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JD-TWINS

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  1. 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?
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. 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.
  7. 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?
  8. 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!
  9. 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.
  10. JD-TWINS
    Prielipp has had perpetual arm issues until ‘25 ……… I like him in the PEN v. burning good innings in Minors in ‘26………due to his high health risk, I’m not terribly concerned with where he might be relative to team control after 2030. ALL 4 guys on the dirt should be better offensively than what was shown at that position in 2025 (Keaschall will be better than his replacements in ‘25). Martin is on upswing - Larnach should be better in a more strict platoon - Vazquez replacement can’t be worse at the plate - Wallner has to be better. Eliminating Kiersey - Gasper - Vazquez - Julien AB’s has to be helpful to Club in ‘26. Gonzalez - Rodriguez - Jenkins (2 of 3) should ultimate contribute. That said - assuming Team can’t compete in AL Central isn’t clear to me. Sign one or two arms to help solidify PEN & go with youth you point out, amongst another 3-4 candidates from AAA. No reason to not TRY to compete.
  11. JD-TWINS
    Is the “better option” at 1B still an unsigned free agent? I can’t imagine Clemens or Wannaker being better in sum than having Bell at 1B. I think that’s Bell’s spot on paper and that Larnach is a lock v. RH pitching at DH. Would anyone trade for a .202 hitter that’s slow on defense and strikes out 35% of the time with 22 HR’s (41 XBH) and only 40 RBI? Not being nasty or contrary - just wondering who trades anything above an A ball player for those results? The Team needs to get to the May/June call-ups with somebody else in the line-up. Seems Wallner & Larnach are given a last chance “to stick” the first third or more of this season.
  12. JD-TWINS
    Varland had a 4.94 ERA in Toronto as well. Jax had some poor outings and some solid but not great with Tampa. Duran is what left the hole in the PEN as his role and the mental make up needed to close along with high end stuff needed ……. tough to replace. Covering the other 7 guys in the PEN are just committing to transition talent from “starting corps” along with historical relief guys.
  13. JD-TWINS
    Stewart didn’t pitch after less than a handful of outings w/Dodgers …… done for the year. after 3 2/3 innings as a Dodger.
  14. JD-TWINS
    PEN is a solid way to limit Festa & Prielipp’s innings while bringing value to the Big Club. Raya - Klein - Adams - Morris (maybe not Ohl) Matthews as a Closer. ……. all points you made above ……… Topa - Sands - Funderburk back for 6th/7th inning roles. They acquired Orze in trade & that made sense on paper when looking at ‘25 stats. A guy that has experience and upside with track record in FA should be doable as well. To me, it’s just not that desperate of a situation. Unknown, yes - desperate, no.
  15. JD-TWINS
    Agreed. If the rebuild blocks are named Adams and Ohl v. Festa & Prielipp the variance in time could be greatly extended. With Orze - Sands - Topa - Funderburk, half of the initial PEN is in place. I see comments here about spending around $10M plus/minus on FA candidates for PEN. How about signing Zack Littell ($11M/yr for 2 years) as the solid #5 starter (186 innings in ‘25 & 3.81 ERA). He’s a more proven guy and better than SWR & a definite uptick from Bradley. This allows 3-5 young guys to move to relief right now with confidence on having rotation covered. Matthews/Bradley to Closer role ………. Festa & Prielipp to set-up roles …….. Adams - Klein - Lewis whoever for last PEN spot. Littell is evidence of a guy working from the PEN in varying roles to ultimately evolve as a starter later in his career. The other alternative that Littell could bring is the potential flexibility to trade one of the two guys at the Top of the rotation for a proven bat……not a prospect. Littell could ultimately be a consistent bridge to Abel/Rojas/Morris.
  16. JD-TWINS
    As I’ve said here a handful of times, if Varland was from Kenosha, the value of Rojas’ upside and Varland’s ceiling would be viewed much more rationally. Stewart was traded as a flier for Outman just to see if change of scenery would/could propel Outman back to where he once was and to let an oft injured guy bring Team longer term value via trade. He was hurt within 10-20 days of being with LA and didn’t pitch again………..I don’t see either of these guys being traded to help tank to improve draft position.
