DocBauer

I don't believe Duran has been quite as good as he has been the previous two seasons. That doesn't mean he hasn't been good, and affective overall. And Nick has done a good job of showing the underlying numbers. When you K a high % and have a low BB % and a low HR %, you SHOULD be successful. And while not quite as dominate as he has been, he has been largely successful. I know some of the results haven't been good lately. But everything is magnified for a RP when they have a bad day, or bad luck. By bad luck I mean a fly ball that drops in, a seeing eye single, or a bad play by a defender. One run allowed is USUALLY OK. Two runs can often lead to disaster. For a starter, over multiple innings, that's part of the game. For a late inning reliever, it can be a loss. Nobody is perfect, and again, things get magnified when it happens to a reliever. I still trust Duran. I won't excuse him, however, for a few too many honest hits this season, or a few too many balls hard hit. As successful as he's been, I think he's been a little "off" at times. The question is, has he just been a little off with some of his command? Has the sequencing been a little off at times? Or, as crazy as it sounds, is throwing 99-101 making it easier for batters to time his stuff and maybe he should take just a little off of his splinker and curve to change the batters timing? I think he's got a DOMINATE repertoire overall. But throwing 101-103 consistently is pretty tough. Again, there's probably just a few tweaks in delivery and sequencing that might make all the difference. But I keep thinking his secondary offerings with just a little change in velocity could really befuddle the batters.

To be honest @chpettit19 pretty much said what I was going to. But I'm still going to add a nit. MILB success doesn't guarantee anything at the ML level. However, his career MILB quad slash is .271/ .379/ .517/ .896. Over his 3 ML seasons thus far, despite some ups and downs...literally...hes carrying numbers of .251/ .367/ .518/ .885. So far, his ML numbers have surprisingly paralleled his MILB numbers. While in the minors, what he always did was reach a level, struggle a little, then figure it out and adjust. He's done the same thing at the ML level so far in his young career. While you don't WANT 35% K's, he's always maintained a solid AVG and OB%. That compliments his power, and is "livable" if you don't have a bunch of other high K batters in your lineup. But I can see him continuing to grow and learn and drop his K rate down closer to 30%. That makes a difference over a season. Defensively, he won't match Kepler. But the truth is, Wallner runs quite well and is pretty fast. The problem is it takes him a couple steps to get going full speed. And he was a RF almost exclusively in the minors, before playing mostly LF when with the Twins. That takes at least a little bit of adjustment time. On top of that, RF in Target has a few nuances he has to get used to. Again, that means adjustment time. Time to "read" the balls better in RF, a solid athlete, good speed even with a mediocre "start", combined with an accurate CANNON of an arm, he'll be solid, if not good, in RF. And while he'll never be vintage Kepler in RF, I'll take solid...potentially good overall...and a bigger, better bat. I do think he's undervalued by some at this point. And if you focus only on K's and not being Max in RF, we'll, you might never appreciate him, unfortunately. But if he's solid in RF with big production, appreciation SHOULD grow. I'm a fan and believer.

For whatever reason, Julien started relying more on having a "perfect" eye and being less aggressive. Who knows, maybe he's better at balls and strikes than most umps. But it doesn't matter if he is if he stands there, doesn't swing, and tries to work the count for a BB. At some point, you still have to be aggressive on a pitch that's in the zone that you SHOULD be able to make contact with. And for whatever reason, the balance we saw in MILB previously and what he did in 2023 just seemed to disappear. I keep wondering if he didn't get frustrated early this season and fell in to complacency? I don't think his chase rate suddenly rising is a great sign. But at LEAST it's an indication he's trying to swing again. Now it's a question of finding the balance he was known for previously, patient, good eye, but strong swings for the hittable stuff in his zone. Defensively, he made massive improvement over the course of last season. Even early this season, he looked solid there. Lately, it looks like while his hitting has improved some, his defense has slipped. I still like the ability and the work ethic. And I'm not going to bail on a ML sophomore with talent and potential. And I'm not going to bail on Martin yet either. But other than a few plays here and there, Martin has been average to pretty poor wherever he's played this year. And with Margot back..(meh, he's a solid veteran I guess)...and Keirsey as a better defender and probably as good/fast or better/faster than Martin, it made sense that Martin was the guy sent down at this time.

