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mikelink45

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Everything posted by mikelink45

  1. mikelink45
    At this point he is our number one catcher - who could have predicted that or for that matter Jeffers decline.
  2. mikelink45
    I hope you are right
  3. mikelink45
    If we had a fully functioning BP we could DFA him, but we don't. We have a lot of guys that can look good for a week or two and that is all. The promotion of Alcala back to the pen could be the excuse for an IL stint. I do not look for Duffey to be here next year. If we cut bait with Rogers I cannot see a reason to be sentimental with Duffey. Someone will pick him up and he will be fine, but we need more quality and dependability.
  4. mikelink45
    Wally Pipp is a name that comes up whenever a player loses his position because of injury. Right now, Celestino, Kepler, Larnach, Garlick, Gordon, and occasionally Buxton make a good OF and Miranda and Arraez are good at 1B. DH is the only place I see for him right now unless he replaces the two I list at 1B and they DH. I have looked forward to Lewis and Kirilloff for a long time. I love the team we have now, but it is disappointing that the two of them are not on it.
  5. mikelink45
    Nice thought provoking article. Buxton since his opening weeks had been a negative. Half of Buxton's value is in the field, not DH. And when his bat is not working DH is a negative. I hate to see him out again, but right now he is not contributing and a random day off is not working. I do not know the answer, but I agree with your evaluations of Gordon, Celestino, Larnach and Garlick. Not sure where Kiriloff plays - 1B was his until Miranda and Arraez took over. DH is more open since Sanchez looks to become the regular C. But none of those moves helps get the potential Buxton magic replaced.
  6. mikelink45
    As usual you write a good review that keeps balance and perspective on the Twins week. Alcala is the most important returnee - Duffey just cannot be trusted. I was thinking of writing a forum asking who do you trust? In the BP, Duran is the man, and no one else looks that dependable. I know Hamilton has a nice game, but he was cut by Philadelphia and their BP has been a disaster. Alcala could be the number two man in the pen very early. Smith has come back to Earth, Jax looks good, but has the potential to blow up too. And Rocco continues to pull starters early and leave RP in too long - it is confusing. Bundy and Archer are not the answers, Winder looked great, but his injuries are a bad sign, two years in a row. Ober should be a 4 or 5, not a 3. Smeltzer is like one of those old time western heroes riding in to save the day. Can he keep it up? Your essay creates lots of reflection (such as Jeffers potential and future).
  7. mikelink45
    You nailed it! All good questions and they cover all but one of my questions - with a five run lead and another big series coming up I did not see the wisdom, at the time, for putting Duran in. I would have saved him for the Yankees.
  8. mikelink45
    Luis Arraez 1.5 WAR - BR has beeen the spark plug of the lineup. At this point he is my MVP - versatility and bat have really shown this year. Duran with a 0.9 WAR as a RP is great - so I expand your 4 to 6. Nice to see Larnach doing so well that we have a problem with where to put Kirilloff.
  9. mikelink45
    What a game - I have to admit I root for Berrios. But that does not mean I wanted our team to stink. How about a trade - Archer and Bundy for Berrios? Never mind. I like the way Miranda is swinging the bat. So much for the positives. On to the next game.
  10. mikelink45
    A nice change of pace- fun game, maybe they found the Canadian Air to be refreshing and invigorating after Detroit. I hope it is the beginning of a Bryon streak. And who is Garlick? He really seems to be locked in. Miranda is about to pay back the team for sticking with him and if Urshela is hurt he's got 3B with Arraez back at 1B. Go Twins, eh!
  11. mikelink45
    Reinforcements are on their way to replace the next wave of injuries, but nothing erases the Emilio Pagan experiment. If I am reading this right - we do not worry because - the other teams stink. It is not that we rise, but that the others all sink and those we are fine. And then there is the third wild card - also known as the sacrificial lamb. Nice try - I might have pointed out that Arraez is back to controlling the batters box, that Miranda has learned some of his AAA tricks, that Palacios can catch a ball hit to short, that Larnach seems to be set for a long future (if he is not back to a slump at the moment); that Smeltzer has arisen and actually looks quite good, and Byron Buxton got a hit again.
