DocBauer

First off, injuries tanked this team. I just don't see how anyone can debate that issue. When you're trotting out your 8th OF, a last second veteran catcher add, and what, you're 8th-10th SP options you can only do so much. Some of the lineups the past month have been AAA players filling in. That being said, I don't feel this team was set up properly for 2022 at all. 1] First and foremost, impending lockout and negotiations with Buxton be damned, the Twins were WAY UNDER ANY payroll possibilities and had the opportunity to add a quality SP for 2-4yrs at annual values that were fair and wouldn't break the bank. Even Rodon, who they pushed hard for, ended up with essentially a 1yr deal due to his opt out. Was Verlander coming here? No. But there were some really solid arms available that they didn't even try for. Instead, they took a flier on Bundy. The Gray trade wasn't a bad one at all and probably happens regardless. A FA and Gray, and maybe STILL Bundy would have been a good start to join Ryan and Ober and young arms coming up. And while I actually like Paddack and think he might be a major part of the rotation theb2nd half of 2023 and 2024 and be a re-sign candidate, a team hungry for SP absolutely shouldn't have traded for someone almost guaranteed to blow out his arm. And they wouldn't have had to do so if they just spent $ for one of the quality FA arms out there. Now, this doesn't guarantee success! But it's a solid foundation to build on and lessens a cascading affect that happened. 2] You absolutely CAN BUILD A BULLPEN in a variety of ways. Rebound arms. Starters turned to relievers. Promotions of young arms Solid FA signings. Duran is magnificent. Jax is very good. Thielbar is very good. The Twins really missed Alcala IMO. Lopez was a great move by the Orioles, but we could have done something similar. And while Rogers tanked after his start with the Padres, he's not a true "closer" to pitch daily. He's been really good, but he's not a Joe Nathan type. But having him and using him appropriately instead of Pagan would have made a huge difference for everyone. And you have Rogers if you don't HAVE to make the Paddack trade because you didn't do ANYTHING when you had the opportunity. And needing another quality option no matter the Rogers trade, Smith was it? A 38yo junk ball RH was it? There was NOBODY else worthy of a decent contract that was a better option than Joe Smith? 3] The belief that journeyman Garlick...an OK ballplayer...and not yet proven Celestino could handle the job of quality RH OF when the oft injured Buxton and Kepler were your only proven commodities was a huge error. Not only gas this team been surprisingly susceptible to LH pitching, but the young and very talented Larnach and Krilloff hadn't fully proven themselves as starters as of yet, and each was coming off injury. And Garlick and Celestino were the best you had to offer as RH counterparts? To be fair, I don't hate the FO and I don't hate everything they did before or during the 2022 season. And I didn't hate this team before the year began. I honestly saw a 90-92 win team with decent health and a couple of breaks. But I really questioned their lack of additions to the 3 areas above. And they seemed so very obvious to address based on need, availability, and an open payroll. No way to predict how things would have turned out had they done as described above. Only Maeda was out for 2022, the rest of the injuries have just been one after another, etc, until you barely recognize the team on the field we've been seeing the last month. But it doesn't change the fact that 1 more quality SP, 1 more quality RP along with Rogers, and 1 more quality OF would have helped mitigate some of the poor series we played before and after the break and the trades made. And surely, we wouldn't have given away so many games in the late innings.

Of the 3 listed in the OP, I'm actually most worried about Martin at this point. I still don't understand him sitting out an entire year and then jumping to AA, no matter his draft credentials and athleticism. But he did pretty much hold his own there, despite mediocre BA and no power. But the fact he repeated, and had his BA go down and still no power really concerns me. Was he battling I jury before he was on the IL? How can he be so athletic, and have great discipline, but can't hit? If he has a good AFL, (crossing fingers), I almost think he should move to the OF and MAYBE AAA for a different challenge and a change of scenery. I am of the belief Balazovic's issues are between his ears, no insult intended. I think he finished 2021 working on some changes, started late due to his injury, and got his mechanics and release points all messed up. And it's just perpetuated until looking better recently. I think he needs to hit the re-set button and get himself as prepared for 2023 as he can both mentally and physically. Canterino's stuff is so electric, despite some BB issues, that I believe he would have been moved very quickly if healthy. No medical staff and no surgeon wants to go the surgery route until it appears to be the last resort. That being said, I do think the surgery should have been sooner for his own benefit, much less for the Twins. I also agree that if there had been a 2020, his surgery would have already, probably, been over and done. While TJ is no guarantee of success and a future career, the surgery has a very, very high rate of success. While I hold out hope he will remain a "late arriving" starter who can still have a nice 5-8yr career, I wouldn't be surprised if he ends up moving to the pen.

