DocBauer

I believe I'm the record previously for saying I like this general concept. If you have a good rotation...such as the Twins largely have had the past few seasons...you have a 1-3 that will almost always give you 6 IP and 7 every couple of starts. Most days. Your Lopez, Ryan, Ober/Gray types. Your #4 is good for 5 or 6 IP most days, and might sneak in a couple 7 inning games over the course of the year. And you want your #5 to be dependable every turn for 5 and occasionally 6 IP. Generally speaking, that's a pretty good rotation. If you're deeper than that, wonderful. But not every game is going to go your way. Some days a pitcher just doesn't have it, or they're battling a bug, or they suddenly have a cramp, or a blister, etc. Well if your bullpen are all 8 single IP guys, you could tire your pen out over a tight series if one of those games your starter had an issue. IMO, you want the best, most dominate 6 guys who usually only throw a single inning because most days that's all you need them to do. But how much more flexible is your pen if the 7th and 8th guys have solid stuff, and can go through a lineup even 1 time? Those 2 arms could give you 2-3 IP every 3 days. Not quite good enough to be a starter...or maybe a young arm breaking in...and maybe not someone you want in a 8th inning role...or not ready for it yet...but you "balance" the flexibility of your bullpen. While I'm not crazy about the 4 every 4 days the Twins are using with some of their MILB pitchers, it is a way to help set up future success for those types of arms. A pair of really solid, true middle men. As they develop, nothing says they can't move to a starting role, or set up role later on. If you recall, Santana and Liriano broke in in much the same way. Currently, that's pretty much how they've been working/breaking Rojas in. And it might be how they eventually use Prielipp later on, just to limit his IP. Now in some of these cases...and others sited in the OP...it's been a combination of 2+ IP as I've suggested, and some of the 3-4 IP as Tom has mentioned. But I don't believe Tom is necessarily saying that's how to BUILD a staff ordinarily. And I think a few people took it that way. What he's saying is that the way the Twins are situated CURRENTLY, they are SHORT starting pitching. So how do you cover that? Lopez, Ober, Abel, and Festa are currently OUT. Prielipp has really looked good despite a couple clunkers, but he's a rookie with questions about total IP. Rojas, who has been used EXACTLY as discussed, has been used for around 3-4 IP each time out every few days, but he's also currently out. But you NEED 5 SP. Right now we're running with only 4, and that includes Prielipp. So until/unless our rotation starts getting healthy later in June, how do you cover that? It's not great, it's not pretty, but Tom is correct that you need someone to cover those innings. Now, I'm not a fan of including Morris in to the discussion as I think he's got a real future as a short man, but like it or not, you need to cross your fingers and have arm like Adams, Klein, and Parades fill some bulk roles. The alternative is to bring someone like Gallagher, next in line, probably #14 when the season began, too early and then you'll probably still need bulk innings from someone when he proves he's not quite ready yet. And then we're right back to where this discussion started. The Twins have been obsessed with turn and burn for several seasons now regarding the 7th and 8th men in the bullpen. Why not build a BETTER BP with 2 arms that can throw 2-3 IP every 3 days. Doesn't that make a hell of a lot more sense? But that's not a luxury the staff has NOW. Right NOW, they need a formula or sorts to cover not only middle IP, but also to find SOME WAY to fill that 5th role until better health comes along.

"Wallner’s defense has become a major problem this season, but there should be at-bats available in the DH spot now that Buxton is playing center field again. Josh Bell has posted a .635 OPS and has no chance of being a part of the Twins’ future. Either he turns things around and is traded, or the Twins cut bait at some point. Either way, there’s plenty of opportunity on the horizon for Wallner to get another shot." So IDK if he's ready yet or not. But this particular portion of the OP spoke to me. Before signings began, my plan was as follows: 1] Make Wallner the primary DH, 2] Give RF to Gonzalez as long as he's healthy coming out of ST, 3] Give Roden the job as primary LF, 4] Use Martin as a 4th/5th OF, 5] Go find a decent, ML caliber 1B instead of trusting Clemens to be a starter, 6] Find the best backup SS/utility player you can. IMO, this was the best usage for Wallner, let the young OF begin their tenure in the OF, and there would still be room in the near future for Jenkins, Rodriguez, and Mendez. They sort of did OK at the back up SS. They never did get the 1B I thought they really needed, but Clemens has been better than expected. The signing of Bell, and the injury to Roden screwed my personal plan for sure. And then, of course, both Rodriguez and Jenkins got hurt. I believe the hope is for Bell to follow his career path and get hot enough to have decent trade interest. Roden could be ready within 3-4 weeks if he begins his rehab as reported. Jenkins might be ready for promotion before Rodriguez, but with some luck they might both appear and finish the season strong. But it's fairly likely that if and when the Twins are ready to bring Wallner back, he might not be a full time OF much longer. We still might get to see 2 or 3...(4??)...of the young OF before the season is done. (And K-Pepper might be up by July 1st to settle SS). Whether he's kept or possibly traded, we should all be hoping for Wallner to return to previous norms. It's up to the Twins decide if and when he's ready for another shot. But regardless, I think his time as a STARTING OF in Minnesota will be coming to an end.

Fedko has a chance to be a good RH bat off the bench who can play 4 positions for help, and offer some power and speed. Maybe a RH Clemens? And he might be a better version of Martin. But the FO would prefer having 3 utility players vs giving Fedko a shot. He has a chance to be better than Martin. So why not give him an honest shot? It's almost ridiculous at this point how limited in thought the FO is. Houston is PROVING he has the ability to HIT, at least a little. His OB% is looking solid. He's flashing at least some power and he seems to run well. Does he have to be a power hitter to be a quality prospect? No. But he's at least showing some pop/power. He's ready for AA, and K-Pepper is ready for MLB.