  12. mikelink45
    Isn't it fun to pile on? Well written and inspiring. Just think what we could do with another good BP piece (Alcala?) and a rotation of more than three? Should we take the Ship of Theseus question to the end point of Twins history then the Twins stopped being the Twins with their first cut or trade in 1961. But perhaps the Phoenix is our Greek philosophy - we go to the cellar, but we reappear on top of the ashes again and again.
  13. mikelink45
    This is a frightening time of year. The last week against Detroit and KC we could have sewn everything up, but this is the MN Twins so the roller coaster keeps going.
  14. mikelink45
    His ability has to be another set back for Kirilloff. Poor Alex has had multiple injuries and missed time which has allowed Larnach to move ahead of him. Now the OF has Kepler, Larnach, Celestino, Buxton and Gordon when needed. Where does Alex play? First base is Arraez and Miranda. Kiriloff is the odd man out and I do not see Larnach regressing.
  15. mikelink45
    Who is the next to be promoted? I asked the same in the reliever post. I know we are shuffling through arms and I hate it when we go to the bargain bin - so who can be moved up to Minneapolis as the needs arise?
  16. mikelink45
    Who comes up next? You have done a nice summary, but many are in too low levels. Who do you predict is the next one to wear a Twins uniform?
  17. mikelink45
    I prefer Winder in the rotation and Archer long relief.
  18. mikelink45
    I am okay with one series, but I do not want to see a trend. With our depleted lineup we have to win against these teams.
  19. mikelink45
    Balazovic is my disappointment of the year so far. I really want him to succeed. I have not been on the Martin Band wagon and would drop him a few places until he can establish a position.
  20. mikelink45
    I was struck by how many times a team splits a DH no matter the opposition. This answer is a little old, but I think still is valid. What it does not tell us is how often a team wins when it becomes listless or when the manager benches two of his hottest bats: "How often does a team win both games of a doubleheader? For the length of this study, out of 357 doubleheaders, 45% have been splits, 32% have been home sweeps, and 23% have been away sweeps.Jul 7, 2016" This was a pathetic game. we are 4 - 5 against KC and Det in the last nine games. Has anyone told the team we are in first place and they are in last? So what is our rotation now? Who starts? With this BP I do not want a BP game. But Ober, Smeltzer, Bundy, Archer...does not seem like a championship rotation. I am concerned.
  21. mikelink45
    I would have chosen Smeltzer because he has come out of nowhere to give us something that no one expected. I remember the Thorpe, Dobnak, Smeltzer group when they first came up. Thorpe got many auditions until he flopped, Dobnak was signed, given security and was a good story, but in the end fell short (I think). And Smeltzer was the feel good story, but then the Twins did not even think to keep him on the 40. Now he is behind Gray and Ryan as a dependable arm. Of course Gray is the logical choice so I cannot argue against him. The four pitchers on the list are the heart of the pitching staff right now.
  22. mikelink45
    I am concerned about Balazovic - I was hoping he would be pushing to get to Mpls, but his outing have not promising at all 8.82 era, 1.42 Whip. Please explain this to me. What a lineup in St Paul. Why are the three players St Paul needed riding in a taxi squad? What is that all about? Well the Mussels look really good and St Paul still won in a blow out with so many things stacked against them.
  23. mikelink45
    And you can guarantee that?
  24. mikelink45
    since my recent post regarding covid was pulled I do not think I can comment
  25. mikelink45
    How About Ryan Pressly - .2WAR 1 -1 2.45, 8 SV Or Liam Hendricks .5 WAR 1 - 2 3.32, 14 SV or Brusdar Graterol .2 WAR 1 - 2 3.20 Put them with Rogers and our BP could look pretty good!
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