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JD-TWINS

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Everything posted by JD-TWINS

  1. JD-TWINS
    Looking forward with Pablo: So we are spending $13M more per year (currently $5.4M) for Pablo over next 4 years……..great number for Twins - great contract length - gives Pablo security even though he’s not owed this type of deal for another 1.5 seasons & has had some arm issues. We have Paddack (a 4-5 guy) in the rotation through ‘25. Ryan is around another 4 years. Ober & Varland are solid options for next year with good health! Gallo - Kepler - Polanco - Solano - Taylor Mahle - Maeda all gone after this year, my prediction. We have options at CF - corner OF - 2B galore! We save around $47M freeing these guys. We’re spending $13M extra on Pablo, leaving us $34M (from this year’s budget) to spend & not increase budget. Extend Gray 2 years ASAP for current salary, plus $8 - $10M, maybe overpay a bit but give him security ASAP & we get a short term deal……fair for both sides! Having him in our stable really leaves us with strong staff going forward w/o going to free agency. Gotta pay for the replacements for guys above at $800K each……..$4.8M. Still leaves us $18M to spend on a couple of the guys above or some unknown offense. Maybe $6.5M for Maeda in long relief in Pen? He’s gotta be realistic on his value. Lots of good options to spend a bit & get better in ‘24 - focused on 1-2 guys after already solidifying staff for years to come. Extend Ryan early-middle of next year!!
  2. JD-TWINS
    Agreed - great platoon addition in off-season for LH pitching and a depth guy in case of injury. With Kiriloff & Gallo both out he’s playing every day and producing. Great acquisition - hope he stays at 80% of what he’s done to date!
  3. JD-TWINS
    Chicago Transit Authority…..great Album!!
  4. JD-TWINS
    Larnach was hot the first 8 games or so, since then he’s had a few collars so he’s gone from .380 - .255 in last 10 days. My hope is he starts to level off & can carry a .270 plus average……..needs to drive the ball into gaps a little more often as well! He can be a good every day player in our OF. If he gets. hot again for 3-4 games, at this point in the season, he’s back near .300.
  5. JD-TWINS
    Bigger than one AB - he’s hitting .105 with an OBP of .150……..those numbers are around 1/2 of Joey Gallo’s career numbers……not MLB worthy for. ore than another 3 weeks at this pace.
  6. JD-TWINS
    If Gordon hits .289 - 27 doubles - 8 HR after May 1st again this year as he did last year, all will be good. That happened in ‘22 & the FO won’t forget that nor will they forget about his durability. It can’t be that early for Gordon if they are starting Kepler as well, every day he’s healthy enough to take the field. Max’s upside is diminishing every bit as quickly - he plays one position essentially…..Gordon still plays 4 different spots routinely.
  7. JD-TWINS
    It’s just tough to see a teammate or anyone get a fastball in the mouth. The defensive flexibility is a bit of an issue but I think his general presence as a veteran and a guy that had some key hits is the biggest issue. We have 3 other guys on the current roster that can play 2B - Polanco should be up in a couple weeks. Hope Farmer heals quickly.
  8. JD-TWINS
    Better OF. ……I assume youth? Larnach playing hurt while trying to stay up last year - apparently they have talked to him about that & that’s why he was shutdown in Spring Training with the “lower body” injury. Also, we face RH pitching nearly 80% of the time. That’s a big factor.
  9. JD-TWINS
    The lack of scouting on López’ sweeper 3 games into the season (as you stated) is a big advantage that will quickly go away. Him having a 4th pitch will remain a bonus! If it isn’t sharp and just surprising guys now, that might not play long-term. New schedule and spreading out & adding opponents will help pitchers because teams will only see them once or twice. Division foes maybe 3-4 times. An advantage v. history.
  10. JD-TWINS
    Assuming he’d be an edge outfielder in any organization’s 26 man roster & there’s no flexibility with him …….not the type you have with young guys with options. Other clubs that aren’t competitive might as well cultivate younger guys. We NEED him to fill a hole at times - at least he’s our lowest risk, best upside option at times. Assuming we are focused on winning every possible game v. developing guys for performance 1-2 years from now.
  11. JD-TWINS
    That’s Gallo like - gotta be under 30% to have a chance to be a real star.
  12. JD-TWINS
    Sure is - scared to comment here. BIG detractor for past 10 months………1-0 with a 1.69 ERA. Nuff said!
  13. JD-TWINS
    Unless hurt, Gordon’s not going anywhere. LIFO is what I see happening, for those business guys out there. Last in - first out to St. Paul. Guys with options first, so we don’t get to DFA decisions until necessary. (Julien - Castro - Garlick) ……Larnach has earned the longest look with his bat & OBP to date in April. Moving him down to hope Kiriloff does as well doesn’t make sense. Kiriloff needs to excel in St. Paul and force his way on to the 26 man roster! Polanco needed back ASAP to stabilize the line-up. Kepler may hit his way off the team by May 15 - (hard to imagine) not good to date!
  14. JD-TWINS
    Got to see Mahle pitch, the way he does, on Saturday v. Yanks before responding here. He’s not going to regress, he’ll just stay the same guy, with an ERA around 4.25. He looks like a pitcher but he doesn’t have the mental make-up. I live in Cinti and watched him for 3 years plus. He wastes way too much energy and throws way too many pitches trying to get strikeouts. Pitch count elevates too early routinely. He gets behind after being ahead (never thrown a 1-2 strike) and walks guys and/or grooves a pitch and gives up too many HR’s. When he came to Minn. & since, the experts said he gave up too many HR’s because he pitched in Great American in Cinti & how things would change. First outing at Target Field he gave up 3 HR’s. Today he made an error on what should have been the 3rd out on a tapper to side of mound. That happens. No mental toughness or focus!! He misplayed tapper and then gave up a 2 run homer to the back-up catcher who was 2-16 for season going into the at bat v. Mahle. He’s a decent athlete and has OK stuff - he doesn’t know how to execute and be aggressive on the mound. He’s our weak link on staff. He’ll look good every 3rd start - that’s it………gotta score a lot of runs for him to be better then .500. Sonny Gray & Maeda will battle & have means to get guys to miss their pitches……Ryan looks good and his confidence is up……..Lopez won’t remain perfect but he’s going to be steady! Overall, can’t have a perfect staff - we have some options as we get later in the season if somebody goes down. Varland is another guy that will battle - good outing at Yankee stadium this week!
