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Dman

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Everything posted by Dman

  1. Dman
    Nice analysis! If that is the case then this signing looks somewhat better.
  2. Dman
    Man I had wanted the Twins to draft Jackson that year and they passed on him for Gordon I believe. I felt Nola didn't have the needed velocity to be good at the MLB level (lol). Turner was the player I had my super draft crush on but was told by most of this board that with no power and being injury prone he shouldn't go top 5. I guess the industry felt the same as he was picked outside the top 10 (#13). It just goes to show we don't really know how guys are going to develop at the professional level. Given the numbers Jackson has put up I'm not a big believer. Still it is nice to have a good defensive backstop to control the running game, steal strikes and keep balls from getting away. Hopefully the bat gets better and the Twins find a diamond in the rough catcher they can keep on the cheap for the next three years.
  3. Dman
    I always seem to lean negative on these types of signings only to have to eat crow later. I was vehemently against the Santana signing when they made it and he had a solid year at the plate and won a gold glove then went on to earn real money the next year. I thought Bader was kind of washed up offensively when the Twins signed him and he ended with a near .800 OPS and great defense. So I was wrong again. The France signing doesn't rise to the level we are talking about since he only signed for 1M, but he won a gold glove and while a .680 OPS isn't great, Toronto felt he was valuable enough to stick on their playoff roster. Bell might be a long shot, but the Twins have done fairly well with these types of signings. So I am going to wait and see this time. Maybe this is the year their luck on bounce backs runs out. Hard to say. Bell is just one of many of things that have to go right for this team to be in the hunt. Hopefully things go well.
  4. Dman
    I think this is pretty much how I feel about the situation. The other side of this coin though is how much more bad baseball can fans take and not lose almost complete interest in the team? It's tough to watch a bad team all season. I checked out early in 2025 until they went on that winning streak and I'm a pretty big fan of the team. It's a fine line between competing and being in it and just completely out of it with little to hope for your team. In the end I think I agree with what the Owners\FO are doing. Keeping some core players and seeing what area's of the team improve or don't improve. They can still get good returns at the deadline if this whole thing falls in on them. If they look like a team on the rise then why not keep guys around that can give you a better chance? if winning is in the cards then at the very least they should be able to get comp picks for Ryan and Lopez in the end. I can see it both ways, but prefer having a shot at being good this year.
  5. Dman
    That's certainly one way to do it. Granted Lee probably needs more time, but his bat has been a bit of black hole and short is about the only way it plays right now IMO. I don't think moving him to second solves much. Lee's bat was supposed to carry him and so far it hasn't. if he doesn't improve I don't see how they can roster him and his .650 OPS. If you put Keaschal in left what are you doing with Martin? He was a great onbase bat with speed to steal bases and his defense improved in left as well. Granted Keaschal is better in most every way as a hitter, but I am not sure his weak arm plays all that great in Left. Would rather have a weaker armed player at second. Moving Keaschal to left also causes a log jam for the outfield with Outman, Roden, Martin and Wallner. Not to mention hopefully soon in 2026 Rodriguez and Gonzalez and with any luck maybe even Jenkins. I just don't see a better fit for Keaschal than 2nd base. If you are doing this just for a solution to play Lee my recommendation would be to eliminate him from the infield altogether since his bat appears to be the weakest of any other infield player and he hasn't looked that great at 2nd base to me and third is Lewis's, Just take out the .650 OPS guy or use him as your utility guy and keep Keaschal at second. I think that works best.
  6. Dman
    Don't completely disagree, but some of those should fall out as they grab more free agents.
  7. Dman
    Yeah but those players aren't on the 40 man.