Polanco is a WARRIOR, as is Buxton. You practically have to drag them off the field to put them on the IL. I really, really hope each, along with Larnach and Jeffers, would come up, healthy or relatively so, in the next week to lead the Twins to an ALC flag and the chance to win a 1st round playoff series and "break a curse" and set the table for 2023 with a positive 2022 finish. But it's probably just too late. Even with a strong finish, Cleveland just has too soft of a finish for the Twins to make a move unless their depleted roster can surprise the next few games.

As an aside that time constraints robbed me of while at work, I should have added in my previous post that it will be very interesting as to how our AFL prospects are used. I know that much like normal milb, players tend to be used in different manners. Very few are only used in one way, or one position. But does Martin play mostly OF? Julien has played 1B/2B/3B/LF previously. Does he concentrate on 2B/LF? Do we see a surprise? Does Isola concentrate on catching? (Hoping so). Olsen is one of those mid round fliers you take based on potential but injured. Not dissimilar to Priellip this past draft. But THEN, he has TOS surgery and THEN misses all of 2020! I mean, at that point, you're talking about the potential end of a career/dream. After an OK 2021 he spent most of 2022 in the pen. At age 25, with all the time he's missed, there must be SOMETHING in his STUFF the Twins still like to send him to the AFL because I can think of other arms I'd like to see get the opportunity. Bentley is LH and breathing. The Twins are short handed on LH pitching, especially post trade this year. Thielbar is very good, but needs help, and is on the wrong side of 30, despite his results. Moran and Sisk at AAA offer some potential immediate help. And Hendrick and Funderburk and the injured Featherstone at AA offer possibilities. But a good AFL could catapult Bentley in to AAA and potential Twins discussion for 2023. I don't want to say the Twins are desperate for a 2nd LHRP option....but the Twins are desperate for a 2nd LHRP option to add to Thielbar and then have 1 or 2 guys knocking at the door! Possibilities are there! Who steps through the open doorway? This, IMO, is a big, open and important doorway. Despite following the system closely, I have to admit I know next to nothing about Shreve or Peguero. Shreve is tall and long and pitched in rookie ball 2019 before sitting out 2020. I can only assume he's projectible after his 2nd half of 2022 as listed in the OP. And I also confess that I didn't even remember Peguero as being part of the Sonny Gray trade. (Shame on me, lol). So they both seem to have velocity and potential secondary pitches and have K results. Great! So do a lot of A and AA arms. The FO knows a hell of a lot more than I do about the talent and potential of position players and arms in the system than I do. But I thought the AFL was about AA and above talent that was "close" to making an appearance and a mark. So we sent ONE catching prospect when we might have sent two. And we are sending a group of A arms hoping for a jump start? I mean, it kinda makes sense in a way, offering a challenge. But aren't there some higher profile arms that are closer to reaching the ML level that could really use this springboard and let the other arms work through the instructional league? I like the player choices, though I might have chosen a 2nd catcher potentially. But I'm a little confused about some of the pitching choices.

Winning 4 is probably optimal. Winning 3 isn't out of the question, but still leaves the Twins behind the 8 ball considering games left to make up and how easy Cleveland's final week is. After losing the game tonight, despite a 3-0 lead, the truth is the Twins just don't have enough quality, productive bodies to make a difference offensively. The thing I'm really going to potentially miss in 2023...though I hope a Twins winning record will make this negligible...is inter divisional series played in September. While you ALWAYS want your team to walk away with a division win, it's still fun to be facing off against your division rivals to close things out. But MLB, in their continued poor vision, has that possibility all but eliminated next year with their bogus scheduling. The Twins have to win, at least, 3 of the next 4 to remain in this thing. The odds of doing so are pretty remote. But I'm going to root for them to do so anyway. As always, GO TWINS!

Disappointed? At least short term? Yes. Even with some expected regression...I mean the dude was performing at an almost impossible to maintain ELITE level...he's not been what I expected or hoped for. Period. But honestly, we're talking about a human being having the best season of his career and then being traded. He's still in a very SSS with the Twins. Sometimes there's just an adjustment period to a player packing up and moving. Sometimes guys try too hard to impress their new team. Sometimes baseball just happens and a guy has some bad luck and a few bad games. That's magnified for a RP. And yes, maybe the Twins tried a tweak that hasn't worked. Maybe he's suffering through a combination of what I've listed. Long term, I'm excited to have an arm like his for now and the next 2yrs. He's still brand new to his role, and some bumps in the road are bound to happen. It's very unfortunate it's happened right after the trade. And maybe I'm just an optimist, but again, I'm happy to have his arm around for a while. And if he finishes 2022 strong and looks good in 2023, this conversation/OP will be quickly forgotten. Along the similar line, Fulmer has been pretty close to what he was in Detroit, a little better, a little worse in areas. But he's almost the exact age of Lopez, and has only been a full time reliever a little longer than Lopez. Unless the Twins really believe they have a better arm for around the same expected $ cost, I think he'd be a perfect re-sign for 2023 to go along with Duran, Lopez, Jax, Thielbar, a healthy Alcala and a number of possible arms to fill the mid roles.