THIS is a VERY IMPORTANT comment! In the history of baseball, it really wasn't THAT long ago when teams still had 10 and 11 man staffs. That meant 14 and even 15 man position rosters. The AL would usually fill 1 of those spots with a DH. The NL teams often had a PH specialist, and occasionally a PR specialist. But the point is BOTH leagues USED their 14 and 15 man player rosters. If you recall, from 1986-1989, MLB had a 24 man roster as a "cost saving move" that was really a shot toward the union. But my point ultimately is, ML teams had player rosters from 12-15 for DECADES. And they always found ways to USE all of their position player rosters in different ways. I know players on Kelly's teams and Gardy's teams always got to play, and for the same reason. As Kelly used to say, paraphrasing only slightly: "How can I expect someone to contribute when needed when he hasn't been playing". So TODAY, the way the game is played, why in the hell has the FO, with ONLY a 13 man position player roster decided the last couple of years that it's OK to play with a 12 man roster and just have a GUY who can be a late inning defensive player, and maybe an occasional PR?? It makes ZERO sense in roster construction with Keirsey last year and Outman this year. NOT attempting another "Free Fedko" debate, but wouldn't Fedko as a RH bat who could help platoon for Larnach and Wallner have made more sense than Outman sitting on his behind, gathering splinters, to ONLY play LF INSTEAD of CF which he was SUPPOSED to do? This is massive roster mismanagement, no matter how good or bad Fedko might actually be. Opportunity is lost based on the FO. Now is this TP not wanting the trade for Outman to reflect poorly? (Let's not forget the better player in Roden was also traded for). Or is this Zole being a Falvey clone, or too afraid to stand on his own. It sounds so simple, right? Giving a final chance to a one time prospect who had a single good season. But it's also even easier to look at how poor that player has been, the other players you have, the future of the organization, how important EVERY position player spot is, and not realize your GM is either scared or incompetent. OK, MAYBE I'm over reacting. And I KNOW Roden, Rodriguez, and Jenkins have been injured. I even accept Mendez being promoted so soon. But my "bitch" remains in regard to roster usage. IDC if Outman signed back for St Paul. What I CARE about is FINALLY having a 13 man player roster that makes SENSE. Love him or not Lewis is back to prove to everyone that he's SOMEHOW got his **** together. We'll see what happens. We hope for the best. But I'm also thankful we're beyond the 13th man being a NOTHING contributor. IDK if Lewis makes an error here or there. He HAS actually worked out at 2B before 2025, but was then told not to worry about it. So 2B is kinda new, but not totally. He should be fine with a little time at 2B and especially 1B. To Lewis, you CAN be a really good ML ballplayer. It's really ALWAYS been up to YOU to get your **** together. To Zole, be your own man or get out of the way. You could have easily had Roden make the roster over Outman. You could have easily added a RH OF in Fedko instead to see if he could be AT LEAST a RH bat to help platoon splits and some offensive potential vs holding on to a nothing player like Outman. Either be your OWN MAN, or get out of the way.

I'm disappointed as everyone is, and I'm not here to pile on Shelton ir any player in particular. But I really don't understand how this series has been played so far. On Tnursday, why in the world was one of our 2 best bullpen arms used as the opener? We might have won that game if Morris has been available in his now normal role as a late inning arm instead of using the recently added, and often wild Lawrence. That might have also allowed Morris to still be available for the 9th instead or Orze. And why in the world didn't Orze take the out at 1st? That is just basic, fundamental baseball. But THEN we pitch to one of the best baseball players on the planet in Witt?? No! Let someone ELSE try to beat you! And while he isn't a veteran, Kreidler is a 28yo experienced ballplayer who was involved in a miss play, dropped ball when he is supposed to make the INF calls on a pop up. And then, we had a collision in the OF because of poor communication that fortunately didn't lead to an injury. As the CF, it was up to him to "call" the play. Again, I'm really not interested in picking on anyone in particular. Crap happens. But there is a pretty distinct possibility that the Twins win both Thursday and today if someone else is the opener for Thursday. So unfortunately, I have to point a finger at Shelton right now for a really poor decision that might have cost both games.

I went with #2. And I did so not just for this season, but what makes sense going forward. Offensively and defensively, this entire INF is a work in progress. But even that being accepted, it's about the best FIT for everyone involved. So that's my abstract view. Everyone performing "decently" what are the right "fits". Lee has the hands and limited quickness to be a solid 3B. While only possessing an average arm, he makes a quick transition from glove to hand, and looks good making off balance throws. While his bat isn't yet where we hope it will be, he's definitely shown improvement. SS is now wide open for K-Pepper to take over. Even as a rookie, it will be HIS JOB to command the INF and make calls at times. Is a GOOD SS or just a decent one is TBD. But he's part of the future, his offense is tantalizing, and if he's not ready, he's damn close. Keaschall just "fits" best at 2B, even with a mediocre arm. He has the athleticism and experience. But due to his TJ and broken arm last season, this is the first time he's played extended time at 2B since 2023! Personally, I'm willing to give him the entire season to get comfortable again and improve. Lewis has proved he's not a bad 3B at all. But IF he gets his bat right...we can all cross our fingers...a move to 1B just makes sense for the REST of the INF. Nothing says he can't also play a little 3B and DH some as well. I'm fine with what Clemens is doing with the bat, and he can play some 2B as well as RF instead of Martin, while also being a part time 1B. After that, it's almost a tossup to me who sticks between Kreidler, Gray, and Arcia.

While I certainly haven't watched every game that Keaschall has played, I've certainly seen good and bad. I think what he's receiving is "patience" and not a "pass". Knowing he was going to need TJ surgery, he played a lot of 1B and DH and some OF in 2024 to allow his bat to gain experience with a damaged arm. He played ZERO 2B that season. In fact, he didn't even play 2B early in 2025 until he was sent to the MILB camp and only then did he start to play 2B. If you recall, the Twins promoted him early last season not because he was necessarily ready, but because massive injuries to the INF sort of made him "next man up". And then he had a broken arm from an errant pitch that cost him another couple of months. So he really is a rookie, overall, despite his service time. I've seen him make some really nice plays to both sides, and some good charging plays. I've also seen him boot some plays that a solid 2B should make. But his offensive profile says he fits best at 2B. Athletically, he should be able to be a decent 2B, though his arm will probably never be anything better than average. He quietly had a really good May with his bat. There's a ton of potential there. So IMO, "patience" is the right word, and not "pass". I have no problem with him being the daily 2B all season for him to get comfortable again and improve.

The whole OP kinda took off while I was at work today, so bear with me if I repeat a couple thoughts. I don't really care if Lewis is BB a ton. He wasn't sent to St Paul to work on coaxing BB from AAA pitchers. He's there to develop a better approach, and better swing. A hitter is supposed to hit when he can. However, I AM concerned about his K %. BB can show he's developing a better approach, and not just swinging at everything, but he's SUPPOSED to swing at strikes he can do something with. So while I'm not panicking, I do question his current K numbers. When he hit a double the other day, i was more encouraged by that than some if the HR he's hit. I have no problem with another week or two at St Paul for the organization to believe he's locked in to a better approach, and smoother stroke. This is about Royce's future, and the Twins, and I don't think he NEEDS to be up tomorrow. I think he can be a quality 2B. But I'm also not willing to just give up in Keaschall there just yet either. While there are nuances to playing 1B for sure, an athlete who has spent years fielding ground balls and chasing pop ups on the left side of the INF shouldn't have that difficult a time just fielding grounders and making solid scoop plays at 1B. He needs to prepare for the basics, and learn the subtleties as he goes. But it's all for naught if he can't get his approach and swing figured out.

Honestly, I'd be happy with any of the top 4. Two or three years from now, it's possible whoever grabs Lombard might end up with the best pick out of the top 10, but I digress Assuming the first 2 go according to chalk, it comes down to the #2 college bat vs the #1 college arm. Flora is tempting, but I think you go for the bat/position player that helps the lineup/team 4 days a week (being a catcher) instead of the arm. The fact that we added a couple of really talented teenage catchers to be excited about at the deadline last year should have no bearing on not adding a top catching talent like Lackey. Were he an OF or 3B or SS, I'm still in favor of drafting the best college bat available. It just so happens the best position player abailable ALSO fits an organizational need.

