Derojo

An above average catcher is more valuable for trade than any other position. My opinion...

Lewis appears to look for the "big" at bat. In MLB that likely means at best average. Josh Bell is a hitter who makes the best of what an opposing pitcher offers. Wallner is similar to Lewis. Larnach makes the most of what he has. He's too slow though and we have many OF's. I respect Larnach's better year, batting and he increased his speed. I fear Emmanuel Rodriguez will be like Sano. I hope not.

I just did a search: out of 52 MLB players 46 returned to play. Another statement said approximately 80 percent return to play professional baseball at the same or higher level for at least three years.

Explain the "reasoning" that Buxton having had more injuries than an average player increases healing time. Second, wouldn't it be more logical to review Buxton's past healing length of time compared to an average player?

The Twins only have Caratini for catching next year if they lose Jackson. I guess they are figuring on free agency. I don't think the minor leagues catchers will be ready till at least late next year.

Many Twins pitchers had at least one save this year. The closer role should be a competition. Every other position has competition. Why would one do it differently for a closer?

Good analysis, and the Twins young OF's needed more time. As you stated, next year will be different. I can see Wallner as a backup OF'der. There's also Austin Martin in the mix which wasn't true before this year. He'll adjust to the pitching.

If the Twins give Buck a large say in his handling, he'll be playing CF.

Personally, I like Buxton. Other than injury here's other issues. 1. He's too easy to strike out as he swings at non-competitive pitches. He's not the only one; Caratini, Kreidler. He's supposed to be a star. 2. His batting stats as DH are not good. 3. He doesn't bunt. With his speed that's ridiculous. 4. He rarely steals bases. Again, with his speed that's absurd. Here's the situation: The Twins will protect him more and more given his injury history and age. That makes sense. It will also make him less valuable. BTW - Should Jenkins heat up next year, Buxton will be a DH or sub.

Quote: After spending the first 11 seasons of his career with the Minnesota Twins, Hunter had already established himself as one of the most important players of his generation. :Unquote. Since you didn't specify I take it to mean in MLB. Just simply no way is this true. Torii was a very good player at times; not great. He wasn't most important in MLB. Twins players in 87 and 91 won two World Series. Killibrew, Carew, and Kaat were most important players of their generation. When you write cotton candy fluff, it de-values those who actually had a most important impact in their generation of playing MLB. I very much like Torii Hunter. He was a good Twin and person.

The Twins are where they were expected to be; a sub .500 team. There's no collapse. The Twins vastly outperformed in scoring runs in the first half with RISP. That was bound to decrease as is usual with statistics. Injuries in the starting rotation and in general the pitchers have hurt. They have added much pitching talent for next year, so I'm hopeful. Starting pitching will need to lead to wins. The Twins are actually building for next year, and it's been years since I could say that.

Just simply NO to 2027. Perhaps a call up in September, IF there is no other player for which a September call up makes more sense. Likely there will be other players that fit that call up better.

Kreidler with that fast of a swing could be good if he would lay off balls. The same is true for Buxton. Caratini expands as well. The goal for 80-90 percent of pitchers is to induce you to get yourself out. The other 10-20 percent of pitchers have nasty, nasty pitches. If they are able to locate it's a very tough day.

Keaschall has improved with quartering back on balls. He still has much trouble with balls hit directly at him. However, he hasn't played outfield much in his career. He is an athlete, so I expect he will improve. That he's learning OF at the MLB level, and raking means long term success to me.

Buxton moving to a corner OF will extend his career, how? You think he will magically not get injured? That's right, move your best CF (a comment) defender now! Such idiocy; if you moved Buxton to DH, that might extend his career. Buxton bats poorly as DH.

You can't know what "type" of a player anyone is until they play consistently. Clemens demonstrates that. Martin also demonstrated that a hot start doesn't foreshadow a hot finish. We don't know how he will be next year. Lee did not come out of the MLB gate hot. Yet, he has improved with more batting appearances. The MLB game is different than the minors, the playing field just looks the same. It's not the same competition. "He is solid behind the dish with a bat that has shown glimpses." Perhaps the bat has shown "glimpses" because Jackson hasn't played much. Lee has consistently improved, perhaps Jackson would. However, I would wait till September 14th to see if the Twins will be within two games of the third wild card, or the division, because there will be thirteen games left to play. Picking up three games out of thirteen is unlikely.

