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JD-TWINS

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  1. JD-TWINS
    Jeffers is maybe the most impressive based on expectations. Clutch at moments as well. Kepler has finally come alive - 94 AB’s is a reasonable sample size & he hit .291…….that’s huge if he can just stay above .250 for the next 2-3 months! Julien - Kirilloff - Farmer are all doing what they do. Julien, obviously on the HOT side, impressive for sure. If Buxton gets rolling (7 hits since last Friday - over 4 games - 5 doubles) this group can play with play-off teams. Again, just hit .250 for a couple months - way better then .150 of the recent past! Lewis is a big missing piece. As much time as Polanco is getting at 3B I’m wondering if Lewis may not come back in an OF role??
  2. JD-TWINS
    Bednar is a great Target. Experienced, durable, & effective. Martin - Larnach - young arm other than Festa or Raya. Bednar is a difference maker!! Can use Duran as a stopper at any point in game. Bridge to 9th with Jax & Co. and let Bednar close!! This would be fantastic - too good to be true.
  3. JD-TWINS
    Jax is human - he didn’t allow a run for two months after May 22. Our staff ERA is 3rd in AL - that includes Maeda’s inflated ERA & the bullpen. With Thielbar & Stewart healthy (can’t have a perfect 11 man Pen ready & waiting) the Pen was as good as anyone in the game and that was with trying to hide Jorge Lopez. Our management isn’t the problem IMO. Moran can’t walk first two guys faced with a 4 run lead & then give up a double!!!! That’s not the FO’s fault. Lopez having emotional issues isn’t the FO’s fault. Stewart & Thielbar going down at the same time isn’t the FO’s fault. Those 4 guys are 1/2 of the Pen. Mahle’s out for the year. The FO put enough pitching together so that we are still 3rd in AL in ERA. Big time frustration when players don’t perform - agreed!!! Don’t see it as a roster building problem though. It’s no difference than CC not performing - can’t anticipate that in 2023, and certainly can’t be expected to have a perfect back-up plan. Guys need to play well or it all goes to ……
  4. JD-TWINS
    Don’t think Twins can afford to trade anymore pitching away. Scobel - Wallner - Larnach - Miranda - Martin can all be up for grabs for the right relief arm.
  5. JD-TWINS
    India was ROY in 2021……not sure how he got so old? Walner has power…..India is a 15-18 HR guy at best. India plays 2B & that seems to be a need for Seattle - I guess? Wallner could take Teoscar’s league lead for strikeouts in AL going forward. Anyway, the real question is, why are we trying to acquire starting pitching for the future at the deadline and in a Division race? Particularly when your Staff ERA is 3rd in the AL? We need Pen depth - period!!! I’m all for moving Wallner if needed, preferably Larnach, along with Polanco to get some controllable relief help. They can go with a prospect or two in differing deals but these guys should be available. San Diego could trade relievers behind Hader and they get a LH bat or two they need. Possibilities there because they have real need for LH bats!
  6. JD-TWINS
    I look at Lewis - CC - Farmer - Solano & Jeffers for our IF………..Castro - Taylor - Kirilloff for our OF……Buxton at DH………...these guys v. LH pitching are a decent line-up. This adds Lewis & Jeffers to the team that started this past Sunday. Those two, displacing Vazquez & Wallner are a big upgrade over Sunday v. LH starter. Kyle Garlick is not my favorite guy but if we are going to roster a RH hitter for corner OF play, he isn’t much less output than the rentals discussed above. Teoscar has stats lower than Kepler & he LEADS the AL in strikeouts……..can’t imagine going after him! Only 25-30% of pitchers are LH. Please focus on Pen! LH Relief……… Raley/Suter/Hand…………maybe Headrick internally? RH Relief………who ??? maybe Varland internally? I know this sounds nuts but I like the idea of Maeda starting in playoffs and either Ryan or Gray in a relief role. They have good stuff but seems to be for shorter stints. Again, sounds nuts but starting Maeda or Kuechel for 3-4 innings and following them with Gray, that’s a big contrast in styles, and he gets us through the 8th. Ryan would be similar. Really need the one reliever to hedge against the Thielbar/Stewart unknown health. Two arms would be preferred! Need to get through August-September!
  7. JD-TWINS
    I hate to say it but I do think Gallo is safe, just in case Kirilloff doesn’t hold up (1B). I think they’ll IL guys - maybe even Gallo for 10 days to carry him to September roster expansion. Will drop him in October - probably only 12 pitchers in October!! Ober - Ryan - Gray - López should all get starts skipped either with a short option move on the younger guys or 10 day IL stint for Gray?? Some way to either have Kuechel or Varland spell these guys from August 1 through September 15. Maeda has a rebuilt arm & has already sat enough in ‘23. If they get hot - there may be room for rest days in last week or two of season if Division is locked up………seems like a stretch at this point!!
