mikelink45

Any game that has Buxton and Gallo both in the lineup is a mistake. The 2 HRs by Buxton are not enough to erase the impact that he has had on the lineup. But this week has been a good one for getting fans to start believing again. Against poor teams or not this is what was needed. Wallner was 2 for 2 and hitting 308. I will take him over Gallo/Buxton.

Spencer Steer and Christian Encarnacion-Strand, and left-handed pitcher Steve Hajjar for Mahle - that is a bad trade. I agree with all the other ideas too. A lot to choose from. I also agree with Arraez for Lopez looking bad right now, but wait and see (even though I expect things won't change a lot).

These are the victories a first place team needs to have. I am starting to believe in them again. Is that good or bad? Buxton's one game 2 HR barrage was great, but is it an anomaly? I am really curious about his future.

Joe seems to be tiring, his last five games included 4,5,6 runs for the opposition and 3 negative WPAs. Is this something to be concerned about? Date Tm Opp Result App,Dec DR IP H R ER BB SO HR HBP WP IBB PO BK BF Pit Str StL StS GB FB LD PU Unk GmSc IR IS WPA aLI cWPA acLi RE24 2023-07-21 MIN CHW W 9-4 GS-6, W 4 6.0 7 4 4 1 10 2 0 0 0 0 0 26 104 64 13 15 4 7 2 2 0 51.0 0.011 0.57 0.01% 0.60 -0.933 2023-07-16 MIN @ OAK W 5-4 GS-6 6 5.1 5 3 3 3 7 1 1 0 0 0 0 24 91 54 10 14 1 6 4 1 0 50.0 -0.123 1.01 -0.08% 1.03 -1.054 2023-07-09 MIN BAL L 2-15 GS-5, L 5 4.1 5 5 5 2 10 2 1 0 0 0 0 21 98 61 15 14 3 4 1 0 0 41.0 -0.168 0.94 -0.10% 0.93 -1.363 2023-07-03 MIN KCR W 8-4 GS-6 5 6.0 6 2 2 1 9 1 0 0 0 0 0 25 94 62 16 19 3 5 5 2 0 60.0 0.151 1.13 0.08% 1.00 1.088 2023-06-27 MIN @ ATL L 2-6 GS-3, L 4 3.0 9 6 6 0 5 5 0 0 0 0 0 18 82 57 10 9 5 5 2 1 0 22.0 -0.387 0.43 -0.21% 0.39 -4.355

I have no opinion on this. It takes a real inventory of needs and options. We have to have the best available.

Mariners and Twins both playing like 500 teams. Jorge Lopez is just awful, and Pablo is not the ace material we have read about. But the Ks! Buxton and Gallo should not be in the same lineup at any point. Brutal to have these two well paid vets performing so poorly. Let's hope the White Sox are not laying an ambush. They have been playing a lot better.

No. We have waited for Kiriloff to be healthy and right now he and Julien are our consistent bats. Goldschmidt is a great player, but when teams invest in older players because of what they once did they handicap the future. Look at Pujols with the Angels, the Mets, the Yankees with Donaldson (so glad we got rid of him), Miquel Cabrera is a shadow of himself with Detroit. Scherzer and Verlander are not the great pitchers they once were. KC is paying for what Greinke was a few years ago. Pay and play the young and talented. Until he got hurt again - Lewis, Julien, and Kiriloff were the building blocks for the future. Will Correa be worth our investment, is Buxton worthy of his contract or his he a fast Sano? Develop what we have, sign free agents, but don't send prospects.

I was not impressed with the Oakland series, but this series is the kind of ball that inspires. Great overall game in all three facets.

Neither one is critical, but Castro has really shown this year because all the batters that began the year have been so poor. Long term either one works and we have a few in the minors that can step up too. Job security is tough for a utility player.

I suspect there are some as gullible as our FO who will see value in Gallo. I hope so anyway.

I won't complain if they do it, but I would throw Gallo into the potential trade package. We have to start clearing the left handed log jam. Lane worries me since it is his breakout season, or perhaps his peak season and the balloon could bust like it did for Lopez last year. Hernandez has disappointed the Mariners which is why he might be available. Would he also disappoint us? Turner is almost 39 - he is still good and might be the best of the three. But right now the Twins have to figure out who they are. Have we gotten a boost since the All-star break that will continue?

Please no more comments about sending Julien down when Polanco returns. He is doing his best to replace Luis Arraez in the lineup. He and Kiriloff have been great and I hope Wallner gets a chance to catch fire.

And at least they put Gallo and his 3 ks at the bottom of the order.

