DocBauer

I don't know that Santana can keep up what he's generally being doing since the first couple of weeks, but he's encouraging. Margot is hot, and I'm willing to accept the fact that he will settle down and just be the AVERAGE career producer he's been in his career. But I need more than a couple of weeks before I think he's part of the equation for the remainder of this season. Unfortunately, I still have questions about Martin. People fall in love with his OB% and SB potential, and fail to realize his power...except for a solid 1/2 of a season in 2023...is pretty bad. I can still a scenario where Margot just bottoms out, and Martin isn't the answer, and a journeyman like Helman gets a shot. I love Farmer as a clubhouse guy and a gamer. He's been better. But can he climb out of this hole? What if July 1st Julien and Lee are BOTH doing well? Potentially, there might be room for both depending on injuries and the such. I don't believe Vazquez is going anywhere NOW. I feel Santana might stick the whole season if his body doesn't wear out. But Margot and Farmer are still major question marks.

So Wallner is a quality prospect, produces very well at the ML level...maybe more than future portence...slumps some, rebounds for a couple weeks, and then has a poor post season as a rookie, and that's a crystal ball that he would be terrible in 2024 and the rest of his career? By your short leash standards, every young player who struggles a bit should just be dismissed. Better RAKE when you hit the Majors kid, because there's no going back! Is that what you propose? I've never stated Wallner is going to be a STAR player. But he's demonstrated real ability at ALL levels. I sure wouldn't give up on a young talent who hit a bump in the road.

I didn't expect the Vikings to get anything out of this, but I had slim hope they would. There was an incident a couple years ago regarding tampering that had the erroring team send the other organization a 3rd round pick in a "settlement". I might be wrong, but I thought it might have been Denver/New Orleans? Regardless, I can somewhat understand the league punishing Atlanta in this case and not giving the Vikings any reward. The Vikings were clearly looking to add a new, young QB no matter what in this past draft. Where I have issue is that regardless of the Vikings intentions, they were still actively offering Cousins a deal. So if Atlanta interfered with those negotiations, violating the rules, then they interfered with the violated team's course of business. I don't care if it's only a 5th round pick. Instead of being sacrificed, that pick should go to the team that was "violated" in this instance. As is, it's like winning a settlement in a court case but never receiving the awarded compensation. And that doesn't feel right to me.

Entering today, I believe the Twins are top 10 in runs scored per game at 4.9. (What I heard during the game). The larger issue is, much like the first half of 2023, scoring in BUNCHES, but not scoring CONSISTENTLY. I don't think this is entirely due to a LH batter weakness. Royce being gone for 2 months HURT. If you had told me Buxton would be playing full out, healthy, in 50 of the first 60-ish games, I would have guessed he'd have a high .700 to .800 OPS, NOT in the .660's. I have nothing against Martin, still have hopes for him, and am crossing fingers he turns out to be a nice part of the puzzle. But patience and contact will only carry so far when your SLG% is in the .350-.360 range. My goodness, as I posted in another OP, Luis Arraez had a SLG% over .400 in MILB and he has limited power. Had Kiersey been healthy, and not on the Saints IL currently, I have to wonder if they would have made room and brought him up instead. He provides a LH bat with pop, he provides speed and defense. We'll only know if he can hit ML pitching if and when he gets a chance. If you had told me before the season Larnach would look like he's finally figured it out and would be performing as a daily player, I would have been overjoyed. If you told me AK was SUPPOSEDLY healthy and off to a great start, I would have expected it to continue. The fact that he's nosedived is very concerning for now, and the future. 1 out of 2 isn't so bad though, right? If you told before the season that Wallner and Julien would hit a couple speed bumps...which I expected and stated...and weren't performing to the levels they displayed in 2023, I would believed you and said I expected growing pains. If you had told me they would both slump so badly they needed a AAA reset, I wouldn't have believed you. Conversely, if you had told me that Santana, after 60+ games, had a AVG .70 points lower from the LH side vs the RH side, and an OPS .150 points lower from the LH side, but had more HR and twice as many RBI from his weak side, I wouldn't have believed you. I DON'T hate PH, I just don't like doing it too early in the game. I DON'T hate LIMITED platooning, as long as the RH "platoon" options don't STINK against RH arms. I'm also in favor of a couple LH bats in the lineup against a LHP to start a game for a variety of reasons, but not really the issue in this OP. At SOME POINT this season, the Twins really need Julien and Wallner...maybe Kirilloff still...to FIND THEMSELVES and get back up and produce. And let's be honest here, whether you are a believer in Julien OR Wallner, what we've seen THIS season is not indicative of what we've seen from them in MILB, OR, what we've seen them do at the ML level to this point. There isn't a LH batter riding a white horse coming in to save the day. Larnach needs to keep doing what he's doing...I think he just might...and Kepler needs to get hot again. But beyond that, Julien...or Lee...needs to settle 2B and produce, and let Castro be the super utility player he is. (There is potentially room for both). And Wallner, hopefully, can be ready to re-establish himself over the next few weeks as a dangerous hitter in the lower half of the order. The pieces ARE there. It's up the staff AND the players themselves to "get right".

