DocBauer

Lewis is in the dirt for now. The only reason the Twins are having Farmer play SS is because he's solid there, and they want to let Lewis settle down and get acclimated. And I bet you donuts to dollars we'll still see him at SS at some point fairly soon. Is Lewis the future at 3B? He might be. He has all of the talent in the world to be a great and productive 3B. And he can still cover SS easily when Correa needs a day off. But Lewis could EASILY give way to Lee in a half season or so to maybe become one of the best 2B in all of MLB. And Lee could be an excellent 3B both offensively and defensively and Lewis could be that outstanding 2B I just mentioned. And what about Polanco? He's easily one of the best Twins players. Is he moved to make room? Maybe, though it kinda stinks, but his body is aging despite his production. So even if Polanco is moved, where does Julien fit? The thing is, Lewis could be a STUD wherever he plays. His injury in 2022 was NOT hitting the wall in CF, it was an awkward landing going for a ball. Truth is, he has the ability to bs a great OF, at any position. If you want the best INF the TWINS could have for several years going forward, it would be NO Polanco, and it would be AK at 1B...still a viable corner OF here and there... and any combination of Lee, Correa, and Lewis with Kirilloff. That just might be an All Star INF by itself over the next few seasons. But there is no room for a potentially difference making bat like Julien. I say that because OF/DH, the talent of Buxton isn't going anywhere. And considering that Lewis could play ANYWHERE, Including being a possible CF option, I think there's a lot in flux. Personally, I'd love that INF! But I'd rather sacrifice a little defense for Lewis to embrace the OF and let Julien be an OK 2B defensively and put Larnach and Wallner in the corners and sacrifice a little defense.

I didn't like the 2020 draft. If I recall correctly, it wasn't considered a deep draft, and I'm sure covid had a major influence. My problem with the Sabato pick wasn't he himself, but reports were there were still a few college arms that MIGHT turn out. Sabato himself wasn't really a bad pick in the late 20's that year. He was limited to 1B/DH in the future, but when you pick that late in a questionable draft, you look for value. His college numbers indicated you might get a real BAT with power and OB. So far, all we've seen is a potential AAAA type of player. Wasn't crazy about Soularie because what I saw was an athlete without a position who MIGHT play 2B but was clearly an OF. Enough hit tool and power and speed to make a difference? Or just a LF who could do a little of everything? What I LOVED was the Raya pick in the 4th. What I saw was a kid undervalued because of his size. I saw a Berrios comp who had real stuff and potential and attitude who might be really good. He was my favorite pick that draft. I don't hold size against him, but I am worried about shoulder issues that delayed his pro career initially, and has had the Twins bringing him along slowly. Considering how young he is, I think any issues are simply youth and still growing in to his frame. IIRC correctly, he was 18yo when drafted. He had a minor issue coming in to this season. And because of that, he's been brought along slowly. I'm OK with that. They think they have a great young arm and want to build him up slowly. I'm just hoping for 5+ IP the second half of this year. He doesn't have to be a STUD at 21yo. How about we just develop him, build him up, and get him ready for 2025 and beyond? Wasn't sure about Rosario as the 5th pick. As I recall, big power potential, questionable hit tool, average OF defensively. Like most HS kids. So far, he's been pushed than most HS age kids and is starting to look really good at A+. The Twins thought enough of him to play him a lot in ST to get ready for a promotion to CR. And so far, he's responded. Can't wait to see what he continues to do, but like most young batters, have to BB more than K as much as possible. He's a real possible at this time. But man, if we can all be patient, and just give the kid some time, I think Raya might be a viable rotation arm in a couple of years. I think the IP limit is ONLY to build him up.