  8. Dman
    Twins have been pretty big on Alabama guys, add in great makeup and its hard to see them passing on Lebron if he is there. I agree the K rate is a bit concerning but it feels like Culpepper got dinged as a chaser and seemed to turn that corner fairly quickly. Still something to watch this year. He really looks like he could be a five tool player which is hard to find. I've been a bit low on Buress I guess mainly because of his size, but the pop is there. My other question is would he be a plus defender in center? I'll have to look at him closer as he is high on most lists. I kind of have a thing for Strosnider. Wondering if the Twins would make a deal to save money and grab him. He could be five tool as well if his hit tool can advance a bit more. Surprised no Lombard in this list as I think if his hit tool improves with less chase Tampa might take him at number 2. Bottom line the Twins could really use a center fielder with plus or plus, plus defense. I know that is hard to find and am not sure if Burress or Strosnider fit the bill. We'll know more this spring, but I already like a lot players for pick number 3.
  9. Dman
    But when you make a Rule V pick he is stuck on the 26 man until at least the start of the season taking up a spot that could be used for another free agent signing or waiver claim. If you return them then what was the point or advantage of taking them in the first place? They simply kept another 40 man spot from opening for other talent. The odds of Rule V's working out is very low mainly because they have no MLB experience and it is tough to break in at that level. I agree with you on doing a Jackson like signing later rather than sooner. I guess maybe sometimes you have to decide to make a deal early or lose out? Not sure why they wanted Jackson early or at all. In my mind he sort of was their Rule V pick. I also agree that Susac is a decent upside play, but with no ability to move him up and down he could end up a liability for the team if he can't perform at that level. I don't know enough about his defense to know if that can carry him as it seems highly unlikely his offense will. Obviously the Giants felt there was competition for him or they wouldn't have traded with the Twins. Given what we experienced with Vasquez I'd say he could stick. We'll see how it turns out. I don't disagree on bringing in competition for first base, but relying on bats from Rule V that would be inexperienced at the MLB level doesn't seem like a smart play. I think this draft points that out as only one position player was taken (Susac). It's just not something teams do as the odds of it working out are too low IMO.
  10. Dman
    While they never report the amount of cash in these minor type trades I would bet you that the Giants had to at minimum cover the 100K fee for the pick. I don't see the Twins willing to spend any money to buy a player that has significant bust potential just to help the Giants get Susak. It wouldn't be worth it to a money conscious team like the Twins. They would have just passed altogether if they had to pay anything. If I had to guess they got together with their international scouts. Picked out a few guys they liked and when the Giants said yes to someone they thought had potential it was a done deal or the Gioants offered several players and let the Twins pick the one they liked best. It is interesting to me that they chose a catcher and not an arm, but maybe this is as much as SF was willing to offer? Hard to say. At any rate it's hard to fault them for getting something in return if they weren't going to pick a Rule V player at all. I agree Posey see's something in Susac or they wouldn't have made absolutely sure they got him. Still it is so hard to hit at the MLB level and his bat hasn't been super strong. I assume they are counting on him playing solid defense and if his bat ever does hit then they got a steal. If not they lose very little for taking a chance. If Minnesota hadn't tied themselves to Jackson I would have been fine if they had picked Susac, but having two players that might be weak links at the catcher position that couldn't be moved on the 26 man didn't make sense. I might be in the minority but am kind of glad they didn't get anybody in Rule V as those players are stuck on the 26 man and clog things up. Would rather they have the flexibility to move the young arms they have up and down without worrying about a Rule V player. I think the Twins did OK even if the catcher doesn't work out at least they tried and if they do somehow hit lotto jackpot then they will have made the team stronger.
  11. Dman
    Yeah gotta love that pick, lol. It does look like they are short on outfield Depth at AA and I guess this is the best they could find? Stat line is pretty bad though. Well it's an extra body and they can hope for some improvement I guess. Given those stats I think I would have just promoted someone early or looked harder at AA free agents. Oh well no big deal, but I did have your same reaction.
  12. Dman
    I'd say odds are the Twins will get some money back as well. I doubt they would pay the pick fee to just get the lotto ticket unless this guy ahs more potential than I think at this point.