  8. JD-TWINS
    Larnach or Wallner, pick one, they both have upside & deficiencies. Wallner seems to carry more power but less chance to cut strikeouts. Not by much though on the strikeouts. Larnach - Miranda - Martin - Scoebel - Headrick - Moran - Winder - SS prospects down into A ball - etc.…….. I’d trade any 3 of these guys together for a solid reliever with some control over a couple years. Headrick may be the guy I’m looking for but we don’t know because the organization thinks we need to keep him stretched out, where he may never throw an MLB inking the rest of the year - crazy!
  9. JD-TWINS
    Could just agree but can’t give up with 50 plus games left & a Division lead. Last week we scored 7 - 7 - 5 - 7 runs in 4 consecutive games and lost all 4. Starters have been weak (other than Maeda) for 2 weeks and we have had multiple poor outings from our Pen! Still 2 games over .500 since the break and we are going into play a team that’s looking to dismantle itself in St. louis. Get some bullpen help! Need a couple decent starts and some timely hitting for a couple days. We’re OK! Need to use Kuechel to get some starters needed rest. Would probably be good to DFA Gallo & be done with that drama once Kirilloff is back next week. I really see value in trying to get a return for Polanco & Larnach. Gotta get a really good reliever for those two guys! Or we trade 1 of them & a prospect for a number 3-4 guy out of somebody’s Pen. We don’t need perfection nor a “closer”, just a couple experienced guys for depth!!!! RP options for about the 6th time in a week: Hand/Suter/Raley/Fulmer/……,middle relief guys with San Diego, other than Hader, etc.
  10. JD-TWINS
    It seems they will slow roll things with various IL stints (maybe one of his own) to keep Gallo around through August - then 2 guy roster expansion in September. My assumption is they don’t want to punt - have some circumstance come up and we need him. I agree, he should just go so we don’t have him come to the plate and have to watch another feeble strikeout!!!!
  11. JD-TWINS
    S.D. doesn’t appear to be selling - not stars anyway. They are near the Top of NL in ERA. I think we target a couple guys behind Hader that appear to be solid. They need LH hitting………Soto bats LH…….after that it’s Cronenworth at .210 and Carpenter at .165. They seem to want to compete down the stretch. I’d get a controlled reliever LH - Tom Cosgrove sub 2.00 ERA & .893 WHIP or RH - Steven Wilson sub 3.00 ERA & 1.047 WHIP. We need depth that performs (healthy Stewart type) not closers. If we had another Thielbar & another Jax we’d be golden. Hand/Suter/Raley/……..a number of other guys that are the 2-4 options on their staff. We could go as strong as Polanco & Larnach or maybe Larnach & a prospect like Miller (SS) at A or AA? Winder - Moran are guys that another team may take on as a duo hoping/expecting one to pan out.
  12. JD-TWINS
    Watched the game. Lewis is a big piece not involved today……,Vazquez doesn’t compare to Jeffers at this point……..two big changes out of 9 batters. Who do we take off the roster when we add a RH outfield bat to play “corner” …..can still only carry 13 guys. 70 plus percent of pitching is RH. I don’t see the “perfect roster” coming to be. Also, I watched us score 7 runs - 5 runs - 7 runs in 3 games prior to this afternoon and our bullpen sucked and precluded us from winning each game. We can’t/won’t get any starter help other than Kuechel potentially providing some rest here & there. With that being the case we desperately need to strengthen the PEN!
  13. JD-TWINS
    Don’t need any RH bats from Mets before we try to get LH reliever……..my opinion is we need Pen help more than anywhere else. If we face a LH pitcher in the Playoffs: CC - SS Castro - LF Lewis - 3B Solano - 1B Jeffers - C Farmer - 2B Buxton - DH Kirilloff - RF Taylor - CF Don’t see a problem with this line-up.
  14. JD-TWINS
    I understand the frustration with the results!!! Flip side of “FO sucks”: Our depth acquisitions have paid benefits and been spot on essentially all season: Farmer/Castro/Solano/Taylor…..might not love them but really can’t complain about these guys! Gallo experiment turned out the way most assumed - he played sound defense at various positions - hit some Bomb HR’s - and struck out 40% of the time - less singles than HR’s, embarrassing. Pitching staff, even with Mahle going down & Maeda coming back slowly………we’re within a tenth of a run from Baseball lead in ERA! Solid……not perfect but many of the right pieces. Kirilloff - Julien - Lewis - Jeffers all have produced…..Kepler is now respectable. …………………………. Polanco has only played 33 games due to injuries. Buxton - Miranda - Vazquez - CC - the aforementioned Gallo have all been major disappointments. That’s NOT on the FO in my opinion. They can’t go out & play…….even though there doesn’t seem to be a solution with our Batting Coach, it’s not his fault either.
  15. JD-TWINS
    My assumption is his slash line is as good or better than Heim of Texas or the kid from Baltimore………….they probably have more homers - certainly are playing more innings. I’d like to see him stay somewhat close to current offensive stats and start 60% plus games. (.281/.385/.438) is impressive at any position in the league! Seems like a good kid as well!
  16. JD-TWINS
    Can’t strengthen our team solely with a 33 or 35 year old rental trade ……..actually, due to the rental status, age doesn’t matter to other teams - may be a benefit. HIGH risk turning to Kuechel without a back-up…….w/o trading guys we have a back-up & potentially, he provides necessary rest for 4 guys. All we would get is for future benefit. IMO we don’t need to risk wins over the next couple months for future benefit.
