Jump to content
Twins Daily
  • Create Account

Possumlad

Verified Member
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Posts

    195

  • Joined

  • Last visited

 Content Type 

Profiles

News

Minnesota Twins Videos

2026 Minnesota Twins Top Prospects Ranking

2022 Minnesota Twins Draft Picks

Minnesota Twins Free Agent & Trade Rumors, Notes, & Tidbits

Guides & Resources

2023 Minnesota Twins Draft Picks

The Minnesota Twins Players Project

2024 Minnesota Twins Draft Picks

2025 Minnesota Twins Draft Pick Tracker

2026 Minnesota Twins Draft Pick Tracker

Forums

Blogs

Events

Store

Downloads

Gallery

Everything posted by Possumlad

  1. Possumlad
    ESPN (Kiley McDaniel) just updated their team-by-team top 10 Prospects lists. They have Khadim Diaw (Catcher) number #9 overall for the Twins w/ this note: "I liked Diaw and Schobel before the year and they have taken big steps forward this season." Haven't seen almost any discussion of Diaw around these parts. Although I may have just totally missed some discussions. Anyone who spends time on these things have any thoughts or insights? Always nice to a see Catching prospect in the top 10. Diaw was our 3rd rounder in 2024 out of Loyola Marymount. 21 Years old. Played 24 games last year at Fort Myers (0.715 OPS). Been at Cedar Rapids (High A) this whole year - 38 Games, 116ABs, 0.886 OPS.
  2. Possumlad
    Sir or Madam, you are on a Twins baseball blog. Participation on this site and on each specific article is voluntary.
  3. Possumlad
    Outside of those driven by real mechanical issues or injuries, the evidence is that "hot streaks" & "cold streaks" don't really exist in any statistically meaningful way. Results over the previous 10-20 at bats have almost no impact whatsoever on the result of the next marginal at-bat (same with shooting in basketball). Our brains just recognize patterns & seek to create attributions that don't exist. Any batters likelihood of getting a hit (or on base, or whatever) in their next at bat map almost exactly to their long-term average doing so... Recent results don't matter.
  4. Possumlad
    I think Rocco's just dispositionally risk-averse - volatility and unpredictably seem to make him very uncomfortable. One very odd consequence is that I believe he genuinely prefers consistently, predictably bad players vs. better, slightly higher-volatility players. Based on the evidence, he would absolutely take a consistent, predictable 0.680 OPS over a more volatile 0.780 (particularly if the 0.680 was a veteran "playing their role"). Not sure if he even knows that about himself, but I think it's why we give reliably bad players huge numbers of ABs every single season. This year it will be Bader and France. As long as they're predictable, it won't matter if they're bad. He likes playing guys whose offense he can write off in advance - much more predictable & comfortable.
  5. Possumlad
    Amen. Amazing how cumulative at-bats Rocco gives every year to true-blue scrubs. It's a problem of planning, wisdom, and perspective. He makes a lot of small platoon & playing time decisions that may be justifiable at the margin. But the net effect is that once we're 3-4 weeks in to the season, the Twins ALMOST NEVER run their best line-up out on any given night. You could solve a lot by making an explicit goal (not suggesting you message this externally) of playing your top line-up ~65-75% of all games. Tinker with the other 25-35%. Match-ups matters, but so do consistency, trust, predictability, and playing your best players. On any given night, there should be at least a 65% chance the Twins are starting their best 9 healthy players... In reality, it's probably 20-30%.
  6. Possumlad
    had to do a quick double-take to make sure I hadn't opened my Canis Hoopus tab :)
  7. Possumlad
    I appreciate the work, but I believe this is a misunderstanding of statistics & averages. The overall results & long-term reversion to the mean would suggest the opposite of what you are. Relative to the rest of the league, better pitching going forward would help the Twins more than better hitting (assuming you can only choose one or the other).
  8. Possumlad
    I'm likely in the (dramatic) minority, but I don't enjoy Provus nearly as much on TV as I did on the radio. He feels a bit stiffer & more forced on TV. Doesn't find the flow as naturally, and not all that organic or natural filling dead space. I enjoy his voice & actual play-by-play calls, but don't really enjoy his other commentary, repartee, or attempts at humor. Less of an issue on the radio, as more of the job is just calling & describing the action. Perk & Plouffe are my choices on the color side, but I enjoy the rotation. Don't mind any of them in doses.
  9. Possumlad
    It's either a bad haircut or a mediocre hairpiece....
  10. Possumlad
    Agree on Keaschall, but Winokur's been a disappointment so far. .686 OPS this year in 138 at bats for FTM.
  11. Possumlad
    Royce Lewis is locked in to 3rd for a long time. He's not moving to the outfield.
  12. Possumlad