100% agree. Couple comments: 1] I wonder if the Twins try to move Paddack to save $ to spend elsewhere and open up the #5 spot to competition? 2] A 6 man rotation for St Paul is possible. (Dobnak is also under contract still as well). They could also take turns skipping someone every week and let them throw out of the pen as a long man. But could Nowlin join Headrick in the pen as early as next year? I think it's possible. 3] Agree Varland is a reliever from here on out. Potentially a very good one. 4] AA Wichita could have a pretty good group in the rotation as well.

Read reports of this late last evening and couldn't believe it. If you are having a mental/emotional crisis, if you just feel burned out from the past 9 months, if there's a problem at home, just tell someone. I'm quite certain the Twins would have been understanding and get him the rest or break or help he needed. Just no excuse for sabotaging other players and your teammates as a whole. If he's having issues, I hope he gets help. But again, no excuse to hurt other people and their careers. As to a mention above, the original articles I read stated he was to keep his signing money. I find that hard to believe, but that's the way it's been reported so far.

I hate the idea of removing Nowlin from the rotation and turning him in to a reliever at this point. The guys has good stuff. His hits and K's per 9 are both quite good. The BB are too high, but if he could be a little more consistent there, he's probably a legitimate back end starter with #3 potential. But then again, he's behind a handful of other arms in the system, some of them literally ahead of him at AAA and the ML level. And the Twins could sure use some quality LH arms in the pen that are more than just good against LH bats. Moran comes back in 2025 from TJ and has a great change to throw to RH. Funderburk has the stuff to get both sides out if he can just gain some more command. Does Headrick move to the pen starting next season? Rotation depth is great, but don't you want the best 13 arms you can get for your staff? Nowlin might be one of those best 13, or close to it. And if he doesn't seem to have a clear path to the rotation in the future, it might be time for that pen move. It's only about a week, but nice to see Rodroguez and Jenkins finish the season healthy and each a level up. **Are McCusker and Eeles both viable options to help in 2025 and we're discounting their rise just because they've been on an abnormal trajectory?

Is this supposed to be another article condemning ownership being cheap this past offseason and not adding better players? Or is the OP stating the Twins are investing too much in "distressed assets" overall? Yes, Buxton is injury prone. This season it really looked like he was going to play over 100 games before his hip flared up again. Last season they had a pretty good backup option in Taylor, and even Castro as a secondary option. This year they did not. And the 2023 payroll was a record high. So the Twins weren't cheap last year but they were this year. Is that the point? Correa being used as an example of being a "distressed asset" is SO FAR off the mark it's almost absurd. He was limited to 75 games in 2019, and played almost all of the games in the covid 2020 year. The 3 years before that were 153, 109, and 110 games played. From 2021 through 2023 he played in 148, 136, and 135 games, even though he was hurt most all of 2023. But his plantar issue has NOTHING to do with an ankle that was repaired while still a teenager. And the plantar injury is not something remotely predictable. I'm surprised Lewis wasn't mentioned as a "distressed asset" after suffering a pair of knee injuries as a prospect. Surely they should have predicted that, right? Perhaps, as a result, they should have expected the various soft tissue injuries he's suffered since then and moved on? Or maybe they should have somehow signed or traded for another starting caliber 3B as a precautionary move? Yes, every season right now means planning on having Buxton for 90-100 games max. And being cheap and not adding to a quality team with a chance to win, or adding someone like DeScalfini is a poor choice. But you simply can't predict injuries. They are going to happen. And the best thing you can do is build the best and deepest roster you can each season to mitigate against them. But at some point, injuries will just happen. And sometimes too many of them happen to compensate. Again, who could POSSIBLY predict Correa would end up with the same injury this season on the OTHER foot? Then Lewis gets hurt. Then Lee gets hurt TWICE, once before the season even began. Then Ryan gets hurt. Miranda and Castro get banged up. A handful of pen arms are hurt losing depth. As a fan, I'm ticked off about the cut backs that could have helped this team with greater investment. And other than a couple of questionable moves over the years, I don't feel the team has greatly invested in "distressed assets" to build the club. Sometimes crap happens to the front line players, and even the reserve options, and you're left scrambling. It stinks! But I doubt anyone saw this many injuries happening, especially when they were one of the top 10 winning clubs until a few weeks ago.

