mikelink45

Some really interesting notes. I looked up Steer who has 0.3WAR as the number three hitter in the major league lineup and Christian Encarnacion-Strand who is hitting 341 in the minors. Even if our lineup is full, this is a trade we lost. But I liked the idea that we took a chance and sometimes that does not work, but it also means we don't have to stop taking that chance. Jax has been brutal, but other than Balazovic I do not see a solution. The Orioles are laughing since they have Yennier Cano and his 1.9 WAR and no runs allowed in 15 games.

Vasquez has the benefit of a new three year contract. He will be around and he will be starting a lot of games.

Kiriloff has looked great and might be a major part of the offensive puzzle, but for the team this guy threw batting practice. I need to see some more 4 and 5 run games. We have had 25 of the 40 games with 4 or less runs - 4 shutouts, 3 one run, 7 2 run, 5 3run and 8 four runs. I have to join the chorus on Buxton - rest a DH? My real question is - does he take batting practice before sitting down for the game?

I hope Aaron Sanchez is not the next arm up. He has not looked like a SP this year. Larnach has looked better since getting called up. I hope Miranda comes alive in AAA too.

SWR has lost his next man up status for me and his prospect rank is too high. Other Rookie and A+ he has consistently had a +4 era. Time to think about who is next now that Varland and Ober are in the Twins rotation (to stay - I hope). Sanchez, Dobnak and Headrick are all over 5 era so far this year in AAA. Is Balazovic for real this year? The way that the Twins players seem to get well in St Paul has me wondering if their hitting coach should be in Minneapolis.

The discussion I hear is that the league is worried about pitcher dominance. Just like Bob Gibson's assault from the mound that caused the entire league to lower the mount height, they are now talking about having pitcher throw from a hole in the middle of the diamond. Keep the storyline going, MLB will find a way to screw it up and thanks Archibald.

That depends on the sequence of events related to the Reds if we were not after Mahle.. With him you might be right.

We have used two players to fill one position. Taylor and Buxton are joined at the Twins hips and that removes the flexibility and production that could have been with Buxton healthy. If he is healthy why is he still just DH?

Move on. We have a lot of lessons to learn about players that cannot be on the field. Would Steer now be at 3B?

Keep going - what is Gallo?

Another enjoyable game and that is what we as fans want and need. No nitpicking today.

Nice win. But I will not conclude that Farmer is going to be a long term replacement for Miranda. I believe I heard that Gallo is now 1 for his last 30! I listened to a NY broadcaster this morning who says the Mets were really lucky to have their contract with Correa voided and that Carlos would hear a lot more boos if he was in NY. Lopez was great last night. Brock Stewart is a good story, but I hope we do not put too much expectation on him.

Yes move on - if they are not going to replace the manager and bench coach someone has to take the fall and Popkins looks like the right guy. I know it is against Minnesota Nice, but sometimes evaluations need to be made and why is it worse to cut him than the batters he has failed like Larnach and Miranda?

They did it -

You could be right, but I am still ready to give him another week or two.

With Gallo, Correa, Castro, Solano, Vasquez all slumping - I do not think Miranda is their biggest problem. Play the young man and give him a good batting coach.

Joey Gallo is hitting 189 now after a 1 - 26 streak. I know people will point to his OPS, but that was due to an early season success. Our Pinch Hitter WIlli Castro is batting 190. Max Kepler is batting 213

Lots of notes about adding Helman to the major league roster - I think that would be fine and I would want Julien too now that he has heated up. Castro and Solano can be the cuts.

To my knowledge he is not signed beyond 23.

I thought that about Maeda too. With his injury history and lack of pitching he is just another name for me and I have no expectations - just hope.

The comments capture the malaise that has swept over the Twins fans. Lopez has been good - not great and we have extended him which is wise, but he has 0.7WAR, 2.77 era and has slumped like the bats since his hot start. Meanwhile we need a bat like Luis Arraez - 2 WAR, 414/469/509/978. Where do we find it? Is Julien heating up enough to step in the majors and do something? Farmer coming back gives us some options and luckily Miranda still has some minor league options, but Farmer is not the bat that will make a difference. Kiriloff has to go on a tear, make up for the last two years and be the star that he has been projected to be.. Correa looks like a spring time underachiever - two years in a row. Not go for our rich star. The Polanco effect has worn off. Gallo has gone back to what he was, Vasquez too has returned to norm. Solano has less than zero glove value and his bat is not holding up - Lee and Lewis need to prosper and he needs to be gone. That is a lot of failure and we thought we had one of our best rosters. ' Now we have to wait to see what the BP is going to be like with Thielbar out, Winder sent down. With the only above 500 record in the Central we should hold on for another week. But what is happening in Detroit? Second place. We had a week losing in the division. We are also the only team in the division with a positive run differential despite our batting frustrations. We are 10 - 6 in our division (5-2 vs KC). Which means we are 9 - 10 versus the other divisions. I was hoping we would be more than a weak division leader this year and still hope that happens. We are 12th overall in the total MLB standings. 7th in overall AL standings (at least we are 1/2 game ahead of the Yankees). And, other than the pathetic A's who are the bottom four teams - yes the AL Central teams. Finally we are 30th in team BA - 220. 29th in SB. 29th in OBP. 21st in slugging. 9th in HR. station to station one commentor stated. The stats bear him out.

I wish I had a good answer - those numbers are not impressive to me. They came early in the season and he is not a consistent and reliable bat. But the problem is that Wallner might not even match Gallo - too many ks in majors and minors, but I would love to see him straighten out. Larnach was a big disappointment this year and I do not know what his future is. Urbina has not produced, Rodriguez is back, but is his bat? So for now I will not be a Gallo fan, but both he and Kepler are safe because no one is going to push them out.

The top 20 has very few who look like they are moving up. The stats and stories are pretty disappointing. Lee, Julien, Enlow, and Varland are the ones that look good. Now for some returning prospects to shine would be a good result for the next few weeks.

Nice reflection. I join those who think Gray should be signed. Maeda should be BP when he comes back. Mahle will collect two years of money and barely see the mound. Varland is a number 5. I hope he sticks, but so far I am not ready to commit to him long term.

You are right - he only struck out 1, but is still 0 for his last 23 and is not batting 186. His fast start gave him a cushion. But you have a long and arduous struggle to give me a positive on Gallo. The last 15 games = 116.283.349 https://www.mlb.com/player/joey-gallo-608336 Buxton has a better OBP, but comparing Gallo and Buxton is just not something I would want to do. Sorry, glad you have his back, but Gallo will never be a player I like.