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JD-TWINS

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Everything posted by JD-TWINS

  1. JD-TWINS
    Why would Baldelli play him v. RH pitching more than he needs to - do not understand what, in his history, leans that way? Larnach & Wallner will both start 110 games in OF without injury. Wallner may start 125 games. Larnach will DH some for semi-rest days. To me, Bader & Castro play corner spots v. LH pitching with Buxton in CF …….Bader starts 15-20 games in LF v. RH pitching & 50 starts in CF v. RH pitching. Maybe Kiersey gets in the mix in CF & LF?
  2. JD-TWINS
    Larnach isn’t a butcher in LF. Him playing OF allows a potentially effective Julien to DH often with Castro - Lee - Keaschall at 2B. I wouldn’t mind Kiersey as the guy who platoons with Buxton 80 games (Buxton starts 85 games in CF & 30 games at DH)……Bader gets maybe 35 of those starts? Castro - Buxton - Bader in OF v. LH pitching.
  3. JD-TWINS
    To me, it seems clear that Castro will start at 2B 75% of the time until there’s a better option (Keaschall - Lee) by mid May. Julien’s at bats are at DH pretty regularly. Isn’t this a better option on the dirt?
  4. JD-TWINS
    He played 158 games last year and was an All-star after the first half, plus. Lee - Keaschall aren’t out for the season. Pretty sure Willi will be OK into May/June without breaking down. Not really on the same page with your statement about Castro’s strength being “a defensive replacement”. His flexibility is big but he’s had 450 - 400 - 400 - 635 at bats the last 4 seasons ………hardly just a glove guy.
  5. JD-TWINS
    Rostering either one of Keaschall or Martin doesn’t preclude Castro & Miranda playing nearly every day. Not sure why Martin’s lack of hitting and Keaschall’s arm injury are a managerial issue? Keaschall being rostered, if he can’t safely throw, isn’t going to happen. I’ve been a proponent for him at 2B or 1B all winter……can’t roster a guy that can’t play defense unless he’s a Nelson Cruz level guy.
  6. JD-TWINS
    ………so he got pulled & rested before he could foul out……that’s great.
  7. JD-TWINS
    Miranda’s ills in ‘24 was due to his back……his shoulder was fine from end of ST forward. Castro will play 2B with Lee hurt and maybe with Lee healthy. Castro - Lee (initially at AAA) - Gasper - Julien ………maybe even Keaschall? All these guys are ahead of Martin at 2B as of today. Martin needs to go to St. Paul and hit more effectively - if he does that he can play LF as they face LH pitching - can pinch hit - can pinch run - can play as Larnach needs rest
  8. JD-TWINS
    Gasper, with relatively even splits, seems to be a PH guy & RH guy at DH. Julien will get a bunch of DH at bats and will play 2B when Castro goes to 3B or takes the once a month day off. Kiersey could be the guy to rest Buxton in CF when there’s a RH pitcher on the mound. Pinch runner - LH bat as PH?
  9. JD-TWINS
    Training staff is out smoking dope and playing hacky sack or cards while Lewis lifts weights endlessly and while Tonkin & Stewart & Lee blow off any stretching regimen - it’s obvious!!
  10. JD-TWINS
    Headline is SATIRE, so that leads one to believe it’s intended at humor. Many at TD think Lewis lifts weights all day w/o any training staff being involved & “that’s why he’s hurt all the time” …… etc. Nobody pays attention to Brock Stewart’s habits - they ignore Lee’s back issues and on and on……
  11. JD-TWINS
    Starting an inning and shutting the opposition down for 3 outs would be a great compliment to Alcala & Sands and company! Team isn’t desperate for multiple inning guy……..15-18 pitches per outing (3 outs) would be a nice habit for him to get into in middle innings. I agree - he could be a guy that evolves into a stopper role pretty quickly……get an out or two to get out of a pinch and then a follow-up inning. He’ll have some rough spots but I don’t see him not being effective out of the Pen in general.
  12. JD-TWINS
    I don’t have a bunch of stats but he did seem to be effective in a few relief appearances at end of ‘23 - at least a couple in prime time situations. Note from above calls out 12 relief innings late in ‘24 with 17-1 strikeout to walk ratio. Seems to me there should be a bit of optimism with Varland throwing to guys that only get to see him once in an outing. He comes off as a touch wild occasionally & he looks like he’s on speed in most of his outings - can’t make hitters very comfortable! I think his attention span plays better in one inning outings as well - his personality just seems to thrive in the one inning, let it fly, situations.
  13. JD-TWINS
    Thanks - seems his AB’s were routine and have now just stopped. Maybe he’s optioned to AAA already? Will have to look. Hoping he’s a big piece of our right side of infield or at least an option in 2nd half.
  14. JD-TWINS
    Making a conscious decision to move him to DH & 1B & emergency 3B is a way to handle time missed without disrupting the IF. Shifting to this type of “decentering” helps stabilize the defense while still maximizing Lewis bat potential when healthy. Future with Lee/Miranda - CC - Keaschall/Julien - Lewis/Miranda is a good infield at the plate and middle of the road defensively.