I have no clue if the FO is trying to manipulate service time or not, but I seriously doubt it, and I think vague comments about such are uninformed and uncalled for as some conspiracy theory. IIRC, wasn't Varland was switched to a call up at the last moment vs just adding him to the roster. That allowed them to continue playing the roster game they've been playing most of the year to keep fresh arm on a shuttle. He's coming up again for the double header at Cleveland on pretty much less normal rest/rotation. They're just playing the game within a game to keep fresh arms. Witness Cotton being sent out for the 4th or 5th time. I can "get" the FO not rushing a young prospect like Wallner thinking he's not quite ready. The issue is, IMO, the FO being too stubborn with sticking with veterans too long "hoping" they respond. Cave is the perfect example. Now I'm not a Cave hater, and he's had a whopping 2 good games since the glass was broken and they promoted him, and hit a HR tonight against Cleveland. But a veteran hitting poorly, except for a couple games, isn't an answer when you MIGHT catch some lightening with Wallner up and getting a shot. Cave is hitting like .180-.190 and not performing...except for the previous mentioned...would Wallner do worse? Why not take a shot?! He might surprise and might hit a couple big doubles or HR's. The lineup needs help. Take a shot! And once again, in a similar arguement, why not Helman instead of the hurt Garlick or one of the Hamiltons? Helman can play all 3 OF spots, 2B/3B and even a little SS if you need him to. He can hit a little, jack some XB hits and HR and has speed and SB speed/ability. The only thing Hamilton and Hamilton offer are one can catch and one is more experienced. This is CRUNCH TIME to end the year. It's time to to just take desperation type shots for guys who MIGHT surprise and help vs "trusting" in more experienced players who can't hit and can't seem to give you what you need to make a run. Stubbornness can be a serious flaw.

I think there's 2 different questions being asked here, intentionally or not. 1]Can we trust Larnach NOW to help? No. A few more games, hopefully he can find his swing and come up to help. He might not. But Buck out, Kepler hurting and inept lately, Garlick hurt yet again while trying to play at probably 75-80%, Hamilton on the bench and Cave not only starting but doing so against LHP. Sheesh! So we can at least HOPE Larnach cones up and can help. BTW, going to repeat Wallner couldn't do much worse, nor Helman, and they should be up NOW. 2] Can we trust Larnach for the future? He's unfinished and the jury is out how good he might be, but I say YES. When you hit in college, hit in the minors, hit at the ML level WHEN HEALTHY, I think he's got a good future. His defense is solid/OK with a great arm. His only "power" issue thus far has been hitting up the middle and the opposite way almost too much and needs to work on pulling the ball more. That's not a bad problem to have to work on. Neither of his injuries indicates any kind of long term or chronic situation. Just unfortunate. IF AK's latest procedure can keep him on the field, he gives the lineup a HUGE potential boost at 1B as well as the OF. Then you add the potential of Wallner in and things start to look very good for the future. (Better too many options vs too few). I like Celestino and think he has a future, but is not finished yet. I'd like to have Garlick back on a mild deal for depth and options. But for yet another year consecutively, I think the Twins need to spend a few $M on a quality RH hitter with pop/power who can play a little defense. Problems against LHP has been constant and I don't want 2023 to be about trusting in Celestino and Garlick too much.

Figured Martin was a 100% lock. I think when there was an article a couple weeks ago concerning AFL speculation, pretty sure I listed Julien as a possible in order to work on defense and get ready for a possible Twins promotion in 2023. I also stated they absolutely had to send at least one catcher as they need to figure our Carmago, Isola, Williams, etc. Just interesting it's Isola of the various possibilities. But before I pat myself on the back too much, I struck out on the possible arms completely! Really thought Enlow would get some time to continue to get his "feel" back and log some additional innings. Looks like they just want rest before instructs. The arms they're sending make sense though. They all really just need more innings to see what they really have.

