JD-TWINS

Kirilloff is routinely moved to the OF & Solano at 1B when facing LH pitching? Sometimes guys don’t match up well & get pinch hit for…….,,Larnach & Wallner …….if they “can’t hit MLB pitching” we can’t develop them in the Show - the games count. Larnach has over 600 AB’s in MLB & Wallner is now getting a 3rd shot this year……. seems they are getting a chance to show their potential to me. Can’t defend Buxton! .

In defense of the FO - I don’t think anyone thought Castro would perform such (signed for IF depth……OF too out of Spring Training) that he has no chance of being optioned - this is part of the jamb in the OF right now.

Larnach has to develop his bat - organizational failure is an excuse! He has had injuries that have bought him extra time…….this year needs to be a positive step forward and it’s not shaping up like that. Wish him the best. He appears to be another Kirilloff but he’s got to prove it with results. If we can’t get proper value, whatever that may be, don’t move him.

Cannot believe I’m saying this but if Kepler plays average baseball, offensively, .230 BA & .730 OPS & 20 plus HR he is very likely back in 2024 as we wait for Gordon/Wallner/Larnach situation to sort out. 1 & probably 2 of those guys are gone to start ‘24. Kepler seems to have cemented himself in RF for remainder of this season. Castro is too valuable with flex defense and speed to move. Taylor has too much value on D and can’t hit well enough to attract any suitors. I honestly think that Gallo may stick through the season……..his August may allow us (FO) to feel it’s OK to DFA him. I think he’s untradable …… can’t imagine anyone desiring a .159 BA with 10 RBI since middle of May!!! Why do the Twins? Seemed they were going to try him in CF over the weekend before the last minute scratch. Can’t sweat the clubhouse vibe at the expense of a usable piece down the stretch……without an improbable uptick, should DFA prior to September 1 if we can’t move him by deadline. Gallo in CF - Castro at 3B………Polanco at 2B - Julien at DH……..Wallner in LF & Kepler in RF - Kirilloff at 1B……….that’s a nice line-up with Joey in as the upside risk guy! Gets us a bridge to Lewis coming back strong. Larnach or Wallner?? Larnach looks the part! Wallner seems to be still on the ascent v. Larnach’s results in ‘23 - right? Wallner - Castro/Gallo - Kepler is our OF v. RH pitching. They seem to want to give Wallner a real look. When talking trade we probably let the trade partner pick which guy they want (Larnach/Wallner) v. us offering and creating position of weakness - we can always say no. Not a high priority other than potentially opening a 40 man spot because of that need.

Gotta beat somebody - we play the same teams as the Guardians & other teams in the Division. Beat Houston - Boston - NY - etc. ……can cherry pick results for either side of the argument…….they are 53-48 and still haven’t jelled for any real length of time. Polanco - Lewis - Thielbar - Stewart should all contribute to a push forward down the stretch.

& I think Rocco was riding that vibe but he killed the momentum…..I understand it can happen to anyone but reality is, after Saturday’s success, his % to succeed again was pretty slim.

Gray has a 4.00 plus ERA since May 1. He’s got 4 wins on the year and none since late April. He’s a free agent in 10 weeks. Why would he bring a haul? Nobody is going to trade an MLB ready prospect for a 2 month rental. Other than CF & Catcher, I don’t think we have any needs in the organization. We’d end up getting 2-3 guys that will be on a list in 5 years from now & they will have played zero innings for Twins……..we should use him through his contract to try and get another 11 starts where he keeps us in the game most times. If, somehow, he turns it up down the stretch we may even try to sign him for a couple years.

Remember “our 2nd half schedule” started when we played the A’s & continued through the Sox, those 6 games were against 2 of the worst opponents…….they’ve already been played & won. We got the Royals & Cardinals on the road soon - those 2 are the other pretty weak record teams we have left.

Base running: Did anybody see the replay video of Kirilloff hitting into the double-play early in the game?? Was disappointing - not sure if somehow he thought the ball got through the right side or what - he didn’t run hard out of the box! He takes off with effort once the 1B throws the ball to 2B…….there’s a distinctive shifting of gears in his running. Disappointing - not all guys hustle all the time - that double play stalled our inning!! Fortunate to win today!

8 of 10 & we haven’t played perfect by any means! I think if we get to 86 wins, the Division is ours……….that’s 33-30 from here through September. Pretty realistic! Guardians would need to go 37-29 to tie us.

Jorge López is lucky he’s not on the IL again after the upper deck HR & 3 HBP outing earlier this week. The fact that we threw him an inning as well as Pagan for an inning and we remained unscathed is a flippin miracle!! I understand the paper move of substituting a reasonable contact guy batting RH for a LH hitter that K’s too much - but Vázquez has done nothing since mid-April to warrant him PH for anyone!!!!