  15. JD-TWINS
    Can’t argue with this logic. Gasper as the last guy or two on the 26 man with a couple guys out injured seems to make a lot of sense due to reasons you state.
  16. JD-TWINS
    If that foul stat is right that’s hilarious! …..people thought his buddies were calling him “Hatch” but it was actually “Hack”😉
  17. JD-TWINS
    Just looked over Spring batting stats and it appears the OF four of Bader - Buxton - Larnach - Wallner are all performing very well at the plate! Catchers are both hitting .297 & regardless of power stats, that’s impressive. France - Julien - Gasper are all hitting very well in the small sampling that’s ST. CC is 4-35 & Castro is 7-35……. I think those 2 guys can work through their issues. Lee & Lewis out with injury opening day. Potentially, Lee is at AAA to get healthy and to improve at the plate. His spring isn’t terrible offensively but it isn’t good either. Miranda/Castro - CC/Castro - Julien/Gasper/Castro - France/Gasper …..6 IF. Martin or Kiersey as 13th guy? Bringing Lewis back when ready to displace the guy in the 13th spot is a big step up. Lee has time to get right. Is Keaschall hurt too - stats don’t seem to show much playing time?
  18. JD-TWINS
    THANKS for clarifying that we should quit hoping Eeles is potentially a savior for the IF. Injured! Castro - Martin - Gasper - Julien seems to be a list long enough to cover 2B……..maybe Keaschall in another 60 days? Lee, to me, along with Julien were candidates to start the season in St Paul in order to get their offense in order. Don’t have stats but it sounds like Julien has been acceptable at the plate in ST but that Lee has struggled. Correct? Anyway, Castro can play 2B many days & 3B or SS every 6-7 days as needed. Gasper & Julien seem to be near term options at 2B as well. Unless further injuries strike the Club, it seems they have the depth to handle the Lewis & Lee injuries for at least a month or more.
  19. JD-TWINS
    Agreed - and he turned 20 in February. Seems that his development through ‘25 and then 1/2 of ‘26 would be a nice evolution. There are no guarantees, but having a guy ranked in Top 20 - Top 10 - Top 5 that has a chance of being in big leagues midway through his age 21 season is a good problem to have.
  20. JD-TWINS
    Certainly there are indicators in Spring for essentially all players. No doubt……can’t ignore Spring results/trends. His “best pitch”, theoretically, is his curveball if one asks many people around the organization. Personally, I like his 98MPH splinker! I’d be more concerned with his fastball velocity differences year to year if he threw 70% fastballs and that was his primary weapon. Arguably, all 3 of his pitches are out pitches. Command and pitch selection will drive his success or failure, IMO, not a 2 Mph decline in his fastball. Throwing a straight fastball at 99.5Mph IS hittable if he’s behind 3-1……more hittable than 102. Fastballs to start hitters to make his other two pitches much more effective, that’s what I’m hoping for in ‘25.
  21. JD-TWINS
    Pitch sequencing - command. Fix those and velocity of 102 or 98.3 isn’t a concern. If guys are looking fastball because you just threw a splinker in the dirt, after 2 curveballs, you have a problem. Fastball early in counts and get ahead - then the other 2 pitches are devastating whether in the zone or not. He’s a power pitcher that pitches backwards and tries to look cute fooling guys. If it’s the bench calling pitches OR the catcher……that I don’t know? It’s problematic though for him. His stuff is excellent and if he doesn’t dig holes in counts, he’ll be great at any velocity. Duran’s success doesn’t hinge on him throwing 102 any more Griffin Jax does.
  22. JD-TWINS
    You think “they look the other way” so guys bulk up and get hurt & they get fired…….doesn’t seem very productive for their careers. These guys are fitness experts and have programs tailored for each guy - it’s not 1970 and they just hand out salt pills and Bengay and give massages…….diet - stretching - cryo treatments - hot & cold tubs - suction cups - deep massage. Why would a trainer turn his back on weight lifting that’s not productive? What’s the upside?
  23. JD-TWINS
    Their training staff can’t be that ignorant. Nobody is sitting in their office while Royce is squatting 500lbs on his own. If fans know muscle bull can be torn more easily than lean - well stretched muscle, pretty sure the training staff and players are aware. Players probably need to be monitored but after 2 major knee surgeries and 2-3 other long “games lost” stints, somebody is on Royce’s hip all day long in the training room. Do we think the potential “best player” on the Team is just left alone to lift & lift until he likes what he sees?
  24. JD-TWINS
    I’m talking about Julien
  25. JD-TWINS
    He’s had to have started around 100 games the last 2 seasons at 2B - right? Gotta be close to that…….if he hit last year he would have played there regularly. I think Team is OK with him playing 2B if he hits ………. right or wrong.
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