My brain says to stay out of this conversation, but my stubbornness says to weigh in anyway, LOL. I think it's almost impossible to discuss Rocco without also discussing the FO to some degree. But I'm going to focus on Rocco directly, as much as possible. In regard to the entire topic of managing by computer or analytics only, I've got to pull the reins on that entire arguement. Before MLB fully embraced what are today's "modern" analytics approach, baseball has still been using analytics for a hundred years plus previously. More than any single sport, baseball has been measuring statistics the entire time! We've got numbers from wins and losses and SO and BB and ERA since the game basically began. Hitting statistics from BA to OB to Hr and RBI have been counted the same. You don't think managers haven't been fully aware of various hitters and pitchers career numbers against their opponents for the past 100+ years? Those numbers are analytics folks. The difference is about 15-20yrs ago a few really smart people took WHAT WAS ALREADY BEING USED and dug in deeper. Hitting wise they discovered that OB% was more valuable than previously known/understood. They discovered that bunting a runner to 2nd with no outs only increased your chances of scoring a single run a few percentage points. BUT, you LOWERED your chances of scoring MORE than that single run. So teams now play for a bigger inning most of the time these days. On the pitching front, it was learned that the long established 100 pitch number wasn't as big a factor in pulling a pitcher than him not facing a lineup for a 3rd time. It was also learned that RP usually performed better when they started a clean inning vs coming in with runners on base. Analytics have ALWAYS been used, they've just changed in regard to what the information reveals. So if you have the belief that Rocco follows the numbers too closely at times, and doesn't trust his gut often enough, you have that right and I won't disagree with you. But I think this whole analytics and computer usage and Rocco being a robot is blown way out of context and accuracy and proportion. The comments from Gray about wanting to pitch deeper in to games is also blown out of proportion. Would you want a pitcher who wants to throw less? When pressed after Rocco DID let Gray extend himself, it didn't go great. And Gray's follow up comment was that he appreciated the opportunity and needed to PERFORM BETTER next time. There was no blasting of Rocco. He just said he wanted to pitch deeper and then said it was up to him to do better. In fact, other than Shoemaker last year, I can't recall a single current or former player who has blasted Rocco, or his usage, or the Twin's usage of him, or anything similar. So no, there is no evidence Rocco isn't liked or has lost the team. It's very easy to blast Rocco for his over usage of Pagan, especially in the Cleveland series in which he seemed to single-handedly erode our lead and momentum. But at some point, Baldelli can only use what he's got available. Was he supposed to turn to Duffey or Thornburg at that time? Well, maybe. But he didn't have many options at that time due to injury and lack of talent at the time. When injuries rob you of your starters, and you have a bad and beaten up pen, you can't just throw what you have for SP longer and expect positive results. When several of your best position players are out, you can't suddenly decide to bunt and steal bases all of a sudden and revamp your offensive approach and suddenly start scoring runs in bunches. NOW, that's me just venting about things that are beat on like a blacksmith's hammer on anvil over and over again that are not only not productive, but also aren't fully accurate. NOR am I defending Rocco as a tremendous manager. I'm clearing the air about certain topics. Where does Rocco fail and need to improve? 1] Once in a while, when a SP is doing well, worry less about August and September and let him begin the next inning. Now, I don't WANT said SP to blow things up facing batters for a 3rd time. And I don't WANT a RP brought in to a tough situation vs a clean inning. But there were a few games this year when the bottom of the order was coming up, or maybe 8-9-1 where I think his hook was too quick. 2] Don't fall in love with certain players. It's his job to put the team in the best spot to win. And BTW, this pertains to the FO as well! And when injuries decimate, your hands are tied at times. But when someone is slumping or just not doing the job, sometimes you just have to try someone else and hope for the best because you already know what's probably going to happen if you go status quo. (See Pagan). 3] If you need or want something, then man up and tell the FO what and why. Now, maybe he does that. IDK. But it took until late July or early August for him to speak publicly about needing some long and middle arms for the pen. I know injuries limited options, but why wasn't such an obvious need at least attempted to be filled in some way earlier? I mean, your job is on the line Rocco. 4] There's just no reason to NOT work on defense and base running. And yes, even bunting because there are times when a bunt could be useful. To me, it's a cop out to say those things should all be instilled before someone even reaches MLB. When you DON'T do these things, guys get complacent at times. It's human nature. And when you have a bunch of new talent coming up...and they have and do...it's your job to make sure they continue to work and DO THINGS RIGHT. You don't have to be a taciturn disciplinarian who works the team to death, BUT, you have time to work on things that are important on a regular basis to have the best team you can. It's like asking a football defense to tackle well when you never practice it. (HELLO HUSKERS!) 5] While the FO has CLEARLY done a great job with hiring various personnel for the Twins and the milb system...and this is proven by the number of respected coaches who have been pilfered by other organizations...and while they may be as much or more "tuned in" to coaching options for your staff, STEP UP and be a part of the decision making if you haven't been already. Do you like Popkins as your hitting instructor? Does Tingler actually provide what you need in a bench coach? Reputation has Maki as a good pitching instructor, and reputation also has it that Suggs might be a dynamite diamond in the rough. You've lost Rowson and Shelton and Sawyer to other organizations and Johnson to college ball and Bell due to fatal illness. Work with the FO and get a staff in place that you like and trust. In all professional sports, I've always been flabbergasted as to how a staff is put together. I've never once heard of a manager/head coach having carte blanche. But I've never heard the opposite either. Again, a baseball manager is so tuned in to the day by day of a season, I think it's obvious the FO may be more in tune with "possibilities" to fill some of these positions. But Rocco, manager, former player, and former coach, should have some ideas. And he should be part of the process going forward. And shame on him if he isn't. I don't think Rocco is a bad manager. I just don't think he's an especially good one. He's OK. He has his team. He's liked and respected. He keeps an even keel over a long season. He's won and produced thus far! But I think he can learn and grow and just "take charge" of some definincies and make the team better in all the little ways that play big in the long run. The FO is at a precipice right now because it's really easy to see better health and a couple smart offseason moves to push this team forward from being good to potentially great. But it's also up to Rocco to take HIS GAME up a notch to get the most out of the 2023 Twins.