  13. Dman
    I assume they traded him for money. Didn't they do that with San Diego a few years back? My bad it was cash and another Rule V pick. In December 2016, the Minnesota Twins used their #1 overall Rule 5 Draft pick to select RHP Miguel Diaz from the Brewers, then immediately traded him to the San Diego Padres for RHP Justin Haley (also a Rule 5 pick) and cash or a player to be named later, completing a complex multi-team deal where the Padres acquired Diaz and another prospect (Luis Torrens) for Haley, ultimately getting the top prospects they wanted for cash. The Twins got a player (Haley) and cash, while the Padres got two promising young players (Diaz & Torrens)
  14. Dman
    It seems to me most RuleV trades simply involve money. Similar to teams who trade for marginal players during the season for money. I don't think any player will be involved in this trade.
  15. Dman
    No Twins picked in Rule V draft as predicted by most of the board. Just shows how hard it is to carry those picks all year unless things work out extremely well. Only 13 picks made this year.
  16. Dman
    Was going to write the following until traded: "Susac is a decent pick given the Twins struggle to develop catchers. Still I didn't see that pick coming since they just traded for Jackson and while Pereda isn't anything special he;s still on the 40 man. They still have Gasper as well. So four catchers right now. The odds of him sticking seem slim IMO, but given the offense the Twins got from Vasquez last year maybe they can if his defense is decent. Unless they trade Jeffers they would have to carry three catchers this year which also seems unlikely. Will be interesting to see what happens. Personally out of anyone they could have picked I think I liked Susac the best. Hopefully he is worth keeping." I guess that explains the pick. Twins were more interested in money than the pick.
  17. Dman
    I wrote earlier that I didn't see the Twins adding anyone in Rule V. Since they protected Rojas, Prielipp, Morris and Klein that is already a slew of young arms on the 40 man to try and work in this year. That doesn't even include the relatively young and newly added Matthews, Festa, Abel, Adams, Ohl and Raya. I don't think they need some Rule V arm they can't move up and down in the way of all those arms that need chances as it is. I agree Culpepper seems the most likely to be taken. They likely had to choose between Culpepper and Klein and given Culpepper has been injured each year he has been a pro and seems most likely a reliever. It seems Klein who has thrown more innings and projects better as a potential starter won that contest. I still think Klein will be a reliever in the end as his deep fly ball tendencies likely won't work out as well at the MLB level, but we'll see. Personally I think there are better arms available in Rule V than Culpepper, but his four pitch mix, decent control and velocity have him as the most likely to be taken IMO. Whether he sticks if taken is hard to say. Oliveros could be taken, but being only at high A with control issues it seems unlikely that works out well. When I went to watch him in Beloit he couldn't throw strikes and when he did they were solid hits and he didn't make it out of the first inning. He wouldn't be my Rule V pick, but he is young and throws a good fastball. Maybe Colorado? It is just too hard to keep a position player on the 26 man unless they have elite defense or Speed. Rosario doesn't have what teams would be looking for IMO. While Fedko does have some very good traits his age and the fact he likely is a 4th outfielder make him a bit of a burden as a Rule V pick. I don't see him getting taken mainly because of his age and diminished upside. We'll see what other teams think, but I believe several on this board that mentioned the Twins were unlikely to have anyone picked will be right.
  18. Dman
    They generally have gone High school I believe, but their main thing is they seem to shoot for the highest upside. So I could see them sticking with Emerson and if Lombard looks better at the plate I could see them grabbing him as a potential 5 tool talent. I do wonder if they might want to fast track at shortstop since they picked Daniel Pierce (HS SS) in the last draft. If that is the case I could see them taking Lebron who also could be a 5 tool player if he can manage his chase rate. He has good power so could move pretty fast. Personally I think they go with Lebron, but Emerson is enticing at 6'2" 180 as a 17 year old. He could be a monster player as well. It's gonna be tough to move off those top 4 shortstops IMO, but we'll see how they have performed closer to the draft. Maybe an arm works their way in there. Still if all those shortstops perform I think they all could be the top pick in this and lot's of other drafts. Twins are in almost the opposite position of Tampa as they could easily go with a HS player having taken two college shortstops the last two drafts. Still hard to say what the Twins will want to do. How they see their future.