As I've stated many times previously,, been a big and hopeful fan of Max since the day he signed. So it pains me to realize how things have turned out. There has been mention in other posts previously that he could platoon some with Taylor in CF, playing some splits, rest Taylor more, and help free up another spot in the lineup for Larnach and/or Wallner. The problem there is, how much pushback do you get from Kepler on this? Secondly, as poor as Max is performing, do you even get production from him at that point? I don't have his splits in front of me, but considering how bad his numbers are, and the fact that he's generally facing RH most days, I see zero upside in even trying this approach. Bad production in RF isn't going to suddenly be better in CF. I actually enjoy watching him play RF defense. He's smooth as hell and makes some great plays. And there is no question anyone else out there is going to give up some hits and sacrifice some out he would make. But at some point, there is a precipice, or a scale if you will, where the offensive production is just so poor that it overwhelms any defensive contribution on the plus side. Each of the past few seasons, and offseasons, there have been articles written about metrics that indicate Kepler does a lot of things well, and is a victim of bad luck. Sometimes statistics and metrics lie. His BABIP over his entire career, with the possible exception of 2019, is amongst the worst of any regular in any lineup. It's never changed, and at this point, it's probably never going to change. I'm not saying he's a lousy ballplayer and doesn't do some things right. But his career offensive numbers, really, would only be acceptable for a great glove SS or top level catcher. And that's just reality as his numbers and OPS keep dropping year to year. MEANWHILE, the Twins offense is struggling and needing productive bats, and they just happen to have a PAIR of them in Larnach and Wallner that, frankly, would be hard pressed to match the declining ineptitude we are witnessing. And while Kepler is not the only bat not performing, Correa and Buxton, even struggling, are out performing him. And each offers improvement possibilities very soon. Where is there any hope of Kep actually improving at this point? While I am generally and admittedly a fan of this FO, perhaps my biggest issue with them is holding on to someone too long, for seemingly unknown reasons, that they just "fall in love with" and can't seem to see the forest through the trees. Pitcher or position player, I ABSOLUTELY AGREE with giving a good player a little time to "get right". Why wouldn't you? No need to cut bait too quickly and regret it later. They did this with Duffey. But even then, they made the move to move on. And I don't want to come across as harsh or mean spirited in any way. But how many other ML teams would have Larnach and Wallner JUST SITTING THERE, with far more upside and just keep telling them to wait and rolling Kepler out there? How many teams, in any sport, would have a player rostered on a 4yr decline at this point? My goodness, the Twins could literally make room on the roster for Contreras tomorrow...also LH and a good defensive OF...having one of his best milb seasons ever, and AT WORST probably get the same, or similar production. And I don't think I'm exaggerating...very much at least. They SHOULD have moved Kepler for whatever they could get for him this past offseason once they brought Gallo on board. I can kinda understand their reservation of keeping him as insurance with questions regarding Kiriloff and Larnach health wise, and a half season from Wallner at AAA in 2022. And maybe they had questions about Gordon proving his 2nd half in 2022 was real. But that's 4 GUYS to possibly fill 1 or maybe 2 spots. I can't even think of a good analogy where you have a broken down something that kinda works, but 4 more options that you haven't tried yet, or barely tried yet, and just being too damn stubborn to do so. Again, I don't want to be harsh, but the Twins are WASTING opportunity this season by IGNORING obvious change to shake things up and BE BETTER offensively for one of the best pitching staffs we've had in YEARS. With an AVERAGE or just slightly above average offense, this team could/should be not only running away with the ALC, but they COULD/SHOULD be at LEAST 10 games above .500. Lewis and AK are special, and doing their job. More or less, the catchers are doing their job. Polanco continues to show how good he is when healthy. Buxton and Correa hurting a bit and struggling is a bummer, but we know how good they can be. Bench players are actually performing well, but stretched. Gallo has been Gallo, streaky, but as dangerous and productive as his "usual" self previously. Kepler is a huge black hole and preventing younger players with more upside from contributing and growing. I know it's only June. And I expect the FO to continue to be conservative in regard to Kepler. Maybe hoping for a decent return in a trade. And Max will make a quality defensive play here and there, jack a HR, hit a nice double that means something, but otherwise flail and make weak contact in the interim. What they NEED TO DO is move him NOW..though early if anyone is interested...or just DFA him and make room while eating his contract. Larnach has 1 less HR, and way more RBI, and a higher OPS despite his "struggles" and recent IL stint from pneumonia than Kepler. My goodness, we have utility players out performing Kepler at this point! The craziest thing to me is, the Twins are RIGHT NOW exactly where the FO wants them to be! The defense is solid, they have a great rotation, a solid pen that is getting better...even though it might need a tweak or two...and YOUNG TALENT ARRIVING and ready or near ready! The only thing really holding them back right now is the offense. So they'd rather have a major hole in their lineup instead of just ACCEPTING it's time to make a delayed move? I wish Max the best, I really do. But he should be gone tomorrow in trade of DFA and TRUST in your young talent. They're doing that with AK and Lewis, why in hell aren't they doing that for Larnach and Wallner?

Within the context of a vacuum, the trades mid season last year were fine unto themselves. You build a solid team, you win, you're in contention, a couple guys get hurt or simply don't perform as hoped/expected...you make some trades to try and push yourself over the tip and give yourself a legitimate shot come the postseason. Now, more guys get hurt, including one of the guys you trade for, you are just DONE. Doesn't mean trying wasn't the right thing to do. To my immediate memory, the 2022 deadline moves were the biggest in about 15 or more years, if not longer, or ever. A solid, experienced ML starter and recent All Star bullpen arm. My issue with the moves is not the moves themselves, but rather, that either or both had to be made at all. FA is absolutely not a cure all for anyone. But it's a tool to be used. And I didn't feel that particular tool was used well pre-2022 by the Twins. Now, injuries and some poor performers were part of the equation as well. But if they had been a little smarter, had pushed payroll just a little more, they might have "guessed" better and not had to make the moves they made. Or smaller moves in place of them. I think this year the entire team was put together very well, despite some results here and there that haven't turned out. Different topic, different day. And honestly, with Stewart and DeLeon looking like help for the pen, Moran rounding in to form, still a few arms in AAA and one on the IL that might still help, I'm not convinced just yet they will need to trade for bullpen help. But if they had taken a shot on a FA arm and guessed right, they probably wouldn't have to think bullpen trade at all. So we can always learn, adapt, and hopefully get smarter in the future. And reavrview 20/20 is always accurate. But the trades last year were not bad moves at the time.

Gallo-hurt and on the IL Buxton-hurt and resting Correa-hurt and resting I get it. And I can understand Lewis with a half day off and Kirilloff out if the lineup to begin the day for a day off. And Kepler is...well...Kepler. But 3 runs TOTAL in the past 2 games is why the Twins didn't sweep the series. And how about 4 runs TOTAL in 3 of those? You won't will all games, or all series. And winning 4 out of the last 7 games is fine. But it could have easily been 6 of the last 7, and that's what's disappointing.

