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JD-TWINS

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Everything posted by JD-TWINS

  1. JD-TWINS
    His stats from last year were respectable, so his contribution has real upside. His experience can’t hurt when being around other young arms! Latrell Hawkins & Ryan Pressley have been hired to be part of the organization. They must have 25-30 years between them in MLB bullpens……….I think Hawkins is going to be on field in the PEN & not really sure of Pressley’s role? Rogers can generally just focus on pitching and these other two guys, along with Maki, can focus on the group’s and individual’s mind sets & approach.
  2. JD-TWINS
    Prielipp’s innings are easily monitored if he’s in the Pen - utilize him there in ‘26! Agreed. Festa & Matthews to at least start in the Pen well into May…… maybe Klein 5 Vets already positioned for PEN duty. This group can get the Relied job done! Bradley gets 7 starts and all is re-evaluated around May 10-15.
  3. JD-TWINS
    I get the desire to have Prielipp succeed as a starter! You say he hasn’t failed yet - sure. He hasn’t exactly lit it up though either. Solid potential to develop further. His history, prior to limited use in ‘25 is hurt, hurt, & hurt. If he/his arm would benefit developing under monitored innings, I’d suggest using him from the PEN in ‘26. Guys can pitch as a reliever and then revert back to starter (i.e. Johan Santana) with success. I think the desire to have a new “shiny toy lefty” is swaying many here. He’s maybe the 10th guy in line as a starter for depth/talent in the system, with fellow lefty, Rojas just in front or just behind him. TEAM needs effective innings in the PEN from available arms. If no more FA’s lessen the burden, it makes sense to me to use both Prielipp & Matthews & probably Festa in the PEN as organization sees fit.
  4. JD-TWINS
    Lopez needs to come with a full time psychologist……. Coulombe - yes! I think Liam is washed.
  5. JD-TWINS
    As the article states there are 5 guys now that are 5th inning - 8th inning pieces: Topa - Funderburk - Sands - Orze - Rogers …… nothing wrong with these 5. They cannot be viewed as how Team will close out games! Klein - Raya - Adams - Morris are all in the mix as alternatives or just depth. Someone above suggested some signing a FA starter to transition to reliever v. trying to sign what’s left in the Reilef FA Pool. I like Zack Littell for $11M/yr …….. to me, this brings absolute stability to the rotation, if left there, for the next 2 years (186 innings in ‘25) and allows to be aggressive with young arms shifting to the PEN in the short-term. Same guys as mentioned PLUS Matthews & Prielipp. Seems between them, there is a closer or potentially situational tandem closers. Potentially, if Bradley/Abel are pitching well it opens the door to move the arm(s) of choice for an established BAT at the deadline.
  6. JD-TWINS
    What’s the point of trading a Joe Ryan to hope to trade for someone that might evolve into a Joe Ryan in 3 years? Or even trading for somebody else’s 1st round pick (great “prospect”) that turns out to be Matt Wallner. Being consumed with trades for some higher long-term value seems senseless. The Team traded valuable guys with 2-5 years of control left at the Deadline in ‘25 - the improvement need to the “system” is over ………. they have 3-4 offensive (everyday) guys in AAA now (Gonzalez - Jenkins - Rodriguez - Culpepper) …….. Martin-Keaschall are on roster now with 4 more guys coming by next spring (‘27) worst case. Abel - Bradley - SWR - Rojas are guys they look to going forward in rotation ……. Morris, etc. as well. Matthews - Festa - Prielipp - Raya - Lewis - Adams - Klein are ALL in the mix to fill out the remaining 3 spots in the bullpen, IMO. Who were the proven/guaranteed stud relievers going INTO the ‘23 season? Can still sign another FA for the PEN that can contribute. What’s the Team spend now for ‘26 ….. maybe up to $108M?? Do we need to trade Ryan so we’re ready for the 2030 season??? Team already has the #3 pick in the draft next summer. Sign a durable Zack Littell (186 innings in ‘25) for 2 years and $11M/yr and then trade Ryan for a solid BAT that’s already performed at MLB level - all for that! Or sign Littell and keep Ryan and push a young, probable starter, into the PEN. No reason not to try and compete in ‘26.