IMO, the problem is the FO and internal scouting. While they are WAY closer to the organization than us, they seem blind at times to INTERNAL talent. A recent example might be Laweryson. He had a great MILB career, but was IGNORED as a BP piece for a potential re-build late in 2025. Instead of bringing him up immediately for a SHOT, they ran with "used to be's" to flesh out the roster. Laweryson only got a couple weeks late...looked solid...and then was released. THEN, they picked him back up and he threw well enough to make the opening day roster this season. It's one thing to have a guy from independent ball like McCusker who had obvious questions about holes in his overall game being given an opportunity. But IMO that is VERY DIFFERENT from having an INTERNAL project that YOU drafted, and stuck with! At age 25 Fedko SUDDENLY seemed to put all together. Unlike McCusker, for example, he's always maintained a solid OB% and a solid defensive profile. At 25yo, he wasn't exactly ancient for a prospect. After a slow debut in '26 due to limited AB, he's basically exploded to show '25 wasn't an illusion. He's HITTING, he's getting OB, he's slugging, he has a .933 OPS. He can play a solid OF at the corners, an acceptable CF...we're currently playing Clemens in CF for goodness sake...and has 1B experience. Meanwhile, we're playing with a 12 and 1/2 roster with Outman. Someone tell me WHY? And this is what confuses me and pisses me off. Not that long ago, the roster was 25. For a couple of seasons in the 90's management forced teams to play with 24. But until fairly recently...maybe a decade or two ago...teams still played with a 10-11 man pitching staff. Again, fairly recently overall, teams had 14 or 15 position players. Before the universal DH came in to affect, NL teams might carry a true veteran PH, or a PR. In the 80's and 90's, just for reflection purposes, Tom Kelly used to play EVERYONE once in a while to make sure their head was in the game, and they'd be prepared to hopefully perform when called on. So tell me when in the hell did the Twins decide that playing with 12 and 1/2 players actually made sense??!! In today's game, EVERY position player is important. It's ridiculous that we are committed to a roster with less than that. We often debate about bringing up a prospect to take over the Outman role. But that's the PROBLEM! There SHOULDNT be an OUTMAN ROLE, in the same way there never should have been a Keirsey role in 2025. 162 games, 13 position players, 2 who are always catchers, leaves 3 other spots to fill. It's incompetence for a FO to not fill those final 3 spots with players who might contribute. And THEN, it's up to the manager to field the best lineup. So there should NOT BE an "Outman" role to fill. It would be HARD for Fedko to be worse than Outman. But it would be up to Shelton to actually PLAY him, which he should. Especially with the offense struggling at times. Any DECENT manager would use his entire 13 man roster. The fact that Shelton isn't using Outman says all you need to know. If Fedko comes up and is given a REAL opportunity to play, he may swim or sink. But this lineup needs HELP. And you DON'T KNOW if you have a potentially solid 4th OF UNLESS you give him an honest opportunity. And you don't know if you have a solid ballplayer or not until you give them that honest chance. It's on Zole to prove he's not a Falvey clone. And then it's on Shelton. Remember when Castro joined the Twins as a 26yo FA? He turned out pretty good after a very mediocre career with the Tigers. So why doesn't Fedko get legitimate consideration at the same age, exploding as a 25yo, and seemingly ready for an opportunity at 26? For that matter, Ben Ross, a fairly early draft pick, now 25yo, exploding at AA and still producing very well at AAA, does HE get consideration going forward? Or do the older Arcia, Kreidler, and Gray take precedence over a younger player with more upside?

To be clear, I've been hopeful for Martin for some time. I was pleasantly surprised by how well he improved in 2025 with his bat and glove. I think he might have been up sooner last season if it wasn't for injury that slowed him down. He finished strong and his early 2026 demanded he get more of a full time role, especially with Wallner struggling, and injuries to Roden and other prospects. No, a couple weeks of poor hitting doesn't necessarily mean he's been EXPOSED. At least, not completely. But the long standing debate about a lack of power, or even just XB POP, is coming home to being accurate. Pitchers aren't really afraid of him, but appreciate his zone control, and are attacking him differently. He recognizes that, which is a good thing. Now, he has to learn how to adjust. Hitting about league AVG against RHP is NOT a poor bat. But with little power, and a game built on speed and hustle, he should be batting 9th against RHP to provide a "leadoff" type hitter for Buxton. He's got a role on this team with improved defense, speed, and contact and OB ability. But not only does he need to be hitting in a spot that makes sense, but his future "fit" is in question in regard to the OF talent behind him. He IS a ML player. And he's not a bad ballplayer. And he can help the Twins in 2026...#9 against RHP, higher against LHP...but he might not be a good fit in 2027 depending on injury recovery and development of other prospects. But he's absolutely not DONE as a ML player and 2026 Twins contributor.

Various comments: AAA: I haven't completely given up on Royce yet. But as @Trovposted, how can just look so utterly lost at the plate with the Twins and then be so tremendously good at AAA almost like a switch was flipped? He looked so awful that even mediocre AAA arms could have gotten him out the way he was NOT hitting for the Twins. I'm starting to believe more and more it was mental. I'm still in to rush to get him back as I want the Twins to really feel he's got a good approach and balanced swing. But I'm betting another week, two at the most, and he's back up. He's working out at 1B now. And that makes a ton of sense to me. Hisnsize plays at 1B, his bat plays there IF he really has turned a corner, Lee is a better fit at 3B, K-Pepper is just about ready to lay claim to SS, so it's always made sense Royce would move to 1B. It's just the best option for the makeup of the INF. Gallagher was pushed hard to AA by the Cubs in his debut season. And he was pushed earlier than probably wanted by the Twins to AAA this season. But he keeps answering the bell and keeps getting better. While the injuries to Roden, Rodriguez, and Jenkins have been disappointing/frustrating, Mendez continues to look outstanding. I can see his power slowly coming around. Call me crazy, but he reminds me very much of Arraez with more power and at least a little more speed. They're going to have to find room for him soon. AA: Just seeing Cory Lewis healthy and on the mound again makes me happy. A lot of things have gone wrong for him the last year plus. And maybe I'll be proven wrong, but I see a real future for him in the Twins bullpen as a 2 IP arm throwing as hard as he can, just his best stuff, and making batters look silly on 2 strike counts with his crazy knuckleball. A+: I don't think we pay enough attention to Diaw. His only obstacle so far is staying healthy. While the hope is a little more power will come eventually, he can flat out HIT. I'm certain he needs more polish as a receiver, but he's a great athlete with a good looking bat. It's no wonder the Twins selected him as high as they did. He stays healthy, he's going to be part of the Twins catching group in a couple of years. While he's been a little slow adapting to A+, Mercedes keeps flashing his potential. And he's still quite young. Tait had a good April, and then a horrible May. Is it my imagination, or has he been BB more recently? His OB% is .90 higher than his AVG. That's a good sign to me. Hopefully he has a good June. He's off to a good start. Hill has a tremendous arm. All the potential in the world. Not a huge surprise to see a young HS arm struggle with control early. No need to panic. But I do wonder if skipping a turn and just working on the side for a week might give him a little mental break to just give his head a short "breather". A-: Just seeing Soto back on the mound is a win, no matter the results. But damn near 100mph on his FB? Crazy! I know rumors have the Ft Myers gun running hot, but that is impressive as hell. Now, he just needs to stay healthy and finish out the season. Honestly, I can't recall...in recent memory...the last time the organization had a pair of HS arms with as much pure STUFF as they have in Hill and Soto. Might have to go all the way back to the 80's, and I'm not joking. What a great start for Reitz after being slowed by an early injury that set him back initially. The Twins did a tremendous job helping Ober iron oit his mechanics to become a quality MLP. Reitz has a long way to go, obviously, but he's off to a good start in SSS. I'm betting he's at CR before long. As a college arm, I'd expect that. Lastly, I'm with @Dman regarding the 2025 pitchers drafted. There have been some setbacks, and a few bad days, but those recently drafted arms are looking really good so far, including the late rounders. And while the organization hasn't ignored college arms early in the draft, they've usually focused more on position players early. And I sorta get their philosophy. You can refine arms with talent, but it's harder to teach BAT to BALL hitting. I'd like to see a couple more early P drafted, as they did in 2025. You CAN'T ignore the player side, of course, but if you're good at identifying arms and developing them, just a couple more early selections like Quick and Ellwanger early can make a big difference.