Well written and accurate. So what is the answer? There isn't one, and that's really the point. Sometimes a coach says just the right thing, or in the right way, something clicks. Sometimes the player is stubborn or can't figure it out. And then experience, mental/emotional maturity causes that click. Maybe it's a 34yo veteran on the same winter ball team who gets the player to see things a different way. How come Detroit let Thielbar walk for nothing after he had a nice AAA season? How come Tampa couldn't recognize the future of Ryan with some tweaks...a tip of the rotation arm...but the Twins could? My only issue with the OP is timing. There's just no need for a "what if" article like this after only 2 months. While I wish him and every former Twin the best, 2 months is way too SSS to speculate any fault on the Twins part. Just like Rooker was given up by both the Twins and the Royals before having one special month with the A's so far. Remember when the Tigers grabbed a young, inexperienced A ball Badoo and the Twins were fools for not protecting him? What is he doing now? Just saying, it's an interesting debate as to when and how and why players work for one team but not another. But a couple months of quality is just too early for a viable example.

I have a hard time stating Buxton's current OPS is better than league average, and then stating he's not performing. I also disagree that his being the DH somehow has lead to injuries to other players. Huh? A couple weeks ago I did a full season breakdown of Buck as the Twins were just hitting the 1/3 mark for the season. Roughly, he was on pace for more than 100 RUNS, just shy of 90 RBI, 30 HR, 30 DBLS, and over 20 SB. The RUNS and RBI numbers might balance out differently depending on where he hits in the lineup going forward. And the OPS was definitely over .800. Not sure there was anything to complain about then. Now, he's gone from a brief slump to a longer one. But a week or so ago he was just fine as the DH. Considering he's always been a streaky performer, in a couple weeks he's hot again and has an .800 OPS again, are we still complaining?? Do I want Buxton in CF? You bet! I want him to play 100-120 games in CF, and get in another 20-25 at DH. What are the odds of that ever happening? So, OK, I'll settle for 90-100 games in CF and another 20-30 at DH. If Buxton's knee/hip/whatever was healthy and strong enough to be in CF at least 2-3 games per week, don't you think he'd be out there?? Now, if you want to debate the idea of him taking an IL stint to feel better, I can understand that arguement. But it's also possible a 10 day rest isn't going to do any good. In that case, the Twins are using him at DH to keep his bat in the lineup and waiting/hoping/expecting another hot streak. I don't think Buxton, or the Twins, have simply decided his days in the OF are just done, period, over and out. But for NOW, I think he's the DH. Now, maybe being this conservative will allow him to start seeing CF time here and there in September to get ready for October. I think it's worth considering. But I think it's naive or short sighted to just say "you aren't right, you're hurting physically, and you're giving it all you have, including some aggressive baserunning at times, but go in to CF and make it worse so we can then shut you down." And isn't that what's being suggested here? Again, an IL stint is a different arguement, and I'm not stating an opinion on said stint, just saying it's a different debate. This situation is not one that ANYONE wants, but they are trying to navigate the best way they see fit to get the most out of a disappointing situation. As far as being a DH permanently, or semi-permanently, that is not yet determined for the future. And not everyone can convert. But finding a routine that works for Buck over time might allow him to better adapt. It was very disappointing when Paul Molitor had to move to DH because he just couldn't stay healthy. But he sure became a great one. Might Buxton do the same? Nothing is written in stone yet in regard to the future. But this is how the Twins see making the best of the situation for the here and now. And I don't like it either. But I can at least understand they why of it. And if 2024 and beyond will have to be examined this offseason. But that's for the offseason and the future.

Right on cue Vazquez hits a big double tonight against the Guardians that leads to a run! He's being $10M per to be an experienced, quality game caller, defender, thrower, and staff leader. And he's doing those things. Yes, he's slumped since a good start. But he's not the only one. And while he's been slumping quite a bit lately, there's a lot of season left to start heating back up. But his #1 job is be a CATCHER. Despite being an iron man, I do think he might benefit from a more even time share with Jeffers, who is having a great season thus far. I've always liked Jeffers behind the plate, but it looks like he's gotten better. And the bat potential has always been there. Experience and some work he's put in with Popkins to make some adjustments seem to be paying off. And I heard in the pre-game the duo has thrown out 35% of attempted base stealers. That's one if the best marks in all of MLB.

After reading this OP, and reflecting on past performance, I have decided that Duran will no longer be referred to by that name, only for simple reporting stake. Henceforth, his name will be Drago. For he is a fire spitting dragon of an arm that deserves a special moniker all to his own. All hail Drago!