  7. JD-TWINS
    It reads a bit like an article from “The Onion” ….. poor defensive catcher off a down offensive year and a struggling middle reliever……. who wouldn’t jump on that?
  8. JD-TWINS
    I agree on your probable offensive uptick with a number of guys just being Average. I too would think Caratini for Vazquez will be a nice shot in the arm ……….. remember Vazquez was a .270 plus career hitter when we signed him for $10M/yr.
  9. JD-TWINS
    To me, old school, he’s the definition of a “thumber” …….. a derogatory comment on him (any pitcher) trying to get hitters out with spinning slow stuff & then slower stuff. If he is one of our 8 relievers out of Spring Training things are not looking up! Traded for Orze - Signed Rogers - Topa - Funderburk - Sands …………. these 5 guys seem to be locks for me, with health. REALLY hoping the organization has one more, and maybe 2, FA reliever signing(s) of note before February 20. My head & history tells me that Prielipp & Festa need innings monitored, at least through 2026, so they are strong PEN candidates. MATTHEWS as a closer - RAYA in a first guy up role - MORRIS - ADAMS - LEWIS - KLEIN all seem to make more sense when searching for effectiveness with stuff!! That’s 14 -15 guys ahead of OHL at a minimum, IMO.
  10. JD-TWINS
    Good news is, “they are still working the market”!!!
  11. JD-TWINS
    Agreed, $2M seems almost “free” in today’s market. Coulombe & Thielbar are 2x this $$ amount. Hawkin’s presence in the PEN will certainly be helpful & I saw Ryan Presley signed on to help in the organization as well - one would think he would interface with relievers. If they can spend another $10M total between 1-2 more relievers, I’ll be happy.
  12. JD-TWINS
    My point is “Gray’s age” has no bearing on his value to The Team. He’s a short timer at age 26 or age 30. He or one of the other three guys acquired will be chosen to fill the role for a short period while Culpepper develops. One of them will probably be retained in St. Paul to guard against a Brooks Lee back spasm or like. These guys are a “short-term” bridge ………. hence my comment that if 2-3 don’t work out, there’s nothing lost.
  13. JD-TWINS
    On TOO short of a sampling, I’m hoping Gabriel Gonzalez hitting continues from ‘25 into the future and he becomes a core piece of the line-up over next couple seasons!
  14. JD-TWINS
    Why does anyone care how old Gray may be? Not every move ANY organization makes is supposed to be some breakthrough to a Championship. It’s a normal lower level move to try and find one of four guys that may elevate their game in ‘26. If it doesn’t happen, nothing lost. FO has signed/acquired 3-4 cheap infielders for depth until Culpepper can prove he’s ready…….. it’s essentially creating a “try out” for the AAA, depth spot (one only). Just not a big deal.
  15. JD-TWINS
    SWR will be 25 this season & Ober will be 30. Ober’s first season in MLB was age 25…….he started 20 games and threw a total of 92.1 innings. This will be SWR’s 4th season & he threw 111.1 innings at age 24. Matthews is going to be 26 this season & so will Festa. Neither has shown any real consistency - some very good outings and probably better stuff but not at SWR’s effectiveness - not yet. I don’t see SWR as some dominant force but he seems to be ahead of these other guys at this point in time.
  16. JD-TWINS
    What’s wrong with SWR? ……. he’s gotten progressively better and he just turned 25. He’s starting his 4th season at MLB level……his velocity, like Ober, isn’t his calling card. He’s clearly ahead of Festa & Matthews from a consistency standpoint.
  17. JD-TWINS
    Ober was just dipping his toe into the Show at SWR’s age - Woods Richardson is 5 years younger and is coming into his 4th season at MLB level. Development is what has been done with SWR……to me they are handling him well - steady progression. Clearly, a solid #4 guy in the rotation…….maybe a #3 if he can get to 160 innings in ‘26 with a slight reduction in ERA?