Going back to Ashbury's question about OPS in the International League, do we know what average is in 2024? I know it was really high in 2023, but has it regressed as it has at the ML level? Might give us some better insight as to who might and might not help. To me it's a pretty simple list: 1} JULIEN in a few weeks or so if he just gets back to his "old" self, the right balance of aggressive vs patience. I'm also in favor of his continuing to work at 1B for future reference. 2} LEE in a few weeks or so if anyone gets injured, Farmer doesn't crawl out of his current rabbit hole, or Julien takes too long to "get right". I'm hoping we simply don't NEED Lee and he can wait to debut until next season. That means everything is starting to click for everyone else. 3} WALLNER in a few weeks once he's MAINTAINED the approach and good stroke he's got going on now. Kepler getting hot again, and Larnach just keeping doing what he's been doing now means no pressure on Wallner for a fast promotion, no matter how much power he's got. But yeah...I really want Wallner back in the OF and at DH and knocking the snot out of the ball again. 4} MARTIN was just brought up today, but hasn't played yet, so I'm including him here. I like adding some speed and SB ability. I like that he can play LF/CF/2B for a little more roster/lineup flexibility. I like his eye, contact skills, and OB% ability. I don't like his less than stellar AVG or his general lack of power. In 2023, he had a pro career best SLG& of .405. That's not terrific, but it's OK, especially for the type of player he is. But this season, in the same league, he's back down to .355, which is actually 8 points below his MILB career average. I have hopes for Martin...fingers crossed...but I'm at least a little skeptical. To put his MILB SLG in to perspective, he's at .363. Luis Arraez had a MILB SLG% over .420! And Luis has never been known as a slugger, so I offer that comparison just as something to think about. SEVERINO maybe next season. Really happy that he's started to find himself and improve. I find him intriguing. But he's not ready yet. This is actually the first season that HOLLAND has EVER hit. Seriously, his best season so far has been .235 and a career mark of .215. After 30 games at AAA, he's not going to help in any way unless it's a player emergency due to vast injuries. Shout out to @terrydactylsfor dropping Helman's name before me, LOL. Yes, he and Keirsey BOTH are options to help. In fact, were he not hurt right now, and with the Twins hurting for LH help in the batting order, they might have found room for Keirsey on the 40 man and given him his shot now. Alas, he is dinged up, so not yet. And I'll say the same things I've said before, we don't know if he can hit at the ML level. But we don't know that he can't either. He really should get a shot at some point. The kid really does check every box except for ML experience. Helman, unfortunately, might have missed his shot last season when he RAKED, but was injured 3 times. With Margot suddenly looking like the decent, solid, ML batter we thought we were getting, and with Martin on the 40 man, there just doesn't seem to be room for Helman to get a shot at this point, barring injuries. He's older than Keirsey, he doesn't rank as a top prospect by any means, but if he can play good defense, run the bases, steal a few bases, flash some power, and can actually HIT a little in a reserve/platoon/part time role, should we even care if he's 28yo? Not everyone is a starting 3B or SS with MVP potential. Some guys are just good ballplayers who help a team win. But again...he's never gotten his shot yet. And maybe he won't with the Twins. But I'd still like to see it.