Glad to see the walk rate stay down and the K rate continue after his promotion. A hit per IP is not bad, nor unusual. However, you'd rather see a hit per at the ML level and not the mild level. That would seem to red flag he may be lacking something in his arsenal to fool batters more frequently vs K rate. Hard to say. Overall, the numbers look pretty good and he's got a chance. Would really like to know what he's throwing and at what velocity these days. LH and breathing with good K rates means you have to protect him. And if his stuff translates with an uptick to the pen vs the rotation, that's still valuable if starting doesn't work out.

The word overkill comes to mind. Drafting heavy is one thing, but drafting only pitchers is a little extreme. I don't really know much about their system, so maybe they are/were currently pretty heavy on position players. And I guess you can always trade arms for bats. I do agree with Dman that the Twins might concentrate a little harder next year on arms. The system does look a little depleted due to trades and injuries.

I think Laweryson just might be a surprise that I know I didn't expect. Now, is he going to be a sudden rotation bloomer that even the Twins didn't see? I tend to discount that. I think we're looking at a Jax kind of arm who might just end up being a very good and very valuable middle inning bullpen arm. And there's great value in that! The one thing I learned a LONG TIME AGO is that unless you draft a Clemmons or Stasburg in the very first picks of the draft, you just don't DRAFT a potential ACE or #1 starter. Your draft, sign, and develop. And at the end of the day, you still never know what will happen. For goodness sake, Santana was a rule 5 trade piece. Randy Johnson took years to go from good to great. Stieb and Key were good until they were great, etc, etc. I don't discount the draft ideas of our current FO. Enlow and Canterino weren't late selections. Unfortunately, both have encountered injury issues. But their approach has also brought on arms such as Winder and Varland and maybe Festa. With little exception, every single SP in every organization is a "mid rotation" starter until proven otherwise. That's just the name of the game because NOBODY can project greatness. Hell, in 3-4yrs we may be begging the Twins to re-sign a Winder or Varland to a big deal. But I DO THINK you can outsmart yourself. Drafting arms with tons of upside is smart and a good approach. And you have to draft arms as well as bats. And the philosophy of quality bats being available only early with projectible arms available only gets you so far. The limited 2020 draft still burns the hell out of me! Quantity of hopeful quality is still better than NOT drafting for either. It was considered a major college level SP draft and the FO just ignored all the available arms and only Raya was selected. Now, I think Raya was a great pick, my favorite at the time, and the FO might just get lucky at how good he might be, but I think they just blew that draft. And it's not about Sabato's early returns. It's about quantity of arms to find the few that actually make it. Six makes two, etc. They should have made that a pitching heavy draft and let the chips fall. But they tried to outsmart themselves. Then they got smart and hit pitching even harder in 2021, though most of those arms are now gone. Nothing wrong with looking for projectible arms! But I do think the FO has outsmarted themselves here and there.

This was asked in another thread as well. It's not uncommon for an A ball player to take a turn at AA or AAA as a temporary fill-in. It's mostly about roster depth. Rather than hit the street to sign someone for a week or so...assuming nobody at the high level is ready to come off the IL...a fully stacked A ball roster will have a player temporarily fill that high level spot and then return when someone is healthy and ready to return. It's about organizational depth and a temporary fill-in is all. You never see a rookie level do it. It's always someone who has at least a full season level under their belt, or in this case, a college player for a week or so. Means nothing in the grand scheme of player development or profile.