The Twins know Keirsey better than I/we do, that's a fact. I have no idea if he...or Helman for that matter since he's very similar in this discussion...can hit ML pitching. But until he's given a chance, nobody really knows, including the Twins. He may prove to be nothing more than a AAAA ballplayer. But he has had a really good season at AAA with fine production. He was excellent in 2023 at AA, and dipped when he reached AAA, though he wasn't bad. The arguement shouldn't be "replacing Buxton" IMO. That would seem to imply he'd be as good, or close to, and that's just a fallacy I'd say. But by "replacement" do we mean a solid FILL IN, we'll, he might be if given a chance. If his defense is actually good, and there are many reports he is, then that's a positive considering Margot and Martin...so far, maybe Martin can improve...haven't done the job. He has some pop and can run and steal bases. Playing good defense and having a 90-ish OPS at the bottom of the order would be more than acceptable as a "fill in" for Buxton in that context. Since 75% of the ML arms are RH, who cares if Keirsey bats left? Unless your team has a bunch of switch hitters, you're almost always going to have to play 1 or 2 LH bats in just about every game. Getting a cup of coffee this late in the season is going to prove little to nothing. Honestly, I think he should have been brought up over a month ago to hopefully improve the defense and get a chance to show what he might be capable of. He isn't some late round pick. He was a 4th round, athletic selection by this FO. He struggled with injuries, missed a year due to covid, and started becoming a real hitter/threat 2 years ago. I've seen too many bad plays in CF from Martin and Margot that, again, I think he should have been up earlier. Or at least when Kepler was pretty much regulated to bench warmer over a week ago. He may surprise. He may fail. But when you've got a 27 yo at AAA doing a really good job and injuries hit, why on earth don't you take a looksee at what you have in your own backyard? And that's what frustrates me the most. He should have been up sooner. He should play now to see if you MIGHT have someone who can help now, and possibly next year. You need solid reserves in addition to your starters. Just ignoring someone who might help your ball club because he's older is very short sighted.

Rodriguez, Jenkins, Buxton, Wallner, Larnach, and maybe 1 of Rosario or McCusker as an extra RH option? By some time in 2026 at the latest? Sounds really exciting to me.

They didn't move him to the pen previously because they needed him in the rotation. He was the 6th man when ST started and he was quickly moved to the rotation. SWR was bumped from the 7th man to #6. THEN, he took over for Varland when he struggled so badly. BTW, few if any could predict how well SWR would do once inserted. After that, the cupboard was bare except for Dobnak and some journeymen. Remember, even Headrick was hurt almost immediately. Again, Varland was needed as depth. And to be fair, he's thrown some good games in that role over the past few months. This is not the FO suddenly coming up with a good idea. They would have done this months ago if they were able. Season coming to a close, need and the improvements by some young arms make this the time to move him. And he's probably staying there for good. His arm talent is enough he could probably carve out a solid career as a back of the rotation starter for someone. But why not be a really good reliever instead? And that's probably what he's going to be going forward. Duran, Jax, Alcala, Sands, and Varland is a really nice 5 out of 8 to begin with. Personally, I think health has been the issue for Henriquez as I've seen good results at times. And if Stewart could come back for a healthy 50 IP, this pen could be really good. Outstanding with even a single quality LH option...if not 2...from Funderburk, Moran, Headrick (who I see moving), and possibly Nowlin as well. Varland's career path seems obvious at this point.

Keaschall could be a starting 2B in the near future, or a super utility who plays daily similar to Castro. Right now, he's been playing 2B/1B/LF/CF. His arm injury had him spending plenty of time at DH as well. I don't know that I've ever ready he has an overly strong arm, but I find myself wondering how strong his arm will be post TJ. Might it be stronger repaired and rehabbed? If so, it would be great if he could play 3B as well just to keep his versatility as high as possible. All 3 of these guys are exciting and I agree 2025 will see the arrival of both Keaschall and Rodriguez. I think 2026 makes the most sense for Jenkins. No matter how talented, there's just so few guys ever ready for ML ball at 20yo.