Is he worth $10M per based on what his offense has been last season and this year...not previous seasons...but last and now? Nope. Is his experience and great defense probably worth $5M in today's market for a 1/3-ish catching tandem partner? Yes. The problem is Jeffers...despite a recent slump...a better overall hitter with more power. I think even Jeffers bashers will agree to that. And as has been said, the Twins like to do a pretty equitable split between their backstops. And I like the idea behind it, especially when a guy like Jeffers can also help some at DH when he's going good. The problem is even with a slight upswing in his AVG the past couple of weeks...but below season totals in OB% and SLG%...Vazquez is not hitting like a co-catcher should be for anything close to a 50/50 split, which is why I mentioned the 1/3 share time idea. But his defense is damn good. And catcher, frankly, is a different discussion that an INF or OF in regard to offense vs defense. So no, despite some ugly results, I don't think Vazquez is feeling any pressure right now, other than what he's putting on himself. I'm very intrigued by Camargo. From everything I've read and heard he's a good teammate, handles the staff well, calls a solid game, is solid behind the plate, and has a pretty strong arm. He's never going to win any batting titles, but he can hit at least a little, and he's got power. Do I have a suspicion he could come up tomorrow and quite possibly out perform Vazquez? Yes I do. And I'd like to see him get the opportunity to play at some point. But with a team still trying to find it's true self and quit playing Jekyll and Hyde, the offensive production from the #3 catcher isn't really at the top of the list of concerns, IMO. If and when the Twins do make a move...other than Camargo getting a natural promotion when someone hits the IL...I don't think anything permanent would take place until after this season. That gives the Twins time to evaluate Vazquez and Camargo both for the remainder of the season, get $10M worth of Vazquez this season, and make a decision based on season #3 before season #3 starts...but not now.

I don't think I would have brought Jackson back at this time. Henriquez maybe? Or how about Funderburk since Thielbar is just a complete mess right now? I do have to say, I don't know that they felt a lot of trust in Castillo after 7 BB in 7 IP. I'm sure they'd like him to stick around, that 7 in 7 is just not acceptable.

I don't like him being sent down, but it seems it was necessary at this point. 2 or 3 big hits a month and virtually NOTHING else just doesn't work. Can Kirilloff learn something at AAA on this reset? I seriously doubt it. At this point, I believe he's beyond "learning" something new. Now, maybe he can do a better job of doing what he's already been told to do and get back on track. But at this point, I think we're beyond the "learn something new" stage. I think 1 of 3 things is happening here: 1} He's simply not the player we and everyone else thought he'd be. I doubt this one, not because any prospect is guaranteed of success, but because of how highly his bat was regarded when drafted, through the minors, and in glimpses at the ML level. 2} He's got an injury he's not reported, or is trying to work through as it's not serious enough for a long term fix...in theory...and the Twins have been a little short of LH production in their lineup as of late. I'm leaning this way a little as the way he's been flailing away is very reminiscent of of how he's looked previously when hurt. 3} The wrist issues and surgeries and last year's shoulder injury and repair have simply robbed him of the ability to swing the way he wants to, and have zapped much of his power. I'm hoping it's #2, or he's just forgetting what he already knows and we see him get his head back on straight. I'd rather have seen Wallner back up, but I get him taking more time to make sure he's in a good place and taking the right approach. It would have been a perfect time to add Keirsey to the 40 man and give him his shot, LF, speed, pop, and defense. Unfortunately, he's on the IL right now. So Martin it is. I'm crossing my fingers he's comfortable and ready to perform. I'm still worried about a lack of pop/power in his bat.