How can the window be shut? Paddack is under contract……Varland is under contract………..if he holds up (rebuilt arm 16 months ago) Maeda could be signed for $10-$12M maximum. Ryan - Ober - Lopez are all in their primes, the entry side of their primes! Lewis - Kirilloff - Julien are all guys that are real hitters and they are all young as can be. CC & Buxton are around for 5 more years. They may not be the offensive stars we signed up for but they are supreme athletes with egos & competitive drive……they’ll be OK (Buxton once healthy). Not counting on Buxton in OF until I see it regularly. Wallner seems to be a serviceable defender, not great, but with a great arm. Decent #5 or #6 hitter in the line-up for 5 plus years. Castro has speed - a gun for an arm - defensive flexibility……a roster spot for him for another 3-4 years at little cost. Lee - Rodriguez as a couple probable “can’t miss guys” coming in ‘24 or ‘25. Spending around $150M this year on salary. After this year we shed Gallo - Polanco - Kepler - Gray - Mahle - Maeda - Solano Taylor………..that’s $70M plus/minus $3M. Re-sign Taylor to fill the roll he was intended for this year - depth & insurance. Solano, just because he’s going to be 36 & we can get him for $3.5M (he has proven he hits) and we can DFA if we choose. Taylor for $5M…….that leaves us $61M from this year’s budget…….Sign Maeda for $11M. Now we are down to $50M to spend and not exceed this year’s budget. Early sign Duran, Ryan & Ober. Start Duran at $5M in the early years of the extension……….same with Ryan, only he gets $8M in the first year……..same with Ober at $8M. 6 year deals that all escalate $3M per year………something like that? The security given over 6 years & the much larger check than $670K/yr will be good motivation for them. This leaves $29M to then go & sign a FA starting pitcher, if they like or sit on the extra $$ to pick up a guy at the deadline that we can get & then extend! Trade for Stuart Fairchild - REDS former starting CF - sent to Triple-A after 2.5 months in ‘23 due to log jam in Cinti. .750 OPS this year & fast & under control/cheap! Lewis - CC - Julien - Kirilloff in the infield with Farmer & Castro & Solano for depth is a great start to ‘24! Walner - Castro - Taylor - Rodriguez/Larnach - Fairchild……….possibly spend on a FA OF bat?……..I don’t think it’s necessary with Martin & Rodriguez & Lee all coming……..once Lee arrives we get Julien to 1B & Kirilloff to a corner OF slot. Relief help can be found - been proven this year…….Ortega - Headrick - Stewart - DeLeon , etc…….shift a starter or two, i.e. Balazovic! I don’t see any holes nor depth issues nor near-term age issues…..neither too old nor too young. Good veteran presence with a bunch of young talent!!

Seems he is developing into a decent trade piece by this time next year or if he finishes hot, maybe as part of a package to another team this winter?

Strikeout exchange between him & Gallo. Teoscar is more productive when he makes contact.

My slant is Moran was cruising & they didn’t want to use up another arm in ninth…….Sands would be the probable exchange for Kuechel…….however, after the performance a couple days ago, can we seriously think the Twins will let Jorge Lopez pitch for them again…….in ‘23? Mental health stint on IL followed up with some good and bad since his return. Then this week happens……upper deck 2-run homer followed by 3 different guys getting hit by pitch. Brutal to watch & worse to experience!!! Can’t imagine Lopez has anything left mentally at this point. Needs some re-set and a DFA may be in his near future.

Gotta look at & have confidence in this year’s. umbers - then it’s a YES on paper. He’s a rental though so a good pitching prospect no……one that’s got potential upside, SWR - Headrick, maybe. Writers have to quit putting Alex Kirilloff down as potential trades so we can “upgrade” …..he’s definitely in the top 3 hitters we have, if not the best. Silly to say we should trade him for Bellinger or Goldschmidt or anyone.

Cron doesn’t make sense to me when we have a better hitter on the roster in Solano…….if we need a RH bat at 1B we have one. Cron is familiar and has a nice ball juiced ‘19 but at this point Solano seems to be the right guy……been doing it most of 4 months.

He hits LH pitching well and is being compared to Michael A. so I’m pretty sure he is a right handed bat…….turns out he hits from both sides. My guy is former starter in ‘23 for the Reds, Stuart Fairchild. He’s been optioned to AAA because Friedl has to play everyday and now Steer is playing OF 50% of the time due to all their IF call ups & Votto’s return. He’s squeezed out! Fast RH bat - plays CF - 15 XBH in 156 AB’s in ‘23 - .743 OPS and he’s at AAA with no way back to big club. Can’t cost much to attain!! Basically a young Michael A. Taylor.

Gordon was our LH hitting CF going into this year…….played infield because Polanco was slow in mending. IMO, Castro should get a shot at a full-time spot in CF in ‘24. He needs some time/reps but his speed & arm are intriguing. He makes things happen on the bases. Switch hitter - with limitations. Certainly should be our 4th OF going into ‘24 with the ability to play 3 infield spots as well. Gordon may get a chance in Spring Training after some fall ball or winter ball to help sharpen timing after missing so much time. He’s an OF 90% of the time here on out. Gordon may be interesting for some other team as part of a trade? Decent upside.

Kirilloff to the OF - Gallo gone - Solano to 1B.

I sure hope guys improve at a minor league stop - may be a good baseball mind - no real opinion here v. Baldelli. Interesting thought.

Manager handles pitching changes - in game strategy - etc. …….,,hire him where his experience & strength lies - hitting coach!!!

If Maeda can hold things together over the next 8-9 weeks we should definitely try to re-sign him. He’s be a value at $12M & that’s a $5M raise. He’s 35 now but with a re-built arm he may have a couple more good years left & he’s a very adequate 5th starter!! Paddack - Varland should have the other spot covered………hoping for good health!! Ryan - Lopez - Ober are the core through ‘27!!!

Why would the Cardinals (anyone) trade an .850 OPS guy…….potential guy……..in this case, Walker?

He’s not done - surely! Trading a guy that is in his same mold, that’s 10 years younger, doesn’t strengthen the team. Cards want controlled pitching …….give them Moran - SWR - Winder…….maybe stretch to Varland v. one of the others? Kirilloff batting 3rd behind Julien with Goldschmidt & Lewis coming up sounds great!