WeSo here's the thing, 23G left and not yet mathematically eliminated. It's baseball. How many times over the years have we seen the improbable actually happen? Seems to happen every single year to one team or another. So why not the Twins? Do I actually EXPECT this team, so injured and down and incomplete to make a move over 23G...with help from losses by Cleveland and Chicago...to actually have a realistic chance to win the ALC? NOPE. But I'm also old school enough to know you never give up, for PRIDE sake if nothing else. It will take luck and desperation for the Twins to make a move at this point. And that's EXACTLY what I'm ASKING FOR at this point. And I'm asking for it in a POSITIVE way! We have the next several months to debate the staff, the players, the FO, 2022, and everything in between as well as 2023. But how do we finish 2022? I prefer to go down kicking and screaming! 1] Bring up Wallner, probably too early, let him get experience and work out some early 2023 kinks. A rookie who doesn't know any better, and pitchers who don't know him, he might crank a couple HR and help win a game. He has to be added anyway, why not now? Cave doesn't have a future and Kepler is a shadow of himself. 2] Archer is on the IL and probably done. Mercifully so, though I'm not trying to be mean. He just didn't turn out. He OR Bundy wasn't a bad 5th option, but both helped doom the rotation. Winder and probably Ober should BOTH be up to finish out the season to get ready for 2023 if nothing else. And even if Ober or Winder settles in the pen to finish 2022, Varland should ABSOLUTELY be in the rotation to finish things out. You couldn't have asked for a more difficult debut for Varland than Yankee stadium and he was cool and solid. All 3 should be part of the finish for 2022, whether it's hopeful lightening in a bottle or just getting ready for next year. 3] I have nothing against Cotton. He's been OK here and there even though his peripherals aren't great. But I'm still stunned Davis and Jewell were added over a 3rd veteran in Peacock. He's been better than the other 2 for his career, as well as the past few months. Why those 2 journeymen and not him blows my mind. For that matter, are we going to protect Sisk? He was lights out at AA, OK to begin AAA, and then lights out again. Why not roll the dice? 4] Garlick is good in a role against LH pitching and doesn't totally suck against RH arms. But he's playing at maybe 75% health. With nothing to lose, why not Helman up to provide flexibility position wise, and a HEALTHY RH bat with speed on the basepaths and some XB power. Who are we looking to protect and keep at this point? Archer, Cotton, Hamilton, Hamilton? Give a couple healthy guys a shot to supplement whats left of the team and hope lightening strikes a couple of times.

So here's the thing, 23G left and not yet mathematically eliminated. It's baseball. How many times over the years have we seen the improbable actually happen? Seems to happen every single year to one team or another. So why not the Twins? Do I actually EXPECT this team, so injured and down and incomplete to make a move over 23G...with help from losses by Cleveland and Chicago...to actually have a realistic chance to win the ALC? NOPE. But I'm also old school enough to know you never give up, for PRIDE sake if nothing else. It will take luck and desperation for the Twins to make a move at this point. And that's EXACTLY what I'm ASKING FOR at this point. And I'm asking for it in a POSITIVE way! We have the next several months to debate the staff, the players, the FO, 2022, and everything in between as well as 2023. But how do we finish 2022? I prefer to go down kicking and screaming! 1] Bring up Wallner, probably too early, let him get experience and work out some early 2023 kinks. A rookie who doesn't know any better, and pitchers who don't know him, he might crank a couple HR and help win a game. He has to be added anyway, why not now? Cave doesn't have a future and Kepler is a shadow of himself. 2] Archer is on the IL and probably done. Mercifully so, though I'm not trying to be mean. He just didn't turn out. He OR Bundy wasn't a bad 5th option, but both helped doom the rotation. Winder and probably Ober should BOTH be up to finish out the season to get ready for 2023 if nothing else. And even if Ober or Winder settles in the pen to finish 2022, Varland should ABSOLUTELY be in the rotation to finish things out. You couldn't have asked for a more difficult debut for Varland than Yankee stadium and he was cool and solid. All 3 should be part of the finish for 2022, whether it's hopeful lightening in a bottle or just getting ready for next year. 3] I have nothing against Cotton. He's been OK here and there even though his peripherals aren't great. But I'm still stunned Davis and Jewell were added over a 3rd veteran in Peacock. He's been better than the other 2 for his career, as well as the past few months. Why those 2 journeymen and not him blows my mind. For that matter, are we going to protect Sisk? He was lights out at AA, OK to begin AAA, and then lights out again. Why not roll the dice? 4] Garlick is good in a role against LH pitching and doesn't totally suck against RH arms. But he's playing at maybe 75% health. With nothing to lose, why not Helman up to provide flexibility position wise, and a HEALTHY RH bat with speed on the basepaths and some XB power. Who are we looking to protect and keep at this point? Archer, Cotton, Hamilton, Hamilton? Give a couple healthy guys a shot to supplement whats left of the team and hope lightening strikes a couple of times.