  18. JD-TWINS
    To me, 6 pitches are probably too many for anyone other than a supreme talent to have in there arsenal. 5 pitches are a stretch. Eliminating one or two that have low success to then be able to refine the remaining pitches seems obvious. Control “in the zone” or locating, this seems to be Zebby’s biggest hurdle. Less pitch types and better location would be a path Matthews should follow. Frankly, I hope he’s our Closer and he goes to 4 pitches with fastball/slider being used 85% of the time. ALL nice on paper! Hopefully, Zebby finds some balance and path to consistent success.
  19. JD-TWINS
    I do, & will blame the Pohlad’s. A GM/FO can’t operate with payroll going from $135M in ‘22 to $155M in ‘23 to $140M & $130M in the next two subsequent years after being allowed to sign a $35M SS. David Copperfield can’t make that financial approach work! FO’s that work on lower budgets (Brewers/Guardians/etc.) do it with a philosophy and a plan. There are no $35M guys on those clubs …… Falvey & crew can only do so much with no year over year plan from ownership regarding spending. Team is trying to get right. Falvey & FO have to work within ownership’s constraints. If Team spent in ‘26 what they spent in ‘24 they would still have $35-$40M to spend on this Roster and it would be 3 very good players “stronger”. I do completely agree, Clemens is not the answer at 1B nor anywhere. Caratini is a better hitter than Clemens. Bell is a better hitter than Clemens. I’ll live with any defensive differences between these two options and what Clemens would bring with the glove.
  20. JD-TWINS
    Wallner at DH zero games v. LH pitching in ‘26 - Buxton DHed 8 times in 2025 - Bell will probably get 50 starts as DH & 70 starts at 1B….. he didn’t play 1B as much in ‘25 due to the presence of Nathaniel Lowe through July and then youth movement after August 1st, with The Nationals…….. Kody Clemens doesn’t block Bell from playing 1B routinely.
  21. JD-TWINS
    Caratini & Bell are both switch hitters. Both can DH & both can play 1B. Doesn’t seem like a platoon issue at all to me. Jeffers hits LH pitching better and he hits better as the DH. These 3 rotating through DH - 1B - and two of them at Catcher lets the Team move on from Clemens with Jackson taking his roster spot so there’s no risk in starting Jeffers & Caratini. Viewing Jeffers & Caratini as viable options at DH & 1B in some combination & not only Catchers makes this move very sound for the ‘26 season. If Team isn’t as competitive as hoped, Jeffers will be a potentially valued trade piece at the deadline. IMO, replacing Kody Clemens with better offense makes perfect sense. Having the ability to bat Jeffers 145 games while not having to Catch him more than 85-90 times makes perfect sense.
  22. JD-TWINS
    Lewis - Lee - Keaschall - Bell, Jeffers - Caratini Martin - Larnach - Buxton - Wallner - GONZALEZ is the youth guy (along with PEN) A Back - up SS or better yet an everyday SS and Clemens as a placeholder for coming youth. That Team can compete with 10th best Rotation results and 12-18 best Relief results.
  23. JD-TWINS
    With Jeffers potentially at 1B maybe 40 starts and DH maybe 30 starts (or some combination) it leaves room, potentially for 3 Catchers. Caratini, on off days, is a routine option to PH as a switch hitter. Nobody is trading for Jackson - completely agree. They may carry 3 C’s to see how things go & then DFA Jackson or trade Jeffers in latter July?
  24. JD-TWINS
    Maybe Jeffers plays 1B for 45 games? LH pitcher: Jeffers at 1B …… Bell at DH ….. Caratini at C Caratini at 2 years & Jackson for ‘26 seem to have the position covered……… can Team trade Jeffers & a Young (AAA) arm for a better hitter? Could keep Jeffers and move him around a bit and still trade at deadline if there’s a specific need then? Lots of unknowns. Signing better players, hitters, even if not completely understood at this point - it’s a good thing!
  25. JD-TWINS
    Health? - Health? - Health…….. Emma has really shown nothing that lets us assume he’ll contribute for any reasonable length of time. His skill set & results seem to have warranted him a real shot but IF he’s healthy in April/May, how long is he available after that if called up? I realize he might be good with health for the next 3 full seasons, I just have zero confidence in it actually happening. Fingers crossed I guess.
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