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JD-TWINS

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  1. JD-TWINS
    Jax was outstanding……..Sands was OK, a couple really soft contact singles……he had 2 outs & only one run in at that point. Duran comes in to get one out - facing the #8 hitter that’s hitting .176, and per the announcers, he’s been spiraling downward for over a month. Duran was up 0-2 (with 2 outs) and somebody thought it would be a good idea to call another curveball to a left handed batter (that has got to stop!) and he hits the guy’s foot ….2 tappers to, short of dirt, SS that couldn’t be played by anyone on any team. Big trouble as Witt Jr. comes to the plate……. another tapper to end the game. I agree - Pen hasn’t been perfect. Most of the issues over the last 8-9 days have fallen on Duran. He’ll clean it up! Still think with the emergence of Staumont as a 7 or 8 guy, Funderburke finding his way, & the potential with Alcala settling into a role …….along with Stewart & Topa contributing again before the break, the PEN will be a strength.
  2. JD-TWINS
    First Royals game got ugly at the end!! Hopefully better tomorrow night. Pablo will clean it up through June. I don’t get the desire to lose as many games as you win…….or more accurately, to be satisfied with that? “Consistency” being the chief goal?….. “81-81 & exciting, consistent baseball”……..I don’t know how a team excites someone if they lose as often as they win, seriously, it doesn’t register with me. Why is it imperative to not have streaks during the year? There are streaks every year - some years they are longer. I understand not wanting losing streaks!! The team was 7–13 & losing twice as often as they won. No long streaks, just poor offense and generally poor execution. Since then they have gone 22-11 through Monday’s game. Currently 29-24. If they are fortunate enough to win tomorrow they will be on a clear 90 win pace through 1/3 of the season. I’m a Lombardi guy - “winning is the only thing!” ……..worrying about how a Team gets to a record and being concerned is OK - natural - I guess? It’s tough to win 17 of 20 games without one or two prominent streaks. Do we hope the Team doesn’t win 17 of 20? ……….I get not liking the 7 straight losses - that streak was hard to fathom! It’s bigger than just the team’s being played! …….why though, is it a bad thing (inconsistent thing) to win 4 straight? Why should this be pointed out as “not good”? Just a difference of opinion I guess? All good.
  3. JD-TWINS
    He did get hurt last year and that messed up at least 2 months (poor performances mixed with missed time) for him. He was at 3.15 ERA heading into Monday’s game. Through 5 2/3 he’s given up 1 run. He’s got 9 strikeouts NOW through 6 complete. His WHIP is under 1.00……73 K’s over 66 innings - with an updated ERA of 3.00. Headed back out for the 7th…….definitely sharp this afternoon. If he stays healthy he looks like he’ll have a shot at 15 wins.
  4. JD-TWINS
    I think, in his mind & with his personality, if the Twins are close to fair, he’s a Twin for life. A QO would be something he’d sign, IMO. I think they offer him 3 years at $16M/year prior to end of July…….his price goes up from there with decent production……”he keeps this up.” If he hits .270 plus he’s a 3 to 4 WAR guy at a minimum. He may be offended by that offer but more than that range is awfully risky!
  5. JD-TWINS
    Generally, similar to Duran previously, not throwing fastball enough. He misses once in a while with fastball but it really sets up his other pitches. He’s only throwing it 36% of the time…….hitters can do math. If he throws 2 fastballs early in the count, they can sit on his change-up (as guys were sitting in Duran’s curve). His change-up is not down, in or out of the zone, often enough……he’s leaving it up & it’s getting hammered. I think he’d have more latitude (margin for error) with his command if he threw more fastballs. Command is his issue with off speed for the most part, but his pitch mix could use a tweak IMO. I think it’s a thing he’ll work through. Obviously, the opposition has made some adjustments to his strengths and he needs to counter………..watching Ryan Monday afternoon and he gets swing and misses with off speed because he throws 55-60% fastballs. Guys have to look for hard stuff and that’s what makes off speed work effectively.
  6. JD-TWINS
    Buxton is what he is - hang in for another 4-5 years…….,CC is playing just fine. Assuming you’re trolling here.
  7. JD-TWINS
    “Streakiness” seems to be a major concern. Gotta admit, losing 7 straight wasn’t great! However, if they sprinkle in a couple losses in the 12 game winning streak, would that be better? Without that streak - probably not a topic at all - right? The “level of competition” generating, or being responsible for the % of wins & losses, is another major concern. At beginning of season the HOPE was for a 90 win season - a win % of .555. As of this morning the Team is at .549%. They lost to everyone early and started 7-13. At that point if anyone was asked “would it be cool to be at 28-23 by May 25th” (going 21-10) ………is there a pause and a response of…. “it depends who they beat, or it’s not valid”? Seriously doubt that. They have 69% of their season left to ultimately prove if they are a top flight, competitive Team…….”winners” vs. many very good foes. In the meantime, seems odd to continually only look for flaws.
