Hawkeye Bean Counter

I was talking about Detroit Woof. They traded off Skubal and are tanking for a higher pick in the next draft.

You mean tank the season like we did last year?

Key Rookie Call-Up Timeline (2026) Spring Training (March): Infielder Kevin McGonigle made the Opening Day roster straight out of spring training. Early Season: Infielder Hao-Yu Lee and other young players like Eduardo Valencia and Ben Malgeri joined the team during the early and middle parts of the summer. July 30: Outfielder Max Clark got his promotion from the minors just before the trade deadline. August 16: Outfielder Brett Callahan was called up from Triple-A Toledo. August 31: Infielder John Peck joined the team for his major league

Im not able to watch - well walks kill. Home Run 2-0 hole now.

For all the athleticism - he at times does not seem to be fully aware of the game or what teams are trying to do to him.

Whats your point? Several of those have been playing a majority of the season. Jenkins for as good as he will be isn't exactly lighting the world on fire at the MLB level. Who else are you going to drop to bring up and give time to?

Is there only a handful of us in the thread today?

keaschall picked off? Come on man.

I would love to see if Schlovin can make it to the big leagues - he has averaged getting hit in 15% of his at bats at the college level. He had 7 HBP in 78 at bats in A ball.

HBP - Keaschall on 1st. Come on Lee.

Looks like might be lightening up and clearing up a bit in the next 15 minutes.

That AAA starting pitching lineup is ridiculous. No way that happens. My guess is we Non Tender or trade 1-2 pitchers. Ober may get you a low end prospect. Kremer could get you more than you traded for him if he can have 2-3 more starts.

To be fair that wasn't the argument. Those are the top 4. Who has the 5th best rotation? For 2027 Mariners and Twins would definitely be in that conversation and injuries and underperformance will hit at least 1 of those top 4 teams. Its an enviable spot for the Twins. We just need a good enough offense to capitalize on the pitching we have.

Thats not a mediocre starting staff, and the depth gives you immense options to rest and send players down for underperformance. Plus you have several arms with upside. Abel, Priellip, Matthews and Rojas all have extremely good stuff. Top 5 isn't as hard as you think. Top 3 is tough - top 5 you need 4 arms to be really good - #2 or better type pitchers. Ryan, Lopez and Bradley all have that ability and some pedigree. You then need a #3 and then a #4 type arm. You have enough players and those with upside and some with higher floors in Kremer and Ober to really pick how you want to develop this starting pitching roster. Part of the reason the starts have been down is relying on so many young arms. Rojas, Priellip, Abel, and Matthews have accounted for what 40% plus of our starts? As they develop and lengthen out you will get increased performance and length.

It means we haven't had other individuals perform when he has been hot. Brian Dozier had 22.6 WAR on a lot of losing teams. Thats not difficult to understand. Caratini was as hot or hotter when Jeffers was injured and if I remember you had 3-4 other guys get hot. As Bell has stated - they need several players to get hot down the stretch. If they can string together a few more wins, get momentum and confidence it could get interesting down the stretch.

A couple weeks ago there was the fan top prospect poll. I haven't seen anything come out on that. Will it be soon?

My guess is the Twins starting rotation and depth is top 5 in MLB next year. As to the bullpen - as currently constructed and if you can keep Minter and Banda comes back healthy to replace Rogers, that is a very good bullpen. Top 10-15 - significant improvement over the end of last year. Gomez, Hoffman, Minter, and Morris as an extremely strong top 4 arms. I still think consistent offense is our biggest issue. If Culpepper and Jenkins can settle in to be all star level offensive players. Culpepper has done well. Jenkins appears to be adjusting just like Culpepper did, then this team is suddenly in a much difference spot.