  17. JD-TWINS
    They came to amicable settlements that avoided arbitration with 6 other guys ……. baseball (pro sports) is a business ……. sometimes guys get paid and sometimes they don’t (as a contrast to Falvey, would people here fire the Houston GM for letting Framber Valdez walk?). The presumption that Ryan should be paid like and considered a #1 starter is premature in my opinion. He’s a competitive guy with a solid/unique fastball. He’s also a guy that threw 171 innings (30 starts) in ‘25 but also missed weeks from each of his first 3 full time seasons with injuries. THIS year, Ryan has the best leverage he’s had to date but I don’t think the Team. or any business, just needs to relent when the player has performed well. We can dramatize either side of the debate I guess. The arbitration process is part of the game and sometimes it has to play out before moving forward. I don’t think this creates any huge rift but all individuals/players are different.
  18. JD-TWINS
    They dumped him because he supplied about $12M worth of value on the field and they were going to pay him $33M. “Legendary”…… not sure who thinks that? Obviously, the Twins (and every other organization) need better players…….definitely the Twins! I wasn’t thrilled with the Josh Bell signing. The fact that he had an interesting epiphany at the plate over last 60 days of ‘25 because he switched up his practice regimen - that seems like a positive. Sharing that success, not the detail, but the fact you can always tweak and get better ….. seems like a good message to younger guys. He can share this and a half dozen other things …… they can listen or not. You can presume whatever you like - my opinion - take - presumption, is that it’s sickening (to me) that 85% of the responses here are doom & gloom or some negative, no matter what the subject.
  19. JD-TWINS
    I don’t get the slant……..the article doesn’t say he’s Clark Kent. Would you rather that the “take” on the guy was that he kept to himself and was a prick to his teammates, particularly the young guys? Nowhere was it said that he’s the only potential leader on the Club nor that he aspires to get a C on his chest. Harmon Killebrew played on a bunch of not very good teams - was he a fraud with his leadership? Team record has nothing to do with an individual’s character and attitude. You’re correct, he’s not holding mandatory pep talks for 25 guys - that’s why he said that he needs to figure out who wants to talk and who wants to listen. He’s not Billy Graham either.
  20. JD-TWINS
    I don’t! …… I didn’t say that. My rub is the presumption that it won’t and how this is a ridiculous take by the writer (another washed up veteran with nothing to contribute)…….. Bell states how he noticed Rosario’s success and how he shifted his regimen & it worked …….. he’s not a wizard but sharing this type of stuff (not the details always but the openness to tweak), as a veteran that’s had some success and a bunch of lean times, I think it may have a positive effect. It may not but at least Bell has tried. Similar stuff to what Buxton - Hunter or Morneau would convey, IMO.
  21. JD-TWINS
    Those others have nothing to do with an upbeat write up about how Josh Bell dug himself out of a hole & how he’s willing to pass on info to guys 7-10 years younger - that’s it. I think it’s OK to presume it won’t hurt, and that not every opinion writers share, whether it’s their’s or what they’ve heard, should be met with absolute pessimism. You do you.
  22. JD-TWINS
    If one teacher can turn a kid around or be of substantial help in high school - does the whole school system suck? Nobody is saying he’s the Savior - he’s just a veteran that’s willing to be involved with teammates that are open to talking & listening.
  23. JD-TWINS
    Just another drag of a take ……. if you “don’t know” then why is there a presumption that he’ll be of no benefit? ……… many here state that guys that “aren’t stars” make the best coaches…… he’s open and saying the right things - can’t see that it will hurt for him to try.
  24. JD-TWINS
    I don’t understand the $20M comment? That would net 3 veterans ($3M - $6M - $11M) with decent track record. …….. Orze has a spot I’d think……… Topa - Sands - Funderburk (all familiar, none great but all “capable”)………they have a half dozen young guys that have been starters to supplement. How do we know it wouldn’t be a good PEN?
  25. JD-TWINS
    Points on Duran - Jax - Varland are spot on……I think limiting Festa’s innings coming off this serious shoulder issue makes perfect sense. I’m not sure if it’s better to have him with Abel in St Paul to protect him early, as a starter, or if he should just get moved to a PEN role? Not utilizing good production in the Show & wasting innings at AAA probably is not best scenario for Twins. Controlled innings a couple times per week from the PEN role seems right. I am in the vast minority but I think Matthews should get serious consideration for the Closer role……….if they try this, Festa has to stay in rotation depth. Dominguez is a worthwhile guy along with Coulombe. (agree, with some pairing of FA relievers) Blend in Festa with those two guys. Orze - Funderburk - Topa - Sands………..Morris - Lewis - Raya - Adams - Klein as additional fillers, this seems to be a collection of guys that can get things done, generally, through the year.
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