I'd have Matthews on the no trade list for sure. I think the Twins biggest downfall this season has been the offense. It's just been too inconsistent, like it was this time last year. The biggest holes are, currently, LF, 2B, and DH. And there are some issues with CF and RH at the moment. Lee gets going, and/or Julien gets his act together, suddenly 2B is taken care of. And BOTH might be part of a 2nd half offensive surge. Larnach has been pretty good and might have finally figured things out. Castro is also solid for LF. If Wallner is ready soon to be the Wallner we've seen, or close to it, LF looks pretty good. DH can be Miranda, Larnach, and almost anyone taking a half day off. LF getting better helps the DH spot. Kepler getting hot again...which I suspect will happen...and Buxton showing SOMETHING really gets the lineup going. I just don't know who's out there for an inexpensive rental that's better than what's on hand IF even a couple of the younger bats on hand just get going, along with Kepler and Buck. I'm not really interested in paying much for a rental bat. Maybe a couple lower prospects to a rebuilding team? I agree with the sentiment you make the playoffs and see what happens! You try to augment your needs to give you the best chance to compete. IMO, I'd be interested in a LH arm unless Thielbar suddenly gets right, and/or a RH arm if Stewart won't be fully available. I know Varland is an enticing option to end the season in the pen, but I'd feel more comfortable with a RH arm just in case Stewart has continued issues. Unfortunately, mid season trades haven't been very good for this FO. Offseason trades have been much, much better. I'm just not interested in moving ANY top prospects at the deadline unless there's just a great opportunity for someone young and controllable. I'm looking at a pen arm, maybe two, and I'd only consider a rental bat if it comes cheap. This team is good, but not playing/performing up to expectation. But I also see too many solid options available that could "click" over the next month or so to jump start the offense that might be as good as most any rental they might pick up. I'm just saying, do I trade prospects to get a "7" player when I've got guys on hand that might be a "6" or even "7" if they just get their game together? Maybe I'm too conservative when I look at the current team and the talent on hand. But that's where I'm sitting right now.

Or Henriquez?

Hoping if Margot gets on base Vazquez will bunt him over if there's less than 2 outs. That's something he's usually been capable of doing.

I think it's Varland. He's been hot and cold at AAA so far. What we don't know is what he's been working on down there. Have some of his bad outings/innings been him just being bad? Or has he been focusing so hard on certain pitches for development purposes he's had those bad outings/innings similar to ST? I'm guessing Castillo goes down, Varland up, and then someone up right after for the pen, with Castillo waiting for his next call. I'm guessing Henriquez or Funderburk get the next call? I kinda like the strategy though. An extra day of rest for everyone else.

By all reports, Williams has worked very hard on his defense and is trusted behind the plate. (A shoulder surgery in college has limited his arm previously and I don't know if that's improved over time or not). But Williams has suddenly stopped hitting. Camargo is the better option at this point, and he's healthy again and rehabbing his way back to St Paul. Again, by all reports, he's solid behind the plate, has a solid arm, has power and some HIT ability. I just don't know that Vazquez is going anywhere based on his defense and contract for THIS year. You won't find a bigger fan of Helman anywhere besides me. He RAKED at St Paul in 2023 but had 3 different injuries, and he probably missed his window as a result. And the Twins ended up with Luplow. Helman has hit ability, some power, good speed and SB results, and is solid at 7 defensive spots. He had a .902 OPS at AAA last year, and has been sitting in the .820-.830 range for the season. I believe he's over 1.000 OPS the past couple of weeks. He was slowed by a small injury to begin the year, and I'd bet his OPS is over .900 from about week 2 or 3 until now. But he's not on the 40 man, Martin is. And Margot is a veteran who's surprisingly hit pretty well the past couple of weeks. IMO, Martin is still a bit of an unknown. I would have loved to replace Margot with Helman a few weeks ago to see what they've got. I don't care he just turned 28yo, I wanted to see what he might be able to do given a chance as a late blooming utility guy. The Twins obviously like him. They just don't seem willing to give him a shot at this point for whatever reason.