I DON'T get waiving 2nd year, prospect QB Hall in hopes of adding him to the PS and then losing him to Seattle because you were "scared" you might have an injury situation like 2023. You drafted Hall because you thought he had a chance to develop in to a quality backup QB. He showed improvement this preseason. But you'd rather lose him and keep a very mediocre "veteran" QB like Rypien? If you get to your 3rd QB, your game is pretty much DONE, if not your month or season. I'd ALWAYS keep a young, developmental QB as my #3 over a mediocre at best "veteran". And if they thought so little of Hall vs Rypien AT THIS POINT, then he was either a wasted pick, OR, they have out-thought themselves and gotten "too cute" thinking he'd be an easy slip to the PS. I can't argue with the final roster much at all. But this was the one spot where I can yell out malpractice of talent and roster space.

A MUCH NEEDED win because we needed it, because we can't afford to slip further back, because we needed some good karma, and because we gained a 1/2 game on Cleveland. KC has been reeling as of late and the Guardians are off to play the Dodgers in LA for a 3 game set. I'm not dismissing the Royals at all, but I'd still rather play them right now instead of the Dodgers. A chance the Twins pick up a game or two in the next 3 days? Bad news is Ober...while fantastic all year except for a couple of games...hasn't had much luck against KC. I believe Matthews and SWR are also scheduled to throw. That's a fair amount of pressure on the rotation for this series. One game at a time. But I have to say, with no offense intended, Kepler has just been BAD the past couple of weeks with his knee. I think they waited too long, once again, to put him on the IL. Instead of playing short handed, I think he should have been moved a week ago and Keirsey brought up before now. The "maybe he'll be OK in a couple of days" mantra is getting old. There's no way to predict if Keirsey will perform well or not. (Same for Helman). But you don't know if a prospect, even an older prospect, will show run with an opportunity, or show you he can help and maybe be part of the future, or bottom out, until he gets a chance. But keeping a 30yo OF sitting on the bench and virtually unplayable for a week or more just doesn't make sense vs giving a healthy player a chance to see if they can help. Go Twins! Muscle up, get your heads clear, and sweep KC!

I remembered him being a 4th round pick as well as all his injuries. But I had somewhat forgotten just how good that draft was for the Twins overall. While different players...LH vs RH, OF vs UTILITY...Keirsey and Helman are very similar players in regard to early injuries and covid holding back their development, and being solid, all around hitters with pop/power and speed. I fully understand that neither is overly young and that neither getting an opportunity means they are going to suddenly step forward as major parts of the team going forward. But you never know until a prospect is given a viable chance what they might become. The opportunity hasn't been optimum for these two until now. But opportunity is mow available to them. I hope they get a real shot and both take advantage of it. It only takes a small squint to see roster opportunities in 2025 for both if they take advantage of the situation presented to them.

I've been so impressed with what Brandon Winoker had done this season. I suspect we'd be talking about him a lot more if it weren't for Jenkins, E Rodriguez, and some of the great pitching performances we've seen. 6' 6" and 210lbs playing primarily SS, followed by CF, while ot 18yo at A ball. While he's K'd way more than you'd like, he's hit .253 with an OB% of .332. His SLG% is .443 and a total OPS of .774. And he's flashed surprising speed in the form of 23 SB in 29 attempts for a 79% success rate. The FSL is a notoriously difficult hitters league, and he's thriving there as a 19yo. Very eager to see what he does as a 20yo in Cedar Rapids next season.

Martin hasn't exactly set the world on fire to this point. And there's potentially room for both in 2025, depending on various performance and $ scenarios. Hoping for the best in his opportunity.