I like Klein's future more than Adams. But Adams has been so yo-yo'd that I actually have ZERO idea if he's a keeper or not. He stinks, then he's good for a couple of appearances, and then he stunk this day. At some point, the Twins have to decide who has potential and who doesn't. But yo-youing arms doesn't BUILD a solid BP. Gray is NOT a great ML player. But he's proven to be a solid 12th or 13th man option. It's awesome though that he's had some good clutch moments so far. A great and much needed win!

I love these monthly awards and breakdowns. There's a lot of young Latin kids doing really well at Ft Myers. Were we too quick to panic over poor luck/bad signings? I don't recall when the new foreign head of scouting took over, but it was just last year wasn't it? So are any of these kids the new regime's signings? Regardless, a number of them look exciting. WINOKUR: I knew he had been hot, but I didn't realize he'd been THIS hot. He's doing exactly what he should be as a super talented 21yo repeating A+. He's PROVING he has the ability to actually HIT. Even with a slow start to 2026, his current AVG/OB/SLG are ALL roughly. 50 points higher at this point that his final 2025 numbers. He's ready for AA. MENDEZ: Man, this kid can HIT! He actually might be Arraez with more power. I still like the idea of turning him in to a 1B who can cover the OF, because I don't know where to play him daily, other than DH, with Rodriguez and Jenkins being better defenders. But they ARE going to have to find room for him because he looks special. BUT ON TO THE TOP FIVE: OLIVAR: Again, I didn't realize just how HOT he's really been. It looks like he's finding a little more power these days as well. As a prospect though, his issue seems to be that he's a LF and #3 catcher. EVEN if he can receive decently and call a solid game...which I'm still uncertain of until I hear otherwise...he's just horrible in the running game. But he's got a chance to be a #5 OF who can be a quality RH bat with some power the Twins have lacked for a LONG time. And he brings additional value as a #3 catcher. He's got a shot. K-PEPPER: He's doing everything right for the second straight season. He's proving how good he is. The only reason to keep him at AAA a little longer is just that little more development time, just a little more confidence in everything he's doing, so that when he comes it it's hopefully for GOOD. SS has already been opened for him. ROSS: I believe he's about to turn 25yo, but has really FOUND himself as a hitter in his age 24/25 season. He sure isn't old. He's got a really good glove wherever you play him...similar to Kreidler...with pop/power and speed and a BAT that I think the Twins were waiting to catch up to his talent. He DESTROYED AA pitching, and has been doing VERY well at AAA. He's actually, potentially, an even better version of the beloved Castro. I think he needs to maintain what he's doing a little longer just to "make sure" the corner he's turned is for real. But in no way should he be blocked by Kreidler, Gray, or Arcia. I can see him getting a taste of MLB this season, and possibly be the primary Super Utility player for 2027 and a few years beyond. But having options will offer additional value. He was a 5th round pick, for goodness sake, and not a late round flyer. The talent is just starting to catch up with experience. We might have something here. FEDKO: I'm going to say this yet again: you draft a kid, you STICK with a kid, and you FINALLY get REAL results from said kid in his age 25 season. I can almost guarantee other mid and small market teams would see his development as a possible WIN and give him a shot. And he might wash out as nothing. But he might be a 4 position 4th OF with speed and pop and decent defense that could be a useful player. He actually reminds me somewhat of Lew Ford. And he wasn't even drafted or initially developed by the Twins. SO WHY NOT GIVE HIM A CHANCE? I'm SO FRUSTRATED by the past and current FO for IGNORING "on hand" late developing prospects. I am also INCREASINGLY FRUSTRATED by having a limited roster. It wasn't that long ago when teams had a 25 man roster, even a 24 man roster briefly in the 90's, when pitching staffs were only 10 or 11. Teams had a 14 and even 15 man player roster. The AL had a DH. The NL found room for great PH. But the UTILIZED their roster! Tom Kelly usually had a 14 man player roster back in his day. But he found a way to play EVERYONE at least here and there. And now we only have a 13 man player roster and we play it as a 12 1/2 man roster. WHY? It's just RIDICULOUS to have some 13th man on the roster who barely plays, and doesn't even FIT defensively where he's supposed to be. And we're doing this for at least the 2nd straight season. Outman should have already been gone. But his replacement shouldn't be used the same way. It's lineup suicide. Larnach is probably not back next season. I'm willing to give Martin a lot of rope even though he's been sliding with daily duty. To be blunt, WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO LOSE by promoting a kid YOU drafted and developed who TURNED A CORNER and should get a legitimate shot at playing at the ML level? You simply replace a NOTHING player with someone who MIGHT turn out to be a solid 4th OF and backup 1B. BUT, that ONLY happens if you give him legitimate time to actually PLAY. What do you have to lose? The current OF is a slumping Martin, a solid but not great Larnach, and Buxton in CF when healthy again. In the meantime, we have CLEMENS in CF just to get his bat in the lineup? And Outman, who's SUPPOSED to help the defense and be a CF option STILL is only a PR and whatever. Talk about a cluster frak! Zole is really disappointing me! Have some guts, make changes. STOP the 13th man being a BS specialist and TRY someone who has some talent and might actually help the roster. ESPECIALLY because your top 2 OF are out, along with Roden, who might also help. This is almost a spinning wheel of how bad of a lineup can we produce. Just give the talent on hand a chance to see if you have SOMETHING to build on. Fedko may or may not be ML quality. But how do you know when you limit the roster with a nobody that your manager doesn't even want to play? SABATO: Good for him. He seems to have worked hard to get to this point. He had a nice 2025 at AA, went to AAA, and then sunk again. He barely played to open 2026...and I was surprised he was even kept...and then he got to play more after Wagaman was released. (I NEVER understood that acquisition to begin with). But his "breakthrough" took place in a series in the PCL where numbers are HIGHLY inflated. But damn if he didn't just take that as a "liftoff" point as he really continued to produce. Good for him to be #1 on this list. He's earned it. But I'd have to see a June that echoes his May before I will believe in any future for him. For those who want to be rid of Bell, you need to recognize it's not the 1st time he's started slow and then got his game together in June or July and started mashing. So he's NOT going to gone for at least a month or so. HOPEFULLY, he gets on a tear that not only helps our Twins, but maybe brings back at least a solid prospect at the deadline. By that time, hopefully, we're also seeing the return of Rodriguez and Jenkins and Roden. Perhaps Larnach and maybe Wallner brings something back. But the FUTURE of 1B would seem to be Lewis, Gonzalez, and Mendez. But there is the possibility of 1B/DH/OF between those 3. Can Sabato continue to produce the way he's been doing for another month or so, I guess you have to give him a shot with Bell probably gone. There is nothing wrong with a team who's season has run off the rails giving a chance to young and young-ish hitters while they've also been giving chances to young arms, sometimes earlier than expected, while waiting for OTHER top prospects to be healthy again. A SMART FO would recognize this opportunity.

