mikelink45

What really sticks out to me is how much rookie quality we had this year. Jeffers looks long term at this point (of course Garver did last year), Alcala and Stashak willl continue to be BP arms and just get better. Rooker proved he belongs and Kiriloff had one game to impress - both hasten the talk about shaking up the current OF configuration. And Randy was really the story at the end of last year and first half this year. But I do think scouting caught up with him and he probably does not have a big career ahead of him - he might be the next Hildenberger. I can't wait for Duran, Lewis, Larnach to show up.

I can only support one year. As a really old guy I can tell you that one year can really make a difference and arthritis and joint problems accumulate and get worse.

Go young! The White Sox did and it worked except they did not have the pitching. We have arms - including some young ones.

You got me - I really missed that one. So glad he stepped up since so many dropped in value.

Let's hope the performance continues. We do not know and since so many are discounting the hitters performance because it was 60 games aren't we in the same position with the pitchers? I like the top three and I hope that Duran and Balazovic can move up and into the rotation. Dobnak is number seven if we are really improving. His great story burst the last half of this season and Smeltzer and Thorpe give me no hope. Then there is the BP! Like so many I wish Rocco did not get locked into 5 innings for starters. All that does is wear out your BP. Give me 6/7 innings and a two inning RP and suddenly the BP is rested and we can move to the next one in line for the subsequent game and still have enough so that we can bail out the 4/5 starters with additional arms.

I cannot give in to this angst - they stumbled to the division championship. Everyone said that they had the easiest wildcard opponent. They scored 2 runs total for two games. Sorry we got what we deserved. Everyone played 60 games and some went through covid set backs - like the team you noted - the Marlins. The ASTROS struggled through 60, but woke up in the playoffs. Our bats stumbled through the season with an excellent record and still could not wake up in the playoffs. We got what we deserved. Now lets fix next year.

The Twins season is well reflected here. I would want to combine NL and AL central division since they were combined for the season. But most of all this is why we stumbled to the championship (no we did not win it). Maeda and Cruz saved us. Or BP could not even get one person on the list - and we bragged about them all season.

The playoffs have actually demonstrated that rookies and young pitchers can get you to the top if they are good enough so we have to look hard at the Duran, Balazovic potential.

Good speculation. I really think Kepler would be my number one trade asset too, but how do other teams see him? It is always tough to judge players by their value to others. Looking at the young OFs in the playoffs I have a hard time seeing Kepler as an asset that will bring in a lot. Polanco could, but only if we think that Lewis is ready. Otherwise a bounce back by Polanco makes him really valuable to us and others. Arraez is one of my favorites, someone who gets on base, but his knee has me worried and I suspect would be a worry to others as well. I would consider Sano, but 50% K rate might be hard to sell - if they got a good offer let him go. I might even consider Donaldson if we can get a haul for him. No one seems immune - it just depends upon the offer. But to stand still would not be good.

Good article, but right now I have given up and ready to move on. There are some good prospects that I think have passed both him and Smeltzer on the prospect list for starters.

Sure the team made the playoffs and also made a quick exit, but there are ex-Twins who are now in the league Championship series. I will start with my surprise - Aaron Slegers is a RP for the Tampa Bay Rays. He was in just 11 games, started 1, saved 2. He had a 3.46 era this year and a WAR of 0.5 Then there is Nick Anderson a RP for the Tampa Bay Rays. Drafted by Milwaukee, A free agent sign by the Twins in 2015 and traded for Brian Schales in 2018. He had a 1.1 WAR in the BP with a 2 - 1 record, 0.55 era and a 0./49 whip, Another surprise for me was John Curtiss, 0.8 WAR, 3 - 0, 1.80 era, 0.96 whip. Oliver Drake was also in the BP but was the least effective of the quartet. But still. How can the Twins have three former pitchers in the BP that is considered the best in Baseball? And of course there is Liam Hendiks, closer for the A's who threw a 49 pitch three inning relief appearance and came back the next day to close the game. 1.4 WAR, 3 - 1, 1.78 era, 0.67 WHIP. So how would that fivesome have looked in our BP this year? Then there is Brusdar Graterol who was traded to gain our Ace this year. Still, he is on the Dodgers and still playing. He had 0.2 WAR, 3.09 era, 0.90 WHIP. Ryan Pressly gained us two excellent prospects, but in the BP this year for the ASTROS who are still in it he was their closer. 0.3 WAR, 1 - 3, 3.43 era, 12 saves, 1.333 ERA Oh ya, there is another ex-Twin reliever, the closer for the surprising Miami Marlins - Brandon Kintzler. WAR 1.3, 3 -2, 12 saves, 2.22 era, 1.315 WHIP. That is quite a combination of BP arms Not every ex-Twin was a BP arm Aaron Hicks was back for the Yankees. After an off year he still batted third in the lineup between Judge and Stanton. How would we look with that lineup of arms in our BP? Of course if no one drives in a run nothing matters.