The issues with the INF are the same as the OF, just not playing up to talent and potential. The difference is, I think the INF is closer to being "fixed". 3B is fine as long as Lewis is around. Period! Both Miranda and Castro can help give him days off. Lee also, in the future. I'm deliberately leaving Farmer out of the equation for obvious reasons, but he can bring a solid glove there if you need him to. SS is more than fine with Correa playing as well as I've ever seen him. OPS is down across MLB and he's still 60 points higher than average. Castro provides a solid backup option. Again, so will Lee at some point. Same caveat about Farmer there. 1B still has me "meh", though I don't like the term, lol. Santana is NOT a difference maker there in any way. But he's been solid. He started horrible, got hot, slumped, and has been better again as of late. For some CRAZY reason, he has more HR and XBH and RBI batting LH against RHP, even though his actual 4 part splits are MUCH HIGHER against LHP. HUH? Crazy but true. Can he maintain his solid but not great bat the remaining 2/3 of the season? I expect some regression to the norm at least. Miranda needs to be in the lineup for now, and the future. He can do so at 3B here and there, and at 1B along with DH. I don't know that Kirilloff gets any sort or reset if he goes to AAA. What's he going to accomplish there? He needs to figure stuff out NOW at the ML level. He can be part of the 1B/DH plan, along with a few games in the OF. But Larnach is out producing him and looks far better. And Wallner might be close to ready for a promotion again. That means AK back to AAA, though I don't know if that helps him. And that's sad to say. I have a lot of belief and faith in both Julien and Lee. But Julien has hit a bump in the road that many/most young players hit. His bump was just bigger than I expected. The talent and approach are correct, but he's gotten mixed up in the aggressive/passive approach that he's known for. Lee needs time. Lee can play 3 spots, Julien 2, with 1B still being a spot I think he's going to be a part of in the future. Castro can be just fine at 2B, but he's not only needed everywhere, but maybe at his best when he IS playing everywhere. Eventually, Farmer is going to be gone. That leaves room for both Lee AND Julien at some point, but for now, 2B is holding down the INF, and limiting Castro's greatest strength. 1B/DH/2B are all strangely tied, with some OF mixed in, simply because we're waiting...impatiently...for 2 or 3 young and youngish bats to get their act together. At this point, Vazquez is experience and great defense with HOPE that he's going to be at least a little bit better. Right now, he's a slightly better version of Drew Butera. I'm betting he sticks for the remainder of the season based not only on contract, but also his defense. The Twins, IMO, might be forced to release him next offseason, or early next year, and just trust Camargo. And Camargo has some ability as a catcher and a hitter. And at some point, the Twins just might have to eat the 3rd year of the Vazquez deal. The INF is in flux, but I actually feel better about it than the OF at the moment.

It's hard to see the Twins not in red/white/blue. And the blue and yellow remind me too much if the Brewers. But that being said, the colors themselves, and all the thought and little touches, really do seem to represent the state itself. And isn't that the point they're trying to make? Not just the Twins Cities and not just the Twins, but Minnesota. It's going to take time seeing my favorite team on those colors. But I applaud the choice to go a very different direction than before, by doing something almost completely unrelated to their traditional looks. Unto themselves, these uniforms are fresh, detailed, and unique. I love the originality.

Not really going to disagree with you, but except for his recent slump, Kepler has been very good. And while most of his production has come from the DH spot so far, Larnach has looked pretty good. Despite a few good games the past 2-3 weeks, unfortunately, Kirilloff has just not been good. What's even more disappointing is Buxton. He looks good, healthy, and happy, but he just looks like he has zero clue at the plate. I can live with some feast and famine from him considering what he's capable of, but his bat has generally left the lineup hungry. The fact that he and AK are both healthy and doing little is really sad. Can Wallner get untracked and do again what he did last season and make a difference? (Crossing my fingers). I don't believe Rodriguez is going to suddenly come up at 21yo from AA to make a difference this season. That means it's Kepler getting hot again...probable...and Buxton SOMEHOW learning to hit again. Larnach or Wallner can help LF, along with Castro as well, of course. But maybe Martin is ready to take the next step in a role where he'll hit a little better, get OB, steal a few bases, and help spark the lineup? I don't know for certain about Martin, but despite a few good games recently, I'm still not sold that Margot is suddenly the answer as a RH reserve OF.