Going in reverse order: A-: With Fang making an appearance, I believe the entire pitching group are all on the mound now, with the unfortunate injury to Ellwanger. Really hoping it's a rest and rehab situation! 3/4 of a season is better than none, or half, etc, for the class draft class of '25. With all due respect and hopes for the ENTIRE class, I'm especially excited about seeing what Reitz and Barr can accomplish. They're really different arm types, but both are very exciting. A+: Quick got a short start. Maybe he needed that. But he seemed to throw a lot better than his last time out. How many starts and how many innings IDK, but I'm still betting he finishes with a taste of AA before the season is done. Winokur had a quiet 1-4 day Saturday, but he's been on a tear. 3B or CF, or MAYBE 1B as an electric and athletic player there, I still love this kid's potential. If he doesn't suddenly slump, he's about ready for the challenge of AA. And while I'd like to see more of the "zone control" Houston showed in college...a few less K's and a few more BB...it's really hard to argue with a quad slash line of .297/ .354/ .417/ .771 with 14 XBH and 13-1 in SB for a defense first SS. Again, I'd REALLY like to see the OB% 10-20 points higher, but can we really be disappointed in what he's doing? He and Winokur both at Wichita come July 1st? AAA: Despite some ugly numbers when you look at his record, Hildago is someone to pay attention to. He's a high K arm with great stuff who never knows where it's going. Seriously, he's a real life "Nuke laLoosch" kind of arm. I'm actually surprised that the Twins promoted him to St Paul at this point. Maybe because there was nobody else? But if the St Paul staff can help him corral his stuff, we might have a great young arm that could surprise. Glad to see Klein back up. Big and strong with good velocity and a SP mix, I think he's part of the bullpen's future. HOPEFULLY he's on a 1-2 IP plan to ACTUALLY make the conversion to the pen, and not some BS "innings eater" idea "just because". I think that would be a major mistake. He's probably going to need some tweaks to his arsenal, but that's what Maki and Hawkins are there for. Like Morris, DON'T screw around. Get him ready to be ONLY a 1-2 IP with good velocity and get him ready for the rest of 2026 and the future. He was a GIFT signing out of nowhere. DON'T waste the opportunity. K-Pepper is on an upswing, similar to Houston, even if his AVG is lower than wanted. He's almost ready for a promotion to MLB. Lee has already been moved to 3B on what seems to be a permanent move. I applaud that. I think that's his best spot. His bat is still inconsistent, but moving in the right direction. And the FO can no longer just "expect" that Lewis will "figure it out". Bird in the hand, you just can't run a team based on hopes. Lewis somehow figures it out, you deal with it later. But K-Pepper is SO CLOSE, and a 40 man spot is open for him. What frustates the hell out of me is the baseball gods just loving to pick on the Twins. Why? Before the season began I stated the Twins were playing a split year. The 1st half was trying to be in contention, sit around .500, I NEVER expected losing Lopez for the season. I thought an offseason would get Ober right with his hip and velocity, only to see him pitch masteriously before coming down with an injury of his own. I never saw SWR becoming a "who the hell are you"? But I also never saw Bradley and Abel being this good. And I never saw Prielipp and Rojas debuting this soon and being this good early. (Matthews I had confidence in). And I really thought Festa was going to be OK, move to the BP, and probably lead the team in saves. But here we are today. A rotation of injury and MASSIVE potential. A bullpen that is SLOWLY starting to work towards competence. (It still needs work, of course). And now Ober is down. So we're scraping the bottom of the cupboard now with Ober and Rojas both down. What's REALLY frustrating is that there's almost NO ROOM at the ML level IF our top prospects were healthy. Sorry I'm on a divergent opinion, but Lewis is down, Wallner is down. The SP staff has been wrecked. And the baseball gods are laughing because the Twins HAVE trusted in their young arms, and have been mostly rewarded. But the FO is ONLY looking at changes in the staff due to injuries. And it's FAIR if they want to give K-Pepper a little more time. And it's also FAIR that Roden, Rodriguez, and Jenkins have also been injured and not available. Hopefully that will change soon. But the wonder is what happens a month from now? There isn't room for all of Rodriguez, Jenkins, Gonzalez, and Mendez in the OF. Do they continue the Gonzalez/Mendez experiment at 1B. It seems lacking at this point. The reason I'm so PISSED OFF at the proverbial baseball gods...and illusion I know...is that 2026 was ABOUT what we have, and what's coming up. This was a team built to MAYBE play .500 ball until the young talent took control. Well, we've already seen the whole potential of young arms already flashing. And we're seeing K-Pepper doing well, Gonzalez getting hot, Mendez making AAA look simple, but there is NO Rodriguez, Jenkins, or even Roden available. My "expected" 2nd half has been seriously delayed. MAYBE it comes in to play yet. But until we see a few more changes come June or July, I think the ML roster is just running out of room for improvement.

I haven't had time to really sit down and address this OP. But here goes, quickly for once, lol. He looked a little better in his couple bullpen appearances. I would have liked to see him get a few more chances. I'm not in breaking rules. But I can see bending them once in a while. This 2026 version is nothing Ike the SWR we've seen in the past. Not even close. I simply can't believe they couldn't have gone with the "tired arm" sydrom and allowed him to clear his mind for a couple of weeks, and then get some rehab in St Paul. It's flirting ML "law" a bit, but we've seen it done before, and not just by the Twins. At 25yo but questionable upside, it will be interesting if someone is desperate enough to grab him off waivers, or send someone the Twins way to bypass the waiver wire and snag him. If he clears waivers, or gets released again, I'd like the Twins to find a way at that point to place him in AAA.

A couple interesting OTA notes. Elijah Williams, UDFA in 2025, was running with the #1 unit. He was actually a rookie INVITE and not a normal UDFA signing out of Morgan State. When you look at his college production, and his athletic performance at a college invite, you have to wonder why this kid wasn't a late round selection, or a priority FA signing. He impressed the hell out of me in the 2025 preseason, so to me he's a LOCK to make the roster unless he suddenly regresses. This kid is an amazing athlete with the STUFF to be a good player. I'm not sure how I feel about the next report. Ingram-Dawkins has supposedly slimmed down for year 2 to be an EDGE option. Not sure how I feel about that. He was drafted as an ATHLETE and TWEENER. I trust Flores in his choices. He's usually right. But I really saw Dawkins as an athletic, disruptive force that just needed a little time to develop. What do I know? Maybe singing a couple DL options for depth was a potence of Flores' projecting Dawkins in the role of the 3rd EDGE player. I'm just not sure I see that. Maybe I'm wrong. But I still see a FA EDGE signing to complete the offseason.