  8. JD-TWINS
    WAAAY too many takes!! Seems to be stuck in a guess hitting approach and “caught off guard” routinely with pitches in the zone. Many, many times on 3-2 counts! Twice Saturday with the backward K as well as the check swing K that was missed by the umps. Needs a fresh approach and he’s not getting that playing, nearly daily, in the Show. Has not hit a Home Run since April 25th!!!!!
  9. JD-TWINS
    It will be interesting on WHO gets demoted: IMO, it won’t happen, but I would option Julien. Struck out TWICE looking again. As well, he got a favorable call on a check swing foul, caught, that was missed by the Umps - turned into a walk. Cover 2B with Castro & Farmer and let Eddie figure out his approach in St Paul. His last HR was April 25th!…….He’s hitting .200. Can’t option Larnach, IMO because of his LH bat and the fact that they play RH pitching 75% of the time. Need his bat most of the time for DH. His relative success at the plate still plays at this point as well. I think it will be Miranda for lack of a better, more logical move across the 13 spots, (least unsettling) when Lewis is activated. I think this happens Thursday so he blends a day at Target before traveling to Houston …….,Lewis stole a base and had 4 AB’s in first game. Been running and fielding for weeks - hitting too…….I think he gets a game today with Saints and he’s ready…….may delay for another couple games with them, and I don’t think they don’t play early in week - we’ll see? I do agree - Margot may be the least missed guy but it compromises the RH hitting line-up on paper (per organization’s approach)………..I guess they could play Kepler/Kirilloff in RF against LH pitching? Tough to DFA a guy at $5.5M who’s hit .264 & .274 in ‘23 & ‘22…..and progressing slowly……..once he’s gone, he’s gone. Option guys are exchangeable. Tough call. Potentially V. LH pitching: Castro - Buxton - Kepler/Kirilloff …..Lewis - CC - Farmer - Santana.. Miranda …..Vazquez/Jeffers
  10. JD-TWINS
    Had to jump in somewhere - it’s Saturday, late afternoon - appears this article should have been released a bit ago as it seems to have motivated Kirilloff to WAKE UP!! Back to Back game winning dingers…….nice! Kiersey’s opportunity just got diminished for a couple, three weeks
  11. JD-TWINS
    Can’t imagine a defensive metric being viewed with any sort of validity that drops a SS rating because the 2B has a weak arm or poor range??? Same comment/thought if the 3B isn’t up to par! How is that any measure of common sense? Dave Concepcion is great next to Joe Morgan & he sucks next to Pete Rose???? bean - I get you don’t make the rules or constructs of these data sets but it just doesn’t fly in my head.
  12. JD-TWINS
    Psychological rallying point. Seems to be a replacement for Land of Rakes vest…..whatever brings guys together and can act as a quick pressure relief valve is all good!
  13. JD-TWINS
    No curves isn’t unusual - often, Duran uses a 2 pitch mix. (sometimes no splinker) He faced a fair amount of LH batters and throwing curves to them, w/o extreme confidence in command, would have been stupid. I don’t think he’s lost confidence in the pitch, generally. He had good velocity and that plays!! He had really nice control with the splinker. No reason to get cute with a broader pitch mix. Very effective - seemed locked in overall. Seems that he and Vazquez can work together once again to get 3 outs!
  14. JD-TWINS
    The difference is he hits left handed, I believe, right?
  15. JD-TWINS
    Agreed, somewhat. 2-3 weeks up to get a guy a re-set at AAA is potentially a good move for both guys. Can’t do it regularly and have guys on a yoyo feeling. CANNOT use the Show for “experimentation” with prospects though……not appropriate to bring multiple guys up to see how they do and to get them some experience - a guy, maybe?
  16. JD-TWINS
    Roster spot issue is an issue. “…..and maybe Kepler in RF.” MAYBE Kepler…..he’s about as good as conceivable in RF. I like Kiersey’s performance and would like to see him get an opportunity. It’s very difficult to imagine without an OF injury. As of last night, Kirilloff’s HR just bought him another 2-3 weeks minimum. His ability to play 1B is also a reason he’s more difficult to just change out with Kiersey. On another front: In 7-10 days when Lewis comes back, who goes down? …….Crazy thought would be to play Lewis at 2B (very capable - not happening) and send Julien down for a refresh while letting Miranda & Castro man 3B. ………maybe just let Castro play 2B when hitting from left side as a better alternative. To me, Julien is more screwed up than Kirilloff at this point. I might jump through my TV screen if Eddie strikes out looking at another fastball - embarrassing!