Sorry but I can't put I can't place Mahle on this list. Disappointing YES. And I'm no expert, but a "tired arm" with some mild shoulder issues in 2022 is NOT related to a blown out elbow and TJ in 2023 unless someone can show me a medical condition that can relate these 2 things. He looked ready to go for 2023. 1] Miranda, easily. He finally showed in 2021 what the FO was expecting. He had a few rookie struggles in 2022 before settling in. He was ready to be an important part of 2023, especially with some hard work to get ready. 2] Jax. We've seen what he can do. He got roasted early with crazy crap. And then he either lost confidence, OR, there was a wrong pitch mix. Either way, bad luck seemed to lead to bad performance. A lot of reasons to believe he can get right. 3] Jorge Lopez. His stuff is great. He started the season strong. He's struggled in May. If he and Jax can get their sh*t together, we have a great BP with Stewart and Moran. 4] Correa. So he's a notorious slow starter who is usually OK, but not great. And then he ramps up. I get it. I'm OK with it. But this slow start has been a couple good games, and then nothing else. He's flashed at times, which is expected. And his defense has remained superlative. But I am wondering about his plantar fasciitis. It can be a temporary thing. It can be handled with a little rest and even an injection to settle the muscles and tendons down. And there is physical therapy to help as well. But unfortunately, it can be a lingering issue that lasts for months. HOPEFULLY, Correa has a mild case and rest and therapy and a possible injection will get him right over the next few weeks. 5] My number 5 is the FO. If your intention was to contend, I understand most of your moves. But keeping Pagan and Kepler instead of looking at potential instead of a "safe" variable is Inexcusable at this point. At what point do you TRUST your OWN prospects? At what point do you realize Kepler...a perfectly solid ML player...is just an average player at best? And it's time for a new direction with Larnach, Wallner, etc. When nothing is produced by what you have vs a potential improvement of younger talent, when do you finally make the commitment to younger and better?

I still believe drafting a 1B you really like, with hit and power and RBI potential has a place to be drafted, especially if he has really good defensive ability, which shouldn't ever be under estimated. And with the DH in both leagues, it does change some draft perspective across MLB. BUT MLB has changed so much the past 5yrs or so, that I would NEVER draft any 1B in the first couple of rounds unless he really and truly looked special. I kinda understood the Twins drafting Sabato a couple of years ago because it was reported to be a tough 1st round, and it was thought Sabato could actually HIT, with power and some solid OB ability. But i would have drafted any high ceiling flier over a 1B, position player or pitcher. All due respect to Killebrew, who played all around, Morneau was the Twins the best 1B ever. My memory might be failing, but I believe he was a 4th round pick as a catcher. Recent history has Arraez converting to 1B. Kirilloff is an OK OF and a potentially great 1B. Abstract thought, a bad knee Polanco could move to 1B and probably be solid there with all of his INF experience and AK spend more time in the OF. Point being, only draft a 1B for depth and a possibly big bat after the first couple of rounds, who MIGHT be special. Otherwise, ignore the spot. I DON'T mean to diminish having a quality defensive 1B, but a good bat 3B/SS/2B/OF/C might turn in to a great 1B. But DON'T draft one early at all.

A few comments: 1] To echo what chpettit19 just stated, virtually every milb prospect plays multiple positions while in the minors. This is done for 2 reasons. a] Depth in the system, and players at the ML level, means ANY prospect, even a TOP prospect, SS, CF, whatever, might end up blocked. So what then? Well, you would want them to be in your lineup. So do you transition on the fly at the ML level? Or has said prospect already had a chance to learn another spot? Lewis is a perfect example of this. b] The minors are there to try to develop ALL of your players. Now, most won't make it. Some end up being filler. But they ALL have to play to see if and how much they develop. As an example, most/many milb teams carry 3 catchers. And those catchers will play 1B/DH/3B/etc, to keep their bats in the lineup, gain experience, and let the other prospects develop. 2] Right or wrong, Julien is often compared to Arraez as a potentially great hitter...though a different one...without a defensive position, who might be an exciting bat/table setter. Arraez was tossed in to LF as a rookie with no experience there that I'm aware of. He was told to back up, keep the ball in front of him, and do the best he could. Honestly, IMO, I've seen worse OF defensively in the past, LOL. He wasn't horrible at 3B, and became a pretty good 1B on the fly, which is damn hard to do. Julien has a mediocre arm, possibly due to surgery, but is a faster, better overall athlete than Arraez. And prior to this year, he's ONLY played 2yrs of pro ball. So he's absolutely a work in progress, despite spending time at different spots in college and his first pro season. Now, full confession, I've only caught a handful of games of Julien defensively at 2B when he's been up. I've seen routine plays, a couple solid plays, and some bobbled plays. I've also seen some good and bad hilight videos. So I don't have enough information to know how good/decent/bad he might be at 2B. But why can't he still improve? I'm betting he could be a pretty decent 1B. Even with an average at best arm, isn't he athletic enough to play a little LF? Unless he just doesn't have ANY sort of tracking ability, could he be worse than Young or Willingham in LF? When the bat/offense plays, you find a spot or spots where he can play. I sort of get him focusing on 2B right now with the idea they want him to be able to actually play acceptable there, with the idea a move to 1B...maybe LF...would probably be easier. But are they doing him a disservice focusing too much on 2B only? Young, athletic, only 2yrs of pro experience, can't he get better? 3] If the Twins just want to build one of the best INF in all of MLB, it would be AK at 1B, Correa at SS, and a combination of Lewis and Lee at 3B/2B. So where does Julien fit other than being an "average" defensive player with a great bat at a couple spots as well as DH? And that's fine, but what if Buxton is going to be a "Molitor" type of DH move full time? And what about the future of Polanco? There are questions that his under 30yo body is breaking down. Maybe?? But a healthy Polanco is a hell of a good player and one of the Twins best. And they still have control of him for two more years. To be clear, having too many good players is not a bad problem. And things often work themselves out. But the Twins are going to have to make some very hard/interesting decisions really soon to fit everyone in, or move some guys. Does Lewis move to the OF fairly soon? Does Polanco get moved? Do the Twins keep Julien at 2B, or start to work him at a couple spots to attempt to increase his versatility as an "acceptable" defensive player at those spots? I don't know that there are any easy answers. And I think it's going to be fluid going in to 2024. But I DO THINK you do what you can to "polish" Julien the best you can to find a way to make room for him while working the rest of the roster the best you can to put everyone in the best spots.