I still don't dislike Rogers on the team as a veteran reliever who's BTDT. And he hasn't been terrible in his probable Swang Song, but that was a brutal loss. The pen was pretty good otherwise. The offense went to sleep again. Hopefully we can rebound and take the next 2 and finish with a solid road trip. Despite massive injuries to the pitching staff, overall, the young depth has come through and been exciting. I keep waiting and hoping the team can reach and stay around .500 and we can FINALLY see K-Pepper, Rodriguez, Roden, and Jenkins, possibly Gonzalez and Mendez as well. No offense to the guys playing now, but we've already seen the future with the young arms...though some of them have already had injury stints...but WHEN do we get to see the talented young prospects get an opportunity? The injuries are MADDENING! This was SUPPOSED to be a team that MIGHT contend if they could just hang around for the first couple of months, waiting for bullpen help and a collection of AAA talent waiting in the wings. Instead, we have a decimated rotation that has really surprised. And the bullpen has SLOWLY gotten better. And I don't want to diminish Buxton or Jeffers, or improvement from Lee, and Martin, and Larnach. Even Clemens has surprised a bit. But the offense is really shallow right now. But what do you do when 2 of your top prospects are injured. Plus another player that isn't far removed from rookie status that is also injured. I keep waiting for the 2nd half of the season, which I've always spoken of. I've always believed the Twins were going to have to halves of a season. The first one was hopefully being in contention and at least sitting around .500 at worst. MAYBE, considering TP's comments the Twins might be buyers. (Cough). But at least they wouldn't be SELLERS. What we NEED is our young arms to be healthy, bullpen AND rotation. And then we need our young top prospect OF to be healthy. I mean, it's NUTS that the ENTIRE primary AAA OF of Roden, Jenkins, and Rodriguez are ALL hurt! Mendez has been amazing since his promotion and Gonzalez has gotten hit since a bad start. But WTH is with a curse of top prospects getting hurt? You don't even have to squint to see a really good, and really fun 2027 Twins to follow, IF, we can just be reasonably healthy for the next few months.

I've been a hipeful believer of Royce, and even a defender of him, for the past couple of seasons. I really thought the "better" version of him in the 2nd half of 2025...basically a league average hitter...and OBVIOUS better health with the way he was running the bases, combined with his offseason work with a quality, private hitting coach would see him turn a corner this season. Instead, he's almost gotten worse. IDK, but I still think it's a mental adjustment he's not making. The move of Lee to 3B isn't window dressing. He has the potential to be a solid 3B, and the bat continues to slowly improve. SS is now wide open for K-Pepper in 2-4 weeks to come up and take it over. Now, no disrespect to KP, but it's entirely possible he's the best SS for NOW, and I'm NOT saying he can't be a solid ML SS, but by 2028, we might need to make room for Houston, who is an amazing defender. But let's jump off that bridge when we get there. I'm torn on Keaschall at 2B. I've seen a few bad plays, and read about some more. But I've also watched him make some really good plays as well. He has more than enough athleticism to play the position. His arm isn’t great...will probably getter stronger and better...but I really appreciate the Twins patience with him. You don't have to have a great arm to play 2B, just an accurate one really. IMO, it's just about CONSISTENCY in making plays. An entire season of playing 2B, we might have an at least average defensive 2B come 2027. The Twins believe in his overall potential. That's why they are being so patient with him. (I hope they do the same with the young OF's as soon as they are ready to go). I don't think Keaschall fits in the OF, unless he becomes a super utility player. And if his offense actually hits his ceiling, I would be fine if he became a 1B. But he just fits so nicely at 2B if he can get the glove work down. Only slightly off topic, I'm REALLY intrigued by the sudden development of Ben Ross. A small school athlete with a great glove, speed, and some POP in his bat. He might be the next Castro, but with even better defense. Probably never a starter, but a potential Super Utility option for the INF that might be better than Kreidler, Gray, and Arcia. I only bring him up due to further depth options in the INF going forward. So what do we do with Royce Lewis? To be clear, and agreement with most posters, it's NOT about him raking at the AAA level. It's about a SOUND swing and SOUND approach at the plate. His HR at St Paul don't impress me. He's WAY too talented for AAA. I think the Twins are looking for a SOLID approach and a SOLID swing and a BETTER personal "swing zone". When we see BB from good AB. When we see solid, hard hit singles and doubles, we might actually be seeing REAL improvement. So the question of "what to do with Royce Lewis" is really about when and IF he gets his head/bat figured out. I don't think Lee at 3B is temporary, provided his bat doesn't suddenly regress, while it's currently on an upswing. K-Pepper is the next SS, possibly in 2-4 weeks. He settles the left side of the INF offensively and defensively. We've already covered patience with Keaschall at 2B. We're talking NOW, and not 2028 when Houston might be ready, just to be clear. So again, IF and WHEN Lewis figures out how to HIT again, IMO, the answer is obvious. He should be moved to 1B, with the ability to also play some 3B. When his head is right, he's not a bad 3B. That increases roster flexibility due to injury or days off. He has the athleticism to be a VERY good 1B with a powerful and productive bat. If he thinks that's some sort of downgrade in his career, let him sit down with Mauer and Morneau and let them explain how important a great 1B means to the team. Clemens is a decent player who has enjoyed his best production as a Twin. He's not just a throw away player. But come on, if Lewis ACTUALLY got his sh*t together, he would be the best all around 1B the Twins have had in YEARS. And maybe he should take pride in that! But that is all WHEN and IF Lewis figures it out.

Hopefully it's nothing to be concerned about in regard to both Abel and Rojas. Maybe they can both be back sometime in June? Really really love what these two young arms have been showing. Crossing my fingers. The recalls make sense. I keep saying this, but I haven't given up on Funderburk yet. He looked really good late in '25, and while his control wasn't the best to begin this season, he seemed to get the job done most of the time. But then he just wasn't the same after his leave. Hopefully he gets in a good groove. I think his stuff plays Not worried that Lawyerson's rehab appearance didn't look good. A lot of the times it's just about getting put there on the mound, throw your pitches, try something you maybe wouldn't normally do, but just get the work in and throw everything in your arsenal. Lawyerson is kind of interesting in that he doesn't throw especially hard, and doesn't seem to have a singular pitch that's dominant, he just "pitches" and gets guys out.

