JD-TWINS
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Everything posted by JD-TWINS
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Is Byron Buxton Too Much Miguel Sano?
JD-TWINS replied to Ted Schwerzler 's topic in Twins Daily Front Page News
Agreed. Don’t understand the value of Buxton hitting behind Correa v. the reverse. Buxton struggles to get good pitches to hit - protect him, so to speak, with Carlos. Maybe getting Polanco & Kiriloff back will help get enough balance in the line-up to protect both of them? -
Is Byron Buxton Too Much Miguel Sano?
JD-TWINS replied to Ted Schwerzler 's topic in Twins Daily Front Page News
He hit .385 the first week of the season - basically won 2 games v. KC by himself. Now we’re 3 weeks in……..Pitchers/Teams make adjustments & pitch to weaknesses. Buxton needs to do the same. He’s two good games away from being just fine. He’s gotta make it happen! Playing centerfield isn’t some panacea for getting his hitting squared away. I don’t think there’s any intention of him not playing CF at all……we have 143 games left to play. Taylor - 60 games…..Gordon 40 games……..Buxton 40 games is a scenario where we get him ready for any situations we may need him in CF. Remember, he’s only played an average of 46% of the games over 7 of 8 years. He may need a few mental health/rest days even at the DH role. Nothing surprising about that. Many years, really good players have two bad months to start a season. Some guys do it year after year. Some guys collapse in September. It’s a long season & individual’s success is often streaky in 8-10 day cycles of good. As long as the whole line-up doesn’t slump at once we’ll be OK. Gotta lighten up on the ultimatums for immediate performance or else……that’s not baseball. Need our two starters back on right side of IF to help stabilize things!! -
Roster Crunch? Who stays, who goes?
JD-TWINS replied to stringer bell's topic in Minnesota Twins Talk
I’m watching afternoon game w/Red Sox 5 days after this original post. Pagan has given up 7 hits in the 3rd inning - 5 hits after 2 outs. (one hit was a slow roller to SS and Correa was positioned up the middle) Gave up 6 runs in an inning. Middle/middle slider - middle/middle fastballs - behind 3-0 a couple times. UGLY. Unfortunately, Maeda got hit with batted ball in 2nd & am assuming he’ll be out in IL for short stint. Tomorrow, Pagan finally DFA’d & Ober up as 5th starter. After 19 games the staff will be what it should have been Opening Day! Gotta happen. -
He hit .289 last year after May 1……28 doubles ……8 HR. Larnach has options & Kiriloff does not. I think he’s the only move if all other 26 guys are healthy. They may tell Max or even Gordon to “pull a hamstring” to manipulate the IL……it’s big time pro sports, I’m sure this stuff happens. Hell, Madison Bumgarner got DFA’d today at $37M per year. Maybe Max is next?
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- joey gallo
- joe ryan
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Roster Crunch? Who stays, who goes?
JD-TWINS replied to stringer bell's topic in Minnesota Twins Talk
No options left - not striking out too much - just need to give him time. Again, last year he hit .289 - 27 doubles - 8 HR after May 1. -
Can’t help myself, Pitching Wins Games! Gordon has no options and had too much success after May 1 last year for him to go anywhere. Castro is a short-timer for sure - seems obvious. Polanco will displace him. Farmer will take Julien’s place when he’s ready. If/when Kiriloff comes back we may need to manipulate guys through the IL to make room. Only guy I see going down after original 26 Man is ready to go is Larnach. Seems too valuable to move down…………with health, we have 2 extra guys. 3 home series in a row coming up……hopefully, we’ll get things going at the plate! Looking for a start from Ober while at home - maybe?
- 53 replies
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- joey gallo
- joe ryan
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The offense hasn’t been stellar! Been missing 2 guys (right side of infield) that will hit between 2-6 in their line-up nearly every day. Guys meant to be platoon players (Farmer - Taylor - Solano) & a guy meant to play 70% of the time, Gordon, is ice cold at the plate, and they are all playing essentially all the time. Kepler has been blah. Buxton is streaky, to say the least. Miranda hasn’t gotten going yet. Correa hasn’t gotten going yet. That said, we’ve scored 10 plus runs in 3 of 17 games. We don’t have anyone carrying us consistently day in day out but our timely hitting is getting it done quite often. Throw in Gallo & the 2 catchers and every guy mentioned has been a big piece of 2-4 wins……every one of them. I saw in a previous comment that we were 11th in an important offensive category & 15th in another……….in the 15 team AL. If that’s the case, and we get our regulars together for a month, we’ll be dangerous! 11-7 with all these problems - that’s what good teams do, they figure out how to pick each other up & get wins.
- 53 replies
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- joey gallo
- joe ryan
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I think we may see Ober at some point during the upcoming home stand to keep Rotation fresh. This would mean optioning somebody. If not Headrick, maybe Moran? Would be good to see him get another inning plus before going anywhere. He should be good to go by Saturday/Sunday!
- 53 replies
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- joey gallo
- joe ryan
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Forgot my line-up v. RH pitching: 1. Gordon - CF 2. Polanco - 2B 3. Correa - SS 4. Larnach - DH 5. Kiriloff - 1B 6. Miranda -3B 7. Gallo - LF 8. Vazquez - C 9. Kepler - RF Not sure, w/o injuries to somebody, Larnach & Kiriloff can be rostered at same time?