That's a lot to go right. But then again, Buxton is probably on a short rehab in the next couple of days. If Correa is relatively functional the last week of the season and the playoffs, we know what kind of a difference he can make. IF Paddack makes it back at all...and time is running very short as he just began throwing...he might good for an inning at a time. Varland and Festa absolutely can make a difference in the pen, though Festa might be needed in the rotation should the Twins advance beyond the 1st round. What's been most concerning to me overall...probably even more than a handful of ugly pen blowup that cost us 3 games we should have won...has been a relative collapse of the offense as of late. Even without Correa and Buxton, they still scored some runs and won a few games and the team was still playing relatively good ball. But again, it just feels like everyone has gone cold at the same time lately, especially in crucial moments. The bats start getting hot again, I do believe this team can be dangerous.

The Twins might have not lost ground after a really bad week...luckily...but with only a month a month left of the regular season, overtaking Cleveland for the division might be an impossible task. Cleveland has 2 more games against KC Tuesday and Wednesday after leading going in to the bottom of 9th Monday as I type this. Sure would be nice for the Royals to win the next 2. The Guardians then play the Dodgers for 3 games in LA. If the Twins can suddenly get hot again, they have a chance to make up a couple games this week. That could make the upcoming 4 game series with our Twins...and the last week of the season...of extreme interest and importance. Of course, it's really up the Twins to get going again. I think I like the idea of Varland getting a start, maybe two, before moving to the pen. It might keep everyone fresher for the stretch run and the playoffs. Kepler's knee just isn't going to be right until the season is over. Still, I almost wonder if he'd be better served by a brief IL stint just to rest, and bring up Keirsey briefly as a backup/fill-in option. Here's hoping Matthews can laugh a little about a horrible rookie game and shake it off.

Too bad Knoblauch will never be in the Twins HOF. On the field, he was an absolute STUD for a handful of seasons.

Just finally got around to listening to Seth's interview with Eeles. Bright young man. Was surprised to learn he was a catcher in his youth. I keep wondering if he's not maybe a Pedroia kind of player without as much power. I think he's behind more than a few guys on the prospect list despite what he's done so far. Just too many questions about his bat translating to MLB at this point. And I see no reason to invite him to ST next year for reasons that should be obvious. At this point, he probably compares to Prato at AAA. The older Prato just hasn't duplicated his 2023 performance this season. Doesn't mean he can't climb the ladder in 2025. But Eeles MIGHT be a younger, better version. The Twins have several INF drafted in 2022 and 2023 that have bounced around between AA and AAA, flashing, and then coming back down to earth. But none of them have consistently performed, so far, at AAA the way Eeles has. He's got a LOT to prove at AAA with repeated performance being at the top of the list. But I don't think he should be penalized on prospect lists, FWIW, based on his acquisition. He's the equivalent of an NFL rookie FA who sits on the PS for a year.

Couldn't watch the games, but doesn't, Ober pitched well, Lewis was a hero, and we won a much needed game! Does this get Lewis comfortable and confident again? MLB is fluid over a long season. He's due to ride a high tide again. Despite the blow-up Saturday, Festa and Matthews are top young arms who have certainly flashed. Their ML time right now is huge for 2025, but for right now, we just need them to be solid/competitive for September. Without Buxton or Correa, the offense still has enough talent to be better than they've been lately. Its almost as if everyone got cold at the same time. Pressure? Lee back helps the flexibility of the lineup, and HOPEFULLY his bat is helpful as well. Okert and Richards gone might be a positive through subtraction. A lot of misgivings about the addition of Tonkin. I disagree. He's nothing special. But he's built a fairly decent career as a solid middle man. He was good for about 30 IP with the Yankees before going in to a slump. But if a tweak here or there gets him on track, he only needs to be a solid 1-2 IP middle guy, NOT some 7th or 8th inning savior. He just needs to be able to keep the game close/same for that 1 or 2 innings. Winder MIGHT be able to be the same. Varland has the pure stuff to be a real weapon in the 7th and 8th. But he doesn't have to be NOW. He could be, but he doesn't have to be. He just needs to come in and fire hard and good stuff before the top 4 come in. And speaking of, is Alcala running out if gas? Or is he just in a rough patch? If Alcala is OK, then Varland is #5. Then we just need a couple guys to be solid in the middle innings. As of now, we've got Tonkin, Winder, Blewitt, MAYBE Castillo, Henriquez and Thielbar to fill that role. Funderburk might be back soon, and he's much younger and has better stuff than Thielbar despite still struggling with control. Could he be a better option? I know it's a long shot considering late season timing/pressure, but if Helman can display a solid approach at the plate with his first appearance, he offers a RH bat to replace Margot with more power, better speed at this point, and better position flexibility. Considering how bad Margot's defense has been, IF Helman can be a "decent" hitter, he might be a better option??? This was one game, but a needed win. Now comes a road trip with a few changes/reinforcements with our Twins STILL projected to the playoffs, but still a decent chance of winning the ALC if they can have short term memory and wipe away the last 2 weeks. They had a solid July and first couple of weeks in August. Put in some oil, check the coolant, and wiper fluid just in case, check the tire pressure, grab some snacks, and hit the road and just take care of business. Just trust you locked the front door, turned on the alarm system, and roll on down the hiway to do what you need to do. You've got a couple extra drivers to help read the map and help with drive time. Just focus on the journey's end.