My apologies for probably repeating a couple things I've said today in a couple different OP's, but here goes: 1] For a few seconds, I'm almost willing to accept a Yankees curse over the Twins. (Why us?) But I can't accept the HANGOVER affect they leave on the Twins. Following the 1st series, the Twins just bombed against Cleveland. After this last series, they looked completely inept the first 2 games against Pittsburgh. Enough! 2] Except for a handful of games this year, the pitching is not the problem. Even with Lopez performing a Broadway version of Jeckyl and Hyde...which he kinda did early last year also...he's also flashed, as have Ryan, Ober, and Paddack. SWR is still feeling his way, but has absolutely been a lifesaver. And I agreed with the broadcast comments the other day that it just LOOKS like he's feeling more and more confident. 3] The OFFENSE has been the biggest issue this season, and they were the part of this team I felt the most confident in coming in. Larnach is looking like he's figured it out, Kirilloff, unfortunately, has not. Miranda looks back! Correa is back. Lewis is...well...back. despite a recent slump, Kepler and Jeffers have been really good for the most part. Buxton looks like his old self in the field and on the bases. He whips the bat in a way that seems to indicate the bat speed is still there. But he's been downright immune to contact of any significant degree. Julien and Wallner have disappointed so far, though I still like the ability and potential of both. Can they, and possibly Lee, help Jumpstart the offense. Hopefully. But Buck needs to figure something out in a hurry before he's a defensive specialist hitting at the bottom of the order. I don't like, but accept Vazquez as a defensive specialist these days. But despite a few hits lately, I'm still not seeing much value in Margot overall for the season. And while I'm a Farmer fan and was happy to see him back, he's just been invisible. Santana has been better than I expected. He's actually contributed. But almost daily use, including against RHP isn't really helping anyone. All that being said, there's still too much damn talent on hand for the offense to perform these disappearing acts. 4] Offensively, the Twins are way down on K's, but also down on HR production. Though last I heard, they were near the top in doubles. For the UPTEENTH TIME...for anyone wiling to actually listen...the Twins philosophy is NOT "swing for the fences and if you K it's alright". The ACTUAL philosophy is "work the count, tire the pitcher, find something you like, and HIT THE BALL HARD". HITTING THE BALL HARD can mean anything from a sacrifice fly, to a solid base hit, to a double/triple, to and INCLUDING HR's. Actually working the count means you will also end up with some BB as well. Walks are good. The majority of the time, a K is no worse than a pop-up, grounder, or fly ball out. Once in a while they're preferable to a grounder to eliminate a double play ball. But NOBODY wants to set a K record. So K's are way down, but so is scoring. Part of that is a weak bench of 3 guys in particular. Part of that is missing Royce for 2 months. Part of that is Julien and Wallner needing a reset, with the caveat of Larnach and Miranda being better to actually assist the offense. But part of the issue is there are times where you just need good contact. And that hasn't always been there, despite the offensive principles put in place that actually make a lot of sense. Nick, you referenced the replacement of Popkins. But my question is, the seeming lack of solid contact that's needed at times...that SHOULD be there based on the Twins basic hitting philosophy...is that on the roster as constructed? An inability for too many of the current roster to get it done? Or is the issue on the teachings of Popkins? Are the Twins hitters being TOO SELECTIVE/PATIENT at times? Or are they not being instructed to make in bat adjustments correctly? Reference the old "choke up" method of hitting? I'm not saying the Twins do or don't need to make a change in instructors. The basic offensive principal that the Twins employ has been proven to work and makes sense. But the tremendous cold streaks indicate that SOMETHING is missing either in the framework of said philosophy, or the lack of approach and adjustments within. I just don't know how much of that is on the players, or the instruction. There's a lot to like about this team, and what's coming up, and there's a lot of season left. But there's just WAY TOO MANY games virtually GIVEN AWAY to the opposition.

I've been really impressed with the improvement Julien has made at 2B. He's at least average there. But even if AK finally figures out how to hit consistently, I still see Julien being part of the 1B/DH situation in order to fit Lee in. Lewis and Correa are fixtures at 3B and SS respectively, with occasional rest and DH days. Lee can play 3 spots, Julien 2, and Miranda can cover some 3B once in a while in addition to 1B/DH. And that's not even including Castro in the INF as well. The future of the INF looks very promising. Now...we need to get the corner OF spots settled.