I am more Rosario, less Kepler which means I am out of line with most TD readers and writers, but Max is too hot and cold for me and if he can really bring back assets then Kiriloff and Larnach are fine. I thought he was really disappointing this year.

I am about to commit heresy - I prefer Eddie over Max. In 2019 Eddie had the most RBIs. I know all the crap about RBIs don't mean anything any more. Next I expect to hear that the most runs scored does not determine the game winner. In 2020 Eddie had the most RBIs. Does that mean anything. Yes. In 2019 Rosario had the second most games played - in 2020 he had the most.

That is one of the least inspiring lists of free agents I have seen in years. Only Liam and Treinen and Rosenthal interest me.

How about a combination contract - player coach? Use his approach, attitude and skills to teach others - he is essentially doing that now, but if the contract is structured right he can step out when certain level are not reached and continue to have an impact as a PH and coach?

I am still watching the playoffs and with the Twins out of it I picked two more teams to root for - Miami and Oakland and - well - they are not doing to well so far. But still this is some exciting baseball. The Yankees bats remind us why we did not want to play them, but their 18 strikeouts remind me of why the HR or nothing is either lethal or a bomb (a negative bomba). So Tampa Bay is 1 - 1 and of course I am cheering for Tampa Bay. And Nick Anderson (we traded him for Brian Schales in one of the teams great moves in 2018) looks amazing, he was part of the group that struck out 18 Yankees. Jason Stark wrote, "There’s Giancarlo’s 118-mph rocket Tuesday and, well, that’s it. In fact, there have only been four postseason shots at even 116 mph or harder:" Rays 7 - 5. Series tied at 1 - 1 Which points out my reaction to all this statcast nonsense - who cares - it is still one run and the Yankees lost. A little perspective from Jason Stark, "“I know they just swept Cleveland, but half of those games were started by Gerrit Cole,” the exec said, on the eve of this Division Series. “But now, with no more off days, in a five-game series, the most he can start is 40 percent of the games if it even goes five. And in a seven-game series, he can only start 28 percent. So you don’t judge that team by how they look when he starts. It’s the risk of being forced to expose the depth of their rotation in those other games that’s a better way to measure them.”" From Jason Stark: COLE’S LAST 3 STARTS* Yankees record: 3-0, outscoring opponents, 33-7 Cole’s record: 3-0, 2.70 ERA and a bunch of other awesome numbers LAST 10 EVERYONE ELSE STARTS GAMES* Yankees record: 2-8, outscored by opponents, 76-42 Yankees pitching in those games: 86 IP, 106 H, 76 R, 71 ER, 7.43 ERA, 1.65 WHIP Miami had HRs but no one on and that cost them as they lost to the Braves. I must admit my prejudice - I hate the Braves ever since they left Milwaukee for Atlanta- some things never go away. But the Braves came back and Ozzie Albies made two spectacular defensive plays at 2B reminding me of how important defense is. Braves 9 - 5. The Oakland A's are down 2 - 0. One more game and they are eliminated. Who are they playing - the ASTROS! If the ASTROS win they will be one series from the WS. All season the league had their collective foot on their throat until the playoffs. George Springer is looking amazing and so is their SP. Imagine if we had gone into the post season without Maeda and Berrios? That would have been equivalent to the ASTROS lost pitching, but they haven't cared. They have a mission. Can they be stopped? ASTROS 5 - 2. Dodgers whipped the Padres. I would like to root for the Padres, but LA just looks too strong. The lesson in this one is how much small ball is needed. Without HRs LA came up with a big 4 run inning on the strength of good hitting and baserunners. I loved it. Clutch hitting, not swinging for the fences, not Ks, just station to station, good baserunning, good bats. By the way, like Houston, the Padres lost their top two pitchers - Clevinger and Dinelson for the previous series and now this one. To win without your best pitchers seems almost impossible. The Dodgers used their third game projected starter in relief of Buehler like Houston did against the Twins and got an amazing performance. I know that