Matt Wallner I lean towards those most ready for the big leagues - am I to assume Julien has passed the prospect mark? He would have been number 1. Walker Jenkins I can only go by the reports on TD - I do not know the new draftees otherwise, but the comments have really been strong. Brooks Lee Maybe I am reading things wrong in the reports, but he felt like he was ready for the majors last year and this year he feels like he is ready for AAA. Marco Raya I am beginning to believe in him and his potential. David Festa He seems like the pitcher most ready to make the next step. Jose Rodriguez Some hope here. Kala'i Rosario He is coming on. I like the way he is responding. Emmanuel Rodriguez A disappointed year from my perspective. Not as ready as I had hoped. Andrew Cossetti He is making all his ABs count. Yunior Severino Putting together a nice year. Tanner Schobel He has really come together this year and looks like he is ready to move up. CJ Culpepper Good stats and good writeupsBlayne Enlow Maybe he is starting to become what the Twins hoped for at draft time. Cory Lewis I like what he done this year. Zebby Matthews I like the intelligence he has displayedJair Camargo If not for Vazquez signing I would expect him to back up Jeffers next year. Jordan Balazovic I see him doing well in one inning outings, but I am disappointed that he has become that kind of pitcher. Chris Williams At 26, he is starting to look like a backup C in the majorsJorel OrtegaRicardo Olivar I have our number one draft pick, but other draftees have to show something to make me put them on the list. So I expect my list will clash with the rest and I am fine with that - I like a little controversy.

I am not sure - but if Stewart can do what he has been doing he is number one. If Thielbar can retain his excellence he is number two. Lewis is the bat we want. Then it doesn't matter to me. The mgmt is too set on Gallo, Buxton, Kepler for me to dream that others will get a fair chance to make a difference.

I wonder how long we will be posting the sit Buxton, get rid of Kepler and Gallo requests and how long the FO will ignore them? We do not have the bats to handle three under performing key players. Would we really be worse off if Larnach, Wallner, and Julien replaced the three of them?

Buxton is going to continue to be a story until Rocco starts putting him in the lineup in a place where he's going to do less damage. Batting third has meant that we have an automatic out before Kiriloff can get to bat. Gray must have been reading the twins daily debates on whether he should be treated or not. Right now he's pushing his trade value way down. Julien needs to stay in the lineup even when polanco is back.

It depends on how you view the FO - if they can sift through offers and find one that will actually benefit the team it is okay to trade him, but no more give aways. He is a good pitcher, maybe not the Ace we call him. Did the FO try to extend him like they quickly did for Lopez? Do he and Baldelli click behind the short post game conflicts? Test the marker - trade if it is really outstanding. And if not ride it out for the season - this is our Ohtani conundrum.

I am fine with this - but of course it depends on the otherside of the trade. With Kuechel now on the horizon it provides more flexibility. And maybe Varland could find his way again. I do want us to get to the playoffs, but for those convinced that Gray is the Ace - remember his NYY years (2) when he was 15 - 16 4.51 and NY was anxious to get rid of him. We do not know how he will do in the big stage again. So this is a wishy washy response because there are so many factors to consider.

There's nothing to add to this report. It's up to the front office if any adding is going to be done.

MLB has Buxton number 9 among DHs with qualifying ABs. But there are not very many full time DHs most are shared times at DH.

The problem is that our FO values our vets too much. Kepler and Polanco should have been traded when value was high, Keep the lineup fresh. Buxton should have been traded too, but now he like Kep and Polanco has lost his value. I am just so confused by the FO take on the starting 9 bats.

You missed Jim Kaat 1966 25 - 13 2.75 And Mudcat Grand 1965 - 21. - 7 3.30 Camilo Pascual 1963 21 - 7 2.46 Dean Chance 1967 20 - 14 2.73 Scott Erickson 1991 20 - 8 3.18 Dave Goltz 1977 20 - 11 3.36 Gray has to lead us to the WS to rank with Viola. I agree with the comments about Maeda - many pitchers have great half seasons. And I still value wins. In my prime years of fandom the started pitched enough to earn the wins and they count, just like BA - ask Miami what they think about Luis Arraez.

I forgot one stat where the two teams are close - the Twins are first in striking out (as batters) and Oakland is third.

We have won two games, but struggling like this against the A's is not satisfying. Let's hope we just put them away today. In ERA we are 3rd, they are 30th. In WHIP we are 1st - they are 30th! In OPS we are 21 - they are 30. BA - we are 24 - they are 30. HR we are 8 - they are 24. My celebration of a two game winning streak is muted.