I'm really surprises by the vitriol presented here. 1] The Twins have one of the best rotations in all of MLB. Something we haven't seen in YEARS. 2] The bullpen build wasn't great. Pagan should have been gone, and they should have added ONE arm they believed in to guard against Alcala not being ready. And despite some struggles from Jax and Lopez, we know thier stuff. It's up to the coaching staff to help them find their stuff on a consistent performance self. If they can do that, and add a healthy Thielbar back, a much improved Moran, and the surprising Stewart, could make a really good bullpen. I know it's not EASY to see this, but it ain't hard to see it either. A few runs here and there don't make a bad pen. And rolling through a few guys here and there isn't a bad idea either. This pen can be really good If a couple arms can "settle down" and they can find the right mix. Remember, a couple bad games skewes what a RP does. But the pen DOES need to ramp up a bit. 3] Let's be honest and admit the offense has been the issue. Forget historic ineptitude with bases loaded, the inconsistent offense has been the issue. Double digit, or close to it, in runs produced with a 3 game series of 5 or 6 runs doesn't cut it. You can't win consistently with an offense that yings and yangs between 1 run and 7. And that's been the problem, not the pen. Just a little better pen results and an offense that can create any sort of consistent competitive environment would have this team 10 games above .500. And then, pundits would be proclaiming the Twins as one of the top 6 teams in the AL, not the leader of an also ran division. There are no wins granted for coming close. But how many games have the Twins had the lead, or been neck and neck, and lost a game so far? You want to blame the pen for the Twins losing a game 3-2 because they couldn't score a single run past the 2nd inning? Yeah, go ahead and blame the pen on that one. My biggest worry coming in to the season was the offense. And it wasn't the loss of Arraez, or the signing of Gallo, who's been pretty damn good. It was Kepler, and the hopeful health and improvement and debut of Larnach, Killeroff, Waller and Julien, and Lewis. I trusted Correa, and Polanco, Buxton, Miranda, and Gallo, (to a degree). Larnach, despite ups and downs, is amongst the HR and RBI leaders before his pneumonia IL stint. AK and Lewis are off to great starts. Julien is flashing early like a keeper. What more does Wallner have to do for an offense deficient team than scream potential production over someone who can't produce? You DON'T want to be impressed by the Twins? Fine. You obviously aren't watching the games, and only focusing on how "close but not quite" box scores. This team is inches away from being 10 games above .500 and right in the mix if the offense can just find ANY kind of CONSISTENT production.

Never quite understood Cavaco as the 1st pick then and still don't know. I guess it's exciting to hear about a young player with tools gaining "steam" and looking like a steal. But shouldn't the scouting department been smarter than that? (Remember, it is the scouting department that primarily makes these selections). I'm still disappointed they didn't see a safer, more well known and scouted player with a high ceiling available instead of the mystery kid riser. But the rest of the draft was pretty darn good! Jury is out how good Wallner might be. The defense needs work/polish, but he's got the range and arm. Offensively, he's always going to K a lot. But he's shown the ability to actually hit some, and still BB walk some, to go along with huge power. He's also only 25 still and inexpensive. I already know he'd be a more productive run producer than Kepler. Time to find out how good he might be. Varland is already a part of the rotation and looking better and better the more experience he gains. Julien just might be the best player out of the entire draft for the Twins. I'm starting to really like what I'm seeing and reading about Headrick and I think he's permanent part of the Twins pretty soon. I'm saying the pen as a reliable 3rd LH arm. I think Lawyerson has a chance to find a role as the 6th-8th man in the pen. A solid, funky delivery arm with good control who can give you 1-4 IP, whatever you need on any given day. Canterino...crossing fingers...will end up a really nice back of the pen arm once he gets back and gets in a good flow. His stuff is just so nasty, a healthy version of him at 90% his old self could still be a hell of a pen arm. The rest, I'm really not sure if anyone steps up or not at this point. Without Cavaco, this looks like a great draft. Had they selected someone who wasn't such a risk, and was turning out, it would have been a tremendous draft.

Great to see Miranda have a good night. The start of a run? Sure hope so. Wallner has the physical ability to be a decent OF if he can just learn to read the ball better and take better routes. He's very fast for such a big man, just takes him a step to get going. His arm is special. He can be decent, but he needs work. Other than that, a roughly 30% K rate us acceptable if he also hits a little, continues to put up good BB rates, and mash when he barrels up. When veterans play because they are veterans and provide little to no offense at all for a team struggling for runs, you need to look at a prospect who might jump start that offense. I'm not saying Maeda is done as a SP. Nice to see his velocity back at 91, even though his game has never been about pure velocity. But even though his incentives are tied to GS and IP and the such, would he consider a move to the pen in order to be part of a winning team? Struggle in the rotation at 35yo or possibly excel in the pen? Tough luck for Enlow last night. Should they have kept him in for 1 more batter and try to finish the inning off? His pen sure didn't help him. Severino has a ML future if the K's don't rise any further and he can be solid at 2B/3B.