As to the OP, I was a fan of Lee before he was drafted...never thinking so many teams would pass on him, their mistake...and I'm an even bigger fan now. Within the system, I'm still placing Lewis as #1 because his latest setback doesn't remove him from the top based on talent and potential. We've seen just how talented he is and how good he might be. So he's still #1 on my list with Lee just behind. In my personal opinion, the one objection I have is something stated early in the OP. I just don't understand an immediate thought/opinion that Lee won't be a SS. He's not Martin being pushed in to SS after seldom ever playing it in hopes his athleticism MIGHT translate there. Lee IS a SS by trade and experience and ability. Some SS are athletic marvels with quickness and speed and amazing arms who are just naturals. Some have great positioning, smarts and instincts with good hands and a good arm and are just very good at SS without having a special "splash" ability, but just make play after play consistently. I can think of a lot of very good SS that fit this category over the years from Ripken to Blauser to maybe even Correa who isn't exactly some speed demon athlete. So if I'm the Twins, I'm keeping him at SS as long as possible. Lee should finish at CR to help the playoff push. (A couple games at AA isn't going to matter in his development.) But he's going to be at Wichita to begin 2023. How long he stays there is up to him. There's a good chance he's at St Paul mid year. As a side note, it's very possible Lee's presence pushes Martin to the OF on a permanent basis, and for his benefit.

Not uncommon to see an A ball player jump to AAA on a temporary basis. While it's always been weird to me when it happens, it's to fill in a spot for a week or so until said injured player is back and then the A ball player goes back. I think it also depends on depth in the system. If you have a full roster at A ball, why not sneak a guy up for a week or so, everyone plays, and again, you return the deomote the young player back again. It's really just a shuffling of the chairs, so to speak, for a week or so in place of signing someone off the street.

With all due respect to St Paul, who I'm sure wants to finish the year as strong as possible, I'd have Wallner and Varland both up to finish 2022, gain valuable experience, and use it as a stepping stone for 2023. Varlqnd should be able to get in at least a pair of starts. Wallner may start cold, but what's he going to do? Be worse than the injured and non-existant Kepler? Kepler's had like 2 good days in over 2 months. I would have had Helman up a month ago instead of Cave when down to our 8th OF and were facing a slew of LHSP. At least he's RH, can play all over, and is young enough to have a future. IDK, maybe you still give him a shot. What good are Hamilton and Hamilton doing for you at this point?

100% But just to add to the discussion, it's also about FREQUENCY of their arm build up, not just IP. College and HS arms, with little exception, only pitch once a week until pro ball. Then it becomes not only a longer season, but at times starting twice a week. Additionally, I think some forget at times that SP aren't the only arms being developed. While those arms are perhaps the most "important" ones in the system, teams are still trying to develop potential bullpen arms as well. They need to throw as well in order to develop. Not unlike developing the entire roster as well. It's part of the reason catchers will spend time at DH and 1B in order to keep working on hitting skills but also let everyone also get turns behind the dish. Got to play to develop.

I think the title of the OP should be longer, and more accurate, by reading something like "The Twins are built for a possible single short series win in October". Ted is pretty clear in the OP that the Twins aren't a WS contender. No stretch there to be sure. But I do agree with the basic premise that if they actually can rally a bit and finish decently and win the ALC, they have a chance to actually win a playoff series for the first time in YEARS. As ALC Champs, they would be playing a 3 game series against a team NOT at the top of the mountain. A team of comparable ability. With a much improved bullpen, some combination of Gray, Ryan, Bundy...maybe Varland?...actually winning a 3 game series is not a stretch. I have no illusions of the Twins making any noise in the post season beyond a possible 1st round win. But I remain hopeful to get that opportunity and possible victory. Ending the year doing so is a lot more fun way to end the season than staying home.

What frustrates me the most, while acknowledging the OP and the horrible record presented there, is the losses against teams like the recent Texas series, at HOME, against a team no better than us, and probably not as good. I can accept an IL that you could almost build a team with. I can accept losing to the top teams in MLB and needing to improve to have a chance against them. But I am very frustrated by the number of losses against the teams we are as good as or better than. If we had just taken care of business against those teams, Cleveland included, we're in 1st place in the ALC right now. And I'm more frustrated about thus at the moment.

I've been really pleased in that, as a rookie, we could have easily seen some real struggles despite his successful, late 2021 appearances. I've been a little disappointed in his second half as it sure seemed like his slider was more consistent early on. But I have to wonder if fatigue is part of the issue. Really, not sure what more could have been expected or hoped for in his rookie season. I like his mentality and intelligence and work ethic. I believe his secondary stuff WILL improve via work and experience. The question remaining, of course, is to what degree. I just don't believe in overly projecting rookies as being a future this or that or not future this or that. I've seen too many washouts and too many "mid rotation" arms become legit #1-2's to play that game. But just based on what I've seen so far, I think he's probably a really solid/good #3 with a #4 floor. Don't know that he's got the pure stuff to rise to #2 status. Just too much overall improvement needed at this time to climb that high. But I like what I've seen and I think he's got a nice future.