  15. JD-TWINS
    Don’t get it? Baffling??? He’s played in 46% of the games on average in 7 of 8 seasons. One year he played 140 games - average of 74 in all others. Doing the same thing over & over and expecting a different outcome is the definition of insanity. Time for a different strategy in ‘23. He’s been in the line-up 9 of 10 games this year - helped us win at least 3 of them - batting around .340. Meantime, with Polanco hurt we can’t play our LH bat (Gordon) in CF v. RH pitching…….an offensive issue……we still have a Gold Glove guy in CF though in Taylor. We’re 6-4 and Buxton is thriving at the plate. If people need to see Byron make spectacular catches in CF to be happy wait until late May & forward when Buxton will probably start 1/2 the time in CF ………or pull something up on Youtube.
  16. JD-TWINS
    Exactly - no scouting report on “the sweeper” after only using it in 2 starts. Much easier to be effective. Still, I’m sure it will remain to be a good pitch for López and the increase in velocity is intriguing! Best of luck making us think this trade was one, Won by the Twins, so far so good. Hope Luis keeps having great success as well!
  17. JD-TWINS
    I don’t understand all the angst about transparency? If the guy can play he’ll play to help the Team win games. If they are nicked up or are having back spasms or whatever, it’s an issue. Players play when they are able! What more do fans want & why? The only rational reasons to be bothered by the injury report every day is because one is playing fantasy & needs to know what moves to make, one is betting the games and needs to know the level of health for every guy in & out of the line-up, or one is suffering from some Control Disorder. …….,right? At some point the fans have to believe or assume the FO - Manager - Players are all trying to win games as best they can. No idiots involved & no conspiracy.
  18. JD-TWINS
    He’s prone to injury - knew that when we extended him. He’s averaged playing in 46% of games over 7 of his 8 seasons. This year he’s batting around .340 and has been in the line-up 9 of 10 games. How are we wasting the DH spot? …….he’s specifically helped us win at least 3 games! Taylor is ever bit as good of a CF - not as good looking as an athlete compared to Buck but he can play CF. ……..He really should be an emergency back-up v. RH pitching & he should start all 40 (roughly) starts v. LH pitching. Our problem is Polanco is hurt …..,,when he comes back, Gordon will play CF v. RH pitching and our offense will be fine. L Buxton will still play CF 40-50 games & will be ready a needed for playoffs. We need his bat!! Other guys can catch fly balls as well - might not look as flashy/entertaining but they’re still outs.
  19. JD-TWINS
    He’s moving the ball, within the zone, all around the periphery. Good velocity. 3-4 pitches with command. Looks loose. Hope he can keep having fun and succeeding! I wanted him moved over winter, am very encouraged after seeing him throw 3 times.
  20. JD-TWINS
    Thielbar - Pagan, early or late if big lead - Alcala - I doubt Duran - maybe López? Can Mahle get through 6?
  21. JD-TWINS
    Never happen. We’d be 2 bad outings by starters away from Chaos! We don’t need to have more everyday players - just need to make decisions and not 2nd guess them after every game. “Gallo never should have been signed” - now he’s 30% of the fans favorite player. Helped win 3 games. “Buxton must play OF and has zero value only with his bat” - he’s started 7 of 8 games & pinch hit in the other & is having best start of career at plate. Helped win 3-4 games. “Solano & Farmer shouldn’t be on roster”….. “Julien & anybody should be playing in their spot - need to quit blocking youth” - Farmer has helped win 2-3 games & Solano has been solid in his role. No mistakes! IMO: Kepler sucks at the plate - don’t see him getting markedly better - the decision though, was to give him another look this season so I say, “Go Max”……….personally hoping he can’t play for quite a while but if he’s on roster it’s, “Go Max”! Can complain every day, but we’re 6-2 with 8 good starts from rotation………Jorge López looks fixed………when Polanco is back & Gordon can play CF v. RH pitching & we’ll be laughing.
  22. JD-TWINS
    Through 8 games Larnach is the best day in, day out hotter on the team! Should have 2 more walks on poor calls he got struck out looking on as well.
  23. JD-TWINS
    Highest paid…….& after the “pressure cooker” of NY & LA last year & the subsequent mental collapse to .160 BA and less than 20 HR, I can’t imagine much of a market. If he has 20 dingers by the All-Star break he’s not going anywhere. No forward control either……doubtful trade bait. Walner or the like are much more probable if we want quality in return.
  24. JD-TWINS
    When Polanco is back at 2B they have a bunch of guys v. RH pitching: Gallo/Kiriloff at 1B Gordon in CF Larnach in LF Kepler/Walner in RF Couple guys above won’t all fit on roster…… one thing of those guys will DH Catcher - SS - 3B are RH hitters 100% of our games.
  25. JD-TWINS
    Buxton DH’s against all LH pitching so Taylor can play CF……..the other DH (v. RH pitching) opportunities will go to Larnach - Gallo - Walner - Gordon depending upon health & who they choose to play OF. If Kiriloff can’t play, I’d like to see Julien up in May to play 1B.
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