people say the Twins could not win no matter who pitched when the batters only scored one run, but we did not use Odorizzi and who knows we might still be playing those 1 - 1 games. The winning teams show no hesitation to do anything they deem essential to winning. Dodgers won 5 - 1 and lead the series 1 - 0. So my lessons (yes good pitching is essential, but not on my list): Big Ks kill the innings Small ball still wins games Fielding is essential and can make the difference. Use everyone - including your extra starters to keep your team in the game. It does not matter how hard a ball is hit, a HR is still one run, and if it is caught it only stings a little while. Nothing Earth shaking here, just a reminder of fundamental baseball. The games continued - The Braves (I Still hate them) won game two and lead 2 - 0. Two things came out of this game - great pitchers do count. Miami 3 hits and Atlanta 4. And this is where HRs do count. If two of your four hits are HRs you win even though they are solo HRs. ESPN says, "The Braves have won this postseason when they've hit, just as they did during the regular season. They've also won when they haven't, and that's a scary proposition for any team that looms in the Braves' path." Braves 2 - 0 Oakland came alive thanks to our old MN Twin - Liam Hendriks who pitched 3 innings to close out a 9 - 7 win. The series is still going - tied 1 - 1. Can we count this as a Twins victory? ESPN said, "An A's team that entered Wednesday 1-29 when trailing by at least three runs after the sixth inning in postseason games came back to beat the Astros and save their season under that very scenario -- and now is when things get interesting. The A's used their closer, Liam Hendriks, to record the final nine outs of Game 3 and lost second baseman Tommy La Stella after he took a fastball near his right elbow." Ramon "Laureano assembled the entire squad after returning to the dugout at the conclusion of the sixth inning and delivered a fiery speech. The message clearly lit something inside of the players." Liam Hendriks said afterward that he felt the energy so emotions do count something the Twins seemed to lack this year. Still ASTROS 2 - 1 lead. Jason Stark adds, "Astros’ fearsome fivesome of Carlos Correa, George Springer, José Altuve, Alex Bregman and Yuli Gurriel." "These five men have now played 50 postseason games together — yes, 50!" Thank you Tampa Bay - the Yankees lost again 8 - 4. Ancient old Charlie Morton took the mound, three Tampa Bay players hit HRs and the Yankees Stanton continues to impress with distance, power and HRs - five games in a row, but it takes more than one player to succeed. Now Tampa Bay 2 - Yankees 1. Kevin Kiermaier, “We sit here and talk about never depending on one person each and every night. We have our guys, don’t get me wrong, but you just never know who’s going to be the hero and who’s going to step up with the big strikeout, the big hit, the big defensive play, and we showed that tonight.” The Rays now have eight different players with a home run. Tampa Bay now 2 - 1 The Dodgers beat the Padres again. One of their stars came through with bat and glove. MLB network said, "Cody Bellinger, after slugging a home run in the fourth inning, robbed Fernando Tatis Jr. of a two-run go-ahead homer in the seventh inning." By the way the pitcher on the mound who had a hit batsman, and a balk was Brusdar Graterol who was saved by Bellinger's hit. He threw both his hat and glove in the air in celebration. And just when the Twins thought that a SB was old school and not worth doing "The Dodgers added a critical pair of runs in the seventh around a double steal by Betts and Corey Seager" Dodgers 2 - 0 One tidbit from the losing team in this game which was, perhaps, the best game in the Post Season, Rosenthal reports, "Tommy Pham told his new Padres teammates in spring training that his previous club, the Rays, knew exactly how to pitch them when the teams met last season – throw strike one, then expand the zone and watch the San Diego hitters chase." Plate discipline is always important. Braves 2 Marlins 0. Pitching is still key - especially starters. The Marlins may see their Cinderella season ending but they can be proud. The Braves won on two solo HRs because their rookie Ian Anderson was sensational. How do the Braves and Indians keep producing these pitching phenoms? "The Braves have allowed a run in just three of the 40 innings they played this postseason." mlb.com The series is now 2 - 0 Atlanta. 