I'm really hoping this is the last "Lee is a disappointment" OP we ever have to read again. And frankly, I'm TIRED of these OP's about him. Once again, when drafted, he was considered a marginal ML SS who would probably move to 2B or 3B. He's already proven, even with offseason work, he's only an OK ML SS. And that's OK considering his defensive ability. His recent move to 3B is PERFECT considering his tools. He has just enough quickness....not enough for SS...to react to balls hit his way. He has good hands, a good transition of glove to hand to make throws. His arm is average, but his throws are accurate. Despite being a limited athlete, he seems to have the ability to make off balance throws. And that's important. In regards to his BAT, I'm still confused about frustration. ONE MORE TIME, he missed ROOKIE status in 2025 by 22 AB in 2024, but SOMEHOW he's supposed to be a finished product already. Is it possible he's still growing as a HITTER? Or was he SUPPOSED to be a polished HITTER with 1.25 seasons of ML time under his belt? He's showing more power than initially expected, but is SLOWLY showing the contact bat, AVERAGE hitting bat expected. He's just NOT hitting as expected, but in year 2 of regular ML time, we're STARTING to see a viable ML BAT. Confidence and experience makes a difference. Currently, he's accepting his role at 3B, and he should. Lee is on an uptick, and that shouldn't be ignored. The original HIT and OB prospectis might be proven wrong. But a decent AVG with a solid OB, and decent power can't be ignored

It's a real catch 22 for the Twins and TP isn't it? TP says he expects the team to compete. One third of the season gone, the team actually is doing so, despite injuries and warts, due to the nature of the AL this season. TP says the Twins WOULD have spent more $ before the season if he had been in charge earlier. Valdez was the only quality FA still available that could make a difference so they at least gave it a shot with him. TP says adding to the payroll WILL happen when it makes sense. Well, keeping Ryan makes sense in that regard. (Not to mention Jeffers, but I digress. THREE options are available. (And I'm avoiding a lost 2027 season because it hasn't happened yet and might not happen. We've BTDT before). 1] Just give up on the season due to losing Jeffers and losing so much development and potential ML experience this season for Rodriguez, Jenkins, and Roden. Hope the fans understand and don't further scream: "cheap Pohlads" while there is a CHANCE for a winning season/playoff birth to keep the fans engaged. Also, who knows if we actually get to see K-Pepper, Rodriguez, Jenkins, Gonzalez, and Mendez the 2nd half, providing a boost to the team. 2] Wait and hope for that boost in the 2nd half and hold on to Ryan to front the rotation, keep building the bullpen, and we might have a half way decent season. Especially considering Lopez is back in 2027, and VERY unlikely to be moved. Decide in the offseason to trade Ryan. Might the return be less? Yes, but how much? As I recall, the Brewers still did OK trading...was it Burns?...with only 1 year of control left. 3] Ride it out. ENJOY having one of the best 1-2 punches in Twins history with Lopez and Ryan, allow a little extra time here in '26 and all of 2027 for the young bats sitting at St Paul, and considering how low the payroll will be in 2027...barring a couple small signings in this case...they can afford to offer Lopez and/or Ryan the QO and hope at least one takes it. Both, MAYBE, could. Regardless, you have them for all of 2027 and then get 1 or 2 extra high draft picks if they move on. I know many of you have personal beliefs what they should do. I honestly don't know as I see really sound reasons to move Ryan at the deadline, or wait until the offseason, or ride it out for BOTH Lopez and Ryan. My gut reaction is ONE of them will be extended, probably Lopez due to mitigating factors such as coming off a lost season. Even still, I personally see logic in All THREE scenarios regarding Ryan that make sense. @Dmankind of stole my thunder a bit regarding the roster with a great post. I am NOT going to tell you that every prospect is going to turn out, or be a STUD, but let us pause for just a moment to examine what MIGHT be happening over the remainder of 2026 and what MIGHT be projected for 2027. It's going to be long, but honest. I hope you care enough to follow along. I think these are honest thoughts to consider. 2027 ROTATION, (as of today, in no particular order): Lopez, Ryan, Ober, Bradley, Abel, Matthews, Prielipp, and possibly a return to form for SWR. (Once again, SOMETHING is amiss. This ISN'T the same pitcher we've seen the last couple of years AT ALL). For now, I'm leaving Rojas off the table as I'm still not sure if he's a legitimate rotation option, or on the Santana/Liriano train as bullpen stud who MIGHT move back to the rotation. That doesn't include any other prospects developing the rest of 2026, but it's a HELL of a great rotation with OUTSTANDING depth to work with. 2027 BULLPEN: So far so good with Morris being a ROOKIE pressed in to high leverage situations, and showing potential. So far so good with the 26yo Gomez getting a new start as a RP. Is Rojas a bullpen arm or not? So far he's really helped. HAS Adams turned a corner considering better recent performances? Maybe. Orze has been better than I expected. Can Sands come back and start to throw even close to his 2024 self? The talent is there. No clue if the suddenly improved Banda comes back in 2027. IMO, IF Festa comes back this season, he's a reliever no question. He's got the potential to be one of the best arms there. I still like Klein being let loose. Can Funderburk return to his late season 2025, and early 2026 before he seemed distracted by his time off? I'm betting CJ Culpepper just needs a little time to adjust to the pen before he's ready. 2027 OF: (injuries slowing prospects is a caveat) It's entirely possible that Larnach is gone, despite maybe his best season. His HR are way down, but he's the most complete hitter he's ever been. But he might be gone for obvious reasons. It's a disappointingly possibility that Wallner might also be moved. He doesn't cost much, so there's a solid chance he sticks around as the LF DH, and occasional OF. But MAYBE someone will offer up something decent for him considering his OB and power potential? But when FINALLY HEALTHY...can the Twins endure so much baseball gods cruelty...Roden, Rodriguez, and Jenkins still have the 2nd half of this season to "get right" and get ready and make their debut along with Buxton and Martin as a quality and dangerous future OF. And while they are seeing some time at 1B...and should continue to do so...Gonzalez and Mendez are hitting machines that are also about ready to need a spot on the ML roster. For believers and non believers, IMO, Outman should be gone tomorrow and replaced with Fedko. IS Fedko a ML ballplayer? I have no idea. And I DON'T want him to come up and sit on the damn bench! You ONLY have 13 position players! Two of them are catchers. There is PLENTY of room to give a shot to a late blooming 26yo who RAKED in 2025, and has continued to RAKE here in 2026. PLEASE don't try to tell me the current roster is so good and so deep that he can't play almost daily. You drafted the kid, you stuck with the kid when he was mediocre, and he's still here as a late development option. He's got power, OB ability, solid speed, and can help at 4 spots. Does it matter if he's not a stud prospect? No. Does it matter if an actual, extended opportunity to PLAY over Outman and THREE utility players...with the 3 top LF hitting AAA OF out due to injury...and he ends up proving he's NOT a ML player hurt anything? Absolutely not. But he DESERVES a CHANCE to show what he can do. A SMART FO would just accept the offense needs some help, and here is a kid we drafted, stuck with, and he's been COOKING for 2yrs. Let's give him a REAL SHOT to see if we've got AT LEAST, another quality 4th OF. What in the hell do the Twins have to lose at this point? They've been playing 12 and 1/2 men for 2 seasons now. That's RIDICULOUS! Rwmove Outman, promote Fedko, give him an HONEST chance to play and see if you've got something! It SUCKS that Roden, Rodriguez, and Jenkins are all out. They are losing development time and potential ML time. All the more reason to promote Fedko over Outman, and STOP playing a 12 and a 1/2 player roster. But we can't deny 2/3 of the season where we might see out best OF prospects healthy and ready to go the 2nd half of the season. INF: The move of Lee to 3B is the correct one. I think he can thrive there. I understand Keaschall is struggling at 2B, but Ive also seen some good plays. I love the fact that they believe in him and are sticking with him. A year from now, I expect him to be a competent 2B. Anything more is TBD. But you just don't give up on a young player with that much athletic ability too soon. By mid June, July 1st at latest, K-Pepper is going to be up. He just needed some time to cook. His bat is almost ready, and his defense is solid, if not spectacular. Houston might be ready 2028 and move K-Pepper to another spot. And as mentioned previously, the Twins have a handful of OK utility players in Kreidler, Gray, and Arcia on hand. But MAYBE Ross is a better utility option than all of them. The kid is almost 26yo, but we're looking at his ability to be a really good utility player, not a stud prospect. With ALL of this AAA collection of talent...the injuries not withstanding...HONESTLY, what does trading Ryan this deadline provide? And I'm honestly asking. I've rambled for a reason. Our beloved Twins have been scrappy as hell and have debuted, or improved, on the rotation, and even the bullpen. The pen is still a work in progress, but it's still been way better than it was in April. Hopefully, more options are forthcoming over the next month or so. Losing Jeffers is a MAJOR BLOW. And I'm just not sure we can overcome his loss. And so I've rambled even more than I like to state what I think is OBVIOUS. The Twins are a team in FLUX. I've stated that before the season even began. The SECOND HALF team was not going to be the same team as the first half. The bullpen would get better with some young arms. Kinda sorta has happened so far, but injuries have affected what I saw. The offense would be better the 2nd half with Roden, Rodriguez, Jenkins, Gonzalez, K-Pepper, and Medez ALL knocking on the door. They are kinda doing so with Roden, Rodriguez, and Jenkins sitting outside currently. So what do YOU want? You want to trade Ryan for what? Considering the young talent sitting at St Paul right now just waiting to be healthy again, or waiting for the next promotion, who's a better option? Someone you trade Ryan for? I never expect prospects to reach their ceiling. But the Twins are in a special place right now with a COLLECTION of AAA players the look legitimate! So you want to trade Ryan for more young talent that might or not make it? I can see the argument for trading Ryan. . But I really, really like the potential of the lineup going forward. And I like the potential of the pen as is, with a couple converts. Some of wich are TBD. And personally, I'd RUN with Lee, Keaschall, K-Pepper, Rodriguez, Jenkins, Gonzalez, and Mendez and KEEP Ryan and Lopez...re-sign ONE of them if possible. But I would have also re-signed Jeffers a year ago. So if you pause for a moment, and step back for a LONG look, and take in consideration of the talented aems who have debuted, and the OF and INF options that HAVEN'T debuted yet, mostly due to injury in many cases, do you REALLY want to trade Ryan NOW? What prospects does he bring back that are better than our own? An honest question on my part. IMO, the biggest bummer for the current season as we haven't had the opportunity to rebuild the player roster yet. Personally, I'd keep Ryan for the rest of this season and see how the second half plays out. Again, personally, I want to see K-Pepper, Rodriguez, Jenkins, Gonzalez, and Mendez, and maybe Fedko, and keep running with the young arms, waiting for a few still coming back, and see what this Twins team might do the rest of the season. I'm in the camp of not trading Ryan as I just don't know that he brings back anything better than what's on hand right now.