Yes the Twins have to be smart about spending money - they need to start spending but where? Its extensions - go talk to Ryan's camp but but my guess is they want free agency. Lopez is the one who you can likely get a reasonable extension done after his injury. He is so smart and works so hard at keeping his body in good shape. 1. So my first order of business is doing an extension with Lopez for 3 years $50 to $60 million. 2. You have to keep Joe Ryan. With the injury I see no one overpaying. If they do so be it you can consider it, but as of now you keep him. With his propensity to wear down and get injured at the end of the season, I am not sure he is one I want to invest a ton of money in for long term unless you have a plan to get him rest in the middle of the season. If we are out of contention at the deadline you can trade him. The Qualifying offer is likely gone. We will see if Toms relationship with Joe can get him to sign an undervalued extension, I just don't see it. 3. 1st Base - The free agent class is atrocious so unless you are going to trade for a 1st baseman you give Lewis 1 more shot with Clemens as your backup. Marek Houston is likely starting in AAA next year. So there is a very real chance he comes up at some point, Culpepper likely moves to 2nd and then you have Lewis and Clemens fighting for 1st base duties. See if Lewis can make progress with the bat and that the improvement Clemens has made is real. 4. Bullpen - I resign Minter 1 year $8 million. The dude is nails. I don't see anyone paying him massive money with the decreasing velocity, but I think he has also appreciated the Twins trusting him and pitching him a lot more than the Mets did. 1-2 year deal. Closer Gomez High end relievers - Minter, Hoffman Potential High end - Morris - Funderburk, Banda as your lefties. Nance likely as your 7th arm. Then Orze, Sands, Anderson, Acton fighting for your last spot and to fill in for injuries. Continue to work in failed starters during the season but that feels really solid. Catcher - Caratini and Jackson - Just like this year Jackson is cheap insurance - if you can find someone better so be it. You give the Qualifying offer to Jeffers and every indication is he turns it down. If he accepts, there is your better option at Catcher. Most likely the Twins end with a comp pick. Jackson is solid but by the DFA's is not someone the Twins are married to even though they do appear to like him as they they have kept him on the roster for the majority of the year. 2027 is a placeholder for 2028. Outfield - Rodriguez, Jenkins Buxton, Keaschall, Gonzalez/Mendez. Thats a loaded outfield but I see Buxton transitioning to a lot more DH. Save the hip and try to let him age out gracefully. Its a young outfield and we will take our lumps - but this is shooting for 28 in my opinion. Gonzalez and Mendez will likely start getting some 1st base work as well. SP - Pick the best pitcher between Ober and Kremer, trade the other or DFA. You likely aren't getting much back, potentially a little more back with Kremer. I could see more return than what the Twins paid if he can give you 3 more solid starts to end the season. Personally I keep Kremer as I think the velocity is going to continue to decline for Ober that makes him Unplayable. You can start the season with a 6 man and transition to a 5 man with injuries or underperformance. With Lopez and Abel both coming back and Ryans propensity for wearing out during the season, I would do a lot more rotation of starting pitchers. Rojas I want a majority of the year in AAA really refining his stuff and to be ready for 28. Ryan, Bradley, Lopez, Kremer, Priellip, Abel, Matthews, Rojas Ultimately - unless you are spending big on bullpen pitcher (make me laugh), I don't see where on this team you are going to be spending a lot of money. Maybe in a year or two. The issue is if the Twins are forced to increase salary which then maybe we see an early extension to Culpepper or Jenkins. This team has a lot more upside but Catcher position will most likely be a downgrade. You run with what the team has. There is a lack of speed on the roster - so maybe Martin finds himself back on the team but I just think for where this team is going I don't see a spot for him. I see 27 as the last transition year and 2028 as the year when the offense is good enough to go for it. So I save most of my money for that year to fill in the holes.

If you are only looking at fwar - maybe there is a question. Otherwise Jeffers WAR which the title states is the question - is at 3.2. With 16 games left, I would expect a high probability he gets to 3.0 fwar as I think he will end in the 3.5-3.8 range for WAR.

Wow getting this one up early. Minter is likely burned for today. Need another good start from Matthews. Need a series win to take the momentum into Cleveland and hopefully sweep them.

So tell me why you like Lewis so much more than Clemens?

I don't think the bat is good enough. The defense could be elite.

Twins with a gutty performance. A solid 5 innings from Kremer and Clemens with the big hit and the bullpen closed it out to get the win. Things are getting tight on the playoff front. We have 4 teams in front of us - Cleveland, Toronto Texas and Baltimore. The good news is 6 of our next 16 is against Cleveland and Texas. We really need sweeps in both series. I am thinking the Twins need to go at least 13-3, maybe 14-2 down the stretch to get in but there is still a chance. The next 4 games are huge. We need to go 3-1 and if there was ever a time for a winning streak it is now. Playoff odds - 3.1%

The plan for Caratini is that at least we would have 1 experienced catcher going into 2027 for minimal cash. As to who fills the other half, as of now it appears to be Jackson, but based on the multiple moves of dfa and signing Caratini in the first place I don’t think it’s outside the realm of possibility they find someone they feel is better. The bad plan was not having any other catching in the system.

Gomez has been utterly brilliant this year. That we got him for cash considerations is absurd.