6. Another lesson - a SB or two can make a difference. 7. Tampa Bay is teaching that it takes an entire team, not just an individual to win. 8. Emotions do count. They do not win the game, but they put energy back into it. 9. Plate discipline is essential when you are facing the best teams and pitchers it is even more important. ASTROS win. Can this be true. Is this Karma. Were the Twins caught in a cosmic vortex that they had no chance to defeat? "The Astros bashed four more homers into the Dodger Stadium jet stream on Thursday afternoon, including two by Michael Brantley, and stunned the A’s in an 11-6 victory to advance to the AL Championship Series for the fourth year in a row." mlb.com I would say the take away from this for the Twins is that it is okay to score in October or the end of September. If you are going to be a bomba squad during the year, hit bombas in the playoffs. ASTROS 3 - A's 1. Does this make the Twins feel better? I hope not, at least the A's won one and scored runs. The Braves beat the Miami Marlins in three straight and they did it by not allowing any runs, in any game, in the entire series! "Atlanta joined the 1905 New York Giants as just the second team to shut out the opposition in four of its first five games of a single postseason." mlb.com Now I am really in a bind. I hate Atlanta and I do not like the Dodgers so please Padres - help me out. By the way Jason Stark says, "19 is how many years it’s been since the Atlanta Braves last played in an NLCS" Well the Dodgers did it. They beat the most exciting team in the playoffs 3 - 0 with a 12 - 3 thrashing in the final game of the sweep. This series had game two excitement and even saw the playoff flop - Kershaw win a game. “We did what we wanted to do, we did what we were supposed to do,” said outfielder AJ Pollock. “We’re going to celebrate that, but we expect." MLB.com wrote, "The Dodgers reminded the Padres in three victories that they can play long ball and small ball and pass the baton while exploiting matchups." And Twins take note - 8 Dodgers reached base. Seven of those runners scored and six players drove in runs. The Dodgers have pitching and power, everyone knows that. They can also field well and they run the bases with an abandon that shakes up the other team fielders and pitchers - another note for the Twins. Then there is the one series that is still in play. The Tampa Bay Rays took their foot off the Yankee throat and now the Yankees have their swagger back with one last game for the series. Winning 5 - 1 the Yankees looked like their old selves - scary. Voit and Torres homered, DJ LeMahieu did what he always seems to do - get on base, and catcher Higashioka is hitting 364 for the series and I never heard of him before. Wow does he look good. And Gardner is the hard nosed competitor that always rises in the playoffs. He had two hits. Montgomery who has not looked good to end the season did four innings with only one run and then the BP reminded us of why they have been so fearsome in the past. Series tied 2 - 2. Come on Rays! Way to go Rays. 2 - 1 win and a 3 - 2 series. The Yankees are gone - so long NY. At least the Twins can appreciate this. I will add to this with todays games - so check in again if you are interested.

I continue to monitor the games - see my blog on the wild card results - and it is apparent that small ball still works. It is also fun to see pitchers go 7 or more innings at the start of the game. I am being redundant, but it is obvious to me that this team lacks spirit - the Puckett affect - and I am seeing other teams' players excited, angry, emotional and I love it. One last note as my blog illuminates - there are no central division teams left, Not one, not NL, not AL. Our division stunk and we were handed the division championship, we backed into it.

I am reluctant to see Cruz continuing his production and hope they do not over spend based on last year and most of this year. I would like to see Larnach and Kiriloff surrounding Buxton and Rooker alternating at 1B and DH. I would like Lewis and Blankenhorn on the team and Duran in the rotation. Yes I like bringing in the young guys like many of the teams still in the playoffs have done.