I'm not surprised by this list, for the most part. Ft Myers is filled with members of the 2022 draft class that barely sniffed the field after being selected. I'm not saying there isn't real talent and upside amongst them, but you would have expected them to perform well at low A to begin their careers. And while the Twins have shown a much more aggressive promotion strategy than we saw for decades, it probably would have been unwise to push so many of their draft class straight to high A for their pro introduction. Glad to see Mathews and Cossetti already moved up. I would have to believe Lewis, Ortega, and LH Zachary Veen should follow very soon. The problem is, there has to be an opening at the next level to do so, and then you need someone to take their spot at Ft Myers. The draft is weeks away and the FCL is just about to get underway. So the Ft Myers promotion watch is going to be interesting to follow for sure. Cardenas hasn't set the world on fire since being drafted a couple of years ago, but he's hit, and shown some great OB ability and a great feel for the strike zone. If that knowledge and feel for the zone leads to a little more aggression, we should see the BA climb as well as his power numbers. I've had my eye on him since he was drafted and think he's got a legitimate shot to be a ML catcher if his backstop skills can match his bat potential. Top 30 list next offseason? Rosario has really impressed. I thought they pushed him...and a few others...harder than I expected to high A this year. But they saw some things they really liked in ST and played him quite a bit. He's been pretty solid and looks to be improving.

I understand the Twins general belief and philosophy of drafting bats before arms. We've discussed it many times before, so no need to rehash it again here. But we're talking the #5 pick, not somewhere in the teens or twenties. But even then, they grabbed Petty 2yrs ago with their 1st round pick. So if Skenes was really available at #5...and I don't see it...I think they would jump at the chance! No offense to any media "expert", but they are looking for readers/viewers, wouldn't mind creating conversation, and are trying to play GM for every team in the league. But if the other 4 teams wanted to pass on what appears to be a special arm, I have no doubt the Twins would JUMP! As far as Gonzalez goes, every team scouts all the top players and have their preferences. Someone like myself reads mocks and some different reports, and forms enough of an opinion to almost e dangerous, lol. But all the reports I've read so far on Gonzalez has him as a fine SS...who might stick there...with decent hit and power tools, and average speed. That just doesn't sound like a #5 pick to me, especially when I have Correa at SS, Lewis and Lee who can play it, and a handful of pretty interesting A level prospects that might be ready in a few years. He sounds like a solid, safe type of pick without the upside that you'd want to grab at #5. I'd rather grab Dollander, the proposed #1 preseason pick who has great stuff but has struggled with control for some reason here in 2023.

Going to go out on a very short and fragile limb and say that Crews and Skeens are off the board. It wouldn't take a ton of imagination to see the teams picking in front of the Twins to fall in love with someone else, Dollander, Lower, Teel, the HS bats, etc, and Langford slip to 5th. It doesn't make sense to me, but then again, Lee wasn't supposed to slide last year either. So while I wouldn't bet on it, or lay strong odds, I could see it happening. Agree that Wilson looks like a "nice" player, but with a short ceiling. I don't want that at #5. Further, while you ALWAYS draft quality SS and fit them in later, again, I'm not sure I see the potential, plus, the organization isn't entirely devoid of infield talent and numbers right now. Pass for me. If I had my choice between the powerful Jenkins and the more fleet of foot CF Clark with the potentially elite bat to ball skills, I'm going with Clark. I don't want to draft in the 1st round for need, but he fits outstanding prospect profile AND need as the organization feels shirt of CF options that should STICK there. Keirsey at AA might be the best pure CF in the system right now, and he's got some really nice tools, but a bad college injury and some smaller ones as a pro has him getting old at 25-26 at AA. That's not a top prospect. He's a potential roll player. Celestino and Martin haven't even hit the field yet and it's about to turn June. So I'm kinda big on Clark right now as a strong possible #5 for ceiling as well as organization need. He doesn't have to be a 20HR hitter...though maybe he becomes one...to be very good with hit, contact, speed, and defense at his disposal. I am not out on Teel at #5 though. I've seen him pretty consistent in the top 10-12 lately. I don't want him just because he's a catcher. That's a poor way to draft. And I don't want him just because he's got "helium" as a hitter this year. But if the bat is REAL, combined with better than average athleticism for the position, and he has the tool framework to be a legitimate ML backstop, I'd be really tempted. And I know we're talking position players right now, but is Dollander the biggest potential steal in the first 10 picks? He was the probable #1 pick preseason and still had a great arm. Do the Twins go away from a bat and go for the big, upside arm for a change? Right now, my #5 pick is Clark.

Two sides to this debate: SIDE A: With all due respect and years of previous fan support, Kepler is an excellent defensive OF and a great overall athlete but is, at best, an average offensive player. And his OPS has been declining for 3 straight seasons. He is what he is, and he isn't getting better. Do you know what Wallner is going to bring? Do we know how he's going to develop and end up? Nope. But he's young, talented, somewhat projectible, and isn't a 29-30yo veteran on the decline with no room for improvement. This all applies to Larnach as well. And while I believe it's generally true it can take a few weeks, even months, for any prospect to rise and fall before begining to "find" themselves and hopefully begin to produce at a more even keel level, how are they supposed to ever do that sitting in AAA behind a "mediocre" veteran who isn't part of the future, and doesn't seem to be helping the present much either? SIDE B: Larnach, and Krilloff were both coming back from injuries to begin this season. Wallner had about a half season of AAA, even though he looks pretty damn good, he still only had a half year above AA. Was Gordon's 2nd half in 2022 for real? And for a team believing they had a real contending ballclub, it sure makes sense to bring in Gallo to nudge the offense, and to keep the old standby in Kepler for another year. Did we really want to see AAAA guys filling up the OF as they did the last couple of months in 2022? Or were we better off with a little "too much depth" to give injuries and kids time to heal and mature? Both sides can be right. And IMPO, they are. Gallo will probably be gone after thus season, very possiblybwirh a QO attached to him. And Kepler should also be gone, making room for the "kids" and freeing up a roster spot and $. Me personally? Despite appreciating the want to error on the side of depth and caution for 2023, I would have rolled the dice and moved Kepler in the offseason and rolled through the younger players to provide opportunity for immediate and future results.