  19. Dman
    Sorry yeah I got off topic as well. Will shut up now. There should be good talent at number 3. Will they try and deal for more money or go BPA. Should be interesting now that they are top 3.
  20. Dman
    Would you say the Twins are a bullpen arm away from the World series right now? Would you say it easier to find an elite starting pitcher than a reliever? Or an elite position player than elite reliever? Would you rather have Griffen Jax this year and a 4.23 ERA or Danny Coulombe and 2.30 ERA. Relievers that don't cost that much are found every year. Much harder at other spots. Twins can't afford 20M dollar relievers does that mean they have no chance at WS title?
  21. Dman
    They didn't have too, but given all the speculation and before the Correa trade it seemed very likely they would move at least one of them. To both reduce salary and trade from area of strength. They could afford to lose one high leverage arm if keeping Jax and or Varland. Ultimately they traded all three which seems dangerous IMO but here we are.
  22. Dman
    That's a really pessimistic take. This team before the deadline lost 2 out three to the Rockies, Dodgers, Nationals and Red Sox. That was with all those "great" players they got rid of. The team wasn't going anywhere and selling off guys that were gone at years end and some bullpen arms doesn't exactly seem crazy given the team hadn't performed well all year (other than one crazy winning streak that was an outlier). Maybe they win a few more games keeping the band together to the end of the year, but what's the point if they weren't making the playoffs anyway? This was a lottery team no matter what. They were going to trade one of Duran or Jax for sure. Jax had a 4.23 ERA this year. I don't think he was going to help down the stretch and they would have wanted to trade him in the offseason or at the end of 2026 at the latest as he was getting expensive. I hated to see Duran go and I think that is gonna hurt a bit, but hopefully the return makes it worth it. Again if your going to lose a player a bullpen arm seems better than most any other position. Why they Traded rubber armed Varland doesn't make sense to me given the years of control left, but hopefully that lefty is the real deal and makes me forget about it. At any rate bottom line they were in the lottery no matter what they did with a decent shot at a top 8 pick. The way things worked out they managed to get number 3 and a chance to pick an up the middle talent. Hopefully they don't screw it up. If they were going to trade players trading from the pen should hurt less than a starting pitcher or good position player. Hopefully some of the young arms they have step up and help make the pen a strength again.
  23. Dman
    I just don't see them trading Jeffers unless the return is substantial and it seems unlikely the return would be substantial. They made enough trades at the deadline for young arms that they really can't afford to carry anymore of them on the 40 man. Bats in the wings are Rodriguez, Gonazalez, and maybe Culpepper or Jenkins with a crowded 26 man outfield currently. What would they need more than catcher? So why trade a catcher who is currently a good value if they are planning on competing this year? I mean sure if your blowing things up why not get value for everything you can, but that's not what they say they are doing. I feel pretty confident they just hang onto Jeffers at least until the deadline. We'll see how this team looks then.
  24. Dman
    I tend to agree. The Mets just like to lowball teams. I can't see them giving up low cost pitching or anything approaching Ryan's real value. As others have stated teams are loathe to give up their top players. Twins couldn't get traction on Painter for Duran had to Settle for their fourth best prospect and and Abel who was heading down and out of top 100 lists. Mets will likely try and do the same thing. We'll have to wait and see, but I don't see the Mets getting Ryan. Maybe Lopez just because the Twins would be more inclined to shed salary.
  25. Dman
    Jamie thanks for the update! Always like to know where we are picking. Glass half full, in getting a later round comp B pick is we are just closer to our third round pick. Close to picking back to back. I'd love to see the Twins pick top 2 in this draft, but if they fall they fall. It would take some incredibly bad luck for them to pick 8th even 7th seems like a long shot. Still the further they fall the more likely they choose an arm over a bat and there are going to be good players in the top ten of this draft anyway. Looking forward to the board you come up with this year. Thanks for the best Twins draft coverage anywhere!
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