  17. JD-TWINS
    He doesn’t need to displace somebody going forward - Option Ryan for 10 days……..he gets a nice break & re-sets………then do the same thing with Ober. If managed properly, they both miss 2 starts. Gotta try him v. St. Louis or preferably at home in the following series. Soon. This guy has experience and at his age he has “want”!! He doesn’t need $$$. Can implement the same strategy with Gray &, if needed with López…….he may keep spot starting if he’s effective or he’s released by August 20…….worth a shot! Maeda’s inning total will be fine with minimal number thrown and a rebuilt arm. He’s bringing essentially no value in trade until MLB proven again & it’s too late for that in ‘23.
  18. JD-TWINS
    We need to get 2 pitchers!! Winder - Sands - Moran can’t see the mound again in the big leagues in ‘24 without serious injury plaguing the rest of the Bullpen. We get Thielbar back in 2-3 days. Stewart seems to be a month away. No guarantees with either of them. We’ve got 3 guys at the top in the Pen & 3 guys at the bottom. We need two experienced arms in our pen by Wednesday morning!! Can’t just hope Stewart & Thielbar “work out for us”. Need action, & 2 new arms with that action for bullpen stability & depth. Thielbar - Jax - Duran……………….Pagan - Floro - Balazovic ………………need 2 guys to fill in the middle for us.
  19. JD-TWINS
    Grichuk would be wonderful - don’t see us pulling that off. Hand/Suter/Fulmer/Shreve/Raley ……..we only have to pay them for 1/3 of their salary (2 mos.)…….we can swing that. Any 2 of those guys and we’d be golden!!!
  20. JD-TWINS
    Further Off grid: I like Stuart Fairchild out of Reds AAA Louisville………. .743OPS in the Show this year after about 150 AB’s - no room for him on their roster with Benson - McClain - De La Cruz - Encarnacion-Strand all coming up & Votto off of IL. He was their starting CF but once Fraley had to play right every day & Benson is leading them in OPS batting 9th & playing LF …….,.he’s out & zero chance of coming back. Hitting .240 and fast - can play CF or any of the other OF spots - RH hitter. Again, .743 OPS this year for the Reds big club. Gotta be relatively cheap! Reds need arms. Moran for Fairchild straight up.
  21. JD-TWINS
    Cannot re-sign him. If he gets a hold in a playoff game, maybe. Anything short of that and we move on.
  22. JD-TWINS
    PITCHING is the key! In the last handful of games we’ve scored 7 runs, 5 runs, & a minimum of 6 runs tonight & we’ll lose all 3 games. Watching ballgame Saturday night - Royals are one of bottom 3-4 teams in the game. Watched Friday night and pretty similar outcome. Average to poor starting pitching - terrible relief pitching ……..10 runs on 17 hits for Royals tonight and it’s the 7th inning. Moran - Winder - Sands ……none of these guys can be near our roster after Tuesday. Balazovic - Floro - Pagan should be our 6th, 7th, & 8th guys in Pen. Duran - Jax - Thielbar are 1, 2, & 3 With Stewart up in the air we need to fill the 4 & 5 spots in our Pen. Don’t see the pressing need for RH corner OF relative to our obvious and desperate need to fill holes & add depth to our Pen. Kuehcel needs to be on roster by Tuesday as well, to start providing rest for our starters. Maeda should be good. Option guys (Ober/Ryan) for 10 days or IL guys for 10 days, whatever, come up with a way to skip some starts and get our starters re-set!!!
  23. JD-TWINS
    Why would Scherzer going to Texas or anywhere affect what the Sox do with Cease or what the Twins would do with their staff? Makes sense that Texas - after going all-in on their staff & de Grom being hurt, would go after Scherzer.
  24. JD-TWINS
    Can’t be too light for a rental - right? I don’t think we should do that - Hader……..I’m in favor of going after the #2 or #3 guy in San Diego’s Pen. They have a great team ERA so they have more than one good reliever ……don’t know any names but the FO should know who to go after! Headrick & Raya could be part of the solution here. I know San Diego’s best LH, after Soto, is hitting around .200. Maybe we offer Larnach & a young arm for one of their set-up arms?
  25. JD-TWINS
    Preaching to the choir!! I don’t understand how pitching in relief for two months sets a starter back in his career going forward the following year?? Seems there is fall ball - winter ball - spring training to get back in track. Balazovic is working to become a key piece in the middle of our bullpen - a key piece - a professional baseball pitcher, not some soft guy that will derail his career by throwing relief and focusing on it for 60-75 days! We gotta have another 2 guys to do this with - right? Why should Headrick stay stretched out v. helping the big club as he did in May? I understand FO/organization wants depth for our starters in case of catastrophe………not having proper relief pitchers is just as bad as not having enough starter depth!!!! Can’t cross our fingers and assume Thielbar & Stewart will both hold up and be effective! Need 2 more guys to rely upon. Am assuming we cannot get it done internally……get out into the market and get a couple guys with experience and guts to help us down the stretch.
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