I think I speak for most everyone when I say I hope Lee helps spark the offense. But he doesn't have to be a savior, just hopefully good. But sudden the INF is deeper and Castro can move around more now. I hope Castillo has better control than the last time we saw him, but I'm betting he's only a full on until another.move needs to take place. As an long standing hopeful, advocate for Helman, I have zero expectations. I'm just excited he's finally getting his ML opportunity. His playing time might be limited...and short lived...so who knows if he's hot or cold. But he has played all 7 field spots in his career, so he can be plugged in anywhere. There's some power and speed there to go along with defensive flexibility. Again, expecting nothing. But it sure is fun to see him get an opportunity.

So either Paddack's initial long toss didn't go well, or they are just convinced he's done for the season. At this point, he can't even be an injury replacement if he's on the 60 man. I believe he must remain out for the entire 60 days.

Lee says "hello". 😀

I'm a conundrum as an eternal optiimist generally speaking, and a "Debbie downer" at times when life or general situations smack me in the face at times. BTW, where does the "downer" expression even come from? I digress. Time and frustration kept me from watching most of the games on this homestand. Frankly, I was disappointed and PO'd! This is NOT my 2024 Twins! No matter some injuries, this is NOT my Twins! I watched most of the game tonight between work and after work. THIS was my 2024 Twins. They had an amazing performance from their SP in Lopez. Jax and Duran only threw a couple of pitches. The offense wasn't near explosive, but they did enough. MOST IMPORTANTLY, NOBODY BLEW THE GAME with silly mistakes! ALL TEAMS are dealing with injuries, including our Twins. But we've overcome time and again to have a great record/season until this homestand, for reasons I can't begin to understand! YES, the pen has been running out of gas recently. But the lineup suddenly produced little. A blip? Maybe bad match ups? Putting too much pressure on everyone's shoulders? Just a FEW better pen offerings...just a FEW better AB over the past 7-10 days and this team is in 1st place in the ALC! Lee should be back in a couple days to help. Buxton might be on a rehab in the next few days. Correa might be back in a 2 weeks. The rotation has been surprisingly solid despite throwing 3 rookies. The FO is TRYING to alter the pen with changes...Henriquez, Blewitt, Winder and Varland soon, maybe Funderburk to help. EVERY team has good and bad stretches. UNFORTUNATELY, the pen and the lineup went COLD just as Cleveland FINALLY began to regress to norms and have lost the opportunity to already be in 1st place. One of the best things that can happen is your #1 STUD SP delivers something special. And your top 2 relievers finish the game with little effort. And don't laugh, but your probably best hitter comes out of a slump with a bloop hit. Don't misunderstand, it's only ONE WIN. But you not only end a losing streak with a win, but you also BEGIN a winning streak with one win. Despite injuries and a recent losing streak, this team is better than laying down and doing nothing. A couple of arms are going to TRY to help, the rotation has been SURPRISINGLY solid, and the lineup is much better than they've shown even without Buxton and Correa. They got COLD at the same time, they can also get HOT at the same time. These guys are competitive athletes who have not only the playoffs ahead, but a chance to win the division. It's time to focus, and get "pissed off" and "angry" and use this game to finish the season STRONG!