I'm just not going to get in to a debate about Jeffers and his value other than a couple comments. I think he calls a good game and has the trust of his staff. I still think that's the most important element to being a backstop. And I know some of his defensive numbers are lower this year than last. These things happen, and are fluid, like a lot of numbers. And while I don't know how good he will ultimately be offensively, I don't believe we've seen him hit his mark yet. Personally, I like him and he's part of 2023 for sure. It's beyond that, that is the issue. Despite defensive improvement and a good arm, and apparently a good teammate with experience, Sanchez is just not a good hitter. And he had greatly declined before coming to the Twins. In Jeffer's case, there is optimism to be better. But the initial ML hitter Sanchez showed earlier in his career is not who he is now. I had been impressed enough with him during portions of the season to be interested in his re-signing as the co-catcher, or however you want to look at it. I'm just not so sure any longer, especially considering how he may price himself. But what FA option out there is the right one to target? Right now, I have no clue for a better option, and that really frustrates me. Buenolas, (sp) has defensive chops but can't hit. Carmago is really stepping forward and showing some life, but won't be ready for 2023 IDK. Isola and Williams have the bats, but spend as much time at 1B/DH as they do behind the plate. Either MIGHT still develop well enough defensively to be legitimate. But right now, at this moment, each is more of a LeCroy 3rd catcher which we don't need or have room for. Leon back on a milb deal might be nice as an insurance policy. But AAA is going to be very crowded already with all the "potential" catchers who need more time and aren't ready to step in for 2023. A trade or guessing right in FA is going to be an under the radar but very important part of the 2023 roster. Maybe Sanchez on a lower than expected deal is the answer. I wish I knew.

An interesting article, and I see both sides on this matter quite clearly. On the positive side of things, Maeda has been a stalwart. Despite there being "some" concern his arm might snag the injury bug, he sure looked good for years, including 2020, and looked as good or better in ST 2021 before things went south. Is it Price that's been pitching year after year with a similar projection but never had surgery yet? Can't recall if I'm remembering correctly. But I don't think Maeda was acquired as "high risk". Mahle has been very solid, very consistent in his young career. Over 30 GS in 2021, yes? He looked good after a IL this year and looked good his first few starts with the Twins. There seems to be no real indication to predict and injury situation with him other than his stint with the Reds earlier this year. But guys get tweaks at times. Unless the Reds and the Twins were just blind, I don't know that I can include him as a "risky" acquisition either. Dyson cost very little, would have helped if healthy, but was basically pitching in pain and lying to all parties. An investigation in to the matter determined the Giants had no knowledge of his being injured. The "bad" to me is Paddack. I'm not going down the rabbit hole again concerning the trade itself. I've got nothing against the guy and I've stated many times that I wouldn't be at all surprised if a year from now most of us are clamoring for an extension despite having control for 2024. But for someone you wanted/needed for 2022, there were massive red flags indicating the Twins should have struck for someone earlier, or looked elsewhere for a trade option. Sorry, but I do believe in bad luck. Or bad fortune, or whatever you want to call it. But it also happens to other teams as well. HOWEVER, I DO THINK you can mitigate better "luck" by just being "safer" in some of your choices. The Twins knew Pineda, for example, had some past concerns. But he was relatively inexpensive and contributed quite a bit and was mostly healthy in his tenure. And while I wasn't entirely sold on the Archer signing, for the most part, he's done what was initially expected, though he has yet to "climb the mountain" to be better. Were the front 3 better from the begining and the bullpen not such a mess to begin with, he would have filled the 5th spot "adequately", though I would have aimed higher initially and not signed him. But again, Paddack should never have been acquired as a major piece because just about everyone knew he was destined for another surgery. So you can't always predict, but you can, at times, just be smarter and maybe pay a little more for someone that appears to have a more clean medical report card. I don't know that there's any real pattern here, but where there's smoke, fire might not be far behind. And I do believe a more thorough examination of past moves is very much in order to try to prevent future negative situations. Related, and built on speculation, Rodon has been strongly tied to the Twins last offseason and during the trade deadline this year. He's a guy the Twins like, and I do as well. Apparently, the Dirty Sox were out on him due to $ and possible future injury. The Giants jumped and he has had a good year and is expected to opt out for a longer deal. If the $ and terms are there, would the Twins make a move this offseason? Or would they be asking for trouble?