- 5 replies
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- byron buxton
- jorge polanco
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Not a bad line-up! Just don’t see it as being realistic with our probable 26 Man Roster. 13 pitchers, a given. If Polanco & Kiriloff come back, somebody (2 guys) needs to go down. Solano, somewhat surprisingly, has cemented a spot at 1B v. LH pitching, plus a little DH/Pinch hitter. Farmer - Gordon - Jeffers - Solano - Kepler - Taylor Your OF - Larnach, Buxton, & Gallo Your DH - Julien Your IF - Vazquez, Miranda, CC, Polanco, & AK Our roster needs to have 2 less guys! Unless we decide to outright release Kepler, the OF is crowded. Julien is sent down for sure - then a tough decision needs to take place if everyone is healthy.
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- byron buxton
- jorge polanco
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Could Joey Gallo Bring Hardware Back to Minnesota?
JD-TWINS replied to Ted Schwerzler 's topic in Twins Daily Front Page News
Gallo hits 25 plus HR & bats .230, he’ll get 60-70 RBI. I think he’ll get 450 AB’s between LF -RF - 1B. If a guy can play well defensively at 3 positions and provide offense shown above, he’ll have a real shot at Comeback Player of Year…..would be fantastic!- 68 replies
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- joey gallo
- francisco liriano
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Sometimes you bring guys up for a couple weeks just to let them experience the SHOW. When they are really needed the 2nd or 3rd time up, they aren’t awestruck. Mr Julien is case in point……….next guy to get a taste will probably be Mr Lee.
- 64 replies
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- alex kirilloff
- jorge polanco
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Analyzing the Pablo Lopez Extension
JD-TWINS replied to Cody Christie's topic in Twins Daily Front Page News
Lopez signing is a great piece of FO work over the past 4-5 months! I have typed here 3-4 times now, sign Gray ASAP for 2 years with an $8-$10/year raise. It may be steep but the 2 yr. term reduces x team risk a bunch. Let Mahle walk. Maybe, give Maeda an offer as long reliever for $6-$7M range. Let’s see if he keeps getting guys out. We’ll have money after Gallo - Kepler - Mahle - Polanco - Taylor - Solano……about $47M total……..replace the 6 guys above with youth at $4.8M total. Spend $13M on Pablo & $10M on Gray. Still leaves $19M to get creative with on other guys.- 19 replies
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- pablo lopez
- jose berrios
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A Deeper Dive after 13 Games
JD-TWINS commented on stringer bell's blog entry in stringer bell's Blog
Since this comment was written we’ve extended López through ‘27. Great move & nice deal for all! Mahle is mediocre & I watched him for 3.5 years here in Cinti…….thought the same of his mental make-up when he was here. Decent stuff - no guts - tries to strike everyone out “just off the edge” & walks guys - gets behind - throws too many pitches - gives up homers. Ryan will be around to extend next year. I would offer Gray an $8-$10 per year raise. Too much money but with that amount we keep the term to only 2 years. Get it done ASAP! Good for both sides.- 8 comments
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I hope Ober gets a nod at some point, he deserves it - injury to others is his path forward though, so I’m not really excited about that. Top 3 guys in rotation are in for the year regardless of performance (if healthy) so his spot starts would be for Mahle or Maeda. If he pitches well it makes it difficult not to displace one of them. I think Kiriloff is out of options so he comes up in May or has to go on IL again, my assumptions. Gallo at 1B has worked. I really don’t like our probable move if Kiriloff comes up……..Larnach down. Some of this depends upon Farmer’s short-term health but when the original 26 man is healthy, Larnach is odd man out. That is unless Kepler “pulls a hamstring” or something. Lewis - unless we’re really struggling, mid-July at the earliest. Can’t rush this after two injuries of same knee.. Lee - roster expansion guy in September. Polanco - can’t be soon enough in April! I do think 4 guys above are all rostered to start ‘24 & Polanco may get moved this year at dead-line. Only if Lee/Julien/Lewis are truly ready! Jorge is a good veteran to keep & have around for playoffs but don’t see him in the ‘24 line-up.
- 64 replies
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- alex kirilloff
- jorge polanco
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We just played the Yanks, team tied with us for 3rd best record in baseball. We got 3 outstanding pitching outings from starters/relievers! Seems a number of people are disappointed with a series split - don’t get it? Yesterday, Cole cruises through any line-up in baseball. Great start to year - hoping for 2 of 3 in Boston & getting back to Target Field. Boston is 8-8 and we face Chris Sale tonight so nothing is a given!
- 30 replies
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- pablo lopez
- jose miranda
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Week in Review: Holding Ground
JD-TWINS replied to Nick Nelson's topic in Twins Daily Front Page News
Super early - correct! Pretty sure the starters not giving up runs is the reason they are pitching into the 6th & 7th innings - not some green light by the front office. Love Vázquez as well!- 22 replies
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- kyle farmer
- carlos correa
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Mahle doesn’t have mental make-up to be a quality MLB arm. He pitches away from contact to a fault. Throws too many pitches & gives up too many HR. I watched him here in Cinti for 3 plus years - still same guy. 4.25ERA guy….Ober, even as a health risk, is a better option. I hope Mahle proves me wrong but I just don’t think he has the IT!
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BTW: Granted, all through 16 games…… Solano - a plus Taylor - a plus P. Lopez - BIG plus Farmer - a plus Gallo……not a complete failure, w/risk taken Bullpen construction - looking good Let’s take a few breaths before asking for the FO to get fired or resign. Awfully lot of things falling into place!
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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!!
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The Twins Found a Diamond in the Rough
JD-TWINS replied to Ted Schwerzler 's topic in Twins Daily Front Page News
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!- 18 replies
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- donovan solano
- kyle farmer
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A Solid Start for Trevor Larnach
JD-TWINS replied to Cody Pirkl's topic in Twins Daily Front Page News
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. -
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.
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- tyler mahle
- jovani moran
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