    I've been very critical in the past, particularly about Popkins as hitting coach. I was wrong. Not just because the last 6 weeks have been so fun, and we just won our first playoff series in 20 years. But because the combo of this roster & farm system looks poised for a very strong 5+ year run. This FO has earned some very meaningful runway - we have a very appealing combo of vets, controllable young talent, and farm support backing both. Given the strong position we seem to be in, it can't be dumb luck - seems to be the result of the FO's long-term (and as you say, stubborn) plan finally paying off. Bravo.
  13. Possumlad
    It's close to impossible.. per Fangraphs the Yankees have a 1/200 chance to get a WC slot as of today. Not impossible, but...
  14. Possumlad
    I won't keep beating this, but it bounced forward (in the direction of seats), then hot something and bounced up and back. That's the part that cannot happen if it hit the yellow or below.
  15. Possumlad
    Playoff atmosphere in the game = playoff atmosphere in the thread!
  16. Possumlad
    Yes we do, behind the padding are home runs :)
  17. Possumlad
    Lol. The physics of that being a double are literally impossible. Literally and without question. You can say it whatever silly, pedantic, technical way you want. Still impossible.
  18. Possumlad
    Anyone know why Walker Jenkins has played exclusively DH in his 10 games so far?
  19. Possumlad
    Since there's really no other place to put it: rehabbing major leaguers in the minors is one of the dumber MLB traditions; one I hope dies soon. If a player needs to rebuild strength or flexibility after a long lay-off or specific injury, it makes sense. But a straight-forward injury like Royce's is either healed or it isn't. Once he's ready to go, he should be on the big-league field. We're currently wasting about a week of production @ AAA. For no reason whatsoever outside tradition. Can you imagine the Wolves sending Ant or KAT to the G-League for a week of starts coming off an injury? No, because it's idiotic. You're just risking further injury with no discernible upside. If the idea is to test readiness in a game situation - fine, give them one game @ AAA. But once the question is answered, get them out of there.
  20. Possumlad
    I wish I were more optimistic, but Gordon returning all-but-guarantees we'll be starting another well below average player nearly every day. Rocco LOVES overplaying guys like Gordon - the supposed utility/spot guys who end up playing 4 games a week seemingly every single year. Best case scenario is we never see Gordon in a Twins jersey again. Frankly I don't think Rocco can help himself. He loves to get cute with rest, match-ups, and never-ending line-up changes. The net result being that the Nick Gordon's of the world somehow make it in to the line-up nearly every day. Rocco will never let a bench/spot guy be a bench/spot guy - his ego won't allow it.
  21. Possumlad
    I think it's a bit of an odd take. Correa's undoubtedly having a bad year, ranking 16th currently by WAR of only ~20 eligible shortstops. But he's 28 years old and shouldn't be anywhere near past his prime. And he's had "off" seasons before - in 2018, he posted a 101 wRC+ & 3.4 WAR. In the shortened 2020 season, 94 wRC+. Those seasons were sandwiched between very good ones. Last year he was a 4.4 WAR player with a 140 wRC+. He was similar for Houston the year before that. I think it's reasonable to expect (not just hope) that he's somewhere between those extremes going forward. Or at least there's no reason not to expect that (other than frustration & recency bias). I don't have an analytical take on why; just that it would be extremely odd for a player of his caliber to fall off the way he has @ 28. I'd expect him to be at least a well above-average starter at a premium position for the next few seasons.
  22. Possumlad
    I would put good money on no more than one of those players being a better than average MLB regular. And I'd be shocked if it's anyone but Lee. Those other players do exist, and they do play middle infield. Nothing about them is really "nuts."
  23. Possumlad
    Jenkins situation (if it is one?) is odd. I haven't seen mention of any concerns or hangups by any local media - has anyone else? Best guess is he'll sign later tonight or tomorrow, given that no one locally or nationally seems to be talking about it.
  24. Possumlad
    "The game calmed down, entering the usual see-saw to nowhere that many baseball games see for a few innings." I just wanted to say this is a great piece of writing. Very evocative description of a certain mid-game rhythm we all know well. Something about those meandering middle innings reminds me of half-listening to games with my dad on the garage radio, deep in to the middle of a seemingly endless boyhood summer.
  25. Possumlad
    Eh, I don't mind it in Lewis' case - he's now had two significant knee injuries, the most recent playing OF. And he's a good third baseman. In general, sure... you'd hope players were wiling to do whatever's asked of them. But it's not a common problem, and Lewis is a unique case. I understand the desire not to be jerked around - I wouldn't want it either as a number 1.01 pick & top prospect.
×
×
  • Create New...