is falling into the trap of larping the role we play as GMs in electronic games where trades and scouting is unrealistically uncomplicated and virtual fanbases are procedural aggregates instead of living and breathing people. We like Joe Ryan. He's a good reason to pay attention every five days. While we should always listen to trade offers and be willing to part with good players if the return is right, we shouldn't be looking to tear down what we have simply because the season got harder, at least not in Spring training. Rooting for a crap team that isn't even trying is depressing and this team needs to build a fanbase worse than it needs to build a roster or a prospect list.

They apparently found a way to make Ober's fastball effective... They turned it into Abel's changeup.

Hrbek was a converted hockey goalie. He didn't end up too bad.

Why would they need another infielder who is, at best, marginal at shortstop?

I actually wonder now if they are going to try to move Jeffers.