It's really tough when the SP doesn't win after pitching to well. But that's baseball. Despite 1 run allowed, the pen did their job. I remain frustrated with those disappointed in Lee. Even when drafted, he was regarded as a "competent" SS who would probably move to 2B or 3B. His "competent" SS glove has now been moved to 3B, where it belongs. And he was supposed to be some "hitting machine" that he hasn't been yet. Last season, 2025, he was a ROOKIE save for 22 AB in 2024. But so many seem to believe he's been around forever and has TONS of experience and should be a STUD already. It's just RIDICULOUS how Lee has been perceived so far. He's still adjusting to ML pitching, and who he is as a hitter. So far, his power is looking better than expected. He may not be the HITTER we expected. He may have more power than expected. And I think we should be excited that we're seeing a maturation of his bat.

I was OK when they acquired Banda. He's a helpful bullpen piece. But I NEVER understood the excitement others felt. Based on all career numbers, he was a lesser version of Thielbar in his prime. But still a viable piece to the bullpen. I was actually more excited about the signing of old friend Rogers based on experience. I was also somewhat excited, with trepidation, that Funderburk would continue his 2025 advancement in performance. So what have we gotten so far? Funderburk looked pretty solid until he left for a child birth leave of absence. Suddenly he couldn't throw strikes when he came back. I still think there's a pretty solid "first LH" out of the pen option there, but he needs to fight his way back. Rogers has been slightly less than I had hoped for. He's been OK. He's had a couuple poor appearances, and a few good ones. He was solid today, Tuesday, against the Dirty Sox. Banda was damn near DFA status a couple weeks ago. And it's great that some adjustments he's made has him back on track. He is ABSOLUTELY throwing better. But his USAGE has also been better. And that's because Morris is being turned in to a high velocity late inning arm who has generally been productive. It's because the Twins MIGHT have found the next "Stewart" in Gomez, thank the baseball gods. And LH Rojas...whatever his future role is to be...has also made a huge difference for the staff. No question Banda has been better with some changes. But he's also better as the pen, overall, has been better.

I just got off work and haven't had time to peruse through all the comments, so forgive me if I repeat things already touched on. I think one of the most important things Royce can do is shut off any media accounts he has. He's just too sensitive. Personally, were I an athlete of any sort, I'd NEVER read anything but family and friends stuff, and cute animal stories. Everything else is just toxic. 1] For some crazy reason, he seems to think some want him to fail. Other than a couple faceless trolls on the internet...see my previous comments above...NOBODY wants him to fail! We all WANT him to succeed! 2] Just accept your body has changed and you just aren't who you were 2-3 years ago. You're just as fast or athletic as you once were, but you're still damn athletic overall, but are more powerful than you were. You need to find a comfortable stance that allows you time to see the ball, but still have the reaction time to swing with a solid power stroke. I thought that was the reason for private coaching this last offseason? 3] Combined with point #2, Royce, when did you decide that pitches 3" under the zone, 8" low and outside the zone, and 6-8" above the zone were within your ability to HIT? I mean, COME ON, a HS kid facing a ML pitcher...probably scared out of his mind...could flail at the stuff you've been swinging at. (A bit of hyperbole granted). Didn't you USED to have a "hitting zone" you felt comfortable with? 4] Recognize your coaches are just trying to get you to find a zone and swing that WORKS. They're actually on your side Royce! 5] And this is probably most important, your career is in YOUR HANDS. Despite a smiling, optimist who has gone through a **** ton of injuries, including a pair of bad knee injuries, your career isn't over yet. It's OK if you're FINALLY frustrated and pissed off things didn't go the way you and everyone thought and planned. The fat lady hasn't sung yet. Get your HEAD straight! EVERYONE WANTS you to succeed. You still posses enough talent to tell "life" to "get out of your way" because you ARE going to re-discover a ZONE that works. And you're going to put in the work and listen to coaches that WANT to help you. And you might want to "listen" to the voice in your head that says; "Come on Royce, you know what to do."