Great to see Cossetti and Mathews move up so quickly. They sure seem ready and need the challenge. I can only assume Cory Lewis and Zach Veen aren't following them immediately as you can't just promote half the team all at once. And Ortega should be right behind those guys. So far, the 2022 draft is looking awfully good, even with Prielipp off to a guarded start.

Full confession, despite following the entire system with great detail, I often lose track of the Twins international signings once the ink dries. They are 16-19yo and spend at least one season in the DSL, if not two, before they reach the FCL, the former GCL. At that point, I begin to read about them here at TD, and occasionally elsewhere, and memory starts to click in. But even then, draft choices have writeups before and after the draft and are much easier to gather information on and refresh or better commit to memory. So I tend to forget, at times, about prospects like Aguiar. He absolutely is performing at a pretty solid level for Ft Myers this season, and offering optimism at his age 21 year. And in regard to time in the system, and other similar age prospects, 21yo is not old for low A. Further, international signings are not only adjusting to whatever level they are at, like any prospect, but they have been adjusting the last year, or two, to a different country, language, culture, etc. So sometimes they might need a little more time to figure stuff out. No excuses, it's just that every young prospect is different than every other prospect, but international kids have different adjustments to also make. Aguiar is nothing close to a finished prospect, and I have zero information as to the injuries he's had previously, but being healthy now and getting all these games played leads to a logical reason as to why we're now seeing some quality results. Will he be ready for a promotion at some point this season? Hmmm...maybe. But I doubt he does anything this season to make him a rule 5 loss risk. I'd just like to see him continue doing what he's doing now, and let things play out. But he has looked encouraging so far in 2023.

Quick question, and maybe I missed something, but why is it a lot of recent OP posts have been blocked for a day or two to make contributions? Updates being made, a glitch, or just time for us to reflect before being allowed to comment? I really, really wanted to comment on this particular OP the minute it was posted. THIS TEAM HAS ME MORE FRUSTRATED THAN ANY TWINS TEAM I CAN THINK OF IN RECENT MEMORY. Sorry for shouting in CAPS. But I not only LOVE the Twins, I absolutely love this team and how it was constructed, with very few exceptions. EXCEPTIONS: 1] I wanted a powerful OF/1B bat from the RH side. I quickly changed gears when Taylor was brought in as I saw the reasons why. It made sense to me, defense and speed and help for Buxton. 2] Pagan should have been gone for many reasons. Forget decent low leverage results to end 2022, and decent numbers so far this year, despite a couple of horrific performances. His $3.5M should have been used, along with a couple $M more, for a shot at a possible improvement as to deepen the pen and not automatically assume Alcala was going to be ready. That's about it in my EXCEPTIONS to the offseason A recent TD poll asked us to rate the Twins performance so far. The overwhelming grade was a "C". I almost agreed due to frustration, but I went "B" in my grade. Why? Becausn while there is seldom such a thing as a "moral victory", it has a place in the right context. Let me explain with recent context. Despite the fact that our beloved Twins were EGREGIOUSLY screwed on a number of poor umpire calls in their recent west coast swing that SHOULD have allowed reprimands, demotion, or similar, they were IN those games to win, despite the egregious calls. Crap happens. You win a few, you lose a few. I don't care about the state of the ALC as a division. This is MY OPINION of the Twins: 1] The rotation has been one of the best, if not the best, so far in MLB. The best the Twins have had in YEARS, despite the Mahle and Maeda situations. 2] While they SHOULD have said goodbye to Pagan and spent his $ elsewhere on a hope, he isn't the biggest problem, though he surely hasn't helped. Duran, Jax, Lopez, Theilbar was a great start to the pen. HOPE was Moran and Alcala filling in the 5th and 6th spots. Moran is starting to look good. Alcala looked OK for 1 inning at a time, but blew apart going more. Was he misused? Maybe. But now he's out. Take away 2 horrific appearances by Pagan, and I guess you have an acceptable pen arm. But history has proved how bad he really is. They should have added SOMEONE to be a better potential arm than him. So if the Tsins can just settle down Jax after some extreme bad luck and possible lack of confidence, get Lopez back in a groove, and these guys have previously shown what they can do, and then factor in Thielbar healthy in a couple weeks, along with Morzn suddenly finding himself, and the surprising Stewart, suddenly this pen looks damn good. And there are a possible few helpful arms Ike DeLeon who might help as well. A few bad games from a RP are magnifed....not talking Pagan level implosions...but they can do better. And the good news is they CAN do better and actually have some good arms to work with. But even the best pens will allow a few runs here and there. So where is the offense? 3] The loss of Arraez, no matter how good of a player/hitter, does NOTHING to excuse the variance of offensive performance from game to game. WITH Arraez, the Twins still had an up and down offensive performance in 2022 before their eventual collapse. I grant you Polanco missing the first couple of weeks, raking on return, slowing, then getting hot again before his recent IL stint doesn't help. But Correa has been cold except for a few games. Miranda unexpectedly imploded. Where do we even begin with setting records for ineptitude with the bases loaded? With a mix of veterans and young talent, I don't expect the BOMBA SQUAD of the past. But there's still too much talent here to be so damn poor and inconsistent with production. It usually takes a while for the young talent to settle in. A silver lining for some of the recent injuries might be the audition and experience of the prospects. Truth is, the pen might not be that hard to fix. The biggest problem is an offense that can't support its pitching staff, despite opportunity, and despite talent. The Twins should be about 10 games over. 500 right now, if the offense hadn't let them down and disappeared in so many critical times. The pen needs to get right, but they've got some arms to do it. The lineup needs to PRODUCE way better than they have been, especially based on talent. The offense has cost more games than the staff has. The Twins should be a 92+ win team with this rotation, and the potential of the pen and lineup. To me, it seems easier to right the pen by getting Jax and Lopez right. Do we get the lineup better by playing the kids? IDK the answers, but damn projections, this SHOULD BE a 90+ win team. It almost feels, at times, like they just realize how good they are, or might be,