  17. JD-TWINS
    Correa is not Bobby Witt Jr. - Jr. is what people thought of correa in 2017……. more upside. Correa is still very valuable and a big contributor in all aspects. Don’t understand how Julien & Miranda/etc. have anything to do with Correa’s skills, capabilities at SS? ……”hampered, stats wise”???
  18. JD-TWINS
    Can be frustrating to see an effective guy leave the game - Jax - agreed. I think, as weak as it may seem, guys get used to lathering up and coming in and pitching - getting outs - then done. It’s not within a routine to sit for some unknown length of time and stay mentally on edge and focused - also, because of the short stints, guys go 110% for 3-5 batters and then drop way off on stuff. Probably the most significant reason is that if they go two innings one day they typically have to sit next 2 days………..have half-dozen other guys getting paid out there, other than Duran, gotta use guys in right spots. Sometimes they give up runs - no perfect in the bullpen or anywhere else in the game.
  19. JD-TWINS
    I hope you are correct with Lewis - just considering “when” for the near-term means he’s pretty healthy at this point. Great news. Couple more weeks is just fine to get him right at the plate in St. Paul. Stewart by “sometime in June” seems plausible - not very soon if he hasn’t played catch, at all, yet. Interested in Lee’s progress/prrformance once back in St. Paul - will be interesting to see what position he’s playing there.
  20. JD-TWINS
    May 19th - Buxton & Lewis out of line-up…….can’t be too worried about the acorns falling.
  21. JD-TWINS
    I like Kiersey in exchange for Kirilloff for at least 3 weeks to give him some looks! Can’t see him displacing Margot nor Miranda.
  22. JD-TWINS
    If you are a professional baseball player with 400 plus innings in the Show in CF and probably 700 total in the outfield, it’s not the Manager’s fault you are taking a poor path to the ball nor that you are clueless enough to be unaware how many outs there are. The 11 year old kid in RF bleachers knows how many outs there are!! Where are our leaders at Catcher - SS - RF - 2B who should be letting everyone know how many outs there are - that’s Jr. High age responsibility! Any Manager in Pro baseball or coach in any Pro sport says that Team issues stay in the Locker room. Period. Who’s he going to throw Wednesday? Jax can’t pitch 3 innings. - Sands in the 9th? If Duran is sat down to make a point and things go sideways the entirety at TD would be up in arms about Baldelli screwing that up. Eddie getting sent down would be a breath of fresh air - no realistic substitute until Lee is healthy. Also, Jeffers might be right behind him with his recent woes and guessing at the plate - taking called strike 3’s on fastballs is not cool more than once. Glad he came up big yesterday - he was due!
  23. JD-TWINS
    Yes - yesterday there was a post suggesting the targets Vazquez gives don’t suit Duran - if that’s the case, it would get fixed after about two outings in ‘23!!! IMO, it’s silly. Jeffers catching him is lower ERA over last 2 years and ERA associated with Vazquez this year is around 6.7 v. half or less with Jeffers. Again, to me, this is overreaction. He’s pitched 10 times in ‘24. I’m going to assume some randomness between the catchers. He didn’t give up a run until Friday (3 in one swing) & then Sunday he gave up another HR with Vazquez catching. Yesterday he gave up an HR in 3rd straight outing, this time with Jeffers catching AND after I’m sure we’re 2-3 discussions about pitch mix & location with the GROUP. He’s throwing the ball - zero issues in 7 outings - 3 poor outings, & therefore Vazquez can’t catch.
  24. JD-TWINS
    Kirilloff - Miranda - left to be a FA - No. Right now, Julien needs to prove he’s an option anywhere over the next 2-3 weeks. Brooks Lee, if healthy, could be playing regularly at 2B, batting 95% from the left side……,while Julien is trying to “right his approach” in St. Paul. This is from someone who said all winter, “do not consider trading Eddie, his offense & OBP are too difficult to duplicate!!!” I still think, long-term, it’s Lee at 3B - Julien at 2B - Lewis playing in a role shared with Kirilloff…..,,Wallner……..Rodriguez, at 1B & LF. Miranda, if he maintains average or better offense in ‘24, could be depth at 1B - 3B - DH possibly?
  25. JD-TWINS
    Hug the Defensive WAR he brings if you are a Nat’s fan!!
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