Culpepper already is the second best competitive batter on the Twins; Keaschall being first. Culpepper should be in the second slot, with Jenkins who's supposed to have more power in the third. I have no clue what you were thinking on that one. Keaschall/Culpepper will drive the pitchers crazy to begin the game.

Culpepper has been more impressive, and his batting appearance against Jhoan Duran was extraordinary. I understand Culpepper has been up longer. He's a handful for a pitcher 8 times out of ten. SS is a more difficult position to play than CF. I'm not predicting, but it is possible Culpepper will have a more productive career than Jenkins. I'm just saying it's possible. Look how Buxton's career has turned out compared to Trout, who's been injured plenty himself. No one knows the future. Culpepper already gives pitchers more trouble than Buxton. I'm not knocking Jenkins; he's not the only player to watch.

I like the analogy; excellent. For the fans: You can't spell Sisyphus, without "phus" or English; "fuss".

Quote: The Twins knew they had a bullpen problem coming into the season, and 2026 has done little to change that perception. Now, Minnesota has to figure out how to turn a glaring weakness into a strength before next season. :Unquote. According to Twins Daily’s 2026 position analysis, the projected bullpen includes Twins Daily: Cole Sands – veteran holdover, expected to lead the group. Taylor Rogers – former Twins ace, now in relief; known for past dominance. Justin Topa – sub‑4 ERA over recent seasons. Liam Hendriks – 37‑year‑old wildcard; elite in 2019–2022, but limited innings in recent years due to health issues. Andrew Chafin – 12‑year MLB career, 3.35 ERA. Eric Orze – recent sub‑4 ERA seasons. Anthony Banda – multiple sub‑4 ERA years. Zak Kent – depth arm. So Taylor Rogers is left. Every other reliever the Twins now put out there is different. Yet, you say the Twins have done little: Current 40‑Man Roster Pitchers (Relief Focus) Baseball-Reference.com A.J. Minter – 32‑year‑old LHP, 6'0", 215 lbs, 2013 debut. Andrew Morris – 24‑year‑old RHP, 6'0", 195 lbs, 2019 debut. Jeff Hoffman – 33‑year‑old RHP, 6'5", 235 lbs, 2012 debut. Travis Adams – 26‑year‑old RHP, 6'1", 197 lbs, 2019 debut. Yoendrys Gómez – 26‑year‑old RHP, 6'3", 212 lbs, 2017 debut. Kody Funderbirk Tommy Nance Hardly any changes at all. If you don't have perceived confidence, you don't. But you can't write that the Twins have done little to change our perception. The Twins have been changing their relief pitching staff all season long. BTW - I haven't caught all the changes: Kendry Rojas, who might return as a reliever. No, I didn't read the article, because when an opening statement is so inane; I'm not going there.

Taylor Rogers is a professional. He is toward the end of his career. The take that he isn't a younger more vital Taylor Rogers is willful ignorance. Of course he isn't. Everybody ages. Players late years in MLB are virtually without exception, not as good as earlier years. Stop stating Captain Obvious statements, and be gracious.

To us older people: Slip Sliding Away, to September, would be an obvious choice for a title; thanks to Paul Simon.

The Twins largest deficit is starting pitching. Jenkins is irrelevant to that. Second, they were expected to be at best just below .500. Third, even if a team makes third wild card, that's playing for experience. Third wild card is weak. The experience is good, that's all.

The chemistry doesn't work? What does that mean? Second, the Twins were expected to be .500 at best. They haven't fallen apart. They have had many injuries to starters. That's a big factor.

Speculation; it's a well written piece which frames possibilities. The Padres were hot when the Twins played them. If a team is seeing pitches we'll, it's tough to pitch.