I agree there is mystery surrounding Buxton and his health. And it has been discussed and debated previously in other articles as to how forthcoming the FO should be about a player's health, and I won't get in to that debate. But there are a couple rather obvious factors that come in to play. 1] Buck is one of the best CF I think most of us have ever seen. And he loves to be in CF and would like to there. The Twins know how great he is out there. Wouldn't they put him out there if they thought he was ready? 2] From various opinions and even personal observations, if you watch Byron on the basepaths, legging out XB hits or stealing bases, you can see the tremdous speed he still has, but you can also see him "galloping" once in a while instead of streaking. You can see him needing a moment to collect himself. At least for now, he's OK for short sprints. It's the wear and tear of chasing balls on the fly that is the concern. The general pounding on the knees that come with doing so. Right now, as a DH, he's on pace to play the most games he ever has, and probably have his best ever offensive season. MY OPINION is he WILL play CF again at some point. Whether that is in the playoffs, or next season, or whenever, I just don't know for sure. As to how transparent the FO has been, or should be, again, is a different argument.

Dejavu here as I just got done talking about Castro in today's game thread. But here I go. I think a number of us really liked signing the then 25yo Castro because he had a nice tool box of ability and potential but was promoted a bit early and never developed in Detroit. Agreed he was supposed to be in St Paul as a reclamation project who might help, added depth, and might surprise as a utility player. He really only made the club out of ST due to some injuries. But all he's done is answer the bell, play acceptable defense wherever they've put him, and that includes a few innings in CF where he, at least, hasn't embarrassed himself. This/he reminds me of Gordon a couple years ago when he got his shot and learned to play the OF/CF on the fly. Now, Cruz has played the OF before, but I think the reference is accurate. Castro seems to run the bases well, and has shown he can be a successful SB threat. He's also laid down some nice bunts...a lost art...that only he and our catchers seem to be able to do, lol. And while regression will certainly take hold any day now, let's look at his MLB page and examine his recent quad slash line: LAST 30 GAMES: .284/ .346/ .514/ .860 LAST 15 GAMES: .320/ .346/ .580/ .926 LAST 7 GAMES: .360/ .407/ .680/ 1087 OBVIOUSLY, there is no way he maintains this kind of production. Nothing in history indicates prolonged performance like this. And we're taking 74 AB. But still, he's been performing for 30 games, not just a week or two. This tells me that despite his numbers returning to the norm, he actually might be starting to become the solid ML player he was expected to be originally, now recently turned all of 26yo. He might also turn back in to a pumpkin very quickly, with no glass cleat to make him special, other than as a really nice and versatile utility player. But what would be wrong with that? I'm sorry to inform a lot of fans who haven't figured it out yet, but Buxton's days as the principal CF for the Twins are over. But that's a very different discussion for another day and another OP. Taylor has been great in CF, and produced as well as I'd hoped for. And if his back settles down, and he doesn't have to play DAILY, he just might end up having one of is most productive seasons. But Celestino and Martin...both talented and young and having possible futures...will only get a half season at best in 2023, and aren't going to factor this year. At least for 2023, Lewis will also not be a CF option. Gordon is out for a month or more, which really hurts as he's an OK CF and his bat was just starting to FINALLY heat up. And while Kepler can help give Taylor some days off in CF...and he's going to have to...Castro is going to get a shot to help there. If any part of his recent offensive development is real and true, he deserves a shot there as an occasional option. He's shown he can cover LF and help in the INF. He can work with Kepler to give Taylor a day off here and there. Make no mistake, a month from now, Castro could be flailing at the plate and be gone/demoted. But he wasn't even supposed to make the opening day roster. But so far, all he's done is do his job, help, and get better. He should NOT be an integral piece for this team. But could he continue to be a contributor to the 2023 Twins? So far, he's trending upwards.

Buxton has been giving is all at the plate, and on the basepaths. But he's not ready for CF. And honestly, despite creeping age and a sore back, Taylor has done the same, and even surprised me at times. But with Gordon out, I can see Castro in CF for Sunday with Taylor in reserve. He sure isn't my first choice, but things being as they are on the roster currently, let's see him out there.