Assuming he can ever gain consistency, I still like AK being able to play a little OF as well as 1B/DH. I don't think he did anything poor on the triple to left center, but if someone else was out there instead, with just a single extra gear, that ball is probably caught and Ober's day looks very different. I'm willing to go ahead and accept some sort of Yankees curse over the Twins for about 5 seconds. But what's with the hangover affect? The Twins bombed against Cleveland the first time, and then looked totally inept against Pittsburgh the first couple of games. Enough! While the lineup still isn't clicking on all cylinders...looking at you AK, Wallner, Julien, and possibly Lee for some help...there's still too much talent and potential on this team to look so bad at times.

You're not wrong about Helman. His window was last season when the Twins needed to pick up a RH bat and settled for Luplow. Were Helman not banged up, he probably gets the call. To be fair, his OPS in 2023 was .902. It's sitting at .838 now. He was slowed the first couple of weeks this season, and I'd bet he's well over .900 since then. His best chance to see the ML is probably with a different club as a super utility player who has pop and speed and can play 7 spots. I'm sure the Twins hope he comes back next season though. I'm still thinking he'd be an OK hitter with some power and speed, but not a starter for sure.

Eeles is a great story, agreed! I'd imagine he finishes the season at Cedar Rapids. He's just too good for low A much longer. Perhaps ready for AA next season? I just wish he was a couple years younger.

The FSL is a tough hitters league, and always has been. In one aspect, that's a good thing for young prospects, including Jenkins. It creates a natural flow from the FCL to the FSL, which is obviously the same location, just a stoll to another field. If you can hit in Florida, the bat should translate to A+ in the Midwest League. So far, he's done everything that could be asked of him last year, and very limited time this season. I don't think a 1.000 plus OPS is necessarily indicative of his readiness to advance. I think it's more about his approach. Is he squaring up? Are his K's acceptable or is he reaching for stuff he has no business swinging at? If the eye and general approach are there, he'll move up to CR before the season is done. But with time missed, right now, he just needs to play and settle in. I'd expect him to stick at Ft Myers for at least June, maybe even part or all of July before getting August at A+. That should still allow 4-6 weeks of a higher level. 2025, he might begin at CR with a pretty quick promotion to AA, June 1st at the latest. That still keeps him on a very fast trajectory.

I think they are AWESOME! I'm just surprised they are only going to wear them once as I believe they league allows them to wear them twice. I had suspected they would go a little bit more crazy on the helmet and actually put the viking head logo it. And I'd still like to see that sometime. But the horns transferred to the white helm beautifully and I think the silver stipe down the middle is a very nice addition.

Yes, Emma is short for Emmanuel Rodriguez. I really don't like that nickname. But when you're typing in a hurry, sometimes you resort to short cuts. LOL

As @Dmanstated, I'm also leary of fast risers after Cavaco. Correct me if I'm wrong, but the Twins have 4 of the first 90-100 picks based on a pair of comp picks to go along with our normal #1 and #2, right? I'm greedy, of course, LOL, but I see opportunity to grab a solid college catcher to hedge bets on Camargo, Cossetti, and Cardenas, along with a college arm, a HS arm, a HS SS, and a college BAT. Of course, 5 doesn't fit in to 4 spots. We'll see how things fall, but unless there is a surprise, I'm guessing the college arm..and others..comes later. I'm torn between one of the catchers and a true CF with a good offensive profile. Both Emma and Jenkins could outgrow CF. So someone Ike Waldschmidt sure interests me. Does his arm play? Dman brought up issues with arm strength and that concerns me. I do have a feeling the Twins are going to grab a HS SS early. It's a relatively weak position in the system, and someone with real talent to be a possible successor to Correa would be valued. But it sounds like there are about 10-12 kids who could be very good, and then things drop off a cliff. Yes? It seems as though there a number of HS arms worthy to be grabbed in the first couple of rounds. Pick who you like best? After listening to your latest podcast, I'm SUPER intrigued by Dax Whitney. Imagine the potential of this kid with more instruction and another 15lbs of muscle! Could he last until the 2nd round? Sounds like it might be best to grab the college bat 1st, and then grab Whitney with the comp pick. Do you think the high $ amount available in the Twins draft pool might allow them to grab a player, maybe a HS kid, past the first two rounds, while playing a bit with the signing bonus $ available?